How to remove this tree

[tallyho8]

After Katrina I cut, hauled and burned 60 trees that fell on my property, mostly ones that were on my neighbors property before Katrina. There are a couple I have not gotten to yet because they are hung up in other trees and I see no easy solution. My neighbor has given me permission to cut anything I want on his property because it is just woods and he does not maintain it. The drawing shows a large pecan tree that fell and is being held up by a large hackberry tree. It extends well over my property shading that section of property so that the grass won't grow and creating a dangerous condition. I wish I could eliminate this problem without destroying my field fence that is under the trees. My question is: What is the easiest, safest, cheapest way to eliminate this problem.
PS. I Don't climb trees!

 

[woodchuckie]

If the leaning tree can be cut free at the bottom you can pull it out of the other tree by going on neighbors property. I pull them out like that with my L2800 but most of them are dead and dried out so they are much lighter.

 

[dmccarty]

How thick is that limb holding up the leaning tree?

I just took down a leaner that was being held up by another tree near our well house. The holding limb is only 2-3 inches. The leaner was only leaning about 70 degrees. I tried to push it with the tractor and the tree did not move. The leaner was 15ish inches on the stump.

So it was going to be done the hard way. I first cleared out the area the tree would land in as well as where I would be cutting. I then hooked a comealong to the tree and put some tension on the tree. I tried to pull the leaner over enough for it to fall but the stump was not going to allow this to happen. So I cut the leaner and pulled with the comealong. That put enough weight on the holding limb which broke and the lean came on down.

Now I have a widow maker in that broken limb since its still hanging in the tree. But it will come down in the next good wind storm.

Why did I use the comealong instead of the tractor? The leaner was just at the edge of the woods and getting the tractor in there would likely damage the roots of a large tree. I was able to place the comealong such that a decent size tree was between me and the leaning tree so it was safer. As it was, whenever I heard the leaner make some noise I ran like a scalded dog. I could not do that on the tractor.

I have a leaner, 30+ inches, that I'm waiting for mother nature to take down. The holding tree and a couple of others died. I think lightning got them. The only way to get them down safely is with a large equipment or a cherry picker.

I watched a tree service clear a bunch of pines from our neighbor back in the city. They where impressive. And scary. No safety equipment except gloves and maybe a harness. They climbed those trees to top them out. They would attach lines to the section that was being cut so that it would drop away from a fence and the guys house. Short of this kinda of skill/daring not sure how that tree will get down without risk and/or money if the limb/tree is real big.

Later,
Dan

 

[randy41]

do you have a picture of it tally?

 

[charlz]

Based on the drawing I would cut the leaner at the stump and then start cutting sections off until the top drops down on your side. Then either cut it some more or give it a quick yank with a truck to get it to clear your fence before it hits the ground.

Hard to tell from a drawing though if you could actually get it to 'teeter totter' so the top drops down on your side of the fence.

Charles

 

[tallyho8]

If the leaning tree can be cut free at the bottom you can pull it out of the other tree by going on neighbors property. I pull them out like that with my L2800 but most of them are dead and dried out so they are much lighter.

My very simple drawing does not show that these trees are in the middle of dense woods and I could not get a tractor on that side without cutting and moving a dozen large trees.

 

[tallyho8]

do you have a picture of it tally?

I can not get a good photo because these trees are in dense woods with heavy foliage.

 

[tallyho8]

How thick is that limb holding up the leaning tree?
Later,
Dan

My drawing is oversimplified and does not show that the limb is actually more of a fork in the tree and the supporting branches are over a foot thick. There are also many smaller branches that would catch and hang up as it went down if that branch could be broken or cut.

 

[Ductape]

Since you have permission, cut a large tree nearby to fall on the leaner, bringing them both to the ground. Be very careful! When i worked in the woods, i was taught to never try to bring down a leaner by cutting it. If you can't pull it off the second tree with your tractor, or comealong, or some other method.... drop another tree on it.

 

[tallyho8]

Based on the drawing I would cut the leaner at the stump and then start cutting sections off until the top drops down on your side. Then either cut it some more or give it a quick yank with a truck to get it to clear your fence before it hits the ground.
Hard to tell from a drawing though if you could actually get it to 'teeter totter' so the top drops down on your side of the fence.
Charles

This is similar to the only idea I have had so far. It is hard to tell if I cut off a section if it will slide down toward the stump or "teeter totter" the other way. I do know that this is one of those situations where it is very easy to get your chainsaw stuck in the cut as you cut the lower part because the tree is bent and twisted and as you cut each couple of inches the wood separates and tries to spring back straight with great force. This usually causes either your chain to come off or your bar to get caught.

My side of the fence is clear pasture but the other side is thick woods and not possible to get any equipment into.

If I can not come up with a solution, I have to wait for years till it rots and falls. This is very aggravating because a few branches always fall off right before I mow and have to be cleaned up first, also, when the larger pieces break off the fence will go and my horses may escape providing they weren't under the branch as it fell.

I'm sure the collective minds of TBN will come up with some easier solution for me.