Put this big boy on the ground this evening.....around 30" DBH, approximately 70' tall and a moderate back lean. Climbed and branched it up to around 45-50', rigged it at the high crotch and brought her down. Started at 6:10pm and was out of there at 7:45pm. Going back out tomorrow evening to buck it and clean it up....... Before I climbed it..... After I climbed and rigged the cable...... On the ground (got dark, but you get the point)
More prime wood! We burned maple almost exclusively when I was a kid, because that's what the farmer down the road had for sale. Threw some on the other night, almost forgot how much I love the smell of it.
I'll keep some of the trunk wood, most of it will go to my cutting buddy.....He just signed a lease on an old farmhouse with an OWB so he's going to be starting a new hoard....
Once you learn to trust your harness, knots and ascending/descending equipment, it's rather enjoyable being up there in a tree..... But sugar maple is a different beast when using gaffs, the bark is hard as rock and you really gotta jump on your spikes to get into the wood of the tree......
Going to I get some nice rounds out of that 30 inch DBH I have some sugar maple I will be burning for the first time this year
It's right up there with beech/red oak.....great overnight wood, don't leave real good coals but it keeps the heat rolling for hours!
Bet you've got those spikes all pointy'd up too... Always enjoy seeing what you're up to. Thanks for taking the time to shoot...
I'm going to cut a few slabs from this trunk this evening while we are working it up, try and find a couple of nice pieces for making Bedford long rifles down the road. I'll post pics later.....
Right on Scotty. For me if I haven't been up in a while it was always a bit scary at first...then it became fun. Same thing every fall the first time having to climb up the outside of the silo. Scary for sure. After that it becomes fun. It was weird this month though when I started hanging tree stands. It has never bothered me but for some reason the second tree I worked on, at the top I got a bit scary so really had to take my time. No doubt aiding in this was the fact that every time I went up another 4' I had to rehook the belt then unhook to go up more, etc. So there were times when I had no safety belt attached. But I got it done anyway. Just sweat a bit more than normal. Next time up the tree, all was well. Still have to set a couple more tree stands. Maybe one tomorrow.
be careful up there in those stands buddy! How are you and the Ornery One doing? Hope all is well .....
I was going to slab the butt trunk for a couple gun stock blanks but ran into several nails in there....lots of blue streak in the wood, and not much curl in it either, so it all got bucked up for firewood. I took a truck bed full of it, gave the rest to my cutting partner.....
We're hanging in there Scott. Waiting on her surgery. I got more shots in my back yesterday. She's still picking raspberries. Deer season starts next week!
