You do not need a tablet or a forestry degree to get a rough estimate of how much wood you have standing in your forest. A Biltmore stick, sometimes called a cruiser stick, fits in your back pocket and lets you calculate board feet in minutes using nothing more than your arm and your eyes. This simple tool has been around since the early 1900s, and it remains the fastest way for small woodland owners to check volume before calling a buyer or planning a harvest.
What Is a Biltmore Stick?
A Biltmore stick is a straight ruler, usually 25 inches long, marked with two scales. One side shows tree diameter in inches, measured at 4.5 feet above the ground (breast height, or DBH). The other side shows the number of 16-foot logs you can expect from that tree. By combining these two numbers, you can look up volume on a printed table or do a quick mental calculation.
The stick works on the principle of similar triangles. When you hold it horizontally at arm’s length (exactly 25 inches from your eye) and line up the zero mark with the left edge of a tree trunk, the mark that aligns with the right edge of the trunk tells you the diameter. It is geometry disguised as a yardstick.
What You Need Before You Start
- A standard Biltmore stick or a homemade version with verified markings
- A tape measure to confirm you are standing 66 feet from the tree (one chain, the standard distance)
- A notebook to record species, diameter, and number of logs
- Clear visibility to the trunk at breast height
The Step-by-Step Method
First, find your spot. Pace exactly 66 feet away from the tree on flat or gently sloping ground