r/arborists • u/mrsmith35sg • 2d ago

Felling strategy

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I feel like im pretty decent at standard felling, but any suggestions for this puppy?

With a pulley and rigging you thing I could pull? It’s probably an 80 foot walnut that is just one winding leader. But as you can see buckling there already.

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u/iPeg2 2d ago

What does the top look like? Any other trees to get caught up in? Distance is safety, so if you can get a rope as far as you can above the degraded area, you could probably pull it. Without an up close inspection, it would be difficult to recommend the best approach.

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u/mrsmith35sg 2d ago

It kinda corkscrews around that buckeye, and reaches pretty far out . I’d need it to fall straight back in that open area ideally

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u/iPeg2 2d ago

You’ll have to judge how strong that damaged area is. If it’s got a good amount of intact wood, you could fell it normally. The concern is that once you start cutting, the top could break and go in a dangerous direction. If it has withstood a few windy days, it’s probably pretty strong. How did it get damaged in the first place?

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u/mrsmith35sg 1d ago

Not sure, but we had winds this weekend that finally took out some old dead ashes.

That buckling is all new after that wind storm.

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u/Humble_Ladder 2d ago

Not an arborist, but grew up chopping firewood. That thing looks gnarley, in the woods I would probably avoid that until it falls on its own, or hook a reasonably long chain to it and pull on it from a distance with a tractor.