My 044 or 066 might like this, but I sure as snot wont

The next one that has to come down ................

 

Hickory?

With a side of poison ivy looks like

 

I wouldn't touch it. I had a serious poison ivy breakout a little over a year ago. Chit as everywhere, never again.

It seems the ivy has really taken off over the past couple years. I never remember seeing it like this.

 

wowsers

 

I might be inclined to let nature take its course on that one. There must be gallons of urushiol in that baby, probably some real btu's too; but only if you hate everybody in a mile radius.

 

Last time I did one like this - it ended up being 6 weeks of stripes on my skin ................. everywhere.
I was gloved and sealed up to my chin, with a faceshield. Nevertook off the gloves, or itched, or peepeed, or nothing untill I took off the clothes. You know what ??? Sawdust was still against my skin from my chin down to my toes. Yup, even my good old manhood wasnt spared. You could tell which way the chips went, even had a few curved lines on my back. Ended up on steroids for a month.

Good thing about poison ivy with me is that I build up a tolerance to it. If I get exposed I break out for a week or two, then it goes away and I can swim in it.
Bad thing about that hairy POS is that I aint sure if its poison ivy .................. I was told it was sumak

 

I dont really have a choice.
I am thinking steep face cut and bore cut out the back to put it down. Then I can cut on the ground and try to keep the chips down.
Other than that, I am at a loss as to how to do this without becoming a walking pharmacy again

 

Poison sumac is free standing and likes swampy conditions. It is thin and spindly as well. A friend got into some poison sumac clearing part of a house lot and it messed him up for weeks.

 

I'd grab it and pull it off then cut the tree. It hasn't bothered me that I remember. Take an axe and cut it off now and in a few weeks it may be a lot drier and not as hard to get off the tree.

 

That's why I always carry a hatchet or axe when going for a walk in the woods.Dont matter whether its Virginia creeper or poison ivy,its toast. I leave Wild Grape,they can get huge also but aren't as much of a problem around here,plus the fruit is great for man,beast & fowl.

 

That hairy mother winds its way all the way to the top, and is about 6" thick at waist height
I am going back there today to look at it again, might be a good idea to cut the vine at the base, and then I might be able to weasel a week or two before I have to drop the tree and clean it up.

Every time I use an ax, chips fly everywhere and hit me all over the place .............. I was thinking using the top of the bar on my little ported 33cc saw, that will throw the chips away from me. I could cut some blow downs right after to clean up the chain a little, but any way I look at this, I get itchy.

Trying to pull it off when the tree is down is my plan, but I have to drop it first.
Does anybody think the bore cut out the back might allow the tree to tear free as it drops ?
Or is the hairy vine just going to pull out from the ground ?

 

I just started itching just looking at that picture

 

I pulled that stuff off the trees here at home when we first moved in. I didn't know poison ivy could get that big. I did it bare handed and someone was visiting and asked about the poison ivy and I said where.

 

I don't envy you in this situation.

 

I'd HIGHLY suggest trying to call in help from someone who doesn't get poison ivy. I'm lucky as Dad is immune to the stuff. Me? I get it by just looking at it it seems! When we cut I say, "That's yours" when I see it. If you have to do it by yourself do as others have said and get some chemical gloves and don't touch your tools.....or take a leak.