Cutting Shoreline Trees

[Bill Babler]

There is a person or persons cutting very nice trees in the Shell Knob area and dragging them out off the points. If I catch this person, I will turn you in in a heartbeat!!

The trees in question are anywhere from 6 to 12 inch and fully leafed out. It is creating an eyesore on the shoreline and simply cluttering up points that don't need the structure to hold fish. And for the most part where they are putting this trash, they are going to ruin the point. Just to much green leafy crap.

They are cutting in particular big fully leaf white bark Sycomores. They are not getting them weighted and the tops are sticking from the bottom to the surface in 25 to 30 ft. way out off some of these banks.

If these idiots had spent a little more time on learning their electronics, they could find entire forrests of pole and cedar trees just abit further out.

It is against the law to cut trees on Corp. Property and clutter the lake with the debris.

I'm not a tattle tale or anything, but this is just not right and for that matter it helps no one, including the fish. Table Rock is full of structure, go and find it or use the structure that MDC has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars adding to the lake. Don't cut beautiful full grown trees off the shoreline and drag them out onto prime points that are already holding large quanities of fish.

If I get time next week, I'm going to throw a hook, on all that I can find, and drag them off.

GEEZE...

[Phil Lilley]

Did you call the Corp?

I'll call Jeremy Rasnick. I think that's his territory.

[gitnby]

There is a person or persons cutting very nice trees in the Shell Knob area and dragging them out off the points. If I catch this person, I will turn you in in a heartbeat!!

The trees in question are anywhere from 6 to 12 inch and fully leafed out. It is creating an eyesore on the shoreline and simply cluttering up points that don't need the structure to hold fish. And for the most part where they are putting this trash, they are going to ruin the point. Just to much green leafy crap.

They are cutting in particular big fully leaf white bark Sycomores. They are not getting them weighted and the tops are sticking from the bottom to the surface in 25 to 30 ft. way out off some of these banks.

If these idiots had spent a little more time on learning their electronics, they could find entire forrests of pole and cedar trees just abit further out.

It is against the law to cut trees on Corp. Property and clutter the lake with the debris.

I'm not a tattle tale or anything, but this is just not right and for that matter it helps no one, including the fish. Table Rock is full of structure, go and find it or use the structure that MDC has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars adding to the lake. Don't cut beautiful full grown trees off the shoreline and drag them out onto prime points that are already holding large quanities of fish.

If I get time next week, I'm going to throw a hook, on all that I can find, and drag them off.

GEEZE...

The Corps rules are pretty clear. First, you must have a vegetative permit to cut ANYTHING, including grass, on Corps land, and only if it fronts property that you own! The permit only gives you the right to mow a maximum of 200' from your house.

On trees, you can't cut anything that is more than 2" in diameter at a point 4.5' high.

This guy has brass ones!

Most people use the old copper nail approach,(eventually kills tree, especially cedars) or cut them off at the ground, cover it with dirt and haul off the tree or burn it.

Had a neighbor get caught . He was fined $11,000 and couldn't touch the land for 10 years!

The 10 years just came up, and they rejected the application for a new permit.

Don't mess with the Corps! They desperately need the funding right now and they will fine your booty in a heartbeat!

[denjac]

And using sycamores for structure? The worst tree they could possiably use. They truley most be morons.

[Bill Babler]

Got a very nice call from Clint at the Corps this morning concerning the cutting of live trees in the Shell Knob area. He said the only permits issured at this time were to MDC for their Habitat Reconstruction project, and to give Shane at MDC a call and see if they were working that area.

Called Shane and had a very nice visit, and NO they had not been cutting Sycomores at Shell Knob. I knew they were not, these guys are professionals and don't leave 3 foot white sawed off stumps gleaming on the timbered points that already have massive structure on them.

He also had some great news on some of the habitat projects they already have in place, but I didn't ask permission to give away any news, and I'm sure you will be able to read about some findings soon on the MDC site. Very exciting stuff.

With all the Fall fish off's and derbys getting ready to start, my guess in it is not locals, but a tournament guy, trying to get an edge. Might be totallly off base here, but it sounds like money and greed to me. Only my opinion.

As far as the tree poaching, whom ever did this, had better watch his or her P's and Q's, cause as gitnby posted, this is not a joke to the Corp, "It won't get you a warning or a Me Bad, it will get you a fine in the Thousands to 10's of Thousands of dollars." There will not be any second chances, only arrests. If they find out who did this or for that matter is doing it, "Katy Bar the Door." You will be in deep deep Dog Do-do.

As far as the Corp is concerned, cutting live trees on US Government property is just about as harsh as it gets. This is a complete no win situation for whom ever has done this.

Good Luck Out there.

[Zack Hoyt]

Very interesting. In Ark, it is not legal either(to cut standing timber on Corp property). It is ok to take dead timber if I remember correctly. On Beaver, we have been dropping structure for some time. There is very little natural structure left. The Corp no longer sinks used Christmas trees.

[Jason Essary]

Bill, as always thanks for doing all u do in taking care of this precious resourse we have.

I have a question. Is it illegal to place homemade brushpiles in the lake? And if not, is it ok to use those pvc trees or the like?

[Bill Babler]

Boys, I think it may be considered littering to put any materials in the lake, but don't quote me on this. I would check with the Corp office at either Table Rock or Little Rock. As far as putting dead brush in, I believe you can around your dock, but I believe this also requires a permit. May or may not, we need a ruling on it. It would be nice to get Clint to come on the forum and give us the do's and don's so we would know without guessing.

I know they have been very strick on where MDC puts their habitat, as to not impeed navigation at certain levels. I really sure would not want to get caught putting anything in right now.

I think this is a thing that the Corp is really watching for and looking at on the entire White River Chain. Really foolish to get introuble doing this. Fishing is pretty good as it is, and life is just to short to have to wage war over it if you got a ticket.

[crappiefisherman]

Bill it sounds like the correct individuals have been notified.If you dont know who did it I wouldnt stir up too much.Your gonna make the wrong cowboy mad one of these days.The process of dropping trees, illegal or not has been going on for as long as there have been fisherman, Idiots with electronics or not.On bull shoals lake it happens often.I personally have never had a part in it but have seen them.The conservation dept has dropped many trees in and not weighed them down, just cut and drop.So have many hillbillys.Im betting you dont Bass fish around many of these structures anyway, Just us lowly crappie fishermen do that.If its not legal dont do it .If its not legal tell the authorities and go on with your day and catch fish and enjoy.On a lighter note I noticed on bull yesterday almost every tree along the bank line has died.Maybe the corp can take advantage of this and drop a few dead ones in the lake.

[Bill Babler]

Crappie, thanks for the advice, but frankly I could care less if it makes some body mad.

If they feel "Froggy" about it, they can come and jump right on, I'm not hard to find.

When I'm done with them, I'm sure the United States Corp. of Engineers would like to have a go.

This is blatant distruction of all our property by a person or persons, for their individule gain. It looks like HeeeeK.

As a matter of fact, I'm hoping to stir the low-life up that did this.

Some body wants to stick a tree or a few limbs under their dock so be it, but to come to Table Rock and chain-saw big live trees on our points, leaving 4 ft. snow-white stumps, scaring the bank, something needs to be done.

I'm pretty hard to rile, but I am serious about this, it in my opinion is pretty close to stealing. It is stealing.

On a brighter note, utilizing the dead trees by the Conservation Commission, would be a very nice idea.

Thanks Bill