Every spring for a couple three days I attack grapevines and poison ivy in my woods. They strangle and scar trees. I got after it today with the little battery Stihl. It worked great. It even dropped an oak that was leaning over my son’s deer tower. Missed it by a farmer mile. a perfect day in da woods
Yup. Snowshoe trail had a 9" ash that used to be alive. About a 15 minute carry for that little saw to get to the tree. I'll get the rest of the tree once the snow and melting mess is gone. Every land owner should have one. Heck, even if you are an off-roader you should have one! No gas/oil smell in vehicle and it's there when you need it!
Agree. I bought it mostly for for cutting campfire wood when we do our cross country camping trips with a pickup truck camper. Like you said, no fuel to deal with, they charge quickly and cut for a long time. However I find that I use it all the time around home too.
Today I am going back to cut more vines. Must stay on my toes as we are approaching a high wind warning. 40mph. Bad things can happen in woods with high winds tho there are no leaves to act like sails so I got that working for me.
Had my diameter tape with me today as I was cutting vines and buck brush. Found several more 22”DBH black walnut.Here is a typical 22”er in my woods. Then I went to the back corner and found my largest one yet! A strong 32. But alas he’s not a veneer log. It has 2 cat eyes and only a ten foot log before the first branch. prolly an $800 tree as it stands.
This is why I cut vines. I don’t like the scars they leave. I’ll just keep at it (bullheaded old man.) Then I found something you see every day in my woods. A smoothish reddish rock. Most in my woods are lime rock. Well across the road is a gravel pit. duh Low tonite of 18F so I will haul some firewood tomorrow as the trails should freeze up.
Vines aren’t the only things that scar my trees. I have a few cedars. And everyone looks like these. Bucks love to rub cedars they are very soft so it leaves quit a visual to the ladies or his adversaries.
Wisteria scarred a few trees like that here. I've seen many of them break at that scar in a hurricane.
If that 32 incher would have held his 32 inch’s for 30 feet without a cat eye or a branch? Easily north of $3500 easy peasy I have about 300 walnuts in my 40 acres but most are youngsters
Back to cutting vines today. I think I am done for 2025. This is why I do it. Here is a nice young 17 DBH black walnut with much potential. The vines were strangling him. Hopefully he will grow out of the scars before a harvest in 6-7 years. Found a hackberry and a white oak having a real close relationship. The oak was there first then the hack butted in and is taking over. The hack is gonna die an ugly death with a Stihl. Last Saturday morn the ground was frozen so I hired an Amish kid and his dad’s hydro. We split the pile of rounds I had stacked since last fall beside my monster woods pile. I got stacking work to do tomorrow before it rains. What a mess!
I got all wood me and the Amish kid split. Took longer to stack it than split it. His name is Benjamin and he is a very good worker. He was paid well. And right on cue I literally had 5 pieces to stack when it started raining! Monster woods pile is starting to grow again. The hookaroon and the tongs are great back savers. I carry two pieces to the pile every time. Did not see any deer but a couple turkeys were watching me. Then in the shed the Honda got fresh oil and a filter. Not going to do much in the woods for awhile as we spose to get two two inches of rain. I will be patient cuz I hate ripping up the trails in my woods.
Well I went and did it. Put $500 down on a new Tacoma. But it’s not scheduled to be built until late April. So the salesman said maybe mid May. Gonna have to sell 275 face cords of oak to pay for it so I best get busy. I signed two contracts one with my old Taco on trade or cash outright. So I have what 7? weeks to sell my old one. Here is my old one 11 years ago the day I brought her home. 170000 miles on her now
Congrats on the new set of wheels. Better be up bright and early to get a head start on those 275 face cords. Wanna see pics when the day comes.
My coworker just bought a 4 door turbo taco...said he went in just to look and they set the hook with an amazing trade in price. Congrats, hope you can sell yours for
Indeed it is amazing how 4x4 Tacoma’s hold their value. The dealer gave me $9745 on trade. That little reg cab Taco was $24000 in 2014. I’m gonna try and sell my old one for $12000 but if selling it becomes a pain in my arse I will simply trade. I don’t tolerate craigslist low ballers at all. Maybe my wife can create a facebook listing. Is fbook any better?
