Bidding on logging jobs is a tough business in the state of Michigan but under bidding knowing you are going to swipe more trees than you are allowed is illegal.

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Michigan Logging

MichiganDNR YouTube Channel
MichiganDNR YouTube Channel
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Logging has been going on in the state of Michigan since the early 1820s. White pine was one of the most desired trees during that time. 50 years later, Michigan became the leading lumber producer in the nation but that was short-lived after other states with better varieties of trees became available.

MichiganDNR YouTube Channel
MichiganDNR YouTube Channel
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Nonetheless, logging is still big business in Michigan and loggers continue to bid on state and federal land contracts. Heck, I drive by a logging operation that is on federal land in Newaygo County every day to and from work so I see firsthand an operation in progress.

Michigan Man Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $120,000 in State Land Lumber

RossHelen/ThinkStock/GettyStock
RossHelen/ThinkStock/GettyStock
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The average person all the way to professional logging companies can get permits or bid on logging opportunities for Michigan's state land. This is not free for all, you have to work with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and they will mark the trees you are allowed to take.

dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
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The marking of the trees may seem simple, but it's like the DNRs signature that goes on these trees and when other trees become marked that were not done by the forestry department is when problems occur.

picture alliance via Getty Images
picture alliance via Getty Images
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According to MLive, Raymond Vetort who is the owner of R&J Logging was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay over $119,000 for reimbursement of trees he marked himself and stole from the state.

What tipped off conservation officers was the fact that Vetort's company bid 40K under the market value. Forestry officers noticed trees that were marked after they had already marked the trees. The DNR did surveillance of the harvest and found the trees they didn't mark were getting cut down.

This led to Vetort pleading guilty to trespassing, damages to state land, larceny, and malicious destruction of property.

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