Currently, block items are dropped on the first chop*. Because the block is immediately replaced by a chopped block, there is nowhere for the item to go, so it gets pushed in a random direction. Sometimes this makes the dropped item unreachable or hard to find.

*this is because the chopped log has no memory of the block it used to be; this behavior will change eventually when each log block has its own corresponding chopped block

No longer an issue, as items no longer drop before the block is destroyed.

Maybe a) adding a starting velocity toward the player or b) shifting the item closer to the player will coerce the items to a better location.