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Terrible news

That's sad that 670 members would not help out for their range that they will enjoy after you do all the work.

Be sure to take into account the age of those members. I see many clubs with an aging membership who are disinclined to participate in heavy or arduous tasks. Some that believe that they pay their dues and shouldn't have to add heavy work into their retirement.

On the other hand, our club has a 90 year old who is a fanatic about mowing our property with both a push mower and zero-turn of course! Many, many 70 year olds who are the heart and soul of the club but are not capable of harvesting timber. Take this into account. Young bucks are certainly suited to cutting timber, if they know how to do it safely. Not all do...

;)
 
Be sure to take into account the age of those members. I see many clubs with an aging membership who are disinclined to participate in heavy or arduous tasks. Some that believe that they pay their dues and shouldn't have to add heavy work into their retirement.

On the other hand, our club has a 90 year old who is a fanatic about mowing our property with both a push mower and zero-turn of course! Many, many 70 year olds who are the heart and soul of the club but are not capable of harvesting timber. Take this into account. Young bucks are certainly suited to cutting timber, if they know how to do it safely. Not all do...

;)
I'm sure you are right. I'm almost 80 but for me just showing up means a lot no matter how much or how little you can do. We can always do something to help.
 
I don't do much heavy lifting anymore, and my back went south on
me again but if I was in the neighborhood, I'd be be bringing four
saws, 6 spare bars, 20 sharpened chains, 30 gal's premix, and a good
barrel of bar oil. Been there. And yeah, several cases of the hop flavored
brews, I will drink a can or two of Schaeffer light in the afternoon, while
sharpening chains......

One more oddball thought......Seabees are always looking for something
do.
 
I'd be up for clearing it ourselves as long as we have a guaranteed buyer.
But with approximately 30 ACTIVE members out of 700, I don't see it happening.
You’re lucky to have 30 out of 700. One club I belong to has 3 times the members (2150ish) and about 10 people that actually do 98% of the work to maintain what we have.
 
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Central Alabama Gun Club has hit a serious snag in building our new 1000yd range. We can't find anyone to cut/buy the timber.
Two local mills have closed and the proposed new one has been delayed until next year. Timber prices continue to fall.
The demand for lumber has fallen dramatically due to no new construction happening. Obviously we cannot proceed without the sale of the timber.
This development has me so upset. The range committee has already made decisions on how to build the range and what we wanted.
Running water with restroom, electric, range booth, electronic gate, E Targets, etc. It's designed to be really a nice range that everyone would enjoy coming too.
I was reminded that the purpose of buying the land was to create a buffer to avoid the possibility of a builder putting houses there and jeopardizing our current range. A wise move indeed. But to have the property and not be able to use it is tearing me apart.
Sorry to hear this but it wouldn't be a deal breaker to me either. I'd simply burn it if that was my only option. Usually, there's a lot of stuff that isn't marketable timber anyway, when clearing land. So, it gets disposed of one way or another anyway.
 
You may have already researched it but could you find someone to cut it and stack it until the mills are ready? Not sure how long it can lay around stacked before the mills don't want it but at least the land is cleared.
if nothing else, for firewood.
 
140ac is not very much timber you would be better off just clearing it I don't know of any timber companies that would only cut 140ac tract. My suggestion would be to put the word out and see if some folks with a portable saw mill would come and cut it then find someone to clear it. We get truckloads of wood all day long but it's large tracts cut for pulpwood.
 
Have you looked into having it mulched? Was the lumber sale required for funding? A good sized skid Steer with a mulching head can do amazing work and the result is prepped ground with no stumps or piles, and the remains will keep you from a muddy mess. Sitting in a A/C and or heated cab makes it rather a fun way for a few days. Machines can be rented. Excavators can be had with mulching head attchment also.
 
What wood type is it ?? Here's a crazy thought. Drop it, split it,
and make a deal with the large scale cookers......Lumber is one
thing but pits are burning year round......
You could make a call to Johnny Morris if there is a BassPro close by. He buys all kind of fire wood for his cabins and his stores. Just a thought.
 
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I'd be up for clearing it ourselves as long as we have a guaranteed buyer.
But with approximately 30 ACTIVE members out of 700, I don't see it happening.
That is fairly normal from folks around the US I have visited with on the subject.

Last mess I saw at our club was when they turned loose a half dozen guys with chain saws. What a farking mess they made. Most could not fell a tree where the intended for a million dollars. One “lumber jack” and his son stuck three saws in one tree, AND it was a blow down and already on the ground!! Took me about 20 minutes to get that problem solved, amazing some people still don’t understand gravity.
 
It's a familiar theme in many clubs, not just shooting. Usually a tiny percentage do the heavy lifting and the rest just enjoy the outcome.
Yes the same the world over, basic human nature. Our club offers a reduction in subs if you attend work parties at an agreed hourly rate. Cheaper than getting contractors in, we get enough help but still not as many as you'd expect.
 

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