Does a leaner have to lean against something to qualify?

[Diabel]

I have a a yellow birch (pic to follow) about 12" across on a steep hill leaning toward (naturally) down the hill toward the lake. The tree is dead & all the limbs are past the "to the hospital I go" point. I would like to make a notch so it falls on the beach (not the water) what is about 45* to the side ( I thing I can manage that) I have approached the bugger several times now to make the cut... but something spooks me about it....

 

[Gary_602z]

Treat all trees leaning or not like they are going in a different direction than you want!

Gary

 

[Wood Duck]

If all the limbs have rotted off, I bet the main trunk is rotten too. That makes me concerned that the tree will do something unpredictable when it falls, and makes me wonder if the wood will be worthwhile.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If all the limbs have rotted off, I bet the main trunk is rotten too. That makes me concerned that the tree will do something unpredictable when it falls, and makes me wonder if the wood will be worthwhile.

Yup. One can not be too careful with rotten trees.

 

[amateur cutter]

If all the limbs have rotted off, I bet the main trunk is rotten too. That makes me concerned that the tree will do something unpredictable when it falls, and makes me wonder if the wood will be worthwhile.

Yup. One can not be too careful with rotten trees.

Yup. What they said.

 

[ecocavalier02]

nothing like cutting a notch in a tree only to notice theres a hole in the middle.

 

[thewoodlands]

I have a a yellow birch (pic to follow) about 12" across on a steep hill leaning toward (naturally) down the hill toward the lake. The tree is dead & all the limbs are past the "to the hospital I go" point. I would like to make a notch so it falls on the beach (not the water) what is about 45* to the side ( I thing I can manage that) I have approached the bugger several times now to make the cut... but something spooks me about it....

Your gut feeling is usually correct.

zap

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a a yellow birch (pic to follow) about 12" across on a steep hill leaning toward (naturally) down the hill toward the lake. The tree is dead & all the limbs are past the "to the hospital I go" point. I would like to make a notch so it falls on the beach (not the water) what is about 45* to the side ( I thing I can manage that) I have approached the bugger several times now to make the cut... but something spooks me about it....

Your gut feeling is usually correct.

zap

Agreed . . . there have been trees that I have gone to cut and then for whatever reason opted not to cut . . . I think sometimes there is something we may be seeing subconsciously that may be telling us that there is a potential problem whether it be in the lean, the way the tree will fall, rot, etc.

 

[Bspring]

How bad would it be if it just falls where it wants to?

 

[Diabel]

I will wait until water/lake freezes & let it fall where it wants to. That way I can collect all the wood for burning & avoid pulling limbs from shoreline/water.