Windfall Whips and Widowmakers, the Hazard's of Working in the Woods.

[fruitcakesa]

Early in my wood cutting days, I was felling a 24" dbh white pine that was growing very close to another pine that I wanted to release.
After making the trigger cut I moved back up against the keeper tree.
Well the falling tree had grown some limbs into the keeper so when it fell it ripped a limb loose which fell straight down probably 40 feet and hit the brim of my hard hat knocking it and my glasses off
I was stunned, had a good scratch on my face , a knot on my head and a pair of broken glasses.
Without the hard hat I likely would have been badly hurt or worse.
Lesson learned, survey the entire area including up , down and all around before committing to the final cut.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Early in my wood cutting days, I was felling a 24" dbh white pine that was growing very close to another pine that I wanted to release.
After making the trigger cut I moved back up against the keeper tree.
Well the falling tree had grown some limbs into the keeper so when it fell it ripped a limb loose which fell straight down probably 40 feet and hit the brim of my hard hat knocking it and my glasses off
I was stunned, had a good scratch on my face , a knot on my head and a pair of broken glasses.
Without the hard hat I likely would have been badly hurt or worse.
Lesson learned, survey the entire area including up , down and all around before committing to the final cut.

Not exactly sure what you mean by tree you wanted to "release" or "keeper tree",
but if you'd kept your head up before and well into the trees commitment to fall?
You probably would have seen it coming! Ya gotta keep your head up bud!

 

[2dogs]

This one hit too close to home. Those who know me know about my relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. Last Sunday one of our troops was on an outing in a county park near Cupertino CA. Appoximately 10:00 a tree fell on the troop pinning and killing one of the scout moms. Her 17 year old son was next to her and held her until the very end. The tree made almost no noise, many of the scouts heard nothing until the tree hit the ground.

I am in charge of the clean up of the trees that were damaged over the past storms we have had. I have guessed 40-60 trees were damaged, possibly many more. Trees had fallen every 100' along the highway. No power, no landlines, no propane, no Starlink, no water. I work with CalFire but they are deployed out of the until because of flooding.

Please, be careful.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

This one hit too close to home. Those who know me know about my relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. Last Sunday one of our troops was on an outing in a county park near Cupertino CA. Appoximately 10:00 a tree fell on the troop pinning and killing one of the scout moms. Her 17 year old son was next to her and held her until the very end. The tree made almost no noise, many of the scouts heard nothing until the tree hit the ground.

I am in charge of the clean up of the trees that were damaged over the past storms we have had. I have guessed 40-60 trees were damaged, possibly many more. Trees had fallen every 100' along the highway. No power, no landlines, no propane, no Starlink, no water. I work with CalFire but they are deployed out of the until because of flooding.

Please, be careful.

I'm really sorry to hear that.
Sincerely!

 

[rwoods]

Not to intentionally move this thread out of the woods, but my latest could have killed me moment happened in my daughter's backyard with her watching while holding my 6 month old grandson. Sil had asked me to fall two red cedars that a recent storm had rips their tops off. He said he had removed the tops and sure enough there was a big pile down the hill. Anyway, the trees were right next to each other, both between 20" to 24" in diameter and only 30' or so high surrounded by a tangled mess of broken limbs. Both trees looked more like giant bushes than trees and both needed a little work against the lean to keep off their new chain link fence. An inspection didn't show anything extra ordinary just two bushy overgrown yard trees. Just as I wedged the first one over, out of the overhead bush comes a large broken segment right at me. I was able to dodge it but couldn't get out of my head thoughts of being killed by a big bush in front of my daughter, sil and grandson while doing them a favor. My sil and daughter were stunned.

I also thought of Jed Walters. The danger you can't see just might be the most dangerous of all.

Be safe,

Ron

 

[fruitcakesa]

Not exactly sure what you mean by tree you wanted to "release" or "keeper tree",
but if you'd kept your head up before and well into the trees commitment to fall?
You probably would have seen it coming! Ya gotta keep your head up bud!

I was cutting the poorer formed tree to allow the better quality "keeper" to have more room to grow with less competition.
And yes, my head should have been up but I lived through it and learned a big lesson!

 

[slowp]

When working in partial cuts (with "keepers") it's a good practice to duck behind a sound, standing tree. Besides limbs flying, your falling tree can knock into a standing tree and snap the crown of the standing tree back towards you. You've now got limbs and maybe a top flying around. That's why it is good to have one or two escape routes and NOT be standing by the stump.

I went to a lecture given by an extremely good former production faller. He stressed that falling in these times is more hazardous than back in the days of the large old growth logging. His reasoning? Fallers are cutting more trees because it takes less time, but are now spending more time at the stump, which is the danger area.

Don't just stand there, move away. If things look like they might be dicey, have at least one escape plan.

This goes for yarding also. Have something to duck or dive behind. Keep your distance from the lines when things start moving.

Another rule of mine. Wear your hardhat and be on your toes when walking in a recently cut thinning. Falling hits limbs and knocks them loose, but they don't necessarily hit the ground.

And, walk through the area you are going to work in and look for all the things that can go awry. Don't just start "dropping" trees. Have a plan and use your skills and wedges to send the trees in a safe direction that is also good for yarding.

There's too many stories on this thread from people who give me the impression that they just stand there while "dropping" the tree, and I'm also under the impression that not many work in the woods as production cutters.

 

[kenmbz]

I sometimes spend more time clearing escape paths to the tree than working the tree down.
Try to remove most tripping hazards, vines and brush in multiple directions.

With the Dead Ash, branches can go in any direction, so agree a path that leads through other strong/live trees helps to deflect.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I was cutting the poorer formed tree to allow the better quality "keeper" to have more room to grow with less competition.
And yes, my head should have been up but I lived through it and learned a big lesson!

Roger that. I wasn't trying to ad insult to injury, so please don't get me wrong. I'm always stressing to people to keep their head up. One Having thier down is one of the first things that will get them killed. I've been hit from not paying attention. Lucky they weren't big hits. Ive also had many close calls that probably would have killed or paralyzed me a long time ago had I not keept a heads up.

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I sometimes spend more time clearing escape paths to the tree than working the tree down.
Try to remove most tripping hazards, vines and brush in multiple directions.

With the Dead Ash, branches can go in any direction, so agree a path that leads through other strong/live trees helps to deflect.

Not always, but snags that strike other standing timber can also work against you. One can not second guess standing dead. Or anything up high in a tree they strike during a fall.

Yes multiple escape routes is the best option when it come to dodging Widowmakers. Even if like you mentioned. It takes longer to clear egress routes than it dose to actually fall, limb and buck the tree itself! Good on ya!

I never hide behind a tree or turn my back. Sometimes all it takes is a side step or two to avoid a big hit. Other times one must run like the wind. While cut'n in tight corridors. I've had many snags buckle in half during commitment. I couldn't just turn and bolt. I had to look at all the possibilities of what that top and bottom portion was going to deflect off of next. Looking at ten different things at once in what seems like a split second!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Not to intentionally move this thread out of the woods, but my latest could have killed me moment happened in my daughter's backyard with her watching while holding my 6 month old grandson. Sil had asked me to fall two red cedars that a recent storm had rips their tops off. He said he had removed the tops and sure enough there was a big pile down the hill. Anyway, the trees were right next to each other, both between 20" to 24" in diameter and only 30' or so high surrounded by a tangled mess of broken limbs. Both trees looked more like giant bushes than trees and both needed a little work against the lean to keep off their new chain link fence. An inspection didn't show anything extra ordinary just two bushy overgrown yard trees. Just as I wedged the first one over, out of the overhead bush comes a large broken segment right at me. I was able to dodge it but couldn't get out of my head thoughts of being killed by a big bush in front of my daughter, sil and grandson while doing them a favor. My sil and daughter were stunned.

I also thought of Jed Walters. The danger you can't see just might be the most dangerous of all.

Be safe,

Ron

I've said it before and I'll say it many more times. Unforeseen dangers kill the very best and most experienced woodsman! You can never pay to close attention!

Glad you saw that one coming Ron. Good on ya!

Also, this thread isn't just for scenarios in the woods. It can involve timber dangers in your backyard as well!

 

[Sierra_rider]

Striking other standing timber with snags can also work against you. One can not second guess standing dead. Or anything up high in a tree they strike during a fall.

Yes multiple escape routes is the best option when it come to dodging Widowmakers. Even if like you mentioned. It takes longer to clear egress routes than it dose to actually fall, limb and buck the tree itself! Good on ya!

Yep, no telling where the top of a snag is going to end up after it strikes an adjacent tree. Best bet is to be far away from the stump and/or behind a bomb-proof green tree.

I often use driver trees to take down hung up snags, I operate under the assumption that something up top is going to break loose and come flying back towards me.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I've said it before and I'll say it many more times. Unforeseen dangers kill the very best and most experienced woodsman! You can never pay to close attention!

Glad you saw that one coming Ron. Good on ya!

I'll add that as our experience level grows, we can also develop a sense of complacency. I try to be open to all the possible hazards for any given tree, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't occasionally taken unnecessary risk with a particular tree.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Yep, no telling where the top of a snag is going to end up after it strikes an adjacent tree. Best bet is to be far away from the stump and/or behind a bomb-proof green tree.

I often use driver trees to take down hung up snags, I operate under the assumption that something up top is going to break loose and come flying back towards me.

I'm on the fence on hiding behind trees. I might agree if you're STIHL peaking your head around looking at and watching the action until it stops. You may see something break loose and hang from a thread up above or something else that may be hidden or overlooked otherwise. Not to say I've never dove behind a tree like a soldier into a fox hole. Because I have!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I'll add that as our experience level grows, we can also develop a sense of complacency. I try to be open to all the possible hazards for any given tree, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't occasionally taken unnecessary risk with a particular tree.

Agreed, and with two thumbs up!

 

[Sierra_rider]

I'm on the fence on hiding behind trees. I might agree if you're STIHL peaking your head around looking at and watching the action until it stops. You may see something break loose and hang from a thread up above or something else that may be hidden or overlooked otherwise. Not to say I've never dove behind a tree like a soldier into a fox hole. Because I have!

For me, hiding behind a tree is if I'm on a slope steep enough that I don't think I could move quickly enough to run away. It's really situation dependent. Some of the stuff on the coast I cut, hiding is often the best option. They're often steep, loose slopes...hiding behind a 4-6' redwood while the spindly little 2' tanoak falls, is often the safest or only option.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

For me, hiding behind a tree is if I'm on a slope steep enough that I don't think I could move quickly enough to run away. It's really situation dependent. Some of the stuff on the coast I cut, hiding is often the best option. They're often steep, loose slopes...hiding behind a 4-6' redwood while the spindly little 2' tanoak falls, is often the safest or only option.

I definitely understand.

 

[Treeman2021]

If your going to use a polesaw and you will be cutting right up above your head looking stright up, get a good helmet with eye protection and use it.

First time i tried it i was wearing a Stihl helmet with eye protection, cut a limb around 4 inchs weight guessing maybe 80 pounds limb was about 20 feet up it came crashing down and it hit my helmet dead center, even with the helmet i was knocked ou,t when i woke up the limb and pole saw were laying on top of me.

Things do come down and fast when using a polesaw above your head.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

If your going to use a polesaw and you will be cutting right up above your head looking stright up, get a good helmet with eye protection and use it.

First time i tried it i was wearing a Stihl helmet with eye protection, cut a limb around 4 inchs weight guessing maybe 80 pounds limb was about 20 feet up it came crashing down and it hit my helmet dead center, even with the helmet i was knocked ou,t when i woke up the limb and pole saw were laying on top of me.

Things do come down and fast when using a polesaw above your head.

Good post!

PPE = much higher chances of not getting seriously injured or killed!

 

[slowp]

I'm on the fence on hiding behind trees. I might agree if you're STIHL peaking your head around looking at and watching the action until it stops. You may see something break loose and hang from a thread up above or something else that may be hidden or overlooked otherwise. Not to say I've never dove behind a tree like a soldier into a fox hole. Because I have!

I wouldn't call it hiding. It's stepping behind a solid barrier between you and all the stuff that flies around. You should be paying attention to what is going on--not turn your back.

I had a very nasty bruise from having to dive behind a stump left over from the first entry. A tree had gone down on the skyline and when that happens, if you are lucky, the lines move back and forth a lot. If you are not lucky, they break and can whip around and cut off body parts. Stumps are good protection. When around fallers, I have usually put a tree between me and what is going down, as have the fallers. When spacing is close in a commercial thinning, there can be a lot of limbs flying around and trees whipping about.
Note the tight spacing of leave trees. This is a turn of logs going up a skyline corridor in W. Warshington.


These guys have just rigged up an intermediate support and are watching it raise, but they are not underneath it. They are aware of what is going on. This is the size of tree that we can duck behind for a bit of protection when things get crazy.