Suggestions for tree removal

[Windblown]

Did you catch the action on the trail cam?

 

[OzarkChris]

I understand rur

Thanks. My tractor has 9' of lift ht. And ~2700 lbs at pins...the current 'top' is right around that height. I've got a 3500lb winch on the SxS. The trick is my moral aversion to getting on someone else's land. The chicken farm that leases the land left of the corner at least has staff on premises. They may even help? This is a very rural area. They do have Great Pyrenees at least as big as my Anatolians...that one in the pic is 1 y/o and 91 lbs. Her sister is 99. Point being, I don't relish being set upon by their big boy or his gf.

If I can get over there, cutting from the tree top in sections would be easy enough, especially if I drop the fence. The lazy in me is going to sit back and figure out the best way with the least work. (Without hurting myself) Fortunately, time is something I have in abundance (unless I don't and then it doesn't matter anymore).

I understand rural. When we picked up this place about 10-15 years ago we were told that in about 4,000 acres area that we increased the population significantly - up to a total of 1 dozen (yes, 12). I think since COVID we are probably at ~20. We tell folks we aren't out in the middle of nowhere - that honor goes to our barn, but we can see the barn from our front porch!

 

[I Piddle]

We had a pretty bad storm come through Sunday night/Monday morning. Lots of downed branches and trees. A guy not far from here was killed by one falling on his mobile home.

We avoided any really bad problems, but lost some mid-sized trees. This one is threatening to crush part of my new fence...suggestions?

View attachment 3578493

It should be a simple extraction. Cut off the limbs near the stump as high as you can reach while the treetop still supports the weight. Then start cutting the top in pieces and work your way back, cutting small pieces at a time. Small blocks at a time is all it takes.

 

[ning]

It should be a simple extraction. Cut off the limbs near the stump as high as you can reach while the treetop still supports the weight. Then start cutting the top in pieces and work your way back, cutting small pieces at a time. Small blocks at a time is all it takes.

That would be simple, but he'd like to avoid crossing the fence entirely, which complicates it and leads to 5+ pages... so far.

 

[pacosperson]

We had a pretty bad storm come through Sunday night/Monday morning. Lots of downed branches and trees. A guy not far from here was killed by one falling on his mobile home.

We avoided any really bad problems, but lost some mid-sized trees. This one is threatening to crush part of my new fence...suggestions?

View attachment 3578493

From what I see in the picture I'd surrender about 20 feet of fence to the project and simply replace it. I'd start at the top and nibble along toward the existing natural hinge. Gravity will bring it down to you. Eventually you will end up with a roughly inverted 'V'. At that point use a few snatch blocks to pull it over from a safe distance after you have cut nearly through it. I believe your concern about the fence is misplaced. That much fence is pretty cheap. Regards, good luck.

 

[DeepandDirty]

We had a pretty bad storm come through Sunday night/Monday morning. Lots of downed branches and trees. A guy not far from here was killed by one falling on his mobile home.

We avoided any really bad problems, but lost some mid-sized trees. This one is threatening to crush part of my new fence...suggestions?

This is how I would deal with that.
Put a block as high up as you can in the adjacent tree and a winch or block to redirect the rope at the bottom.
Start cutting the tree at the top and work your way towards the break as far as you can.
Keep tensioning the rope.
Cut the damaged tree on an angle, there will be end bind so you may need a wedge to prevent it.
Keep lots of tension on the rope and keep tightening as you progress.

 

[BackRoad]

Hmmm...it's a property line tree which fell from storm damage with 100% of the part of the tree that fell on the other guy's property. In rural PA, that would make it the responsibility of the guy whose land it fell on to clean up.

It's neighborly to offer to help, but not expected. It would be different if you were in the process of cutting it down and the tree went the wrong way, but it was storm damage on a property line tree. Act of God.

Ask the neighbor if he wants help, and ask that he not destroy your fence while he cleans it up.

Likely, he'll invite you over to his side to help.

It's a remarkably easy take down, especially with a grapple and your size tractor. Not sure why so many suggest dismantling the fence first! Took more time to write this post than it would take to cut out the downed trunk at the hinge.

 

[Torvy]

I'm not so concerned with the legal responsibility for cleanup. I just don't want to have to fix a brand new fence. Fixed fences are never as taut as the original. That dog likes to exploit the weaknesses.

My personal code is more important to me than the legal code. The tree was on my property and the fence is 100% on my side, not the property line. It's my responsibility to solve the problem.

I've seen some good advice here. I'll have to take a look again in the next couple of days as it should be dry.

 

[Bob435]

Looks simple start limbing from top back to the trunk. You could also tie rope around the trunk were it split so top trunk does not drop to ground.

Also look to be good time to introduce yourself to your neighbor get permission cross onto their property. Offer the cut wood to your neighbor.

I am amaze how neighbors with some acreage do not talk to each others.

 

[Torvy]

Looks simple start limbing from top back to the trunk. You could also tie rope around the trunk were it split so top trunk does not drop to ground.

Also look to be good time to introduce yourself to your neighbor get permission cross onto their property. Offer the cut wood to your neighbor.

I am amaze how neighbors with some acreage do not talk to each others.

The 'neighbor' is a commercial chicken farm. They lease the land from an absentee landowner. No one actually lives there except the chickens and guard dogs. It's just employees working their shift. The neighbor on the other side of the corner is a huge corporation that owns thousands of acres of fallow land.

I know all of my actual neighbors. Fortunately, they are all decent folks and we communicate regularly and get together a few times a year. If it was any of them, this would be a non-issue.

 

[BackRoad]

Apologies Mr. Torvy, not offering any legal advice...I didn't state it very well.

Since the tree top is no longer on your property, before any action can be taken, discussion with the property owner is needed.

With that, you can then determine how to proceed. They may want to deal with it by themselves, or invite you over onto the property to do it.

You're very knowledgeable based on your past posts, and you'll figure it out...Good Luck!

 

[Bob435]

The 'neighbor' is a commercial chicken farm. They lease the land from an absentee landowner. No one actually lives there except the chickens and guard dogs. It's just employees working their shift. The neighbor on the other side of the corner is a huge corporation that owns thousands of acres of fallow land.

I know all of my actual neighbors. Fortunately, they are all decent folks and we communicate regularly and get together a few times a year. If it was any of them, this would be a non-issue.

Glad to hear you get along with your neighbors. Some of our weekenders do not wave as they speed past you.

 

[hslogger]

We had a pretty bad storm come through Sunday night/Monday morning. Lots of downed branches and trees. A guy not far from here was killed by one falling on his mobile home.

We avoided any really bad problems, but lost some mid-sized trees. This one is threatening to crush part of my new fence...suggestions?

View attachment 3578493

I have done a lot of this stuff doing residential tree work. We would use a throw ball and small line into neighboring large tree limb…attach bull line to small line. Pull bull line through and loop at the break…bull line slack gets taken off TIGHT…further cripple the break and detach..begin bucking and limbing in small increments..might need a directional line on it to insure movement.. this is is a two man show. There is risk always but that is why you hire a pro

 

[Torvy]

Did you catch the action on the trail cam?

Haha, not really. It's pretty low. We were trying to see what was digging under the fence. We did see deer fairly regularly.

Here's what was probably the break or close to it.

Deer from about a week earlier.

 

[Torvy]

Glad to hear you get along with your neighbors. Some of our weekenders do not wave as they speed past you.

Our last 'weekender' just retired and moved out here permanently. Almost all of us are with 2-3 years of each other. The couple of young folks have fit right in.

We've had bad neighbors in a few places we lived. The 1st was the worst. The wife was a drunk and would be out in her robe yelling at all hours. I felt sorry for the husband.

 

[2manyrocks]

Is the downed tree one of those stringy elm trees? Looks like a continuous run of fence through the corner and so no easy place to just remove some staples and roll the fence back.

 

[Rockbadchild]

This is how I would deal with that.
Put a block as high up as you can in the adjacent tree and a winch or block to redirect the rope at the bottom.
Start cutting the tree at the top and work your way towards the break as far as you can.
Keep tensioning the rope.
Cut the damaged tree on an angle, there will be end bind so you may need a wedge to prevent it.
Keep lots of tension on the rope and keep tightening as you progress.

that's actually a good idea

 

[Torvy]

This is how I would deal with that.
Put a block as high up as you can in the adjacent tree and a winch or block to redirect the rope at the bottom.
Start cutting the tree at the top and work your way towards the break as far as you can.
Keep tensioning the rope.
Cut the damaged tree on an angle, there will be end bind so you may need a wedge to prevent it.
Keep lots of tension on the rope and keep tightening as you progress.

I just walked backed there as part of our evening walk. That other tree has a broken V that I could maybe use. There are no other branches to use. A little further down, I have huge oaks, but they are too far away to be of help. I need to clean up the trail back there and I can check the height versus my grapple.

 

[jacric2005]

We had a pretty bad storm come through Sunday night/Monday morning. Lots of downed branches and trees. A guy not far from here was killed by one falling on his mobile home.

We avoided any really bad problems, but lost some mid-sized trees. This one is threatening to crush part of my new fence...suggestions?

View attachment 3578493

At my age? Call our local tree service, owned and staffed by young men with climbing gear, boom truck, chippers, etc., etc. They are licensed, bonded, insured. I would have them take the broken part off and leave the trunk there sticking up. They will take the wood away or leave it for you to turn into firewood. I have many similar down in my back pastures that aren't hurting anything. The one you show may or may not hurt the fence. Don't let it hurt you.

 

[kenhar]

An old neighbor of mine many years ago told me a tree that is close enough to fall on something, be it a fence, building or whatever is too close. Get rid of it. Trees around a house place are nice, attractive and esthetic but can become dangerous in the right conditions.