I've noticed this hickory last year and it was not looking so good. Fast forward to this year and it just dead as can be. ( I cannot seem to get the site to upload a picture of the dead standing tree.) I cut half of it down today. It had a pretty good lean so I tightened a ratchet strap around it just in case the tree decided to split down the middle. I made the face cut offset at 2 o clock to compensate for the lean and limbs in hopes that it would land around 12 o clock. I really did not want to damage any of the large oaks or healthy hickory trees in the vicinity. Once I made my cuts I shut off the saw and hammered in my wedges. Then I listened... And listened, then hammered the wedges again. The tree started making popping noises and groaning, I got the heck out of there. The tree landed right where I wanted. I have been sweating this tree every time I walk by it. Its great when a plan comes together. I bucked some of the tops up and loaded it into the bucket of my tractor. I split a couple of rounds and saw this borer larva. I am hoping this does not spread to other trees in my woodlot. Pretty decent way to spend the afternoon. I am now hiding in the air conditioning and wolfing down pesto pasta my wife made.
Nice score with the Hickory... I never seem to get too much in my stacks, but like you, I have a good sized one that is hollowed out and it's only a matter of time before it falls over and ends up in my stacks... Great firewood for cold nights!
Strap is a good idea. Never thought of that. I’ve done a couple big leaners using the reverse plunge cut method. Worked well.
It is amazing what damage a small squishy worm can do to a tree. I would split the rest of that wood as soon as you can and maybe any other larvae will die out before it has a chance to go to another tree.
I agree, i am going to hit it pretty hard tomorrow. I felled the "easier" half of the tree today. I can't get my truck anywhere near the tree so the front loader will have to do. I have many hickory trees and it would be terrible to see them suffer the same fate.
I watched a YouTube video where the tree tried to barber chair but a ratchet strap was clinched down on the tree and held the tree together. It was such easy insurance, I figure why not. I am no expert so I like to take any precaution possible.
Nice looking fell Ohio Always a good thing when on the ground and you are safe. Your heart and adrenaline can then slow down and the fun begins. Yours is not as dead as the little one i cut up two weeks ago. The AC does feel great after making firewood in the hot weather! Or any other strenuous outdoor activity for that matter!
Great job putting it on the ground. Hate to see any tree die, but at least it's BTU's will live on in your wood burner.
much better perspective on the two trees now. Did the branches shatter and break off on impact or was there a lot of limbing to do Ohio ? I felled a few dead white oaks last Fall and the limbs pretty much broke off when it landed. Made it a lot easier!
Some of the limbs shattered but the tree took a pretty soft fall. I left a pretty decent hinge on er. Whatever was punky fell off, the limbs were intact which made it easy, no chain in the dirt. I got it all cleaned up this afternoon. I got a full grain bag full of hickory noodles. Here is what I got out of the tree. Now I just need to formulate a game plan for the other half of the tree. Here is a daunting image of other half.
looks daunting from that perspective, but im sure you'll do just fine. Is that next weekends project? The fungi look familiar...pic of hickory i cut two weeks ago Ohio
The fungi looks exactly the same. When I saw the fungus on the tree it lit a fire under my azz to get the tree out of the woods. Next weekend I might be taking time to put the roof on the shed my wife and I are building. Ill get it out soon though.
Mine was in my MIL's woods. Took out her clothesline and the 2x4 it was attached to on the deck. Nothing special at 10" BHD. What was the BHD of yours?
Breast High Diameter With this dimension an approximation can be made to the yield in cords. It could be DBH i always get it mixed up. Not sure if i attached the file correctly. Its a chart showing cordage yield by diameter.
The tree was probably 18 inches at 4.5 feet tall. So by that chart its probably around 3/4 of a cord. Also the tree had a crotch at 8 feet high. I didnt exactly understand, is there an assumed constant height? If a tree is 22 inches wide and 100 feet high it would yield much more than a tree that would be 60 feet tall. You learn something new every day.
