How would you [safely] take down this tree?

[Jaylegger]

Load up the shotgun and have at it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If it was me I壇 pick that triple topped tree to domino into the top of the other shooting for about where the red circle is. Now setting up something like this need to be done correctly use a humboldt face and a full face Dutchman with an extra kicker on the stump to try and get the butt on the ground fast as well as hard for extra force.View attachment 655089
I have done stuff like this well falling timber it works but you need to be confident in your skills as well as getting out of the line of fire at the right time.

Get a rope/chain around it at the red circle and pull. After 5 years it should almost break on it's own.

 

[radios1]

I致e also seen this happen when using equipment, an excavator isn稚 a forestry machine there痴 no structure to protect the operator in the case of a limb or tree come down on the cab. Now to the falling how close you cut your pusher tree plays a huge roll in how the butt will act as well as how the face is done.

that's why they make feller/bunchers!..

 

[Gary Fowler]

Load up the shotgun and have at it.

I had some fun at my neighbors blasting dead limbs out of his trees with my shotgun. A few shots at the hinge should do it-the larger shot the better. I wouldn't use a rifle would do better but shooting in the air like that would need lots of clear space for miles around to use. A shotgun with #4 or larger would work well though. I was using 71/2 and did a job on up to 4" thick rotten limbs.

 

[Diggin It]

Maybe somebody could lend the guy a couple of feet of Det Cord?

 

[Skeans1]

that's why they make feller/bunchers!..

This I know but I’ve also seen Doug Fir limb spear right through a sky light, I have run both harvesters and Bunchers over the years.

 

[Johnston Tilliryy]

I'll try one last time...Running bowline where the red circle is and pull in the direction of the arrow (same direction the top is facing, not against the trees holding it up) from at least 50'-75' away with an arborist rope 5/8" or larger. Do not ever stand under it to notch another tree with pressure on it. They call them widow makers for a reason. Even experienced arborists have difficulty assessing the different loads due to so many variables. Do not ever stand on a ladder and use a chainsaw without an overhead lifeline.

My opinion is you have 3 options:

1. hire it out (safest)
2. use the same amount of money to invest in gear to do it safely (and have it for future use)
TreeStuff - Samson 3/4" Stable Braid Bull Rope
TreeStuff - • Notch Acculine and Throw Weight Combo Kit
3. shoot it down (most fun)

 

[John_Mc]

He may not be but it痴 still a safer alternative then standing on a ladder or B pulling on a line, rope, or a chain that could snap sending a while or shrapnel at the back of him or his face. I do agree he more then likely doesn稚 have the skills to do a job like this but something done from the ground is possible.

I certainly agree with you there. No way I would attempt to deal with that while standing on a ladder. I might resort to my 12 gauge tree pruner before considering cutting on that from a ladder. (Though if he's right about the amount of hinge left, I might be wasting a lot of shells in the attempt).

I'm sure there are ways to get it down safely from the ground. It's really hard to tell without being there and being able to get a look from a variety of angles. Tree felling advice over the internet, especially storm damage clean-up advice, is never a great way to go. You can give tips and things to consider, but in the end, something like this really needs an experienced person seeing it in person to consider those tips and suggestions before deciding on the best approach.

I might consider dropping the tree at more or less 90 degrees to the direction of the broken limb, so that whole "L" shape (or rather, the side-ways T shape) would just fall over on its side. Deciding whether to come toward the camera or away from it , and whether to adjust to something other than 90 degrees to maximize the chances of getting it down cleanly would probably require an in-person look at how it is hung up. It would likely also require clearing out a couple of the other smaller trees that might prevent it from falling cleanly. While I tend to avoid ropes and chains in my felling (there is almost always another way), in this case, I might tie something up as high as I can easily get to before I started any cutting (probably the only use I'd have for a ladder in this situation). That way, I'd have something to give a tug with if the "L" shape did not want to tip over on it's own. I would not want to be hanging around the base of the tree pounding wedges with that large branch hanging up above: I want to make my cuts, then get the heck out of there. If the cuts are made properly, it should not take a huge amount of force to persuade the tree over: you would just be giving it a nudge (from a safe distance), not trying to break wood fibers.

 

[dougtrr2]

I need to start clearing some land, but the first thing I need to tackle is this wind damaged tree that has been hanging out like this for about 5 years.

Any suggestions on a safe way to get it down?View attachment 655037

As we look at that picture, ultimately how many of the trees we are looking at will be taken out? If that entire area will be cleared it would change the way I would tackle it.

Doug in SW IA

 

[John_Mc]

View attachment 655407

I'll try one last time...Running bowline where the red circle is and pull in the direction of the arrow (same direction the top is facing, not against the trees holding it up) from at least 50'-75' away with an arborist rope 5/8" or larger. Do not ever stand under it to notch another tree with pressure on it. They call them widow makers for a reason. Even experienced arborists have difficulty assessing the different loads due to so many variables. Do not ever stand on a ladder and use a chainsaw without an overhead lifeline.

My opinion is you have 3 options:

1. hire it out (safest)
2. use the same amount of money to invest in gear to do it safely (and have it for future use)
TreeStuff - Samson 3/4" Stable Braid Bull Rope
TreeStuff - • Notch Acculine and Throw Weight Combo Kit
3. shoot it down (most fun)

To option 2, I would add get yourself some training to learn how to use that gear safely. There is a lot more to doing this safely than just having a strong rope and something powerful to pull on it. If I had to choose between knowledge and gear, I'd pick knowledge almost every time - even if sometimes it's just the knowledge that "this is just too much for me. It's time to call a friend or call a pro."

I spent a full day in a Level 4 Game of Logging class intentionally hanging up trees so we could work on getting them down onto the ground safely. I spent another day at their Storm Damage Clean-up class trying out different techniques for dealing with storm damage. (Cleaning up severe storm damage is probably one of the riskiest things I've done in the woods.) Even though I had already been doing a fair amount of that sort of thing, I got so much out of it that I repeated the storm damage class. If I have the opportunity, I would happily pay for a repeat day of freeing hung up trees. I get as much out of the discussions of the possible approaches and watching how others do it (under the supervision of someone who is both experienced AND a good teacher - you need someone with both skill sets). The work greatly expanded the range of techniques I can bring to dealing with difficult trees. More importantly: it also made me a better judge of when something is simply beyond my abilities, or beyond the capability of the equipment I have available. I'm always trying to expand my range of techniques, and being a real gadget hound, I always have an eye out for cost effective additions to my equipment (and including some equipment that I could not cost-justify, but got just because I wanted it.)

 

[CobyRupert]

1) No ladders.
2) Don’t cut a second tree to get the first one down. Now you just have two trees that can kill you.

 

[jjp8182]

To option 2, I would add get yourself some training to learn how to use that gear safely. There is a lot more to doing this safely than just having a strong rope and something powerful to pull on it. If I had to choose between knowledge and gear, I'd pick knowledge almost every time - even if sometimes it's just the knowledge that "this is just too much for me. It's time to call a friend or call a pro."

I'd agree with that -knowledge is important, and thinking critically about the problem at hand leveraging that knowledge along with what can be seen is everything. ..... and that latter (potentially - though not always) is the real difference between a "pro" and everyone else. Run across too many people working in too many professions who were getting paid, but didn't have a clue how to do the job they were being paid to do - or just relied on tribal knowledge they were told to follow without understand "why".

So personally I'm always of the opinion that the internet is good for options to consider, and a source to learn what not to do ...without necessarily learning what to do

 

[Johnston Tilliryy]

I do tree work professionally. I'd be happy to make a short video on how to safely get a rope on it and tie off to the tractor using the gear I recommended if you decide to go that route. Just let me know.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If the thread goes any longer, the tree will simply rot and fall down on it's own.

 

[radios1]

or just rent a military tank, and pull it or push it down with that, this is the safest option, without any danger!..

 

[Industrial Toys]

Some surplus Soviet ordanance. Hey, maybe a battlefield NUKE!

 

[radios1]

Some surplus Soviet ordanance. Hey, maybe a battlefield NUKE!

you can't get nukes, but there's a lot of military collectors around that have almost everything, and if they have an FFL, they can have the main gun firing on the tank, too!!..

 

[rekees4300]

If the thread goes any longer, the tree will simply rot and fall down on it's own.

Time + Gravity = ultimate chainsaw

 

[Diggin It]

or just rent a military tank, and pull it or push it down with that, this is the safest option, without any danger!..

Some surplus Soviet ordanance. Hey, maybe a battlefield NUKE!

you can't get nukes, but there's a lot of military collectors around that have almost everything, and if they have an FFL, they can have the main gun firing on the tank, too!!..

Artillery practice.

Or like I said earlier, Det Cord. Toothpicks are a lot easier to clear up.

As we look at that picture, ultimately how many of the trees we are looking at will be taken out? If that entire area will be cleared it would change the way I would tackle it.

Doug in SW IA

Oh C'mon, where's the fun in that? But yeah, if that whole area is to be cleared, hire a dozer and operator.

 

[ericm979]

It's hard to tell from the pic but I think it might not be hung up on that small tree on the right side, but instead there are still fibers between the branch and the tree it split off of and that's what's holding the butt end of the branch up. This is something that's easy to see in person where you can get multiple angles.

If that's the case, since it looks to be within pole pruner range, I'd sever the fibers with a pole pruner if it looks safe and like there's not too much chance of getting the pruner stuck. Then the butt of the branch will come down either lower or all the way to the ground, and you can deal with the rest then.

If it is hung up on the small tree, you could use the pole pruner to fell that tree from a safer distance. Or pull it loose as suggested above.