| Buck | To saw a felled tree into short lengths. |
| Bull buck | Supervisor of a felling and bucking crew. |
| Caulks | Pronounced corks. Short spikes in the heel and toe of boots designed to give secure footing while walking on logs. |
| Choker | Chain or wire rope (cable) looped around one or more logs while moving them. |
| Choker setter | Person who places chokers on logs. Usually considered the hardest working and lowest paid job. |
| Cold deck | Pile of logs left for later transportation. |
| Cruiser | Person who conducts surveys of timberland. |
| Crummy | Vehicle used to transport loggers in and out of the forest. |
| Donkey | Machine used to haul logs, load logs at a landing, move equipment etc. Could be powered by steam, gas, diesel, or electrical power plants. |
| Gyppo | Independent logger who runs a small-scale operation. |
| Haywire operation | Contemptuous term for logging operation that has poor equipment. |
| High ball | A fast moving operation. |
| Jack | Early 1900’s term for a logger. |
| Lumberjack | One who works in the forest. Also known as a logger. |
| Show | A logging operation. |
ADDITIONAL “LOGGER TALK” TERMS
recalled by Dale M. Edwards
former Logger
HOOKER: 2 men on the ‘landing’ who set the bell hooks on each end of the log to be hoisted onto the logging truck.
LANDING: an enlarged area in the woods where the trucks are loaded with logs to be moved to the mill.
TOP-LOADER: the person who organizes and directs the loading the the logs, he directs the HOOKERS, and the sequential placement of the logs onto the truck. All done with a series of unique hand signals.
SIDE ROD: Is a supervisorary position above the BULL BUCK and below the SUPERINTENDENT. Many logging operations would have multiple SIDES operating, therefore there would be more than one SIDE ROD. Today’s middle-management.
10 DAY JOHNNY: a transient logger who travelled from one logging operation to another. Usually collected his first paycheck and moved on.
CAT-SKINNER: a caterpillar operator who drags the logs from where they are felled to the LANDING for shipment to the mill.
I am wondering where the term ‘Bull Buck’ comes from.
I have searched all over the internet and can hardly find anything on it .
please let me know if you find anything, thanks
Well, Andrew, I can tell you what I think. The term “Bull” was applied to the boss of any given level of operation. For example, the “Bull of the Woods” was the boss of the whole operation out in the woods.
So, the Bull Buck was the boss of the guys who were falling and bucking up the trees.
snlm
Knot Bumper: Man that removed stray/hanging limbs and knots from the logs at the landing before they were loaded on the trucks or train. Made for more stable loads.
I would like to add to Paul’s description of a Knot Bumper. On some jobs the knot bumper would un-hook the chokers that were used to drag the logs into the landing behind the cat, with or without an arch, help the log truck drivers line up the trailer hitch, keeping the landing clear of stray limbs and debris. Depending on the job, using a heavy hammer with a brand to mark the ends of the logs which indicated to the mill workers what site the log came from. And I want to make one correction. Knot Bumpers can be either male or female! I worked all over El Dorado County in the early 80′s as a Knot Bumper for the best logger in California. His name was Mike Carbine, and he was my father. He had three kids, all girls. I was the youngest and was always his tomboy. At the time we had not heard of another woman Knot Bumper. It is such a physically demanding job, but worth every moment.
I like your post, Stacey. Thanks for the comment. Dave Turnboo’s kids say that he is/was the best logger in the country. Is there something special about girls and their dads?
I know the answer to that question already. My daughter probably thinks I’m the best web master there is, which I am not.
snlm
John