# Picking wood on public land.



## Salt4wa (Jun 1, 2017)

I'm hoping to make a trip to southern Utah and surrounding area this fall. Can I pick up wood I find on public land for turning? If so, what kind of wood will I find that is at least 6 inch dia.? I don't want a truck load, only 6 or 7 pieces.


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## vegas urban lumber (Jun 1, 2017)

you can pick it up but at the discretion of the local law enforcement (game wardens/rangers) you might be fined. blm is so understaffed out west (not CA they're way overzealous) that you would probably never find someone to question you. i would not advise picking up anything even rocks from national parks but blm land is not as highly regulated. all i can find is that fire wood collecting of dead wood is acceptable in most places. don't cut anything live. and if it has a creature habit look to it leave it in place.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## CWS (Jun 1, 2017)

In Ohio you can buy a pass to get any wood that is on the ground in Wayne National Forest.


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## Mike1950 (Jun 1, 2017)

Probably get a firewood permit to be safe.


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## vegas urban lumber (Jun 1, 2017)

you will get turned down for a fire wood permit if i understand correctly how they view those in the desert region. fire wood permits don't really exist because they wood be for cutting live wood which isn't allowed but most of the blm desert regulations say you can gather and burn small amounts of dead debris wood in the non fire-hazard season for your immediate camping needs only. be aware that you will not be able transport wood across the state line into california

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Jun 2, 2017)

vegas urban lumber said:


> you will get turned down for a fire wood permit if i understand correctly how they view those in the desert region. fire wood permits don't really exist because they wood be for cutting live wood which isn't allowed but most of the blm desert regulations say you can gather and burn small amounts of dead debris wood in the non fire-hazard season for your immediate camping needs only. be aware that you will not be able transport wood across the state line into california



Firewood permit here is for dead wood only.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## vegas urban lumber (Jun 2, 2017)

Mike1950 said:


> Firewood permit here is for dead wood only.



through the summer they do not allow the use of gas power tools on blm land down here due to fire hazard

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Jun 2, 2017)

vegas urban lumber said:


> through the summer they do not allow the use of gas power tools on blm land down here due to fire hazard


Here it depends on weather. They can and do shut down Forest service land- they have different stages- no open flame- no camping and all the ways to virtually no activity at all. Got so hot and dry in 2015 they shut down fishing, but it resumes in fall.


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## vegas urban lumber (Jun 2, 2017)

Mike1950 said:


> Here it depends on weather. They can and do shut down Forest service land- they have different stages- no open flame- no camping and all the ways to virtually no activity at all. Got so hot and dry in 2015 they shut down fishing, but it resumes in fall.



lol to the fishing closure. f***ing bureaucrats

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Jun 2, 2017)

vegas urban lumber said:


> lol to the fishing closure. f***ing bureaucrats



Actually- it was the right move- fish were stressed because water temps were very high. Drought conditions-low water- high temps very hard on trout salmon and sturgeon. no worries now- record water amounts- reservoirs over full. blink and the weather changes...

Reactions: Agree 2


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## barry richardson (Jun 2, 2017)

vegas urban lumber said:


> you can pick it up but at the discretion of the local law enforcement (game wardens/rangers) you might be fined. blm is so understaffed out west (not CA they're way overzealous) that you would probably never find someone to question you. i would not advise picking up anything even rocks from national parks but blm land is not as highly regulated. all i can find is that fire wood collecting of dead wood is acceptable in most places. don't cut anything live. and if it has a creature habit look to it leave it in place.


Sounds similar to here in AZ, especially the understaffed agencies. The only ones around here who might question you are corporate representatives. My view is that as long as I'm not killing anything, I will take the minimal risk involved. Desert Ironwood, saguaro Cactus, even Mesquite, are protected by regulations governed by the Department of Agriculture here, and permits are required for the harvesting of these, (in theory) I even went to the trouble of getting a permit for Ironwood once, but have since came to the conclusion that it was a waste of time......

Reactions: Like 2


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## David Hill (Jun 11, 2017)

Looks like best bet is to look/find/ask about private landowners. Even in Texas we get testy about public & park land-- philosophy is look and leave nothing but footprints...

Reactions: Agree 1


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