Well it finally happened, was cutting down a tree and it didn't fall exactly where I wanted it to go. Now it is hung up in the top of another tree. Anyone in here have any advice on how to get it down. Its not a very big tree, about 15" across at base and about 40' tall. I am thinking of somehow tying it off and winching it out of the other tree. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Tree hung up
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After being on this site for a while now....I've decided I must be the only one that has never considered (or been able to) free a hung tree with any other method than cutting. Folks have winches, ropes, chains, etc. Not me. I've hung up more trees than I care to admit and I've dropped every one of them with my saw so far. Right or wrong, I don't have an ATV with a winch or other method.
I simply skip a length of log and start a relief cut on the top of the leaner and then cut through to the relief cut from the bottom. Tree will fall till the new, shorter section is on the ground. For me I typically have to repeat this three, four, five times before the tree will be short enough to free itself. Once you start getting to the point where the hang up is almost free you have to be very aware of the tree and which direction it wants to go. Once it's "really loose" I typically set my saw down and try pushing a little, see what happens.
Again...I think I might be the only one that frees hung trees with my saw....I think I need more toys, or brains, or both.
I simply skip a length of log and start a relief cut on the top of the leaner and then cut through to the relief cut from the bottom. Tree will fall till the new, shorter section is on the ground. For me I typically have to repeat this three, four, five times before the tree will be short enough to free itself. Once you start getting to the point where the hang up is almost free you have to be very aware of the tree and which direction it wants to go. Once it's "really loose" I typically set my saw down and try pushing a little, see what happens.
Again...I think I might be the only one that frees hung trees with my saw....I think I need more toys, or brains, or both.
stee6043 said:
No your not I have seen pic's very recent of backwood savage and Quads doing it that way. I perfer not doing it to start with,but would just grab the bull rope in most cases.
Damn I always hated it when that happens. Tough to say without looking at it...any chance you can solicit the opinion of an expert wood cutting buddy?
Winch isn't a bad idea as long as your not talking about a cable pulley.
I've done it the way stee6043 describes it as well but I've always considered that the most dangerous option...but it is the fastest. Keep in mind the Greek wrestler, Milon of Croton, he got his fingers trapped by a fallen tree and got eaten by wolves. If you do it that way watch your feet.
Winch isn't a bad idea as long as your not talking about a cable pulley.
I've done it the way stee6043 describes it as well but I've always considered that the most dangerous option...but it is the fastest. Keep in mind the Greek wrestler, Milon of Croton, he got his fingers trapped by a fallen tree and got eaten by wolves. If you do it that way watch your feet.
I had 2 this year get hung up. I used a strong rope and a come along, worked great for me and bought them pretty cheap on ebay. I have cut some. I am buying a Skid Steer tomorrow, can't wait, I imagine that will be my new method. I might not even have to fell some of the trees now, I'll just push them over.
You are not the only one that does it this way, right or wrong:stee6043 said:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/49909/
I use a Continuous Rope Puller Kit .
http://www.wesspur.com/Pullers/rope-cable-pullers.html
pulled down 6 last year. some my hangups , some for friends.
http://www.wesspur.com/Pullers/rope-cable-pullers.html
pulled down 6 last year. some my hangups , some for friends.
that's how I usually do it, then again it's not the only way. My last trip out to the woods i cut a tree that I was pretty sure would get hung up. it did. so I said whatever I don't like the tree it's hung up on. So i decided to cut it down too (BTW, don't try this at home, kids). That tree hung up on the third tree with the first tree still in the mix. There is not a good way to take down them all, so i went back to the first tree to use my tried and true method you describe above. Now I'm back up to one hung up tree on another. Imma cut that tree down too, but this time i'm hoping they don't hang up anymore.stee6043 said:
Do you ever have a day that leaves you second guessing your ability to do the simplest of tasks?
stee6043 said:
I do it the same way. I'm not saying it is the right way, but that is how I do it.
Just get a gallon of gas and a match....it will be all over with before you know it. Okay, skip the gas and match thing. :lol:
I cut a lot of wood every year and I too occasionally come up with a jackpot like the one you describe. What I will usually do is climb my arse up the tree it's against, hook a 3/8" cable to about mid-point, but not ABOVE where you think it's reckless or the law of physics could come into play. I then take that cable and hook it to a vehicle or portable winch and run the cable backwards away from the way the tree would fall naturally. I then put some serious torque on the cable, but not too much, but enough. With enough practice you will know where to stop. After that I will give two face cuts on both sides of the tree thats not been cut yet. Give it a rest and see which way the groan is wanting to go. Possibly even choke the tension up a little on the cable to see if she wants to fall. Still not working, then I give it some hell on the backside of the tree, which would be on the backside of the direction of the cable being pulled. Cut er slow though, just a pinch at a time as depending how much tension you have on the line it may want to barber on ya. Just make sure your standing 90 degrees to how the cable is being pulled. What I've found is the trees will want to canter off one side or the other when doing back cuts, so watch yourself and if possible have someone stand back and see what the tree wants to do.
If none of that works or you're not comfortable with it, then skip it for another tree and let time fall it. Or, as I've done once, and only once, start cutting the fell tree into small pieces until manageable.
I cut a lot of wood every year and I too occasionally come up with a jackpot like the one you describe. What I will usually do is climb my arse up the tree it's against, hook a 3/8" cable to about mid-point, but not ABOVE where you think it's reckless or the law of physics could come into play. I then take that cable and hook it to a vehicle or portable winch and run the cable backwards away from the way the tree would fall naturally. I then put some serious torque on the cable, but not too much, but enough. With enough practice you will know where to stop. After that I will give two face cuts on both sides of the tree thats not been cut yet. Give it a rest and see which way the groan is wanting to go. Possibly even choke the tension up a little on the cable to see if she wants to fall. Still not working, then I give it some hell on the backside of the tree, which would be on the backside of the direction of the cable being pulled. Cut er slow though, just a pinch at a time as depending how much tension you have on the line it may want to barber on ya. Just make sure your standing 90 degrees to how the cable is being pulled. What I've found is the trees will want to canter off one side or the other when doing back cuts, so watch yourself and if possible have someone stand back and see what the tree wants to do.
If none of that works or you're not comfortable with it, then skip it for another tree and let time fall it. Or, as I've done once, and only once, start cutting the fell tree into small pieces until manageable.
whotheguy said:
I'm with whotheguy on this particular point.
I have had a few trees get hung up on me in the past and used a saw to get them unstuck because it is the quickest way. But last couple trees that got hung on me I came to the conclusion it ain't worth taking any risk trying to free them. Now I will just leave them and let the wind blow it down. The forests are full of naturally hung trees, I certainly wouldn't try and cut any of them down, doesn't make sense taking a risk trying to free one just because it happen to be one I was trying to fall.
It's called risk management.
yeah, i've hung up several trees, and only once could i get the truck close enough to hook on to the tree with a chain and pull it out. Every other time, I've cut it out.
last fall, we had a white oak that hung up in another big oak, and we must have cut 5, 6' sections out of that thing before we could finally get it to fall all the way down. not much left to it by that point.
i need to get a good cable puller/come along
although if you have a puller, i would use that first, to make the tree go where you want it so you don't have to use it later.
last fall, we had a white oak that hung up in another big oak, and we must have cut 5, 6' sections out of that thing before we could finally get it to fall all the way down. not much left to it by that point.
i need to get a good cable puller/come along
although if you have a puller, i would use that first, to make the tree go where you want it so you don't have to use it later.
smokinjay said:
Thanks Jay. I do several of those every year. Once you get the hang of it, it proves to be very easy. Easier and quicker than messing around trying to pull them down. I usually cut them into 4' sections depending on the slant. If really steep then I'll cut shorter pieces. They will come down.
I am happy to report that the tree is down and cut up. Went out this afternoon with a rope and a cum-along. I threw the rope up as high as I could and anchored the cum-along 100' away and pulled it right over. Thanks for all the advice.
I keep a 3/4 ton chain come-a-long ( a 25 foot chain model) in my truck along with a couple high grade chains. I've used it a couple times on hung up trees. More often it gets used to get my truck unstuck! :red:
When this happened to me last time, there was a standing dead tree leaning in the direction of the hung up tree.
I cut down the standing dead tree which knocked down the hung up tree. Worked pretty slick, kind of like shooting
pool, but probably not the smartest thing in the world. If the second tree hadn't fallen just right, I could have had
two hung up. The good thing is I wasn't anywhere close to the hung up tree when the two collided.
I cut down the standing dead tree which knocked down the hung up tree. Worked pretty slick, kind of like shooting
pool, but probably not the smartest thing in the world. If the second tree hadn't fallen just right, I could have had
two hung up. The good thing is I wasn't anywhere close to the hung up tree when the two collided.
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