• Do you actually remove the stump from the bottom of the lake?
  • No, the roots remain; what we remove is the butt of the tree to the lake bottom, without disturbing the bottom of the lake.

• What do you do with the stumps you cut?
  • We prefer to drop them to the bottom, but the answer to this question varies from lake to lake- some administrators require removal, others FINE us if we remove them! Dropping (the sinkers) makes the most sense, provided the water depth is adequate.
  • If a stump does not float immediately upon being cut, it will never float without an opportunity to dry out. Of course any floaters must be removed. Logs laying on the bottom make fantastic fish habitat AND dropping the stumps is less costly, because we don't have to take time to haul them out and there are no disposal costs.
  • If they must come out, we pile them on your shore. They will dry out pretty quickly and can be burned. If you want them hauled away, most tree services have the equipment to load and haul them away.

• Can you cut trees in the water?
  • Our equipment is really not designed to handle standing timber, but we have on occasion felled some. We can handle something 8-10 feet above the water, just not a 30' + full sized tree. Having said that, we have cut the part of a tree above the water with a regular chainsaw, hauled it to shore, then returned and used the boat for the rest- so we usually find a way...

• How do you find the stumps?
  • Several ways: we look for them (if they're visible); we "feel" for them using the boat and equipment that are in the water; we will do our best to locate andremove the hazards from the area you designate, but cannot guarantee we will get every one that has not been marked. We also rely on customers to mark the problem stumps they are aware of and want removed.
  • Some customers use rebar and paint to mark submerged stumps; others drive a piece of pvc pipe beside the stump; others use surveyor's flagging tape, or if the stump is out of the water, spray paint may be easiest. If they are clearly marked, there is no question about which stumps you want cut.

• Can you operate in small lakes or ponds?
  • 
Yes, it helps if there is a boat ramp to launch and recover from.
    

• How do stumps become so sharp and pointed?
  • I've wondered about this for a long time, but am proud to declare I now have an answer (thanks to Richard with the Trinity River Authority): two words- algae and carp.
  • Algae- the slimy stuff growing on everything under water is eaten by carp, which remove small amounts of the wood as they eat. A falling skier or tuber could become skewered on one if they landed just right...

• You are based in Georgia, my property is in North Carolina, do you work in other states?
  • Yes! We have traveled as far as 900 miles cutting stumps and for the right size job, we can go even farther.  Jobs have been bid in Cananda, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pensylvania, to name some.  This system was designed to be portable.
    

• How do you charge?
  • By the stump. The price per stump depends on how many stumps need to be cut and how far we have to travel to get to them. Naturally, the larger the job the lower the price per stump.
    
  • The price also depends a little on the size of the stumps- large stumps greater than 30" in diameter, will cost more due to the time and equipment wear required to deal with them.
  • Also a factor is what you want done with the stumps: can they be dropped, or do they have to come out of the lake?
• How many can you cut in a day?
  • The answer depends on many variables:
  • are we removing the stumps we cut or allowing sinkers to go to the bottom?
  • are the stumps visible or must we search for them?
  • how big are they and what kind of tree are we cutting?
  • We have had days where only 20 or 30 were cut and we've had days that exceeded 200 (1 boat).  Our average is around 100 per day.

Want to save some money?

• • Find more stumps we can cut during the same trip. Neighbors and your neighborhood/lake POA would be a good place to find us more customers. If you have stumps, chances are they do too...

• How do I begin the process of getting rid of my stumps?
  • Contact the local authority governing your lake and ask for permission. Let them bring up the issue of a permit if one is required.It is much better for a local property owner or resident to get this process started, than someone from out of town who does not pay local taxes...
  • This varies so much from lake to lake, there is no one answer that fits every lake. But eventually all my customers have succeeded in getting the permission/permits needed for stump removal- some perseverance may be required. Some authorities have a permit process already in place; others have never addressed the issue and have to create one; others grant permission on a stump by stump basis; others do it property by property; some issue a blanket permit for the entire lake.

• Once we have the above information, you will be emailed a written contract for the number of stumps you know about. It will also have a price per stump for additional stumps we locate once we are on-site (you will have the ability to tell us to leave them alone if you choose to do so). No surprises- you will know exactly what the project will cost before we arrive.
• We will not begin the trip until a permit is in place (or permission has been granted)- it is bad business and our reputation is too important to do otherwise. Our goal is to astound, amaze and impress customers (and any interested authorities) with our capabilities and therefore establish ourselves on every estuary we work on. Some authorities watch us with an eagle eye, others we never see.

Still have questions? I am only a phone call or email away and would welcome the opportunity to talk with you. Thanks for stopping by!