I have a hickory I want to drop, shown in the pictures. It's about 24 inches at the base. I neef to drop it to the left. My question is what do you guys think about the wood pecker holes and the stability of the limb when falling. I realize the pictures do not give a ton of detail. The tree held up through a ton of wind, but this limb is opposite of the fall direction. As long as it does not catch other limbs, I should not eat it. Thoughts?
You gonna tie it off ? Like you said, not being there hard to get a good handle on it. Gonna be awesome firewood !
I might tie it off towards where I want it to go, the wood pecker damage is bothering me. May throw up the ladder and look deeper
Wood pecker damage is meaningless. How solid is it near where you will be cutting? You need a good intact hinge and holding wood. If you have that you can directional fall it. Keep an eye out after every change to make sure nothing has come loose and become threatening. They don't call them widowmakers for nothing.
I agree with Oldman47 on the woodpecker holes. Usually meaningless unless the wood is really rotten but by then the wood peckers have usually left it alone as all the bugs are gone. We cut a couple limbs off a red oak this past summer and the woodpeckers had a ball making holes all around. Wood was really solid even by the holes. As for direction and how best to cut, no advise here because one needs to be there to best judge.
I dunno how hard hickory is but any maple, beech, birch or poplar around here with fungi growing on it or full of woodpecker holes is rotten worthless wood for firewood and not safe to stand under especially after it has rained and/or is windy.
When you're around the trees drop from fear then buck and split themselves out of fear and respect! Now if you could just convince them to stack themselves you'd be all set
