Pine snag got my attention...

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Philip Wheelock

Finis Origine Pendet
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
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Location
The Blackstone Valley
There's a large stand on our property that I'm looking to thin. Many tall spindly pines with small lollipops for crowns to remove, leaving the big ones. Started with a couple of thin snags today to get a feel for things. Just after the last one hit the ground, the top half (30') came sailing back at me. Must have somehow got hung up, snapped, and flipped 180º. Too fast for me to move; banged up my left side and broke the brake lever on the saw. Suppose I'll be taking cover behind a tree on the escape route next time. Was wearing PPE.
 
:eek: That'll make ya change your shorts!


I remember when I first starting falling, I'd always want to watch the trees hit the ground. Now as soon as I'm done cutting, I get back on my route and look high, watching where the top was.
 
Glad you didn't get hurt real bad. Might be a good idea to take another person with you.
 
From on amateur to another. It is always the stupid and easy things that cause me pain. Like the time I woke up on my moving tractor with blood running into my left eye after I snagged a vine with the bucket and was rewarded with a dead branch to the head. I actually have a bunch of tractor injury stories and no tree falling injury stories. I wonder of there is a "Game of Tractors" course I should take? I guess my point is the routine stuff is frequently the most dangerous, but I bet you knew that already.
 
It sounds like you're dealing with Pine whips...I guess the best thing is to make sure you've got a good lay and a clean shot.
Thanks for the tips. Not sure what a Pine whip is, but I get the idea.
...the routine stuff is frequently the most dangerous...
This Pine stand is actually a new environment for me, and I've been thinking for a few months how to proceed with it. Much taller, tightly-spaced trees to thin with seemingly few clean shots to ground. Also, there's a lot more dead wood hanging above my head than I'm used to. Going back out in a few minutes to try and figure out exactly what happened. Maybe just clean up under the canopy where I can and forget about thinning the taller wood.
 
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It's solid practice to take snags extra-seriously. There are all kinds of things that happen to wood after a tree dies that change its properties, and therefore how it behaves when cut. Heads up at all times, and wear your PPE.
 
When thinning your setting don't brush timber ...Figure out a lay and stay with it create a clean open lay ..much safer easier for yarding and you will be keeping to one of the biggest rules to timber falling...KEEP IT IN LEAD~!
Be safe have fun

2 Clear , routes . Brush out all around tree specially with snags .. Match your cuts , clean out face if needed .. Look up watch the tree , hear the tree , watch your hinge don't cut it off ..soon as the tree is committed get out but don't turn your head you watch the top until its safely grounded , from a safe distance..Then the work begins lol.
 
Turns out the snag hit a big Pine 32' away; there are marks in the bark 16' up. Had a clear falling path but didn't take enough care to make an accurate face cut.

Stand is mostly White Pine with a few Maples.

Thanks again for the suggestions.
 
Twenty years ago I cut a nice pine, watched it hit the ground, set the saw down and turned to grab the cable and choker to hook it up and woke up on the ground wondering how I got there, no idea how long I was out. After awhile I tried to sit up but soon figured out that wasn't going to work right then. After a few minutes my senses were returning and I figured I had been hit by something. Did the usual check, head moves, legs move, left hand an arm are good but right arm won't do anything. I used my left arm to check and I didn't feel anything broken but the right arm was numb. Got up and found a dead pine top partially on the arch and a piece about 12' long laying next to where I was. It had karate chopped me right at the base of my neck and shoulder muscle and slid down my back. Drove out to the header and waited for the boss to come back. After an hour or so I had motion in the arm and hand and when I got checked out nothing was broken but I had some colorful bruises from my shoulder to waist on the right side for a month. Found my hard hat quite a way from the impact point. I wait before turning around now.
 
I'm glad you made it out alright, all of you and thanks for sharing the stories. I've been fortunate with pine snags in my short time with a saw. There are plenty of em down here due to drought several years ago and ongoing beetles.

Philip, did you happen to take any pics of the snag?

Couple of my favorite snags from this past summer:

photo2_zpse542e821.jpg


photo1_zpsae73ec90.jpg
 
So things I've learned the hard way,

If your in a tight stand with lots of snags, work your way into the snags, start at a good enough clear spot and begin your lay, fall some bigger trees to make room if you have to, above all get them down on the ground and a good corridor opened up. Keep in mind the next few trees to fall, and plan accordingly. once you get near a snag and its a possible danger deal with it, if you have to fall some more first, so be it. Whatever happens don't try falling anything past a snag, you could brush it and have the bastard come back at ya. And avoid using wedges in snags, if they are really rotten you won't get anywhere, and worse case scenario you knock the top out on top of ya, granted sometimes you don't have any choice and are forced to use one, just be ****ing careful, smack the wedge look up, or better yet smack it while looking up (I'm not that cool) and be ready to run like Hel.

Contrary to conventional wisdom falling snags in second growth should not be done first, often the stand is too tight and won't let the snag come down all the way, or you get what happened to you, all bad things. In an old growth or sparse stand, by all means go through and take out all the snags first, thinnings and thick stands have their own rules and are a total pain in the ass to hand fall.

Get clear of the tree hide behind something whatever, then stop, look up, catch yer breath, watch all the tops near by after all you just pounded 2 tons of rotten wood through 500 brittle branches, damned near anything could be waiting for you to be lined up under it.

And don't bother trying to squeeze anything past a spruce, they are made out of Velcro and like to play catch.
 
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