Dumb, Dumb, Dumb

[Haywire Haywood]

I'm going through parts of our redwood forest with one of these just now to judiciously and safely take out particularly obvious widow-makers. I always wear a helmet, and I'm always steering clear and looking up as I'm working out there.

It's sobering to find a large redwood branch sticking up out of the the ground, broken off, and realize the force it took to drive it so far into the ground. Shudder!

I hope nobody lives within 5 miles of where you're launching those lead widowmakers skyward. They have to come back down somewhere and no brain bucket is going to stop them when they do.

Ian

 

[Philobite]

I hope nobody lives within 5 miles of where you're launching those lead widowmakers skyward. They have to come back down somewhere and no brain bucket is going to stop them when they do.

Ian

Ian, I hear you!

Actually, it's perfectly safe when done properly as in this circumstance. No shot is over 20 yards, all are from a rest with a large light gathering scope, one uses hollow points, which are light and disintegrate into and shatter the root of the branch on impact and shots are only with the large tree trunk mass directly behind, so it absorbs any spall (the root of the supporting branch, not the hanging widowmaker, is shot down). One never shoots the branches from the side where there is no tree mass as a backdrop. Truly, these trees at that height are so broad (18" minimum), the branch roots so large, the load and round type properly matched to the task and hand-loaded, and the range so point-blank close that in the hands of an experienced rifleman it's like shooting into a dirt bank as far as safety is concerned.

I've been shooting and hand-loading, with safety foremost, all my life. My neighbors, distant though they are, are perfectly safe. But a warning is in order: this technique is not for the less than meticulously careful and methodical.

 

[Sapling]

In my arborist course last week we had a safety guy from The Care of Trees and he said that rookies and veterans are the most prone to accidents. Rookies don't know enough and veterans get to relaxed from doing it so long. Glad here you care OK

You guys are really freaking me out......scary.
Thanks for sharing with everyone. Hope this is a reminder to everyone, rookie, veteran and everyone in between. Sometimes I think we forget...I always get worried when my partner gets too comfortable in a tree. I have so much respect for what it takes to be a climber (I am not, my partner is) and I commend you all.
Glad to hear you are ok!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Ian, I hear you!

Actually, it's perfectly safe when done properly as in this circumstance. No shot is over 20 yards, all are from a rest with a large light gathering scope, one uses hollow points, which are light and disintegrate into and shatter the root of the branch on impact and shots are only with the large tree trunk mass directly behind, so it absorbs any spall (the root of the supporting branch, not the hanging widowmaker, is shot down). One never shoots the branches from the side where there is no tree mass as a backdrop. Truly, these trees at that height are so broad (18" minimum), the branch roots so large, the load and round type properly matched to the task and hand-loaded, and the range so point-blank close that in the hands of an experienced rifleman it's like shooting into a dirt bank as far as safety is concerned.

I've been shooting and hand-loading, with safety foremost, all my life. My neighbors, distant though they are, are perfectly safe. But a warning is in order: this technique is not for the less than meticulously careful and methodical.

I'm glad your backstop is at the "forefront" of your mind. I'm a reloader too, although I've not done much of it lately, I don't go shooting nearly as much as I used to.

Ian

 

[masiman]

....No shot is over 20 yards, all are from a rest with a large light gathering scope, one uses hollow points, which are light and disintegrate into and shatter the root of the branch on impact and shots are only with the large tree trunk mass directly behind, so it absorbs any spall (the root of the supporting branch, not the hanging widowmaker, is shot down)....

How many shots to bring one down (min to max num)?

 

[Philobite]

How many shots to bring one down (min to max num)?

Usually, one shot. Redwood branches are not stringy and elastic like fir (I don't think this would work reliably with fir) and seem to jump off the tree when shot. Also remember that the additional weight of the widowmaker is pulling down on the branch, so it's pretty loaded already.

That being said, I shot three times into one the other day, but it just sagged down and didn't drop the widowmaker. The good thing though is that the widowmaker is much lower to the ground now, about ten feet, more visible, closer to the trunk and smaller branches and will have much less velocity when it does slip off. Three shots is unusual though.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Philobite, what cartridge are you using in that piece? I too reload, for accuracy, my best 5 shot group at 100 yards is .300", that is counting all five shots and the rifle is a stock Remington 700. I would guess that a .223 with hollow points would be effective, not sure. Love reloading though, it gives you many options when matching the load to the task.

 

[Philobite]

That's good shooting. Mine is chambered in .270. It's my all around hunting, varmint and trophy redwood branch gun. A .223 might work for smaller branches, just make sure it's hollow points.

 

[Dadatwins]

Thanks for posting and glad you are OK, scary thinking what a few feet of fate could have changed, Be careful.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Glad the limb missed you.

Yesterday I was taking out a darn yaupon. I was down to the last six feet. I decided to kneel at the base and do a simple cut, straight through. No big deal. Well, a rock was above grade just enough to make me have to stop my cut and reach around to finish it. BAM! The stick fell back on my head. At about 3" DBH, I found out that yaupon wood is pretty darn heavy. If I hadn't been wearing my helmet I would have been in very bad shape. As it was, I took the blow on the side of my helmet, stood up seeing stars, shook it off and kept working. I told my ground guy that if I passed out in the next ten minutes, he should get me to the nearest hospital and tell them to drill a hole in my head. It can be the little things that get us on the job. I was so po'd at myself the rest of the day. If that thing had killed me, I would have been so embarrassed---Well, no, I would have been dead, but you get the picture.

Think about each move, each cut, you make. Everybody be careful out there.

 

[Frank Boyer]

I was dropping a dead tan oak and it came down in thirds. The top third came straight down and landed point first about 12' down hill of the stump. The middle third went about 20 degrees away from the bottom third. The bottom third followed the hinge. Very scary!

 

[1953greg]

im sure every one of us at some time or another has heard the unmistaken "thump" and look around and wondered "where did that come from?". if you havent you will if you live in the woods long enough.

 

[youknowwho]

Exellent post!

Nice job seeing the price you might have paid, ive done the same sort of thing and it is quite the eye opener to say the least.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

He survived but a helmet would have made his life better today. If it's comfortable, you'll wear it more.

How ironic, this post with that avatar

Or is it a poseur sot

 

[bigaxjim]

Hi All,

It's funny reading this thread and thinking how many people make these types of mistakes...both novice and expert...great reminder that one can never be to careful!

 

[046]

yup.. that happened to me in this last ice storm.

a chunk of ice dropped from 50-60 ft up and landed right next to me.
came from out of the blue... scared the devil out of me!

yes I had a hard hat on... but don't think it would have made much difference.

im sure every one of us at some time or another has heard the unmistaken "thump" and look around and wondered "where did that come from?". if you havent you will if you live in the woods long enough.