Newb felling question

If I had cut that tree, and knew it was a leaner over a trail, and did not have it on the ground, I wouldn't sleep a minute until I finished, or hired somebody, to finish the job.

I wish this thread was posted over on arboristsite.com, they'd have a cow for sure!

Best thing to do is get a chain around it, below the notched cut, and I mean a LONG chain, and pull from the base of the cut tree, straight away from the stump, preferably with a comealong or winch. If it breaks at the notch, and the remaining stump plows into the ground, go back and get the chain around it again, and pull it down, straightaway from the tree it's hung up on.

Funny things happen with trees like this, top branches snap, fly back, and kill unsuspecting fellers, or bystanders.

Anybody that recommends cutting the tree the leaner is tangled up in, or anybody that recommends dropping a third tree into the the two that are standing, has a death wish.

don't get too worked up over the "Trail" issue. It's on private property, the trail is known by me, my parents, grandparents and siblings. All of those people know about the leaning tree and it's current precarious nature. If someone not in my family gets squished by that tree, then I'll consider it a lesson against tresspassing.

Yeah, I'm still thinking my dynamite suggestion is the way you need to go.

Anything involving explosives is a good idea.

Well, I used to say "God gave me ten fingers on purpose." Now I say "he left me 8," so I'm TOTALLY with you on the dynamite.

[quote Did anyone catch Extreme Loggers last night on Discovery? Perfect example of the "mess" that happens when trying to hit the hung up tree with another. The camera man was nearly killed .[/quote]

Yup - I caught it with the Mule Logging and the hung up tree. Between the 2 pros - one would not touch it and the other was very cautious/scared and did it anyway.

That right there is not the way I am going to die for sure. F that!

Fugazi - thanks for posting the link to the OSHA site. As a relative novice chain saw operator it was a great review reading through the site. I'm not comfortable felling trees, so I don't. But I do limb and buck a fair amount and found the review of Top/Bottom Bind's helpful.

I've never figured out how the trees know that their final act should be to fall against another tree in the most inconvenient position for the logger.

Kind of a "murphy's law : for trees.