Back at it y’all!!! FINALLY…Mule Logging

[@davidbelknap740]

My brothers & I grew up logging with my dad & older brother using mules. We loved it my brother still raises some. That team for 3 year olds is doing great. Slow and steady and they listen to you. Awesome job. Be blessed

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you sir! And thanks for watching. Also, thanks for sharing. Always enjoy hearing from everyone and their stories!

[@larrybartlett7419]

Most excellent video. It was actually relaxing to watch it. Beautiful animals excellent job. Thank you very much for sharing. Be safe

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you very kindly and I am glad ya enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting! Good to hear from you

[@benniebarrow348]

Awesome show.....I remember my grandfather talking about logging with mules when he was a young man. He said his butt was knocking on the door about 30 minutes after he got home because it was dragging behind from being so "tard". One of my many fond memories of him .

[@zachodommulelogging]

Haha! Yessir that is true. It’ll wear ya out. Good for man and beast alike. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting. Good to hear from you

[@miguelw2491]

Super content! I’m impressed the way you have brought this young team along. They are very alert to their surroundings but show no signs of thinking about leaving out. In fact, I believe if you keep pulling wet collar pads off of them over the next couple of months, you will be able to go in and out of the woods with your tied off and just by voice. Add this to your bucket list: A Drone Imagine standing there at your truck and putting that drone in the air and flying over that house to video the rest of that tract for water standing etc., etc

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you sir, yes I believe they will too and I strive to keep animals that’ll work by my voice. The drone is a great idea and something I do wanna add. And maybe some more cameras to catch different angles at different times. I really appreciate your comment. Thanks for watching

[@nathanalmond8280]

Good looking job. Yeah you definitely don't tear the ground up with the mules like machinery. Your mules are doing great for coming 3 years old. Shows that you know what you're doing with them. They are a beautiful pair and you have some nice looking harness also. My Grandfather farmed and logged with mules and horses and raised and broke both. He loved both but he favored his mules. He broke his neck in the log woods snaking with his favorite Percheron mare he raised. It was a short log and it caught a stump and Maud pulled into it and it stood up and hit him in the back of the neck and she stopped and went to nickering and the guys cutting heard her and she wouldn't move for she was afraid of hurting him. Long story he got over it and died an old man. Thanks for sharing the video. Stay safe.

[@zachodommulelogging]

That’s an awesome story although I’m sorry ya grandad got hurt tho. It’s dangerous no doubt! Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching! I appreciate the kind words.

[@johnchambers427]

Brings back lots of memories of my grandfather. He logged the same way with mules.

[@zachodommulelogging]

That’s awesome! Glad ya enjoyed it

[@dannyboy7086]

I enjoy watching you work. well done. keep them coming

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you sir and will do!

[@roxannekevilus4535]

I love they way they ease to the load ! What a team. I tip my hat.

[@zachodommulelogging]

I’ve never cared for all that jerking and such. I try to teach mine to “tighten up” and then get tighter and tighter until either one, I say whoa, or the load moves! I really like these mules. They’re a nice pair and work good for me and what I do with them. Thank you ma’am for watching and commenting

[@philmills8004]

Several yrs ago my Lil brother Joey mills filmed a episode of dirty jobs with Mike Rowe logging with his mules but your team is much tamer than his. Lol he mostly cuts walnut timber now with his mules the old timers love watching those mules work the woods and its much more environmentally friendly than big equipment. I just found your channel and enjoy watching yall . We may b kin folk . Somewhere down the line yall b safe.

[@zachodommulelogging]

Cool 😎 and thanks for sharing with me! Thanks for watching and I’m glad ya enjoy it. Take care

[@mykelbaurle5758]

Enjoyed the video, seeing the mules work and seeing how the log loader works. One thing bothered me was how the single trees was bumping into the mules legs on the way back to get another log. 😢

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thanks for watching and the kind words. As I’ve stated before earlier, the single trees are wood. Most of the time dragging the tongs kept it tight enough to keep the single trees off of them. And when they did bump them, they’re wood and light. Which did NOT hurt them any at all. But thank you for looking out. And again, thanks for watching!

[@arkansas1336]

Love this video, well done. That is an awesome team of mules. If I was close to you I'd try to talk you into letting me make a few drags.

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you sir. I am pleased with them. They’re making a real fine pair of mules in my humble opinion.

[@fion1flatout]

I made a spreader out of a bicycle handlebar because that's what I'd got lying around. Used one length of chain in a triangle shape, with a swivel at the point. Fastened the chain by running a rope through the handlebar. Quite lightweight and hasn't broken so far. Not pulling heavy loads yet just training, but don't see why it would break

[@zachodommulelogging]

Spreaders work really good. Just use good chain is main thing. That small 120 grade chain hoist chain is nice on stuff too especially for smaller animals. I don’t see why your spreader won’t work. Best of luck and thanks for watching

[@emeryedwards1219]

We would keep the traces short when pulling hard then lengthen them out so as not to bump heals. I've seem boys just stand on the tong to keep the single tree from banging into their heel, but the easier way on a short drag is to pickup the tongs and practice their voice commands. If the go to fast bump the tongs back and they will learn to slow or swing the double tree and tugs/chains against their legs to move them over and back alway would use the tongs to pull them back but have lines as a backup. Even the dumbest stock figure it out before long. I've had my feet in places where I couldn't reach the lines and voice commands save bodily harm😅. Your team is awesome slow is best

[@zachodommulelogging]

Right…and another reason I use wood singles. They’re lighter and Wong hurt em. The situation dictates what I do. Here, I was close in and just made em walk slow. It wasn’t a big deal. If I have a ways to go..I just take the outside trace chains loose and then it doesn’t matter. But it would’ve taken too much time here. Plus the stretcher dragging helped stay off of em too. Thx for watching brother! And thx for the kind words….

[@kevindibling7366]

You can tell those mules enjoying working for you

[@zachodommulelogging]

I like to think so too and thank you sir! Thanks for watching and commenting

[@matthewlee825]

Where can you find a log loader like the one you have.great show

[@zachodommulelogging]

They don’t make em anymore, but you can find used ones here and there. You just have to look and ask around. Several companies made these loaders back in the 60’s. Savannah, Corinth, Taylor, and Monticello to name a few. Imho, I think the Savannah loader was the best one. As far as I know, I am about the only one left using one working stock with. But I am sure there are others out there. And thanks for the kind words. I am glad ya enjoyed it. Thanks

[@rossbrymer4151]

The mules did good!

[@zachodommulelogging]

Thank you! And thanks for watching and commenting

[@kennybolt8329]

Is the single trees not beating u the mules hocks? Just looked that way to me. Otherwise I enjoy watching you and them mules ! Always say that I'm not afraid of work I can lay down beside it and go to sleep . 😂

[@zachodommulelogging]

Well, I make em walk slow enough it isn’t a big deal. Normally I’d take the outside trace chains loose and then they wouldn’t have to worry about it, but we were in and out so quick it takes to much time to do that. And it wasn’t bothering em none. You just have to make them walk slow, which these mules do anyhow. One thing is for sure, no matter how many short cuts you can take…mule logging in itself is just WORK. No matter how you slice it lol. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@jedcorlew147]

I've always preferred box britchen instead of Yankee britchen. Thats what we called the light britchen.

[@zachodommulelogging]

Yessir me too and thank you!

[@davidthurmond9016]

I had one of those side loading log trucks once lol these young people wouldn't even know what those was

[@zachodommulelogging]

Cool 😎 and yessir you’re right. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@bendugas8632]

Do you have a video unloading your logs at the mill.

[@zachodommulelogging]

I don’t as of now. But maybe sometime soon I can get a video. I’ll see what I can do…thx for watching

[@davidthurmond9016]

My dad is gone now but he was born in 1932 and I've heard him say he had done that a few times in his young days

[@zachodommulelogging]

Neat :)

[@tommysanders2832]

Nice mules your tracechian is to shout can cause knots on their legs

[@zachodommulelogging]

Yessir I know and not something I do regularly, but I had a reason for it. And I made them walk slow just for that reason. Well that and I just had knee surgery and am getting over that. Plus the single trees are wood and aren’t banging them hard like metal ones would and if you’ll watch very close as they’re walking, you’ll see the tongs is sorta holding the stretcher off of em too. But yes you are right and it’s not a habit I would do all the time. My trace chains aren’t too short just hooked to short also just to be clear. Thanks for watching though and commenting. I appreciate it

[@fallenskyshomesteadingandp2528]

Who do you recommend buying some good mules from?

[@zachodommulelogging]

There is a few fellers I could recommend to you. Carl Bilbrey ([phone]) of Cookeville TN. And Johnny Kelso ([phone]) of Murray KY. Try them and if they don’t have what ya need they might could point you in the right direction.

[@johnchambers427]

My grandfather was from roan mountain Tennessee. He cut timber and log all his life.

[@zachodommulelogging]

Cool! I always love hearing about the old timers. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@randallcrane2704]

Good job Good wood

[@terrywhitenight9188]

What kind of harness is that, and what is the advantage of it?

[@zachodommulelogging]

It is called box/basket britchen harness or more commonly called “Tennessee” mule harness here. It offers more surface area for the mules to hold a load back and/or back a load. It’s been used here in Tennessee for decades. But mostly our area. We have lots of rolling hills. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@terrywhitenight9188]

@@zachodommulelogging Thank you.

[@zachodommulelogging]

You’re welcome

[@TheSeastar19]

Definitely the lowest diesel fuel consumption of any skidder on the market, that's for sure!

[@zachodommulelogging]

Most definitely! Animals and machines alike have their place. They have the strong points and weak points. I started on machines and went back to animals. I enjoy them a lot more and the simplicity. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment. Take care and do come again.

[@terrythomas7035]

Kate is your lead is the off one named Alice?

[@zachodommulelogging]

Yes ma’am, that is right

[@BCvlogs-ul9dc]

Why do you let the Whippletree hit the mules in the back of their legs

[@zachodommulelogging]

I normally don’t. But we had short skids here and mine are wood which is pretty light. And to keep from lengthening them up after every skid I left them as is. The mules walked slow enough not to hurt anything and also while dragging behind the single trees weren’t hitting them but more or less just bouncing around. The tongs held em off. This is a specific situation and something we don’t do often

[@jedcorlew147]

You probably have 1800 ft on. At least it's poplar.

[@zachodommulelogging]

Prolly close to that. We were shooting for 1600 ish. And yes I wouldn’t load as heavy with anything else. Thanks for watching buddy