Heart pounding-scary moment

[hareball]

I went out back to shovel off the concrete for the dog. Everything going fine, was just going for the next scoop when I heard wood cracking. Sounded just like a tough round being split open on a hydro splitter. My flood lights dont cover much tree canopy and I didn't know if it was a tree or a limb, not able to see and nowhere to hide I just froze and hoped it was not one of my white oaks. The crack stopped and it was like time stood still until it fell. Ended up in the yard behind me or next to me will look in the morning.

 

[nojo]

Crazy man, next time head for the door!

 

['bert]

a good scrounger would have been running for his chainsaw at the first crack of a tree falling. Glad to hear there was no damage for you and your property. Now go get that chainsaw b4 it's to late.

 

[wood spliter]

Look for splits in the crotch's. Might be other weak spots or consider taking the wnole tree down.

 

[mayhem]

We've never had anything significant come down, other than the ice storm of Dec 2008, but I cna tell you that outside my house is a scary place to be when the temps get down in the single digits or below zero and the winds pick up...you cna hear trees cracking and stuff constantly. Like Ichabod Crane scary.

Plaiin on pushing the treeline away from the house another 20-30 feet this summer...all my trees are very tall and skinny, so even at 30 feet from the foundation I still have pretty good odds of an errant drop to hit my roof or a window.

 

[hareball]

Took a glance this morning but can't see any obvious things so will look better once I'm dressed and ready to shovel. There is a big oak 2 houses down and might be a limb down on that. Hard for me to tell right now with the sun risng and my bad eyes.
Fueling up with some coffee and will head out soon.

 

[ChillyGator]

While sitting in my climbing tree stand before daylight last deer season I had a BIG pine fall less than 100 yards from me........scared the BEJEZUS out of me......I was unerved the rest of the day.

 

[smokinj]

Crazy man, next time head for the door!

+1 I get very jumpy when hearing that sound and running quickly in the other direction.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Tis a normal sound in the woods....but still concentrates your attention for a time.

 

[Tony H]

Had it happen to me twice last year the first time I was cutting grass on the rider and circling the perimeter of the back yard when I came around there was a 60 oak down with about 30' of it out in the yard right where I drove on the last pass around the yard. I didn't even see or hear it but sure makes you think what if ?
The other time the wife and I heard a loud crack and thought it was thunder when she went out later an oak branch about 18" across and 25' long branch about 50' feet up had fallen right next to the house even clipped off the security light on the side of the house and put a 2' hole in the ground where the base landed but did no other damage.

 

[leftyscott]

The day after the ice storm of Jan. 2009 I am lying in bed with my wife.. power's out... all night long we hear cracking/popping of limbs coming down. (live on 50 wooded acres) Horrible sense of helplessness. Next day I walked in the woods same thing happening. I got pretty good at knowing when to run as compared to when to walk.

 

[bogydave]

Took a glance this morning but can't see any obvious things so will look better once I'm dressed and ready to shovel. There is a big oak 2 houses down and might be a limb down on that. Hard for me to tell right now with the sun risng and my bad eyes.
Fueling up with some coffee and will head out soon.

Take your camera
Pictures pleeez.
We love pictures

 

[hareball]

yeah that sound really got my attention!! Had I started the motion with the shovel I would have never heard the cracking. I just froze like a deer in the headlights!

Took a look all around and all I could find on the ground is a 15' Poplar thats partially down. I still dont think thats what fell though. I doubt that small Poplar would have made that sound lol

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I had a tree fall on the deck last year in a storm, the wind was howling. I am helping people around town that have down trees now after the record snow fall. I have some giant trees around the house and it always scares me when a storm comes in. Originally I thought it was great to leave some big trees when we built the house because it made the house look like it was always there. Over time the trees have grown rapidly and now I feel closed in with little light. I am systematically removing trees and I am good at dropping them where I want. I just don't want to get too cocky and drop one on my house. I tie a rope on them with a come along and of course notch them properly and study the lean, and that has been working well.

If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there, does it make a sound? I remember that silly question from my youth.