Need guidance on felling hung up tree

[rbstern]

We have a cluster of blowdowns, large oaks and poplar, on the edge of our property. Pretty deep in the woods, not urgent in terms of clearing passage or protecting structures. Nothing else around but more woods. I would like to harvest the trees for the wood, but I'm not sure how to safely take down the one that is hung up.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

Remove the smaller trees around it first.
Tie a chain on the trunk. Cut off near the stump and let the log slide off. It will still be hung up. Use the chain to drag it away and let it fall to ground. Happy bucking

 

[oldballs]

I'd be tempted to clear the way skip sawing the trunk, and try to pull (chain) it out with a truck or larger tractor. As an amateur crappy things can happen. Be safe.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Industrial Toys]

I see nothing dangerous about it at all. Dito to what he "S" said. In fact, safer than felling a standing tree at this point.

Had a Dead elm I cut get caught up in another dead elm a few weeks ago. Against some better judgment, I cut down the second tree. It was probably the most exciting felling I have ever done (since 72). With deep snow, there wouldn't have been any way to escape the unforseen action of the two trees crashing down together.

 

[kenmbz]

Looks like you have a big tree near the base and another one a little more than halfway up? and the one halfway up is not all that close to the hung up one. Could you drag like SF says above or would it be levered between them?

 

[RjCorazza]

I recently had a tree fall naturally on my stream and hang in another tree. As others recommend, I cut the hung tree near the base and drug the tree out with my tractor.

 

[Thing]

Just my 2 cents. Not a logger by any means but have cut plenty of standing trees. This is potentially dangerous as once that trunk is cut you don't know whether its hitting the ground or sliding. Cut from the topside, Making a felling notch. Make sure you limit the depth of your cut so as not to bind your saw. Less than 1/3 the diameter. Finish your cut from the bottom side and be ready to move. Hopefully the trunk will hit the ground and you can keep performing the above or drag it with the tractor and "long" chain. Be careful !

 

[suburbanfarmer]

 

[Captain Dirty]

suburbanfarmer offers sound advice in post #2. Clean up the standing and fallen smaller stuff around the base to allow a clear work area and good escape routes. This includes bucking the larger, almost horizontal downed trunk. Then assess the stump situation as the desired pull will be toward the butt and away from the hung-up crown. I am not there, but it appears that the tension side of the leaner is the lower side of the trunk. On that premise notch the top side of the trunk and begin the back cut from the underside, watching the kerf closely. If the kerf stars to close, go back to the notch and cut vertically downward. I have a piece of old oil tank sheet metal approx 1/8" x 2' x 4' and would place it where the new butt is likely to fall. The metal would hopefully prevent the new butt from "digging in" and would make dragging or winching easier. Expect the crown of the leaner to hang up on the branches of the tree it is entangled in and expect some of the limbs to break and fall. You may decide to notch and cut the trunk again, but know that the closer the leaner gets to vertical, the more dangerous it becomes.

Re the video in post #8. The sawyer appears to be very experienced and often pulls the saw from a closing kerf on the compression side just before the saw would be trapped. When things go awry he is spry enough to execute plan C and reverse direction to avoid the widow maker. If you were that experienced, confident, and daring, you would probably not have made the inquiry in post #1.

 

[rbstern]

Thanks, gents. Based on your comments, I have a plan coming together in my head.