So I halved the first 4 rounds from this big sucker ( Big Fat Oak post ) and as mentioned hit metal. I cut about 18” wood when it is this big so about 6’ worth. Took the next two rounds and they were still to big to handle so noodled them too. Still found metal up to about 7’-7.5’ into the trunk ! I am thinking it was an old , very old , fence and it was pulled up and essentially grew with the tree and tree grew around it ? I estimate the tree to have been at least 200 years old if my math is right. Oklahoma wasn’t open for settlement until 1890 and was Indian territory prior to that. 200 years would mean this tree was a stick in 1822. So when it was about 70 years old a metal fence post was driven so close to it that it consumed it ?! Barbed wire patented in 1867 so it was around back then. Doesn’t make sense to me to put a fence so close to a decent size tree. Any thoughts on the matter ?
Maybe the farmer didn’t want the fence nailed to the tree. I know it’s common practice but maybe you found evidence not everyone does it.
Possibly, or maybe it isn’t as old as I thought and they did nail it to the tree and nature did the rest.
Interesting to ponder. I often wonder the same when metal is found in a tree. Usually by the saw. I delivered a half cord of oak today and one of the split had romex wire sticking out of it!
Your comment about the metal post consumed by a tree led me to believe you found one. If it’s just wire consumed by the tree that’s very common. Have plenty of that on the perimeters of my property. Why sink a post when there’s a tree there to nail to?
What ever you find out, condolences for encountering metal multiple times. It can get frustrating quick.
Woven wire fence has vertical wires you could be hitting. Trees don't really pull things up as they grow though. Could just be a ton of nails. Counting the rings will tell you pretty much exactly how old it was. Oak trees can grow pretty fast out in the open.
You said you found metal 7-7.5’ (feet) into the trunk. Did you mean inches? (“) Or 7 feet up the trunk from the base? If you meant 7” in, that’s really not too far into the distant past. On an oak, especially growing out in the open, 7” of radial trunk growth should be far less than 100 years.
Possibly I guess. No orchards here and the topography of this area wouldn’t be likely it was but I guess a lot can happen in that amount of time. I have heard, but mot verified that our land was once used for pig farming but only back to the 1940’s
Well you’re gonna have to split it open and find out what’s in it. Can’t keep us hanging now. Oaks can eat wire pretty fast. Have some wire in oaks right near my house. Never really paid much attention to how deep it is but I’d say at least six inches. Installed 46-47 years ago. Often you’ll still see signs in the bark of the tree growing over the wire. There’s some that date back to at least the 30’s with the wire still coming out. Not many tho. Sounds like your hitting horizontal when noodling?
We have perfect weather this weekend and I am leaving work early today. Hoping to get it all split by Sunday and will update ya !
No ones gonna be splitting around here tomorrow. I’m hearing 18-24” with 40mph winds. A good ol Nor’easter blizzard.
Its nice when you can see some sort of scar at the height where someone attached something to the tree. Having hit so much metal ive started to look for that now.
Mid next week they are saying mid to high 40's here. I'd certainly welcome some 60's! My driveway is a skating rink. Thaw and refreeze daily so nice and smooth.
