Trust your gut.... probable accident averted...

[Jethro]

I had these two large locust trees that needed to be removed. They aren't mine, but rather are here on the farm where I am a tenant. More precisely, they were in the owner's mother's yard. The direction they would fall was never a question, as they were both on about a 60 degree angle... growing from under some walnut trees. The first one wasn't much of an issue. It was probably about a foot in diameter. Im not sure how tall it was...maybe 60'.
The second one was about 26"+ in diameter. It went up/out about 6 ft and became two smaller "trunks", each in excess of a ft in diameter. It should also be noted that there is a block building about 3-4 ft beside the base of this tree....and a powerline coming in on an angle. As I said, this tree wasnt going that way....it was laid out away from them. Yesterday, I cut the smaller "trunk" . It was uneventful. Something told me to hold off on the other one though. The angle it was on, I knew would be putting a bunch of tension on it. I couldnt reach high enough to cut it where I wanted to...just something about felling a tree thats over my head.. and my saw has a 20" bar...so going through the base wasnt very appealing either. I know its doable, but as i said, this tree was under a ton of pressure. I got the owner out there yesterday evening, he said to go ahead and cut it at the base....just from both sides....whatever.
I got out there this morning....and it just didnt feel right... something kept saying....cut hi...from the other side. I studied it for a bit, then decided to move the tractor to that side, and back the trailer over beside the tree. I could stand in the trailer and reach where I wanted to cut....if it happened to hit the trailer....meh, so what....I wouldnt be there... I couldnt help but think that that tree might be rotten inside...and if it blew out, I didnt want to be on that other side between it and the building.
I got the trailer positioned where i thought it wouldnt get hit...and cleared me an exit path. Got the saw on it and started cutting. About 2-3 inches in, and I hear a crack....it was so fast. As soon as I heard it, i started getting out of dodge. Within a second, that tree exploded and went right into the area beside the building. I would have been seriously hurt(or worse) had I been in there. The tree was hollow all the way into the ground...I dont see how it was still holding on that angle.
Oh well, I got it down, cut up, and hauled off. Im tired now...and extremely grateful I trusted my gut.

[rabbit]

Yes sir, trust your gut, especially if it is repeatedly. Good job. Now you can have a big bonfire.

[Huntaholic]

Yes sir, trust your instincts! I deal with that crap every day. Youre not a logger though, so you did GOOD!

[Wiley]

WOW! Glad you're ok and that 6th sense is usually more right than wrong.

[Swamper]

Great!! Have felled a bunch of trees. Clearing land and cutting firewood. Yes!! Trust your gut!! Glad nobody hurt and you Got R Done!!

[MUP]

I'm always wary of felling a tree. I've had my close calls as well. Glad you were on alert from the start, could have saved your life!

[timberjack86]

A tree will kill you quicker than anything, I always loved my dad's speech to trainees when we did logging. He said you see that tree there? That tree is trying to kill the guy that cuts it, the guy that drags it to the yard, the guy that loads it on the truck and then the guy who hauls it to the mill. After that it's the mills problem.

[Huntaholic]

A tree will kill you quicker than anything, I always loved my dad's speech to trainees when we did logging. He said you see that tree there? That tree is trying to kill the guy that cuts it, the guy that drags it to the yard, the guy that loads it on the truck and then the guy who hauls it to the mill. After that it's the mills problem.

VERY well put!