Widow maker advice

[Rob_Red]

Hey guys I have a red oak leaner. I don’t have a tractor only a chainsaw and come along. How would you guys go after this? I was thinking I could use some straps to prevent it from falling to the side I’m cutting on.

Am I being too ambitious? Should I just step away and stick to the less dangerous stuff?

 

[Dataman]

Let nature take it's course. Wind will fix your problem in the future. Hire person if you want it now. Is it worth death?

 

[johneh]

Looks like it is broken off at the stump.
If so I would pull it back with my truck or the come along
Looks like my ATV would get to it so maybe tie off the
ATV to a tree and use the winch pulling it back off the other trees

 

[paulnlee]

I just did 3 cherry's like that. Under cut about 4' from the break, go to the top of bottom cut it drops down, repeat. Easy peezy

 

[Nealm66]

Hard to really tell from the pics but those little leaners look like trouble. I’d start with those. A longer bar helps breaking down leaners to keep you a little safer distance. Tying it off is a good idea

 

[Dataman]

I would not pull it with my Vehicle (PU Truck). Vehicles are not designed for this. You will do more damage costs than hiring person to do it. If your out of your comfort zone hire it out. Cheap in the Long Run. Caskets are Expensive.

 

[Mutineer]

Looks like plenty of room to step back, I do these all the time by a top cut down to about 1/3-1/2 way through, put a wedge or two in that cut and then finish the cut so that it falls straight down. Then step back fast and see what the top of the tree does, rinse and repeat.

 

[Nealm66]

It looks like there’s a smaller tree caught up in the mess that could cause problems as you break it down ?

 

[Simonkenton]

It doesn't look too dangerous to me. I would saw off a 6 foot piece at the bottom. Then, saw off another. After four times of doing that the problem will be solved.

 

[Nealm66]

It doesn't look too dangerous to me. I would saw off a 6 foot piece at the bottom. Then, saw off another. After four times of doing that the problem will be solved.

Maybe it’s an allusion but don’t you see the tall little tree with all the pressure in the first pic? I’m not saying it’s a hard stop but it takes the easy peasy out for me

 

[Rob_Red]

rather than go after it with my small home owner grade saw and comealong I'm going to leave her alone until I get a tractor someday and Ill try to pull it down while staying well out of the way. In the mean time the hassle is not worth the 1/2 of a cord or so I'd get from it.

 

[Bad LP]

I’d tie that to a truck in a second and pull it if I didn’t have a tractor.
would likely help if a log was placed on its butt to help lift the tree up off the ground as it gets pulled away

 

[Rob_Red]

I’d tie that to a truck in a second and pull it if I didn’t have a tractor.
would likely help if a log was placed on its butt to help lift the tree up off the ground as it gets pulled away

I agree and would do the same if I had the right truck and it wasn't 300 feet into the woods.

 

[Nealm66]

Now that I look at it, it looks fairly small, like maybe 8” diameter? I was thinking it was a lot bigger

 

[Rob_Red]

Now that I look at it, it looks fairly small, like maybe 8” diameter? I was thinking it was a lot bigger

More like 15-18" its big enough to be dangerous.

 

[Nealm66]

Ok. Then is there a little tree that’s going to get more pressure as you break it down? Possibly snapping and coming back at you? Or is it just the way the first photo makes it look

 

[paulnlee]

Then cut the damn little tree first!

 

[bholler]

Then cut the damn little tree first!

That is the last thing I would do. To unpredictable.

I just did 3 cherry's like that. Under cut about 4' from the break, go to the top of bottom cut it drops down, repeat. Easy peezy

That is exactly what I would do if pulling it didn't work.

I would not pull it with my Vehicle (PU Truck). Vehicles are not designed for this. You will do more damage costs than hiring person to do it. If your out of your comfort zone hire it out. Cheap in the Long Run. Caskets are Expensive.

I would try pulling it with a truck or winch without a second thought. If doing that breaks something that thing should have been replaced regardless. Many are absolutely built for it.

 

[Simonkenton]

Are you saying it is so far back in the woods, that you can't drive a pickup up to it?

 

[bholler]

Are you saying it is so far back in the woods, that you can't drive a pickup up to it?

Personally I could reach 300' with winch cable and chains.

 

[andym]

I can never see really tell much from these kind of pics. Perhaps the better experienced ones can. Nothing personal, but resorting to a forum of any kind for advice like this is asking for trouble. It looks pretty simple to me, but I'm not there. If it looks to be more than you can handle stay away.

 

[bholler]

I can never see really tell much from these kind of pics. Perhaps the better experienced ones can. Nothing personal, but resorting to a forum of any kind for advice like this is asking for trouble. It looks pretty simple to me, but I'm not there. If it looks to be more than you can handle stay away.

I agree completely it doesn't look to scary to me either but without being there it's impossible to be sure. I would start off by trying to pull it down then cut from the bottom piece by piece untill I could pull it. But I have the benifit of several trucks and a bronco with a 12000 lb winch. Those are the benifits of being a vehicle hoarder lol

 

[Rob_Red]

I appreciate the advice gents but this one is staying put for a while, there is no reasonable vehicle access with out tearing chit up. I have plenty of other down wood to keep my back sore for a while.

I bought my first chainsaw this year and am completely new to tree work. If I can find some one experienced to help I’ll go for it but based on some of the feedback I’m getting I’m not going to take it on my own at this point.

 

[Dataman]

Good Plan. If you think it's beyond your experience level don't do it. Be Smart and Safe. Don't get talked into killing or hurting yourself. I own Tractor and long wire and would just pull it free. Got similar to do right now. Drag it out and put it on my slash pile to burn this Fall.

 

[Sawset]

A month ago I cut several dead oaks, and one ended up hung up. No touchy. Just looked, stared, and walked away. I noticed last weekend that the wind worked it enough to finally get it to drop, so was able to cut and gather it up. On the other hand, I can think of only one that after 10years still hasn't let go and become safe. It's just laying there at a 45 seems like from now and forever. So be it. The one you have, not sure, maybe snip off the bottom few 6' sections. But I bet the top would still stay hung. All that for little gain. Maybe walk away, stay out from under it, make note of it in passing, and wait for the day.