Pull down a high widow maker.

[Hay Dude]

in MY area Ash trees are the widow makers. There are hundreds of thousands of them standing dead in our area. The branches are noted to be brittle and snap off violently.

One could start an entire business here just taking down and cleaning up dead Ash trees.

 

[gstrom99]

One could start an entire business here just taking down and cleaning up dead Ash trees.

The state is finally working on all the dead ash trees, along the state roads, here. After some big winds the other day, I find I have a pine tree in my grove broken at the ground and leaning/hung on another (has been dead for several years). I'll wrap a long strap around the base and drag it down with my tractor. I'm afraid to walk under it now...

The OP's maples DO present a problem. I think I'd get a towable man lift to get up/in there, or hire it out.

 

[Torvy]

it's 2024. Use a drone to carry a line up to the right place.

Personally, I use oosiks method unless it is too close to something important.

 

[terraformer]

We have shot some of these where a dead tree leans on another. Usually on a hill.

Our best option is to get out an old Mauser or other surplus rifle and several boxes of surplus ammo and start blasting. Lots of fun. Mauser is a bit better penetrating than a Mosin Nagant with factory loads with our experience.

We have tried pulling with the tractor on a chain at 6' up but that has hardly ever worked on a 17" dia tree.

Don't stand there with a chain saw trying to be brave.

 

[olenjohn]

Try hitting it with your purse .

 

[BlueKnife]

Our best option is to get out an old Mauser or other surplus rifle and several boxes of surplus ammo and start blasting. Lots of fun. Mauser is a bit better penetrating than a Mosin Nagant with factory loads with our experience.

Ever heard the phrase "what goes up, must come down"? Those bullets are coming down somewhere. Couple years ago, back where I used to live in Ohio, a guy fired his muzzleloader into the air to clear it and killed a kid a mile or so away.

 

[pacosperson]

Use a bow and arrow. Tie a small long rope to the arrow, get it over the branch, and then pull a larger rope as required to attach a larger rope.

I've done that for years. Bought a CHEAP fiberglass bow and a few arrows and shoot fishing line over whatever. The fishing line is still on the pole. Then Masons string, then 1/4" paracord, then 1/4" aircraft cable and lots of it. When you do get to pulling on that cable you don't even want to be in the same zip code.

 

[JasperFrank]

For some reason I can't start a fire pile. I did all my old methods, that use to work, but on these piles nothing is working. I think because this is all green wood with too much moisture . No one else here can get theirs started either. The 3 to 1 gas Diesel isn't working.

 

[newbury]

So did you get them down?
If so how?

 

[terraformer]

Interesting that you, Blue Knife would think that a fellow tractor owner who you don't know would shoot at the tree up in the air. We always aim level or down at the base from a direction that gives us a good backstop. The Mauser will penetrate about 14" of oak with surplus ammo A MN maybe 12'.

Not going to stand under a tree that is intertwined with another and broken at the base. and hope that I can predict which way it will fall or jackknife.