Who is hitting opening day of LEGAL firewood season?

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Not a big creosote guy after you see a chimney fire. As a kid our neighbors house burnt down. Oddly enough he had a heating /cooling business and did sheet metal work. Good dry seasoned wood and a clean chimney obviously helps. There is a new cut close to my house. I may grab a little tamarack to try it out next fall
That particular tree, dead standing for many years, and then was in the wood shed split 5 months, was very dry. It was pretty crazy, but the second load into the stove with that tree and I had a chimney fire, but chimney was clean just before starting to burn that tree, and just smoldered and went out after a few minutes with no airflow to it.
 
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It is on NF land out west. They don't sale firewood permits until May 15th. Different NF districts may be different, but most in my area follow that date. If you are cutting prior to
May 15th , you are cutting without a permit. I don't know what the fine is these days, but past experience told me it was $150 and forfeiture of said wood.
Depends on the state evidently. Any FS ground in the Northern Rockies region, you can cut wood any day of the year. However, the FREE wood permit expires 3/31 of the calendar year. I do know in the pacific NW you can only cut dead and down. Again, anywhere in MT/ID, you can cut anything dead. Standing or on the ground
 
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It's funny here in Minnesota your supposed to go down to the county and get a fuel wood permit. I live close to a lot of public forest land so have a pretty go idea where they're logging. Sometimes you'll show up and I'll be cutting and another truck will slide in. Everyone is looking for the " trophy"wood" . 1/2 the time they don't have a permit (wood poachers). Guys getting on edge cause your in "their" spot. So yep a lot like hunting
 
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Customweld
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Depends on the state evidently. Any FS ground in the Northern Rockies region, you can cut wood any day of the year. However, the FREE wood permit expires 3/31 of the calendar year. I do know in the pacific NW you can only cut dead and down. Again, anywhere in MT/ID, you can cut anything dead. Standing or on the ground
I mainly cut in the Payette and Boise NF. They both start selling their permits on May 15th. I forget when they end, maybe Dec 1st? . I'm not sure how your forests look, but with all of the beetle kill over here, they should be paying US to cut these snags.
 
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Not sure how it is by you guys ,but forestry practice must have changed. They used to leave a "slash" pile by the landing. A lot easier to back in and cut. Now the loggers are spreading tops in the cut. More work for us hunters
 
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I mainly cut in the Payette and Boise NF. They both start selling their permits on May 15th. I forget when they end, maybe Dec 1st? . I'm not sure how your forests look, but with all of the beetle kill over here, they should be paying US to cut these snags.
Interesting. S ID is a different region though. Great Basin. Evidently they have different wood cutting rules. Another change when you cross the time zone bridge huh?
 
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Customweld
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Interesting. S ID is a different region though. Great Basin. Evidently they have different wood cutting rules. Another change when you cross the time zone bridge huh?
Yeah, I think being this close to the Boise metro area creates a lot more headache. Nez Perce NF is a lot more friendly to work in.
 

TheTone

WKR
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Interesting. S ID is a different region though. Great Basin. Evidently they have different wood cutting rules. Another change when you cross the time zone bridge huh?
Eastern idaho takes permits seriously, I knew of one family that lost several chainsaws and loads of wood every year because they were in unwilling to buy permits and did almost all of their cutting to sell. They also didn’t like to pay fines thus why the forest just seized saws. I’d be fine with no need for a permit to cut up stuff that’s already on the ground. Maybe that would actually lead to things looking a little better. I’d also fully support making logging slash get piled better and allowing it to be freely cut for firewood instead of just leaving it a total mess
 
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Gentlemen, please be mindful not to post unit specifics. Next thing you know, we'll have a bunch of people "not asking for anyone's honey-holes" and seeking e-scouting advice.
It is funny, but around here, (folks from here) people are more likely to talk about where they hunt than where they get firewood.
 
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i'm spoiled then. I have a friend that has a tree service. I just go over to his lot on a saturday and take all his wood dumpsters for my own burning needs
 
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It is funny, but around here, (folks from here) people are more likely to talk about where they hunt than where they get firewood.
So true. Customweld posted pics of "shroms" above . That's a whole level of secrecy above firewood. Almost "if I told you I'd have kill you " level. You'd have to pull fingernails out here for someone to tell you where those morels came from
 
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Customweld
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So true. Customweld posted pics of "shroms" above . That's a whole level of secrecy above firewood. Almost "if I told you I'd have kill you " level. You'd have to pull fingernails out here for someone to tell you where those morels came from
There is a whole lot of truth to that! There is a FB morel page that is blowing my area apart. When we were out yesterday, I couldn't believe how many passenger cars were up in the hills. I think each one had a "not all who wander are lost" window sticker. I don't share my morel hidey holes with anyone.
 
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Montana
Funny and true stuff here. Once the gates open to certain FS roads we drive them scouting for the big blow downs close to the road. Pack my old trusty Stihl 046 and newer 461. A few chokers, peavy bar and a Warn 10k winch. Glass for bears, but mainly hunting for 2’ diameter downed Douglas Fir.
 

TheTone

WKR
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Im always surprised at the number of people I see out dropping trees in the middle of winter. Nothing about it seems fun. A couple years ago I know my local deputies dealt with guys dropping them across a highway in the winter

Also not uncommon to find nice big trees girdled by people trying to get a head start on the tree dying on its own
 
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Found this Lewis winch in a old wood collectors shop estate sale. Did not know I needed it until I saw it!
The Lewis has averaged over a cord a year from nasty areas where truck winch cant get to. I can strap it to a tree and slowly winch away until I can get 8' sections to the Warn or Ford. It Is heavy but it is a slick little tool for multiple uses.
 

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OP
Customweld
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Found this Lewis winch in a old wood collectors shop estate sale. Did not know I needed it until I saw it!
The Lewis has averaged over a cord a year from nasty areas where truck winch cant get to. I can strap it to a tree and slowly winch away until I can get 8' sections to the Warn or Ford. It Is heavy but it is a slick little tool for multiple uses.
I helped a guy high lead an bull from across a canyon with an old Lewis winch. I think we worked harder rigging and pulling cable than we would have if we just quartered it hand packed it out. But he had a Lewis winch and that is what we were gonna use!
 
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Aug 9, 2017
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Montana
^^ They do have a place and sometimes it’s a PITA using it. I would not want to pack it into a canyon for a elk! That would be way hard work. We bring it in the jet boat for late summer running just in case we hit a gravel bar.
 
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