Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith

Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith

If you’re looking for a high-octane mix of old-school logging, big timber, fearless tree climbing, and a strong dose of kindness, you’ll find it in Vancouver Island’s own logging legend, Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith. Born and raised on the rugged forests of Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada), Billy has built not just a career but a following — thanks largely to his YouTube channel and his authenticity in the bush.

Early Life & Logging Roots

Billy grew up "miles away from local communities and subdivisions", where the forest — or the “bush” as old-school loggers call it — was his playground. (Buckin' Billy Ray) He and his brother spent their youth dodging widow-makers (dangerous dead wood) and swinging axes long before social media existed. (Buckin' Billy Ray)

He skipped the college route and dove straight into working in the woods. He learned chainsaws early, began selling firewood, and eventually moved into falling timber — jobs many would shy away from. (Buckin' Billy Ray)

Logging Style & Skills

Billy is not the mechanized big-logging type who relies solely on heavy equipment. Instead, he specializes in smaller-scale yet high-skill jobs: tree falling, pruning, climbing, use of vintage chainsaws, and methods rooted in traditional logging. For instance, on his bio at the Ax Men show website:

“old-school ax man … from the land of big timber — Vancouver Island … he uses axes he crafts by hand, as well as vintage chainsaws …” (HISTORY)

That mix of craftsmanship (hand-axe work), mechanical skill (chainsaws, tree climbing), and forest-savvy helps him stand out in the logging community.

YouTube Sensation & Online Presence

Billy has parlayed his logging life into a strong digital brand: his YouTube channel Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith has hundreds of videos, tens of thousands of subscribers, and showcases everything from giant tree falls to chainsaw sharpening, tree-climbing stunts, and forest solitude. (YouTube)

One notable piece:

Here, Billy guides viewers through an ancient forest on Vancouver Island, highlighting the scale and majesty of trees in his region.

The combination of raw timber work and Billy’s down-to-earth commentary connects with fans who appreciate real craftsmanship, nature, and authenticity.

Challenges & Near-Misses

Logging is dangerous — and Billy has had his share of close calls. According to his bio: a logging accident “nearly took his life, crushing his spine and snapping his leg.” (HISTORY) Despite this, he carried on with a renewed focus.

His father-to-son mentorship is also part of the story: Billy’s training his son Hogan (as referenced in the Ax Men bio) to climb high and rig precisely, all the while acknowledging the risks of the job. (HISTORY)

Message & Values

Alongside the lumber work and adrenaline, Billy has embraced a message: kindness, investing in yourself, and giving back. His website mentions how after decades in the woods — raising a family, enduring broken bones, seven-day work weeks — he now focuses “on spreading a message of kindness, love and investing in yourself.” (Buckin' Billy Ray)

He calls it “The Buckin’ Billy Ray Experience.” This ties well with his social media mantra (on Instagram he lists “timber faller · tree man · freedom from self · love · kindness”). (Instagram)

Relevance & Lessons for the Outdoor Community

For an audience like yours (logging tools, axes, bushcraft, outdoor work), Billy’s story hits several marks:

• Skill & tradition: His use of hand-axes, chainsaws, old-school methods underlines the value of good tools, sharp edges, smart rigging and precise work — things the readership of Axeman.ca will recognise.

• Safety & respect: The near-accident and his survival remind us that timber work and outdoor labour are serious business. It aligns with your blogs about sharpening, proper techniques, and safe gear.

• Personal brand & content: His ability to build a following shows how an outdoors-workperson can step into media, video, and community-building — a lesson for tool retailers, influencers, and outdoor professionals.

• Values beyond work: The emphasis on kindness, investing in self and giving back provide powerful narrative hooks: tools aren’t just about cutting and splitting wood, they’re about community, legacy, personal growth.

Conclusion

Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith is more than a logging YouTuber. He is a craftsman of wood, a climber of giants, a survivor of forest-work risks, and a voice for kindness and authenticity in an industry that can be hard-edged.

For anyone working with axes, chainsaws, woodsplitters, saws — or writing about them — his story is a reminder: the tool matters, the skill matters, but the person behind it counts too.