Cutting Firewood and Logging Firewood Logs Yarding Skidding with a Ford Ranger

Cutting firewood from Tanoak logs. I am yarding the logs up a hill with a Ford Ranger. Using a Stihl 462 chainsaw to buck the logs into firewood. I end up with a big pile of firewood. I use the Ranger to haul some of the wood to a location where I will split it with my log splitter.
I wasn’t planning on being in the firewood business but I had a bunch of nice hardwood that fell over in a snow storm. Instead of letting the wood rot away, I will be selling the firewood.
Equipment Used
100 foot 7/16 cable. Eye on one end, bell on the other. Basically a 100 foot long choker. I have those special made at a local logging supply business.
8” block. A 6 inch is good enough or actually even better for this size line. I just didn’t have the 6 inch with me that day.
The block was anchored to the stump with a common 10 foot long 1/2” choker. I usually keep three or four of them with me. A 1/2” shackle or two is good to have to attach chokers together if needed to make it longer. Also a length of 5/16 chain with a hook on each end to make variable length. 6 foot or 8 foot is good.
This rigging is for larger equipment I have. It is all overkill for a Ranger. 3/8 inch cable would work fine.

[@guyjones3665]

Top tip... keep it as long as you can for as long as you can... short stuff is wasted energy

[@Dustin_the_wind]

I'm a bit of a spry old man myself, or so I've been told. Nice movin' out there, Mister M.

[@thekiltedsawyer]

Love watching you working, you make it look easy when I know it's very demanding to pull that kind of work off, let alone filming & repositioning equipment and camera angles. Please be safe out there by yourself, very dangerous alone, stay safe and keep them coming buddy 👍🧡🧡🧡🧡🌲🌲🌲🌲💪👌🪵🪵🪵

[@albuser8641]

I like the way you use the blocks to get the logs up to the road. Very entertaining to me.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thank you for the feedback. I am glad to hear it’s entertaining.

[@HardRockVermont]

Great footage Michael! They do sell Timberjack 240 Cable Skidders for under 10 grand, we used one for years in the woods here, they aren't the most powerful out there, but they will get the job done.

[@gregmerckx8557]

Very entertaining. Thanks for doing the work of filming, editing, and posting. I enjoyed watching this.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@gunterbecker8528]

❤ you get a like everytime, cause u r a champion, explaining, talking us through it ,just first class! 😊

[@jtownsend220]

Finally a guy that knows how to run a saw. Great video!

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks 👍

[@ryansetter9014]

I really enjoy these videos. You guys on the west coast sure have a lot steeper terrain to work on then we do in Michigan.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks Ryan. Yes we are on the wrinkly side of the country. If we went to Michigan we would probably fall over because we’re not used to standing on flat land.

[@andysmith8544]

The little Ranger that could !

[@WilsonForestLands]

Ha ha, maybe I should have use that as the title.

[@jamespotestio1074]

The long bar came in handy when cutting the splintered tree. Love the way you take the extra time to prevent collateral damage.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I find a long bar handy for a lot of things. Thanks for the comment James.

[@Peter-od7op]

Wow 2 years ago

[@marksparkplug7758]

Thanks Wilson, nice firewood. Take care.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks for watching Mark.

[@bradduncan1778]

Michael, I'm a pretty new subscriber. I have enjoyed all your videos. I have been watching them from oldest forward. How many acres did you buy out on the Coast and how many do you have back inland? Thank You!!

[@MsdMakingSawDust]

Yea it looks like firewood for sale…😂 looks like the little ranger did the job. Good video that’s for sharing !!

[@WilsonForestLands]

It’s hard to get used to such a small truck after using my bigger ones but definitely gets the job done. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@joeyrector934]

Them little Rangers are tough little trucks. I've had 3 of. You can't bet them

[@WilsonForestLands]

I have never had one, my dad has been using this one for a long time. It has taken a beating. I am impressed by it.

[@joeyrector934]

@@WilsonForestLands they're really good little trucks and they're not bad on gas

[@wemcal]

Great video

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks!

[@davecalvo6418]

Mike, ditch that Sthil heavy bar and go with a SugiHara lightweight 32" bar. They are 30% lighter and we aren't getting any younger buddy lol

[@Squareuno]

God I need a new chain. I sharpen and sharpen. But am so much slower bucking up these rounds.

[@johnmoyer5515]

I've used my Toyota Highlander & snatch blocks. I don't like the splintered trees either

[@WilsonForestLands]

I can imagine that would work too. And you’re probably not going to break the Toyota very easily because it’s a Toyota.

[@southernadirondackoutdoors]

Not a bad morning's work! How did you pick up your forestry skills?

[@WilsonForestLands]

I started working in the woods with my Dad at a very young age. Since then I had plenty of time to pick up a few things along the way.

[@orBMW]

What length cables do you recommend for stuff like this? Also what block do you use and what’s it rated working load? Is the cable you use 7/19 or 6/36? I assume it’s 3/8” also. I’m in western Oregon so I cut lots of fir and oak for firewood and need to pull logs to the road. Love the channel wish I had a tractor like yours.

[@WilsonForestLands]

The trick is to have a cable that can reach what you are pulling, but not be so long that the pulling vehicle is too far away. Especially if there are curves in the road. The cable in that video is 100 feet long. I find that to be a very good length for most cases. It is 7/16. I have found 3/8 to be a little small. I have broke them before after they get a little wear on them. Not with the Ranger, but with the bigger trucks. Half inch is bigger than necessary, so 7/16 is a good in between size. I don’t know about the strands. It’s just what is used for common chokers. I use an 8 ton and a 6 ton block. The 6 is a better size to work with. Just the standard blocks you find in a logging supply store. I have never broke one. I also have a breakaway block, they are ridiculously expensive. I don’t know what it is rated for. It is nice having the tractor, it has the same cable but 165 feet long.

[@piotr84ru]

if you calculate weight of wood you'll realise that that load wasn't close to half what ranger can handle

[@peterellis4262]

When you commented about the bowed tree and being in the wrong spot being potentially deadly - then it released and came down in a manner that, on camera, looked pretty insignificant. The camera lies! A person doesn't want to be in the path of that tree coming down anymore than one crashing from its full height.

[@WilsonForestLands]

This video was long enough ago I don’t even remember. But yeah what you said.😁

[@glennevitt5250]

I Have One STARTING in The Business Uesd What You Have And Make it Work Till You Make Money To Up Grade 😎

[@vdsgw52]

Can you list the equipment you use. The shive and cable lengths and what they are called. I will look at Baileys and see if they have them. Thanks.

[@WilsonForestLands]

100 foot 7/16 cable. Eye on one end, bell on the other. Basically a 100 foot long choker. I have those special made at a local logging supply business. 8” block. A 6 inch is good enough or actually even better for this size line. I just didn’t have the 6 inch with me that day. The block was anchored to the stump with a common 10 foot long 1/2” choker. I usually keep three or four of them with me. A 1/2” shackle or two is good to have to attach chokers together if needed to make it longer. Also a length of 5/16 chain with a hook on each end to make variable length. 6 foot or 8 foot is good. I think that’s it for the rigging. What I call these things may be different than what Bailey’s calls them. Some West Coast logging terms I have noticed are different than in a lot of the country. I am not sure what you meant by shive. This equipment is for larger equipment I have. It is all overkill for a Ranger. 3/8 inch cable would be fine. Your comment reminds me, maybe I should explain some of my equipment sometimes when I show it.

[@vdsgw52]

@@WilsonForestLands Your block is what I called a shive in my industry. With that equipment I would be able to pull a cedar tree off a slope up to a rode and get it cut up. And yes it would help those that are not in your industry learn about the trade if you explained the equipment. Thanks

[@dogassedugly3002]

Never realized the benefit of a long bar when it comes to reaching for a high tree. Yup i know dragging logs thru dirt dulls the chain quicker. Is your ranger a manual? Lots of work but very rewarding! Thx 4 the video. Be safe! Good call on that spring loaded tree btw.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Yes the Ranger is manual. I find the long bar so handy for so many things, I rarely use the short ones. Mostly because I don’t have to bend over so much with the long bar. Thanks for the comment.