Just want to post a general thanks to all the knowledgeable and sharing peeps on the site. Been around for a while now and have posted many questions and read many threads that provided quality information. That information likely saved my azz yesterday. You can see the tree in my other post (Going to start a big one today). My big white oak tried her best to get me. Having all the info mentioned above at my disposal I had been keeping my jobsite clean and free of obstructions that might hinder my hasty retreat in pinch. That pinch came in the form of a 800-1000 lb 14 inch diameter limb. I was trying to rid the trunk of as much lean weight as possible by cutting limbs off the lower trunk. I scale the trunk to cut these off. I have been upwards of 15 foot off ground level doing this. Beyond that height I am not comfortable with the layout of the trunk. I cut that limb and it fell onto 2 separate downward facing limbs that acted as legs, holding it upright around 10 feet off the ground. It did not separate from the trunk either and I was concerned finishing off the cut would lead to a pinched bar. Not wanting to see my $900 Husky caught high up in a tree I decided I would work the limbs off and let it fall. After much investigation I determined one leg could go without causing the limb to fall. Did that no issue. The second leg was about 8 feet from the trunk connection. I figured I could nip it and back off as the limb swung to the ground, getting safely away. I cut 80% through and put the saw down safely away from the area. I then picked up a 40-50lb log and hit the cut with it. I clearly saw the cut end of the 14 inch log coming at me as I scurried away. Ran but lost footing due to slippery snow. I lunged forward just before I hit the ground, jumping onto the pile of logs. That was painful in itself. As I looked back the limb had landed just 3 feet from my feet. It had traveled 20 feet plus laterally in a direction parallel to the trunk, toward the rootball. That from a height of 15 feet. When I hit the pile of logs my phone flew out of my pants pocket and was lost for a bit in the pile. This just to show the urgency of my escape. So again, thanks to all the knowledgeable and sharing brothers (sistas too) on the site. Only thing I can add from the experience is to heed your own intuition when out there cutting. I had told myself that afternoon that I should have my logger boots on because the steel toe boots I was wearing were sneaker like treads and they were causing me issues in that wet snow. Had I been wearing those I may not have a bruised knee and only a slightly scary story to have told. Happy to be able to tell any version today.
Glad your safe! Good message, this hobby can kill you! Please everyone be careful and use PPE and be cautious.
Yeah, that sounds like a close call. Glad you took enough precautions and only have a few bruises to remind us all to be careful.
Glad to hear things worked out for you, trees can be unpredictable, big limbs at a lower level even more so. We're grateful to have you here on FHC, brother. If you ever need felling advice or a walk-through, let me know.
Definitely glad you're here to type and tell about it. It could've been different in about .65 seconds. Glad you left yourself an out, one should ALWAYS do that no matter if it's driving or cutting tree's. You never know what the next few seconds hold, but if you scan for troubles and leave an out.. then you're one step closer to going home safely. Be safe and well out there everyone.
