Any suggestions how to get this tree on the ground safely?

[Dftodd]

Gotta agree with 5030. It's doable but very dangerous to a rookie ( like me). Could maybe try pulling it off the tree? That's usually what I try to do

I did just that out on my property. Had several that were hung from storms.

I used 100ft of cable, a couple 5ton chain come alongs, and a tow strap.

I hooked the 100ft cable to the tree as high as I could get. I used a 12' extension ladder.

Found a large tree as an anchor and wrapped the tow strap around it. Hooked both come alongs in line. Used one to take up the slack, and the other to pull.

Really didn't take a lot of force to drag the top over and get it to drop.

On another one it was in a y shape with one half of the Y running straight up the tree.

I hooked my set up to it, but couldn't get it to crack and come down.

Finally walked back to the truck and grabbed the pistol. Put a couple well placed shots into it. Using the tree it was stuck to as a back stop.

First two shots got it to crack and the third brought it down.

One extremely difficult one was dealt with by the winch on my son in laws jeep

 

[MaxLee]

I did just that out on my property. Had several that were hung from storms.

I used 100ft of cable, a couple 5ton chain come alongs, and a tow strap.

I hooked the 100ft cable to the tree as high as I could get. I used a 12' extension ladder.

Found a large tree as an anchor and wrapped the tow strap around it. Hooked both come alongs in line. Used one to take up the slack, and the other to pull.

Really didn't take a lot of force to drag the top over and get it to drop.

On another one it was in a y shape with one half of the Y running straight up the tree.

I hooked my set up to it, but couldn't get it to crack and come down.

Finally walked back to the truck and grabbed the pistol. Put a couple well placed shots into it. Using the tree it was stuck to as a back stop.

First two shots got it to crack and the third brought it down.

One extremely difficult one was dealt with by the winch on my son in laws jeep

If there is a will theres a way... just have to make sure its a safe way

 

[Dftodd]

If there is a will theres a way... just have to make sure its a safe way

Absolutely. But clearing out there, I managed to get flattened by a tree top. It was a freak accident and happened in a split second. Got a trip to the ER (wife drove me), a CT scan and a couple x-rays later I was told I was extremely lucky. Just gonna be sore for a bit.

 

[Arky217]

It looks like a good portion of the root ball has come up.
First thing that I would try would be to hook about 40 feet of chain
to the base of the tree and using your tractor, pull perpendicular to the tree.
The root ball may just roll out like a wheel.
(Make sure to chain to the tractor below the axle level)
If that's a no go, you could try cutting some of the exposed roots
on the other side of the tree and try the same pull again.

 

[2manyrocks]

Absolutely. But clearing out there, I managed to get flattened by a tree top. It was a freak accident and happened in a split second. Got a trip to the ER (wife drove me), a CT scan and a couple x-rays later I was told I was extremely lucky. Just gonna be sore for a bit.

Yikes. Sorry this happened.

Two ways of getting a line into a tree without a ladder: 1) get yourself a boaters hook that extends and use it to thread a line up into the tree or 2) throw a line using an arborist throw bag up into the tree.

 

[MaxLee]

Absolutely. But clearing out there, I managed to get flattened by a tree top. It was a freak accident and happened in a split second. Got a trip to the ER (wife drove me), a CT scan and a couple x-rays later I was told I was extremely lucky. Just gonna be sore for a bit.

Glad that your ok. The only close call I have had is ripping my pants on my tigh with the saw. I looked down and was sick to my stomach just thinking what of could of been. Got home and first thing I did was order chap and a saftey helmet. Scared the crap out of me. I am no tree cutting guy, but I do know what they are capable of doing when cutting them down.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I did just that out on my property. Had several that were hung from storms.

I used 100ft of cable, a couple 5ton chain come alongs, and a tow strap.

I hooked the 100ft cable to the tree as high as I could get. I used a 12' extension ladder.

Found a large tree as an anchor and wrapped the tow strap around it. Hooked both come alongs in line. Used one to take up the slack, and the other to pull.

Really didn't take a lot of force to drag the top over and get it to drop.

On another one it was in a y shape with one half of the Y running straight up the tree.

I hooked my set up to it, but couldn't get it to crack and come down.

Finally walked back to the truck and grabbed the pistol. Put a couple well placed shots into it. Using the tree it was stuck to as a back stop.

First two shots got it to crack and the third brought it down.

One extremely difficult one was dealt with by the winch on my son in laws jeep

I had the top 1/3rd of a large white pine snap off a year or so ago. Of course it didn't fall and I waited a couple months. Finally got it down with 12 gauge slugs. Fourth shot was the charm.

 

[ning]

Reminds me of somewhere around 2008 when I had starband (like hughes, but satellite both up and down) and a tree's foliage had grown enough after a while to interfere with the signal. I found that one branch about 40' up was right in the way; perforated it with a .22 and it swung down and just hung there at a 90* angle but it was out of the way and I had signal again.

 

[Dftodd]

I had the top 1/3rd of a large white pine snap off a year or so ago. Of course it didn't fall and I waited a couple months. Finally got it down with 12 gauge slugs. Fourth shot was the charm.

I've gotten rid of a few widow makers with a shotgun and well placed slug.

Just gotta take your time and think it through. And consider what's around you.

I try to use another tree as a back stop

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I've gotten rid of a few widow makers with a shotgun and well placed slug.

Just gotta take your time and think it through. And consider what's around you.

I try to use another tree as a back stop

4th shot I dropped gun & ran! Then one limb took over as the new top. Strange how they do that.

 

[newbury]

Leave it be, walk around, it will find it's own way to the ground.

 

[drumminj]

All right, spent the day burning and chipping other trees we had taken down a month ago, then went and got in good and close to this guy...

It's clear that there's no chance of freeing the top with the tractor - it's being held up by 3 other trees. And my impression is the tree is MASSIVE and there's really no point in trying to chain around the trunk and pull the rest of the rootball out. Might work (think I need an M or 47TLB), but if the tree rolls (it's on a slope), I think the tractor would lose to the overall mass of the tree.

From the photos, looks like the uprooted side was rotted out a bit. Doesn't seem as much is still connected as I expected -- may go out and do some target practice with the shotgun and see if that has any effect...

 

[newbury]

Is your shotgun this gauge?

 

[drumminj]

No, but it probably should be for this task

 

[Yander]

Pack a bunch of Tannerite up in there and stand back 70 yards and shoot it with a high powered rifle. Video tape it so we can watch. If nothing else, it will be fun.

 

[drumminj]

Video tape it so we can watch. If nothing else, it will be fun.

I suspect my insurance won't cover the inevitable outcome if I make this evidence available. But it does sound fun!

 

[etpm]

There is a ton of energy bound up in that tree. Since you don't seem to have any experience dealing with this type of tree problem I think you should avoid the rush to the ER and just hire someone who does know how to deal with this problem. Just the mass in the root ball, when it comes back down, looks like it could yank a good sized tractor a fair distance instantly. I generally deal with downed trees myself and I know the desire to take care of it yourself. But if this was my tree I would either wait until it came down if I could do so safely or hire a pro to take care of it if I couldn't wait. Just my 2 cents. Please don't hurt yourself.
Eric

 

[2manyrocks]

That's a beast of a tree now that we can see close up pictures. Looks to be a rotted hole in the third pic. Between the splintering and the rot, that thing could fly in any direction.

 

[drumminj]

There is a ton of energy bound up in that tree. Since you don't seem to have any experience dealing with this type of tree problem I think you should avoid the rush to the ER and just hire someone who does know how to deal with this problem. Just the mass in the root ball, when it comes back down, looks like it could yank a good sized tractor a fair distance instantly. I generally deal with downed trees myself and I know the desire to take care of it yourself. But if this was my tree I would either wait until it came down if I could do so safely or hire a pro to take care of it if I couldn't wait. Just my 2 cents. Please don't hurt yourself.
Eric

I do appreciate the concern and all the insight here. I'm clearly asking here because I value my life and body (including all digits and appendages!) and don't want to do anything stupid.

The more closely I looked at it today, I don't see any approach I'd be willing to take myself...or how someone else might. Chances are I'll leave it be and hope it comes down on its own, but I'd like to keep the trees it's hung up on as they shade my barn. So may have someone come out and give an estimate to get it on the ground.

It's humbling to realize this is a normal part of the cycle in a forest, but I'll surely not live long enough to see the recently vacated hole in the canopy filled!

 

[Dftodd]

No, but it probably should be for this task

Go big!!! Or go home