So I set my mind to fell a 30” red oak today. Looked like a storm had taken the top off but lots of wood left. I checked it with my ax and sounded solid so I went to town. When my wedge cut was finished and it came out I realized it was very much hollow. Anyway , my dad reaches inside to see how much meat was left before I make my back cut. There wasn’t much at all so while pondering my next move I looked and there was a freaking coon curled up in the bottom of the hollowed out tree !! If he would have latched on to my dads hand..... anyway the crazy critter stayed in there well after the tree was felled. Then the next tree I felled had a squirrel holed up in the top with babies. My dog had one of baby squirrels that fell out for lunch but I left the mom and other in a big section of the tree and I hope they make it. I was heck on the wildlife today. I am a meat eater for sure but don’t like killing them for no reason. Interesting day for sure.
Well, that’s an excellent way to ensure that you don’t break it or get distracted while cutting.... if that’s what you do, you should look into hiring a photographer for your firewood escapades!!!
As much money as I have wrapped up in my firewood addiction hiring a photographer would ensure me being single, of course then I would have more time to cut and have some nice photos....
I also leave phone away from cutting, I need to not be distracted when doing this. I do try to take before and after pics for this pic hungry group.
I always have my phone on me while I cut. If I get pinned or can’t move I want fast easy access to the phone. Hopefully I won’t need it.
No phone for me, but I did the exact same thing one time, but it was a porcupine. he was curled down in the bottom of a hollow tree and I felled the tree right from over his head. Two inches lower and I would have sawed him in half. I eat meat, but do not hunt, and found logging means the animals get pretty friendly with me. I have been cutting the same lot for 2 years now and have got to the point with the deer that that do not run off now. I can stop and talk with them and then might paw the ground and flip their tails up, but generally I am just as much part of their living rooms as they are in my backyard. It is all good.
Cut enough or long enough and you will find the critters. Gets interesting when blood starts flying though.
