Dent's book is it; it would have saved me a lot of time, if it didn't take me so long to notice That the patterns for falling and bucking were the same, just rotated for the force to come at a different angle, and using the same strategy to deal with that force, adjusting for the different angle.
Dent's principles are so sound and pervassive that these fellar's techniques really work at all angles while climbing as Tom says; though written for felling by a logger from a long line of loggers.
Most trees/branches don't want to go the direction that you think is best; IMHO this book is the definitive book of record of handling those situations (that in fact predominate).
If it would help, i might have some drawings and pix to augment the views in Dent's book; if ya get stuck. The front cover shows a a man and saw facing (as if to salute) some hinge fibers standing tall on one side of the hinge. In this simple pic, tells the story of the whole book; how those stretched to shearing fibers on one side (opposite of lean)took a side leaner and laid'er straight. So the man, saw and fibers stand tall, over the feat they have just joined together to pull of safely; against the odds!
