Skip to content

Compact Skidders in Hardwood Country

Tigercat builds skidders to handle all types of logging applications. Between the Branches recently visited two smaller-class models, the 612 skidder and the 610H cable skidder, working in two different hardwood applications.

— Chris McMillan

Fryburg Logging

Paul Stutzman is the owner of Fryburg Logging, based in Fredericksburg, Ohio. Paul started helping his dad cut wood when he was fourteen years old. By age 21, equipped with a chainsaw, a small dozer, and an old loader, he was logging full-time during winters to help feed the family mill. We caught up with him as he was working on a blowdown cleanup job in the Wooster-Shreve area.

In June 2022, a line of severe thunderstorms moved through Ohio and a large macroburst tracked across Wooster township. Wind speeds were estimated to be 80-90 mph (130-145 km/h) along this path. Thousands of trees were downed, falling on homes, vehicles and powerlines, causing widespread power outages. “Last week was the three-year anniversary of the storm. With this storm damage, a lot of the stuff is covered. You can't even see the logs. You have to push the briars to the side. There are cherry logs between 24 and 35 inch [60 and 90 cm] diameter. There’s a lot of maple and white oak. It’s a shame that this cleanup wasn’t done sooner,” says Paul.
(L-R) Paul Stutzman, Owner of Fryburg Logging; Elvin Swarey, Fryburg Logging Skidder Operator; Dan Weaver, Fryburg Logging Loader Operator; Jerry Smeak, Tigercat District Manager; Danny Gatrell, Ricer Regional Sales Manager; Troy Sneddon, Ricer Regional Sales Manager; Loren Ricer, Ricer Dealer Manager.
After assessing the scope of work, Paul realized that he would need to transition his selective harvesting operations from manual to mechanical felling. Paul recalls, “After the storm hit there was a lot of timber we wanted to cut, so we contacted Danny at Ricer Equipment, and decided to buy the LX830D.” Later on, Paul decided to purchase a Tigercat 612 grapple skidder. “We knew the dependability and the service support we experienced with the cutter. That’s what made us purchase the skidder.”

The site we visited was beyond a treeline behind a farmer's field. Damaged timber was downed or partially standing. Paul used the LX830D to cut damaged trees, as well as thinning where necessary. The 612 skidded large trees, one or two at a time, to the roadside where a loader was bucking to length and loading trucks.
The Tigercat 612 skids large hardwood in a blowdown cleanup job in Ohio.
The Tigercat 612 skids large hardwood in a blowdown cleanup job in Ohio.
Paul explains the choice of the narrow skidder with a fixed front axle and oscillating centre joint. “We deal with mainly select cut and all our competitors run small skidders, so all our trails in the woods are narrow. With the 612, we can fit in those same trails and with the cutter, we can wiggle our way through. If we had gone with a 625 skidder, we’d have to enlarge a lot of the trails, and that’s a lot of dozer work.”

As Paul continues to transition Fryburg Logging from partial hand falling to fully mechanical, he plans to take it slow and work with Danny Gatrell at Ricer Equipment. “It’s awesome working with them. They take care of us.”

Fox Lumber Company

Next, we travelled about 420 km (260 miles) southeast to the town of Mill Creek, West Virginia to visit Steve Fox, owner of Fox Lumber Company, to watch Steve’s recently purchased Tigercat 610H cable skidder in action.

Steve has worked in the woods since he was a kid helping his dad cut logs. Both his grandfathers and one great-grandfather were loggers, and he has kept it in the family. His son Doug, and daughters Stevie and Jessie help him run the business. Doug helps with all aspects of the business, runs the logging operations, and buys all the timber to supply the mill. Stevie manages the sawmill. Jessie Gum manages the office and looks after lumber sales.
Stevie Fox, Fox Lumber Mill Manager; Danny Gatrell, Ricer Regional Sales Manager; Steve Fox, Owner of Fox Lumber Co.; Doug Fox, Fox Lumber Forester; Jerry Smeak, Tigercat District Manager; Troy Sneddon, Ricer Regional Sales Manager; Joey Adkins, Ricer Service Manager.
Steve started Fox Lumber Company in 1986 with a dozer and a chainsaw. After ramping up the logging operation, he built his first sawmill about a year later. Today, the mill supplies five million board feet of green hardwood lumber annually. The product is sold to cabinet, moulding, and flooring manufacturers, as well as dry kiln companies for further distribution. The company logging crew supplies most of the logs for the mill, with subcontractors supplementing the log supply.

On the day we visited, the crew was hand falling for the Tigercat 610H skidder on Steve’s own property, just up the hill from the mill. The 610H was pulling large skids uphill in the rain with ease and very little disturbance to the skid road. The loads were dropped at the landing where the loader would cut them to length with a slasher and load trucks.
The 610H cable skidder pulls high-value hardwood for Fox Lumber Company near Mill Creek, West Virginia.
The 610H cable skidder pulls high-value hardwood for Fox Lumber Company near Mill Creek, West Virginia.
Steve is not new to Tigercat skidders, having previously owned several different models. Steve adds, “We’ve had all different brands and types of skidders but here with all the rain, snow, steep ground, and broken up property ownership, it’s hard to effectively use anything but cable skidders without causing too much damage to the land.”

When asked about the performance of the 610H, Doug replies, “I’m very happy with it. I’ve been fortunate to operate all kinds of skidders in my life starting at a young age. This is the best-performing, and most user-friendly skidder we’ve ever had.” The company deals with Troy Sneddon, Ricer Regional Sales Manager, and Doug emphasizes the importance of after-sale support. “Parts and service have always been good with Ricer.”

Related Products