Property owner with lots of pines, needs help

[kokopelli]

Recently had one of our older pines taken down. I think it was killed by bark beetle infestation. Now there are several more trees that are dying from the top down. They seem to start out with the crown drooping. Then it turns brown and needles follow suit. If I could save them I'd like to. And, if they need to come down I'd like to learn how to climb them safely. We have 17 acres with lots of ponderosa and a few blue spruce. I think the spruce were planted. The "forest" hasn't been cared for in a long time and needs thining and triming.....Any suggestions?

 

[ArtB]

if they need to come down I'd like to learn how to climb them safely

I'm no pro, but if you are on 17 acres why would you need to climb anything to drop it?

Sight, saw, cut, drop.

BTW, it's neat to park an old car as an aim point.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Yur groundies look underage to me there, Art.

 

[Dadatwins]

Wait till Mom comes home and sees what you did to the car

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Hire someone like me to come out and work with you for a few weeks.

 

[kokopelli]

Appreciate the input. Especially liked the picture of the kids and car. I want to get into the trees because they don't need felling. Although I'll be doing light thinning, a lot of the ponderosas have been snow damaged and need semi-broken limbs cut. Those that are close to the house would definately benifit from dead wood trimming.
Thanks Again

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hey Kokopelli, if you really wanna work on your own trees yourself, I can't blame you one bit. As long as you stay out of the more difficult, dangerous stuff, there is no reason why you can't take care of what you've got. You CAN do it, heres the catch...

You need to spend some quality time using the search function here and ask questions when you need to. When you feel comfortable with what you think you MIGHT know, you need to go out and practice it SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY.

I could go into all sorts of details, but now is not the time.

Start reading.

 

[kokopelli]

Thanks Butch,
That's what I've been doing since I posted last. There is a lot of good information. And, I will take your caution to heart! Not looking to get hurt.
Cathy
"If we all did what we were capable of we would literally astound ourselves!"......... T. A. E.

 

[Greg]

I think larning to work on your own trees is great, I'm not going to beat you up about not hiring a pro. BUTTTT, dead pines are very dangerous, get them down quick, pines decline quickly. While you are learning felling cuts remember a dead tree with a rotted hinge can not be relied upon to do what you want it to do, Take precautions!!

Get a Big Shot from Sherrill, that will allow you to place a pull line nice and high without you leaving the ground. As a rule of thumb, if the tree does not have substantial lean in the direction you want it to fall put a pull line in it.

Good luck!
Greg

 

[xander9727]

Don't fell trees alone!!!!

At least have your wife or girlfriend (or both ) watch from a distance so that if something goes wrong you can get help.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

What part of NM are you in? I know that the Mountain Pine Beetles are tearing up the Pinion Pine population around Taos. But if its the tops of your Ponderosas dying it could be a dwarf mistletoe problem. If you could post a pic of your trees it would be a little more helpful. Also if you live in the Taos area, my best freinds father is cutting a lot of trees in that area and may be able to give you a hand.

Kenn.

 

[wiley_p]

After fire season go to your local Forest Service S.O and get a couple of sawyers off the Shot crew to come out and get the trees down, You'll have to wait till Fall tough.