Pushing over dying pines with FEL

[Short Game]

Sometimes, if you do get hit, it's better to not see it coming.

I've had some pretty good bleeding from a falling branch, I looked up and didn't see a thing. Then I looked back down and wham! With dead trees, I would still be keeping a lookout for anything coming my way. I have seen dead limbs thrown a long way. I see your pines are not all that small. A bigger saw would be a good thing.

Be careful. You are getting great experience. I just had several trees voluntarily fell themselves in the snows and blows. Now that is the way to do it.

 

[Hollow]

DANGER!!!!! DO NOT DO THAT!!!!! Unless you've got a forestry cab on your tractor that is one of the most dangerous things you can do. A tree might snap in half and they always fall backwards but what's worse is when the top snaps. The limbs act like fetching's on an arrow and they come down with the sharp freshly broken stalk first! I've seen them put nice dents in 1/4" steel roofs of skidders and dozers.

 

[Short Game]

A tree might snap in half and they always fall backwards but what's worse is when the top snaps.

I was felling a tall dead 12 inch fir once with most of the limbs already gone. I was watching it and as soon as it started to tip, the trunk broke off up high and one of the top sections just walked, end over end, down the trunk. I dove out of the way and the big piece hit where I had been standing. I threw the saw as I dove and it got out of the way too. I now leave those dead firs alone and hope the next storm brings them down.

 

[BeeferMan]

That's why you always retreat at a 135 degree angle from the direction the tree is falling. Not 90, not 180...

 

[PapaPerk]

Time to get some experience with a chain saw. :thumbsup:

 

[Hollow]

I was watching it and as soon as it started to tip, the trunk broke off up high and one of the top sections just walked, end over end, down the trunk.

My family owned a logging business when I was growing up an I've seen many 10' top sections of pine trees fall and stab in the ground 2'. With that kind of force a regular tractor cab or canopy wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[LittleBlueTractor]

That's why you always retreat at a 135 degree angle from the direction the tree is falling. Not 90, not 180...

Yeah, that's one of the "best practices" I found on-line. Found it hard to do in some cases due to the density of the trees and brush, so I retreated to behind a tree for them.

 

[PILOON]

Pine is a brittle wood, Snaps easily.
Even chainsaw vibration can cause branches to fall.
Dead tops are what are called 'widow makers' and you just don't want to mess with such a tree.
Leave it to a pro.

 

[BeeferMan]

Yeah, that's one of the "best practices" I found on-line. Found it hard to do in some cases due to the density of the trees and brush, so I retreated to behind a tree for them.

Probably one of the best practices listed right before that one was to clear the area in which you'll need to work and retreat of brush so you won't trip when you need to move in a hurry.

 

[LittleBlueTractor]

Probably one of the best practices listed right before that one was to clear the area in which you'll need to work and retreat of brush so you won't trip when you need to move in a hurry.

True, but when you've lost so much already due to a drought (the only reason I was doing all this in the first place...), then you might make a few adjustments to the list.