Line in Tree

[nov0798]

Good morning all,
I am part of a local mountain bike club here in Northern VA. We recently had a large storm that blew over close to 100 trees across our trails. We were able to get the trees cleared, but have alot of snapped and hung trees that are hung up in the canopy. I have a portable winch, which would probably be the most ideal way to drag those suckers out, but I am having an issue with how to get the line around the tree to pull it. I know I can use a throw bag, etc to get the line up to the tree, but then how do I attach it to the tree? Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[cliff86]

research how to tie a running bowline. recruit an arborist to your club.

 

[northmanlogging]

Get yerself a big shot, some throw line and a couple of throw weights, add at least 200' of good rope

Visit wespur an advertiser here they got every thing ya need, or sherril tree or baileys... they all have the stuff

 

[northmanlogging]

Big shot is a really big sling shot... and a boat load of fun... easily chuck a 12oz weight 100' straight up

 

[Westboastfaller]

You tie on to the end of the fishline after the bean bag comes down and pull the rope up and over untie your pull line and tie a Running Bowline.

Just google it. Not advised when going around two trees at once with that knot. Climb it and use the Boline Instead

 

[beastmaster]

Getting a bowline to run up a tree can be tricky. Branches even stubs can prevent it running up to where you want it. Sometime a half hitch will run up then tie it off at base of tree. We do a lot of base ties on conifers. Getting the line as close to the trunk as possible over a branch then tieing it off around the base. This works well for pulling whole trees.
We have a gun that shoots a throw ball. A step up from a bigshot. But 3x the price.
The problem is isolating a specific branch or snag. If you use a running bowline and you can't pull it out, your rope is stuck up there.

 

[northmanlogging]

alpenthal or however its spelled with a super long tail?

Beast is right though, its tough to isolate a single stem and work around branches, a really long rope helps so you can whip it around most of the branches and change yer leverage, but in the end its still a pain.

I've started using a shackle instead of a running bowline, tied with a bowline but the shackle will run up the line better, and wont create a hot spot where a running bowline will have all the friction on the running end.

Proper arborists would probably use a caribiner, they both work, I just have piles of shackles, and they are cheap.

 

[ropensaddle]

Getting a bowline to run up a tree can be tricky. Branches even stubs can prevent it running up to where you want it. Sometime a half hitch will run up then tie it off at base of tree. We do a lot of base ties on conifers. Getting the line as close to the trunk as possible over a branch then tieing it off around the base. This works well for pulling whole trees.
We have a gun that shoots a throw ball. A step up from a bigshot. But 3x the price.
The problem is isolating a specific branch or snag. If you use a running bowline and you can't pull it out, your rope is stuck up there.

I base tie more than not but sometimes I just tie a sheet bend with 2 half hitches Making a loop then tie into the loop with my madson rope puller or to my winch and fell it. Then untie the half hitches sheet bend and pull the rope out cause I hate trying to get to the knots under huge logs

 

[Ted Jenkins]

After you have some experience it is easy peasy, but shooting line up trees that you just want down will get you tired just looking. Many times jobs that look like they are just not going to cooperate can be done safely if you take the time to lay out a workable plan. A high quality sling shot with a bag for the string is very helpful then if that does not work well then there is the crossbow that can be more accurate at longer distances. Not sure exactly how many lbs my compact bow is but it will bury a 10'' bolt at a hundred feet. The rope saw is another tool that can make or brake a very difficult snag. When a tree gets caught up in another tree fork that is substantial then the real fun begins. Some times if you cut the end of the tree that is hung up in the standing tree and move the base around the whole thing will come crashing down or. Thanks

 

[beastmaster]

You know just for the record. Removing snags and storm damaged is really dangerous as their so unpredictable. You can't always know how their going to react because of multiple stress points. Just be careful is all.