Independent Loggers
Independent loggers are ideal for smaller parcels (1–10 acres) that larger operations pass on. They handle harvesting directly and often work with local mills.
51 listings · Read: Clear-Cut vs. Selective Cut
Quick answer
There are 51 independent loggers listed in Illinois across 32 counties. Listings come from the Illinois forestry register and each one shows the counties it covers and the species it handles. TimberClear has not vetted, verified or endorsed any of them.
Good Forest Timber Company is a timber buyer in Chillicothe, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a logging contractor. A timber buyer purchases standing timber and arranges the harvest. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Walnut Timber Buyers works out of Beardstown, Illinois, as both a timber buyer and a logging contractor. They describe themselves as an "industrial logging company that buys bulk timber from farms and hunting land," buying standing timber off farms, hunting ground, and other wooded tracts. They buy walnut, white oak, red oak, hickory, ash, maple and black oak, and start with a free appraisal before any cutting happens. Once you agree to sell, the crew marks your property lines, then fells the chosen trees using what they call the "Select Harvest method." After cutting, they grade roads to move the logs to one spot, clean up behind themselves, then find a buyer, pay you, and haul the timber off your land. They work within roughly 300 miles of Beardstown, covering a good part of Illinois along with Central and Eastern Missouri. They call themselves licensed timber buyers, say they are fully insured, and say they've worked with landowners and importers across Illinois and Missouri for the past 30 years. Right now they are only taking on jobs with 20 or more mature trees, so very small lots may need to look elsewhere. This fits a landowner with a decent stand of marketable hardwood who wants one outfit to handle the cutting, the sale, and the hauling in a single pass, rather than lining up a separate logger, buyer, and trucker. From walnuttimberbuyer.com, read 8 October 2026.
Norman R McMillin Logging Company is a logging contractor in Mulberry Grove, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Loneoak Timber & Southern IL Wood Products is a timber buyer in Ava, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a logging contractor and a mill. A timber buyer purchases standing timber and arranges the harvest. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Henderson Timber Inc. is a family owned logging and timber valuation business based in Sigel, Illinois. They've been working in Illinois and Western Indiana for over 25 years, handling both the harvest itself and pricing out what your timber is worth beforehand. They work in walnut, white oak, and other hardwood timber, offering everything from select harvesting to "extreme clear cutting." They say they only take what you ask for: "We harvest only what you request, not a stick more." They try to work the ground when it's dry or frozen to keep damage down, and they say creeks and fields get cleared of tree tops afterward, with any ruts leveled and water bars put in on hillside roads. A harvest contract runs two years, timed around weather and crop access. They list themselves as licensed, bonded and insured. There's no stated minimum acreage, but by their own account the smallest job they'll take is as few as 15 walnut trees, so a small stand of good walnut can be worth a call even if it's not many acres. They serve Effingham County and describe covering roughly a 150 mile radius from Effingham, Illinois, with travel further possible for the right job. This fits a landowner with mostly hardwood, especially walnut or white oak, who wants one company to both value and log the timber, and who doesn't mind signing a two year contract to get the timing right. From hendersontimber.net, read 10 October 2026.
MK Timber Exporting and Appraisals, LLC is a timber harvesting and buying company based in Lacon, Illinois. They work with landowners in central Illinois who have black walnut, white oak, and other mature, desirable trees, and they pay you for the trees before the harvest starts. Here is how a sale runs: they meet you on your property, appraise what you have, and give you a quote. That same visit is also a chance to talk over forest management and best practices for your woods. If you accept the quote, they pay you for every tree slated for harvest, then they get to work. Their words: "when the quote is accepted, we pay you for all of the trees slated for harvest." They practice selective harvesting rather than clearcutting, taking the large, mature trees that have closed off the canopy, which lets light back down to the smaller trees and other plants below. They cover a roughly 60-mile radius out of Lacon, naming Marshall, Putnam, LaSalle, Livingston, McLean, Woodford, Tazewell, Fulton, Peoria, Knox, Stark, Henry, Bureau, and Mason counties. They state a minimum of 10 acres of wooded land, and they want it made up of several mature, desirable species like black walnut and white oak, not a single tree or two. In their own words, they "do not serve individuals outside of central Illinois, city residents or anyone with undesirable trees or single or small quantities of desirable trees." This fits a central Illinois landowner with a real stand of walnut or oak on 10 acres or more, who wants to be paid up front and is open to a selective cut rather than a clearcut. From mk-timber.com, read 10 October 2026.
Poignant Logging is a timber buyer and logging company based in Lacon, Illinois, right along the Illinois River. They buy standing timber and logs, and also do the logging work themselves. It's a family business, run by LeRoy Poignant and now his son Grant, going back to 1991. They focus on Walnut, White Oak, Red Oak, Maple, Cherry, and Sycamore, buying veneer quality saw logs and standing timber. The work includes standing timber purchasing, sustainable forestry and logging, selective harvest hardwood management, and reforestation afterward. They say they'll "only select timber that is mature and ready for harvest," leaving younger trees to grow. Their stated goal is "to leave your land in better shape than we found it." They serve Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, with Marshall County, Illinois named as an area they cover, and a second location in Whitesboro, Texas. They also export veneer and hardwood logs, including abroad. This fits a landowner with Walnut or White Oak on the property who wants a buyer that handles both the purchase and the logging, and who values a long-running, hands-on family operation rather than a broker passing the job along to someone else. From poignantlogs.com, read 10 October 2026.
Grade Timber is a timber buyer and logging contractor based in Springfield, Illinois. They buy and harvest black walnut and white oak, including walnut veneer grades, and also do logging, excavating, land clearing, and drone mapping. Here's how a sale works: they come out for a free site visit and assessment, give you a quote based on market rates and timber quality, and once you approve, their crew handles the selective logging with skidders and dozers. They say they'll "handle the assessment, logging, and sale process from start to finish," and that payment comes "promptly after harvest and site restoration." They name Jackson, Union, Pike, Adams, Randolph, and Alexander counties as where they operate, and also mention serving Jefferson County. They describe themselves as a "Certified Logger" with "decades of experience," though no founding year is given. There's no stated minimum acreage, but the smallest job they describe is a 15-acre plot that their logging crew cleared, so that gives a sense of the scale they're set up for. This fits a landowner with walnut or white oak worth grading and selling, who wants one outfit to run the whole job, from the first site visit through logging to cleanup, rather than coordinating separate contractors. From gradetimber.com, read 10 October 2026.
Paul & Dennis Allen Export Company is a logging and timber-buying business based in Centralia, Illinois. Father and son both buy standing timber, buy cut logs, and log timber "throughout Illinois and the surrounding states." They work in white oak and walnut, which they call specialties of the business, and export to overseas markets. Besides harvesting, they do brush clearing and bush hogging, and buy logs from other loggers too. For timber harvesting and land purchasing, they take on plots of ten acres and greater, in Bond, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, Washington, and Wayne counties. For log purchasing, their territory stretches further, into South Central Illinois, South Eastern Missouri, Western Kentucky, South Western Indiana, and North Western Tennessee. They note they do not trim or remove trees around buildings or homes. The business started as Paul Allen Logging in Clinton County, Illinois back in the 1970s. Dennis, Paul's son, joined as a partner in the 1990s, and the company incorporated in 2010. Dennis is now the primary contact and buyer. Paul & Dennis Allen Export, LLC is licensed, bonded and insured, with "over 50 years experience." For a landowner in Marion County or nearby with ten acres or more of white oak or walnut, this is a father-and-son operation with a long history in the area and an export market for logs, worth a call for a timber sale, a standing timber purchase, or help clearing brush on the property. From allenexport.com, read 10 October 2026.
Beeman and Sons, Inc is a logging and sawmill business in Martinsville, Illinois, established locally in 1995. They buy standing timber, log it, and run their own sawmill, so they cover the job from the trees on your property to the lumber that comes out the other end. They take on properties with 10 acres of standing timber or more. The work starts with a free consultation to look at what you have. From there they'll either make an offer on your timber or tell you to wait and let it grow for a better harvest later. If you go ahead, their crews cut the trees, haul them out, load them onto their own log trucks, and clean up the property afterward, with an on-site bulldozer for that cleanup. They also offer timber management, timber stand improvement, and tree planting if you want to look after the woods rather than just sell them. They say "we do not clearcut and don't advise people to do so," aiming to leave smaller trees to grow into the next harvest. Logs go on to become veneer, grade logs, pallet stock, steel mill lumber, crane mats, access mats, blocking, grade lumber, wood chips, semi-trailer flooring, firewood, sawdust, and mulch. They buy standing timber across Central and Southern Illinois and Southwestern Indiana, and Clark County in Illinois is one of the counties they serve. They say they are "licensed and bonded in Illinois and Indiana." This is a fit for a landowner with at least 10 acres of timber who wants one company to buy the trees, log them, and mill the wood, rather than hiring separate people for each step. From beemanandsons.com, read 10 October 2026.
Big Timber Logging Co. is a logging contractor in Christian County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a timber buyer and a consulting forester. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Noble Timber Buyers is a logging contractor in Noble, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Big Black Walnuts Timber Company is a logging contractor in Belvidere, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Nicholson Logging & Lumber Inc is a sawmill and logging business in Yorkville, Illinois. They harvest local timber and process it into lumber at their own location, and they've been doing it since 1986. The work covers more than just buying standing timber. They take on tree removal, run a full service saw mill, sell firewood, and reclaim old barn beams for flooring, mantels, and other custom pieces. They also do custom woodwork like flooring, trim, cabinetry, and furniture from the wood they process. Their own words: "Our logging professionals harvest local timber and process it into lumber at our location." They describe themselves as a "licensed timber buyer" with access to a range of wood species and board sizes for custom work. They serve Yorkville "or nearby cities" and are based out of 201 E. Van Emmon St. Kendall County is named as an area they serve. There's no stated minimum tract size, so it's hard to say how small a job they'd consider, but their range of services, from firewood to barn beam salvage, suggests they'll look at smaller or partial jobs rather than only large standing timber sales. This fits a landowner near Yorkville who wants one outfit to handle logging, milling, and turning old wood or barn material into something usable, rather than just a straight timber sale. From nll.us, read 10 October 2026.
Timberline Timber Products. is a logging contractor in Sorento, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
J&L Logging is a logging contractor in Macoupin County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Steven Hunter Logging is a logging contractor in Shelby County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Christiansen Sawmill & Logging is a logging contractor in Caledonia, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Billy Poignant Logging is a logging contractor in Lacon, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Kinney Logging llc is a timber buyer in Taylor Ridge, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a logging contractor. A timber buyer purchases standing timber and arranges the harvest. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Thornton Logging is a family-owned timber buying and logging business based in Casey, Illinois, working in Cumberland County and the surrounding area. They buy standing timber and logs, hardwood and softwood species, including white oak and walnut, and take on veneer buying too. Alongside buying, they do logging work, timber management, timber appraisal, selective cutting, clear cutting, and land clearing. Their sale process runs in four steps: a free evaluation of your timber, transparent pricing and contract terms, the harvesting and site cleanup, then payment. They say prompt payment is "always a priority" and that they offer "fast, no-obligation evaluations and quotes." They describe themselves as working with "no middlemen," and say they handle both small woodlots and large forest tracts, so there's no stated minimum acreage to point to. They say they're licensed, certified, and insured, and that they've been doing this for over 11 years. This fits a landowner in or near Cumberland County who wants one business to handle the buying, the cutting, and the appraisal under one roof, and who wants a fairly quick, structured process from first look to payment. From thorntonlogging.com, read 10 October 2026.
Third Gen Timber Co. is a logging contractor in Christian County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Fischer Sawmill is a timber buying and logging business based in La Moille, Illinois. It was founded by Greg Fischer in 2018 and has been milling lumber and buying standing timber and logs since then. The work covers standing timber and log buying, logging with clear cut or select cut harvest, clean-up, log transport, and its own sawmill for grade and non-grade milled lumber. It takes walnut, hardwoods, softwoods, white oak, red oak, cedar, spruce, pine, hickory, ash, elm, sycamore, maple, cottonwood, and cherry. Prices are based on current market value, and walnut is currently the most desirable species. Fischer Sawmill holds a Licensed Illinois Tree Buyer credential and states it is bonded and insured. There is no minimum stated in acres. Instead the business sets a tree count minimum: "Approximately 20 Tree Minimum" at 16 inches in diameter, though this can be waived for walnut. It mainly serves Central Illinois and surrounding areas, naming Illinois Valley, Central Illinois, Northern Illinois, and South Central Illinois, and lists Bureau County as served, with willingness to travel farther depending on the size and number of trees involved. It does not offer residential tree services. This fits a landowner with a real stand of timber, likely several hundred trees rather than a handful, who wants one buyer willing to take mixed species and handle the cutting and hauling as part of the deal. From fischersawmill.com, read 10 October 2026.
Circle S Logging LLC is a logging contractor in Putnam County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Mueller Brother's Timber Inc is a logging contractor in Hardin, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Oppold farm services llc is a logging contractor in Stockton, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Darren Johnson Logging is a logging contractor. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Littleton Storm & Timber Services is a logging outfit based in Jacksonville, Illinois, working out in Morgan County. They've been at it since 1980, so this isn't a new truck in the driveway. Timber harvesting is their main line of work, and they also do demolition, land clearing, tree trimming and removal, and storm cleanup. They describe their harvesting as "professional eco-friendly timber harvesting with precision and care," and they back up the storm work with "emergency storm response and debris removal 24/7." So if a big blow comes through and drops trees across your property, they're set up to handle that alongside a straight timber job. There's no tract size given anywhere, so it's hard to say how small a job they'd take on. No species are named either, and there's nothing spelling out how a timber sale actually runs with them, so you'd want to ask those questions yourself before signing anything. This fits a landowner in or near Morgan County who wants one outfit that can cut timber, clean up storm damage, and clear land, rather than hiring three separate crews. From littletontimber.com, read 10 October 2026.
Keller Logging Illinois is a logging contractor in Christian County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Dust Logging LLC is a logging contractor in Effingham, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Elite Land & Forestry LLC is a logging contractor in Pana, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Carter's Sawmill & Feed Co is a logging contractor in Springfield, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Keller Logging is a logging contractor. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Sugar Ridge Timber Inc is a timber buyer. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a logging contractor and a consulting forester. A timber buyer purchases standing timber and arranges the harvest. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Kalmer Lumber & Pallet Manufacturing Inc is a mill in Albers, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. It is also listed as a logging contractor. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Central Illinois Forestry is a logging contractor in Charleston, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Lakeside Sawmill & Lumber is a logging contractor in Beach Park, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Coal Creek Logging & Timber is a logging contractor. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Heartland Forestry is a logging contractor in Decatur, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Peach Ridge Sawmill is a logging contractor in Effingham, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Twin Mills Timber & Tie Co. Inc. is a logging contractor in West Frankfort, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
B & J Wood Products is a logging contractor in Vernon, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Halco Corporation is a logging contractor in De Soto, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Mason Timber Co is a logging contractor in Christopher, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Murphy's Sawmill is a logging contractor in Elizabethtown, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
K.B. Logging is a logging contractor in Jackson County, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Hardwood Lumber Products Co is a logging contractor in Kilbourne, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Pine Ridge Place is a logging contractor in Aledo, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Hogback Hardwoods is a logging contractor in Orangeville, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Cahill Farms is a logging contractor in Brimfield, Illinois. It has a Google Maps business listing in that category. A listing here is not an endorsement.
Kingdom Timber & Lumber is a sawmill in Green Valley, Illinois, run by Steven Nash out on IL RT 29. The family has been at this a long time, over 50 years by their own count, with Steven's father James having started the business and the whole family working the mill at one point or another, cutting, logging, skidding, loading, hauling, or in the office. The work covers more than milling. They do logging, local tree clearing, and they build crane mats, digging mats, and laminated mats, along with custom sawing, green lumber orders, and stave lumber cut from white oak for wine and whiskey barrels. They also sell sawdust, mulch, and firewood as byproducts. They work with "All Native Species of Wood and Lumber," and lean on hardwood for mats and barrel stock. They note international exporting as part of what they handle too, alongside domestic and commercial orders. They serve Central Illinois out of Tazewell County, and say they buy lumber locally rather than standing timber. Steven describes keeping "pricing on the low side not to out bid others but to be a blessing to those who use our services," and offers a free consultation if you call with questions. This looks like a fit for a landowner near Green Valley who wants hardwood milled, mats built, or land cleared, more than someone looking to sell standing timber outright. From brendavantine.wixsite.com, read 10 October 2026.
Questions landowners ask
How many independent loggers are there in Illinois?
51 are listed on TimberClear, sourced from the Illinois forestry register, covering 32 counties between them.
How do I choose between them?
Start local and get more than one. A business based in your county knows the mills and the ground; one registered for all one hundred counties may be three hours away. Every listing here shows how far its office is from the county you are looking at, so "will travel" is never mistaken for "is local". TimberClear has not vetted, verified or endorsed anybody on this site.