HOW TO USE A BILTMORE STICK What you

HOW TO USE A BILTMORE STICK

What you will need to know. • How to read English • How tall is 4 ½’ • How far is 25” • How far is 66’ • What is a tree? • What is a log? • What is a 16 foot log? • What is a board foot?

How to find diameter at breast height(DBH) • Hold stick level against tree 25” from eye and 4 ½’ above ground on uphill side. • Move the stick to the left or right until your line of sight to the left hand side of the tree crosses at the left hand end of the stick. • To determine DBH, sight on the right side of the tree without moving your head. Whatever column across the top of the stick matches the edge of the tree will be the diameter.

How to find # of 16 foot logs. • Stand 66’ from tree, hold stick straight up and down 25” from eye. Sight end of stick at stump height. • While holding arm straight out and rigid, move the stick up or down until the lower end of the stick lines up with the base of the tree at stump height. • Without moving your head sight the top of the merchantable portion of the tree. Read the nearest number of 16’ logs along the left hand side of the stick. You may have ½ logs.

To find the amount of board feet. • Find the diameter of the tree along the top of the stick. • Find the number of 16’ logs • Find where the number of 16’ logs and diameter of tree intersect. • A tree with diameter of 10 and 3 16’ logs would have 75 board feet.