I have a large dying maple tree next to my house, in Tidewater VA. It needs to come down, and I have gotten a few quotes to have it taken down. Right now there are no leaves, but I was wondering whether now is the optimum time to take the tree down or whether it will be OK to do it any time before early spring when it buds out. As in, is the sap or whatever on it's way up or down the tree and when would be the best time to make it optimum for the cutting. We were hoping to get the pros to take it down and buck it up and then we can split and stack it to get it seasoning for next year.