Cutting tips?

[shawnv]

Well it's not looking good to get a logger into my back 20 to cut the North slope where I wanted to enhance the cover. One logger is telling me they are too busy and maybe next winter now and the other without a skidder said the trek in is too far and too tough with the slope for him to make any money on it unless my neighbor lets him through his property which I doubt will happen.

With that said I may just have to look at hinge cutting more or do nothing and wait. If I do try to cut more, when most of the trees are 50+ feet tall are there any tips or techniques I should be mindful of? Part of me is not sure what I want to do because I could have made a thousand or two to pay for new trees and now I would just be letting that all go.

 

[Catscratch]

Got to be careful cutting tall trees like that; they get caught on each other instead of falling, limbs fall out and kill ya, they break in half and get ya, etc... Any chance you can wait unit next winter for the first logger to get to it? Can you drop them yourself and drag them out for a logger to purchase? I hired a bulldozer to clear a spot this winter. He was taking to long to get them uprooted so I cut them with the saw (most of the way) and let him push them over. Afterwards he drug and pushed them around to clean up the spot. It was a fast and safe system.

Long shot that any of this could help, but it might give you some ideas.

 

[Catscratch]

As far a techniques I can't stress enough to watch which way the tree is naturally leaning and which way the wind is blowing. Google how to fall a tree and I'm sure you will find something. I cut a wedge out of the side I want it fall on and slash downward to the wedge from the other side until it starts to lean, then make sure I have and escape route.

 

[shawnv]

Got to be careful cutting tall trees like that; they get caught on each other instead of falling, limbs fall out and kill ya, they break in half and get ya, etc... Any chance you can wait unit next winter for the first logger to get to it? Can you drop them yourself and drag them out for a logger to purchase? I hired a bulldozer to clear a spot this winter. He was taking to long to get them uprooted so I cut them with the saw (most of the way) and let him push them over. Afterwards he drug and pushed them around to clean up the spot. It was a fast and safe system.

Long shot that any of this could help, but it might give you some ideas.

That is my concern, as much as I want stuff done now it won't do me any good if I get hurt or worse so yea it might be best to wait.

 

[j-bird]

Not to be picky here - but define your escape route FIRST!!!!! Well before you put that saw to any standing tree. Once that tree starts moving - it isn't going to wait for you to decide where you want to go. I would also recommend cutting one down - address that one and then move to the next. it takes more time, but it's just safer that way.

If the timber isn't going to make you any money - will the fire wood? If you decide not to wait and the trees are large - look into felling the trees and cutting the main log out - if you have the means of doing so. I do this with my little 30 hp tractor all the time. Fell the tree and cut the top loose and then cut the trunk into pieces you can handle and then get those pieces out of the woods - leave the large tops to drop your hinges on or simply just let them be. Later cut the trunk pieces into firewood. At least it's something. If you can get a big enough machine loggers want 12' logs. You may be able to get them out and simply have the logger come and pick them up. You have to be careful though as some species can't sit very long as the sap settles and ruins the value of the log to the logger.

I also put a decent notch in the tree as a guide on which way I want the tree to go. Work with nature if at all possible, wind and the natural lean to the tree will give you an idea of what to expect, but it's just an idea. I have a recent thread where I "planned" to drop a tree in one spot and it "fell" about 6' to the left and it's now hung up in a tree I didn't want to damage!

Another choice you have if you just want to walk away from the money is girdling the trees and they will die - thus removing the leaves from the canopy.

If you have decent timber value I would wait - that coin could fund other projects.

 

[Catscratch]

Ya, I was in a hurry and worded that goofy. Escape route is first, always know where you are going before you NEED to go. Good catch!

 

[shawnv]

With much of this on a slope and so much to cut I think this has pretty much convinced me that I had best wait. I may cut a couple of the not so tall trees in the area I already hinge cut to expand on that and quit there.

 

[Kansas-andres]

Shawn, What tree species do you have? Any other loggers that you can contact?

 

[shawnv]

I have a little white oak, hard and soft maple and some poplars with a couple cherry trees mixed in. The loggers in this area are all short handed right now and there is more work than what they can cut. It was select cut 9 years ago before I owned the property but there is still a fair amount of very large trees. The issue is that it's only about 4-5 acres and it's on a slope and 1/2 mile back going up a slope.

 

[tooln]

If your not experianced at felling trees don't even try on anything as large as your describing. Your asking to get hurt.

 

[Tree Spud]

Well it's not looking good to get a logger into my back 20 to cut the North slope where I wanted to enhance the cover. One logger is telling me they are too busy and maybe next winter now and the other without a skidder said the trek in is too far and too tough with the slope for him to make any money on it unless my neighbor lets him through his property which I doubt will happen.

With that said I may just have to look at hinge cutting more or do nothing and wait. If I do try to cut more, when most of the trees are 50+ feet tall are there any tips or techniques I should be mindful of? Part of me is not sure what I want to do because I could have made a thousand or two to pay for new trees and now I would just be letting that all go.

What's the hurry, the trees aren't going where?

If you can't wait, offer the logger a bonus to complete this winter. If they were going to pay $2000, offer to accept $1500.

 

[shawnv]

The with a small woods I need a larger % than what it is now to get really thick and to get back there I might have to delay planting some of the spruce I want to. With that said, it's not the end of the world to wait.

 

[bat man]

Give your neighbor $500 or the 2K to get the logger in.

 

[j-bird]

All I can say is do it right the first time - logging in particular typically doesn't give you a second chance. If it delays your plans then it is what it is. Don't force it - you will kick yourself later if you do. Also remember if you do any work in there it is likely to get damaged or worse when the loggers do come in. When trees start coming down especially on a small job where they want to get in and out they are going to drop trees where they want. Any hinging now could easily be undone later with just one tree later. Patience, grasshopper - good things come to those who wait. Being in a hurry from a habitat perspective is a good way to waste time and money - I have been there & done that.