No, I am NOT going to try to take down a dead 100' Hickory tree!

[JeepHead]

Be careful. I sustained a life-changing injury while cutting a tree from top to bottom. I have cut hundreds of trees and thought nothing of climbing a tree and removing limbs from it. I had a limb kickback and it took me out of the tree; I broke my back and fractured 9 ribs. Reflecting on my accident, I should have tied a rope high on the tree and then used my tractor to pull the tree in the direction I wanted it to fall. I should have then cut the tree down from the base.

It's a dangerous task for sure. I am a trained climber so that definitely helps.

 

[RB5]

Many years ago when I was much younger and dumber we had to remove a huge oak tree from a friend's property to get a mobile home in place. We tried a chain saw, but it barely cut. Even trying to drill a hole in it was difficult. That tree was very hard. We finally drilled a hole in it, and I put pyrodex in the hole and covered it with something after tying together some fuses off a few black cats. I lit it and we ran and hid behind an old car. It made a lot of smoke but nothing. I did not realize pyrodex had to be under pressure to explode enough to force a bullet out of a black powder rifle. so..we started hacking on it with an axe and chipping away pieces. We attached a winch cable from an F350 4x4 to it and pulled until the trunk cracked and we were able to get it fall over.

Now they make exploding targets that might work.

The above example is what not to do.

I'd start taking out any limbs I could reach with a pole saw or working from a lift using a saw or chainsaw. The less limbs the less likely it will drop something or fall on someone. That would be my concern. Eventually you can remove enough of it that it will be easier to get rid of the rest.

 

[tradosaurus]

Be careful. I sustained a life-changing injury while cutting a tree from top to bottom. I have cut hundreds of trees and thought nothing of climbing a tree and removing limbs from it. I had a limb kickback and it took me out of the tree; I broke my back and fractured 9 ribs. Reflecting on my accident, I should have tied a rope high on the tree and then used my tractor to pull the tree in the direction I wanted it to fall. I should have then cut the tree down from the base.

Sorry to hear about your injury. I think about these things as I get older and the cost of hiring someone vs the chance of injuring myself or doing a crappy job().
With a dead tree I wouldn't attempt to cut the tree down from the base and risk one of the dead limbs breaking off and hitting me.
My son bought me a grappling hook. I might use it to snag dead limbs from my dead tree and try to break the limb off.

 

[RB5]

Hickory is one of the top woods for smoking BBQ. You can even go to Walmart and buy it in bags along with Apple, cherry, and mesquite.

I agree with you, but here we use mostly oak, mesquite, or pecan. It's a regional thing depending on what trees you have in the area. Apple is awesome for pork ribs, but it is way too expensive here.

 

[SteveD55]

I don't care if it's dropping branches the diameter of my thigh.


I don't have the tools and I don't have the experience.

And I don't have the money to hire anyone to do it, nor do I want heavy trucks in the yard.

I guess I just have to avoid the area for the next year or six until enough of it drops off to no longer be a threat.


No risk to house or shed, so no issue there. Probably take out a couple of other smaller trees, but I don't care about them either.



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I agree. It will make good firewood for heat when it's safe to cut and split. I had a dead elm (Dutch elm disease) on my current 12 acre property when I bought it in 1981. It finally fell down in a wind storm and made excellent firewood. A lot of work but like the old local saying it heats you twice. Once while cutting it up in cold late Fall weather and second when burning in the wood stove during the coldest weather.

 

[mx842]

What BlueMule said.
Any tree you cut down is dangerous, but leaving something like that tree is dangerous too. Theres always the danger of someone walking by and have one of those limbs falling on top of them. I've had large limbs drop out of trees near me that were not even dead. That will get your attention really fast.
This one wouldn't be too bad, but I would start with cutting those large limbs off first then worry about the stub last. I wish I had it on my place because hickory is getting hard to find around here.

 

[Zetorboy]

You' re a wiss man. Those are call "widow maker". Dont touch.
Ask an experience man if it becomes dangerous.

 

[just_Dave]

This is how a thread on what to do to remove a tree turns into a bbq discussion.

I like smoked brisket...

 

[pacosperson]

I don't care if it's dropping branches the diameter of my thigh.


I don't have the tools and I don't have the experience.

And I don't have the money to hire anyone to do it, nor do I want heavy trucks in the yard.

I guess I just have to avoid the area for the next year or six until enough of it drops off to no longer be a threat.


No risk to house or shed, so no issue there. Probably take out a couple of other smaller trees, but I don't care about them either.



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[pacosperson]

I don't care if it's dropping branches the diameter of my thigh.


I don't have the tools and I don't have the experience.

And I don't have the money to hire anyone to do it, nor do I want heavy trucks in the yard.

I guess I just have to avoid the area for the next year or six until enough of it drops off to no longer be a threat.


No risk to house or shed, so no issue there. Probably take out a couple of other smaller trees, but I don't care about them either.



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That fine old tree will drop you some aged firewood from time to time.