Keep or fell dying(?) oak

[Hitman30]

The previous homeowners had a large (4-5 ft diameter) oak heavily trimmed just before selling the house.

For the last year or two, death/decay has started to move through one side of the tree. This year, it’s gotten considerably worse with ~1/3 of the tree not budding.

The large dead limbs are a fall hazard for my kids. So I’m posed with a decision: cut the oak down or have an arborist cut the dead limbs out with a bucket truck and hope for the best.

How long should I expect this tree to live if I were to just deal with the dead limbs? Looking for advice here…

Once I figure out how to post an image, I’ll do so…

 

[Hitman30]

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Oh my...that's brutal

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yeah, it's got to go. Sorry, but whoever hacked that sucker up signed it's death warrant.

 

[Hitman30]

Yeah, it's got to go. Sorry, but whoever hacked that sucker up signed it's death warrant.

thank you for your feedback... its very unfortunate. That was a beautiful tree before it was hacked.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Unfortunately all of those shooters coming off those poor pruning cuts have weak attachment points, which along with inevitable decay at the cuts means it will be constantly shedding branches in the future. Definitely move the swingset.

 

[Hitman30]

finally got it stumped and hauled off. Project only lacking a good stump grinding job. The 441 was an animal.

 

[Mad Professor]

There was lots of firewood in that tree, and maybe a good sawlog if no metal inside.

 

[Hitman30]

There was lots of firewood in that tree, and maybe a good sawlog if no metal inside.

Yes a tremendous amount of firewood… I should have measured it out. I thought about having some lumber sawed - probably should have.

 

[HumBurner]

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finally got it stumped and hauled off. Project only lacking a good stump grinding job. The 441 was an animal.

Wow, it's a shame they killed that tree. I couldn't tell from the original photo that it was THAT big. So sad for it to have suffered unnecessarily because of a hack-pruning job years prior.

All too common, though. People see giant trees and think they are impenetrable.