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Through a mail survey, we contrasted Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forester perceptions of what loggers consider to be the "ideal" timber sale with loggers' actual preferences concerning timber sale characteristics in the Lake States. Lake States DNR foresters were able to predict with reasonable accuracy tract characteristics that were most important to loggers, as well as the preferred number of markets and contract length. However, foresters somewhat overestimated loggers' preferred tract size and volume for state timber sales. Fidelity to a state's conventional timber sale auction method was high among loggers, with slight deviations in Michigan and Wisconsin. However, a substantial number of Michigan and Minnesota loggers expressed a preference for the less commonly offered payment method in their state, and few foresters in these states were aware of this preference. These findings contribute to our understanding of logger bidding preferences and suggest areas of consideration for state timber sale program administrators that may help ensure the continued success of their programs.

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