Where do you all look to find current timber prices in your area? I have a guy in Clarke county that tells me, but I am new to the game here in Autuaga county. I’ve seen some of the state wide reports on websites, but where do I get specific area info? Some areas bring more or less than others due to different factors so what do you all use to see if it’s a good price at that time to cut? I have some stuff that needs to be cut fairly soon due to getting too large I believe.
Thanks

Call different timber companies and get their current price per ton. Of course you have to know what stage of growth the timber is in to get a fair guess of price per ton.

Talk to a forester working Autauga County and the river region. Prices fluctuate weekly based on supply/demand in your local market.

To get an accurate price the loggers will have to look at the property. How far they have to skid, proximity to highways, obviously how wet or dry the site is, and miles from the mill all play a big part in the payout to the landowner.

Alabama Forest Owners Association (AFOA) has some stumpage info for the state. Timbermart South (website) has national, regional and statewide stumpage and market pricing. I cut timber a year ago and before I did, I ordered one of their reports (fee) to see the trending of timber prices over several quarters in order to get a baseline of pricing before I talked to my forester. It breaks the report out by timber classification and species. Also, different timber goes to different mills, so distance to the mill can have an effect on the prices you receive. All depends on the details of how you finalize your timber contract.

How is it getting too large? I’d like to hear what you’re thinking.
Some mills around here have a max butt size, but too large is generally not a problem. Most loggers I deal with sort and merchandise our trees. Meaning someone will take the larger butt cuts. Also your dbh average (I’ll bet) of oversized trees is probably very, very small. I’m guessing.
We had a “bottom land” tract that wasn’t but 23 years old, but had a few trees on the edges and roads that were over 20” dbh, but when we cruised it, there were only a handful of trees actually out in the stand like that. Less than a load or 2 on 80 acres. I’d like to hear your situation.
My dad gets a green sheet every quarter, but forest 2 market or timber mart south usually has prices, but it’s all negotiable.

http://www.timbermart-south.com/prices.html

Check your PM..

all good advise above-unusual on any message board ##**

Shame folks in LA have to sell their hardwood saw logs by the ton. Surely there's some hardwood down there good enough to sell on scale and grade.

A lot of it subjective to where you are and what mills are near you. Too large is an issue for us becouse there are no sawmills near me that cut large old growth pine timber anymore. Once trees reack around 20" dib around here it seems better to cut and replant financially. But I like having some old growth timber probably for sentimental value. But when you cut it you get less per ton for it because the freight.

I mean too big by large butt size. According to a forester that I had put once anyway. Old Thinned stuf. Some very “Wolfy” as I’m told. I have a lot of average larger pines as well. Some amount of sweet gum too. Looking to clear the larger old stuff to replant or fence for livestock. Only about 20 acres or less.

You’d have to see it. Just looking to clean up and out the old stuff before it’s useless.

Do yourself a favor and hire a forester