Skid Mulcher or pay by acre

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
Pay $200 per hour for the mulcher or pay $150 per acre for crew to do thinning? Which would you think would be more cost effective? Amazing the cost difference in the quotes.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Where are you finding a crew for $150 an ac. to thin? I could use some of that just in cleaning up stuff. The mulcher will leave a "clean" job but the area won't grow much on the ground for more than a couple of years, at least around here. The mulch left behind is very thick if you are cutting much at all and it will take a while to break down to where something will grow in it. A crew doing thinning will leave bigger stuff that can be piled up and be beneficial for small game and birds. I had some mulching work done a few years ago. It was some larger Virginia pines and took a while but he came no where near to doing an acre an hour.
 

para4514

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Pay $200 per hour for the mulcher or pay $150 per acre for crew to do thinning? Which would you think would be more cost effective? Amazing the cost difference in the quotes.

Lots of factors come into play. What is your objective, how old/large are the trees, how dense are the trees and how many trees per acre are you wanting to leave standing? All will impact the final result, and which method is the best for you to use.
 

curdog

Ten Pointer
Contributor
The mulching I have done has taken 6-8 tach hours per acre. That is mulching most or everything on that acre. Depending on the size of the trees, mulching would probably be higher. The mulcher would leave it cleaner, as the pre commercial thinning crews (which I'm assuming you're talking about) leave the trees where they fall. I guess it will depend on what you're after as the end result.
 

bag12day

Six Pointer
Contributor
Where are you finding a crew for $150 an ac. to thin? I could use some of that just in cleaning up stuff. The mulcher will leave a "clean" job but the area won't grow much on the ground for more than a couple of years, at least around here. The mulch left behind is very thick if you are cutting much at all and it will take a while to break down to where something will grow in it. A crew doing thinning will leave bigger stuff that can be piled up and be beneficial for small game and birds. I had some mulching work done a few years ago. It was some larger Virginia pines and took a while but he came no where near to doing an acre an hour.
I am not far from where you live I think... I would jump at the chance to have someone thin for 150 an acre too . So @Roanoke where are you finding someone or contact info please. I have a bunch (40 acres or so) of sub standard pre merch maple and pine that needs to go. Thanks!
 

para4514

Eight Pointer
Contributor
I am not far from where you live I think... I would jump at the chance to have someone thin for 150 an acre too . So @Roanoke where are you finding someone or contact info please. I have a bunch (40 acres or so) of sub standard pre merch maple and pine that needs to go. Thanks!
Depending on stand conditions there should be some good cost share options for pre-commercial thinning. USDA Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) paid $308/ac during the this past sign-up.
 

bag12day

Six Pointer
Contributor
Depending on stand conditions there should be some good cost share options for pre-commercial thinning. USDA Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) paid $308/ac during the this past sign-up.
Thanks I have a forestry plan with NCFS but didn't really have any conversations around cost shares when I was talking about thinning/ wildlife improvement. Have u dealt with a local USDA office or consulting forester?
 
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