What's The Oldest Tree You Have Felled?

[Mr. Bow Saw]

This was the oldest I fell back in 1987, used my 090G 48 inch bar
to make the notch. 064 to make the back cut. The blue gum was
rotten in the center. It had only about 8 to 12 inch of green solid
wood all the way around. I could not count the rings because of
the rot.

 

[Gypo Logger]

This was the oldest I fell back in 1987, used my 090G 48 inch bar
to make the notch. 064 to make the back cut. The blue gum was
rotten in the center. It had only about 8 to 12 inch of green solid
wood all the way around. I could not count the rings because of
the rot.

Classic Pic there for sure. You should make prints.
John

 

[Anthony_Va.]

A Red Oak fell near my house a few years ago. It's on my land. I always loved that tree when I was young. I cut up 40"+ pieces just from where the first fork was. Had right over 200 rings in the biggest pieces. The stump where it broke loose is still standing. I'll get a pic if I remember. It's prolly 7-8ft or more diameter.

 

[WoodViking]

379 feet

Yes, I believe that was the fate. The tree was being watched for years by record keepers but eventually a strong wind came along and broke off the top or it might have been hit by lightning. The archives said "storm damage" so it could have been either one. Shortly after that it was cut down for harvest as it started to die.

I have often wondered what it would be like to climb to the top of a tree nearly 40 stories in height.

You migth find this interesting then:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIoZ0J7x1Cg

 

[Gologit]

The routine logging part doesn't bother me much, it's the totally unnecessary tree killing or "sport falling" as they call it, that plauges me. I did a lot of it, my brother and I roamed Southern Humboldt drinking beer, shooting stuff and dumping interesting trees. Most of those trees would still be standing, maybe half were utilized. Sure, we fine tuned our skills, cheated death and had a great time, but most of it was stupid.

Well, at least you weren't out there stealing hubcaps. We still get "sport fallers" occasionally but they're not as tough as you and your brother were. They're usually using an ax, obviously dull, and they almost always give up before they finish the job.

 

[Winn R]

As a warm up for Sherman's urban renewal project, the mountain I'm on was burnt off. It's amazing how it grows back in 150 years, there's a white oak 6 feet across the base and some of the pines remind me of the west coast beauties. I only take out the dead ones.

It breaks my heart to ride through Yellowstone even after all these years. That's waste.

 

[MCW]

This was the oldest I fell back in 1987, used my 090G 48 inch bar
to make the notch. 064 to make the back cut. The blue gum was
rotten in the center. It had only about 8 to 12 inch of green solid
wood all the way around. I could not count the rings because of
the rot.

Niec photo mate. Was that taken in Australia? Some of those Blue Gum species get pretty big. Looks like that one was bifurcated about 10-12 foot up?

 

[tdi-rick]

Niec photo mate. Was that taken in Australia? Some of those Blue Gum species get pretty big. Looks like that one was bifurcated about 10-12 foot up?

Betcha it's Cali.

A lot of Aussie hardwood has been planted there over the years, starting at around the time of their Gold Rush.

 

[2dogs]

I never counted the rings on the biggest tree, largest diameter, I have fallen. It was a redwood that was 9 1/2 feet at the cut, maybe 8 feet or a bit more at breast height. It was pretty much cat faced so there was not alot of sawing but it still took an hour to take down as it was a stob about 60' tall. Lots of wedging to make it fall but the base was rotten so the wedges drove the wood down instead of lifting the tree. I must have used a dozen wedges that day.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Yes, I believe that was the fate. The tree was being watched for years by record keepers but eventually a strong wind came along and broke off the top or it might have been hit by lightning. The archives said "storm damage" so it could have been either one. Shortly after that it was cut down for harvest as it started to die.

I have often wondered what it would be like to climb to the top of a tree nearly 40 stories in height.

I have free climbed to 345' and belted in at 350' on steel transmission towers when I was a little younger. Not sure I could make it today without taking a few rest periods on the way up. I worked highrise steel for 15 years also and could run up 22 stories starting at ground level without stopping or slowing, after passing the 22-23 floor I could notice a little slowing up .
Pioneerguy600

 

[Brownpot Deaton]

slabbed a pecan that fell down in a tropical storm that was about 4 ft across at chest hieght. if i remember it was about 125 yrs old at that point.

 

[Eccentric]

Betcha it's Cali.

A lot of Aussie hardwood has been planted there over the years, starting at around the time of their Gold Rush.

Yep. We have some MONSTER Eucs and such out on our central and northern coast. Many ranchers here planted them for quick windbreaks.

 

[Jbevs]

There's an old burr oak here in my hometown that has park build around it. It is 400+ years old. Some of the first voyages across this part of the ####ry reference it, and its life is documentd throughout the years from the founding of the town up to present. The oldest stuff I've fallen is probably old hedge planted in now a state park. No idea on the age though. But that osage was tough stuff.

 

[Mr. Bow Saw]

Niec photo mate. Was that taken in Australia? Some of those Blue Gum species get pretty big. Looks like that one was bifurcated about 10-12 foot up?

This was in Southern CAL, Yes it does start to fork at about 10 feet up.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Here's the vid. The butt was rotten, but there were at least 20 rings per half inch. I'd already put in the undercut.
John

 

[pioneerguy600]

Thanks for posting the video John, guess you won`t be counting all the growth rings in that one. Slow growth means a lot of rings per inch.
Pioneerguy600

 

[oldirty]

one of the last old growth sugar maples in lexington, mass. was at least. (i don't get to fell alot of trees but we are always going after the big old ones.)

 

[Gypo Logger]

Thanks for posting the video John, guess you won`t be counting all the growth rings in that one. Slow growth means a lot of rings per inch.
Pioneerguy600

Lol, Jerry, it seems we never get sick of it. I guess it's in the blood.
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

one of the last old growth sugar maples in lexington, mass. was at least. (i don't get to fell alot of trees but we are always going after the big old ones.)

Great pics and big wood, looks like 58"
John

 

[Oldtimer]

As a rough guess....at least 200 years old. A 4' on the stump white pine might only be 120-130 years old here, but the hardwoods....they grow slow.
I've put some 5' Rock Maples down that had to be 200 years old if they were a day. They had been tapped so many times that they were no good for lumber...but they made unbelievable pulp. The mill owner is still #####ing, and that was 15 years ago..lol..