how to take care of this

[rayi]

Don't know what to do with this without killing myself

[Moser's Maple]

you have a tractor and chain???? hook your chain/cable as high as you can reach, make your wedge in tree, and then back in roughly 1/4 of what you would do to fall a tree. make sure you keep "meat" on the stump so you have to actually pull over with the tractor when you are in a clear safe area. should pull over with the relief you have made and you be clear of anything that could fall

[wiam]

What do you have for equipment?

[maple flats]

If I only had a chainsaw, I'd just start cutting the top (now on the ground), from underneath, 1 block at a time. As the top keeps dropping with each cut I'd keep removing another chunk. At some point the broken part will either hold the top up or you will be able to pull it with a rope or chain to remove it.
Using what I have I'd either use the tractor or my excavator to remove the broken part and then drop the tall stump normally.
Do you have a truck, ATV or tractor that you can get near it? Get enough chain or heavy tow straps to get far enough away and try to pull it. Be careful not to flip the tractor or ATV. Pull from a low point (on the pull vehicle) for safety.
If you only have a chainsaw, take a length of sturdy rope and tie it as high on the stump as you can, then take the other end and wrap it once around a sturdy nearby tree, up fairly high and then take the tail end farther away and tie it to another sturdy tree. Then cut the stump enough to allow it to fall sideways away from the rope tie tree. As it looks ready to tip, stand back , loosen the last end of the rop and lower it down, when all looks clear you can just let it go. When cutting, notch the stump to fall slightly away from the top that touches the ground. It will come down nicely.

[PerryW]

I would just cut it down conventionally with a chainsaw. If you stand on the side of the trunk opposite the fallen down part and notch it to fall whichever way it "wants" to go, I don't see a problem.

[SevenCreeksSap]

I can see a bit of a problem if it "wants" to go back into the trees that are between the widowmaker and the photographer. hard to tell, but if its leaning towards those trees and gets hung leaning on those, then youve got a bigger problem with a notched, bent tree. that could be a bad situation. I'm with the others, get a rope in it long enough to be completely out of the danger zone, which is 1 1/2 times the height ( where the bend is on this one), cut your notch 1/3 in on the side you want it to go, add just enough tension with your pulling equipment, (whether thats a vehicle or come along) to keep it from settling on your bar. Then back cut definitely leaving that hinge wood, dont cut all the way to your notch. when you see the back cut start to open up, get out of the danger zone and pull on the rope. we do this quite a bit, and if your back cut is nice and slow, the tree will just slowly drop over as it gets pulled.

also the higher you get your rope the better angle you have to pull. you might be able to throw it over the bend, Tie a good size wrench on the end of your rope and sling it over, then make a loop in your rope end around your standing rope( bowline knot) and slide the loop up the rope. hard to explain but its how you get your rope tied up higher.

Look at it every way you can, think it through, and be safe. I'd wear a hard hat myself, in case something in that bend area decides to let go. I've been clonked before from above and never did figure out what happened, it happened so fast. Almost any hung up tree is called a widowmaker for a reason, but it can be done.

[PerryW]

I can see a bit of a problem if it "wants" to go back into the trees that are between the widowmaker and the photographer. hard to tell, but if its leaning towards those trees and gets hung leaning on those, then youve got a bigger problem with a notched, bent tree. .



I've had pretty good luck driving (steel) wedges into your cut (opposite the notch) to "convince" a tree to fall the right way. As long as you don't notch too deep and you leave a decent hinge.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Time also works, unless it's a high traffic area and you have to do something -- it'll eventually go to ground on its own.

[madmapler]

I would do just as Flats said. In fact, I see those as easy firewood without having to dull your chain. Under cut it until it hangs off the ground then cut it normally and just watch that it stays attached to the stem. The rest wont be hard to deal with. Pull it with something if necessary.

[lpakiz]

Yes, cut off whatever chunks you can, til you can't reach anymore. Then tie onto it with a rope and come along and pull the rest of the top to the ground.
One thing that can happen when cutting it to go sideways is that the top can be "anchored" in the ground/grass. When you fall it, the top resists going over with the stub. The stub falls over sideways where you want it, but the top breaks off at the weak spot and then comes STRAIGHT DOWN onto the stump area. I would NOT fool around under that widow maker with a saw or wedges until it was rendered safe.

[mike z]

Just take the chainsaw and cut your notch perpendicular to the fallen portion of the tree, (which ever side has the least obstacles to hang the tree up). Then start your back cut using a wedge or two if needed.

[handtapper]

Tractors? Chains? Jeez that's just a little guy. Put a ladder on the trunk and tie a rope right beneath the break still on the trunk. Cut off the bottom 8' that's hanging on the ground. Wedge it on the field side in the background and make your wife pull the rope towards the field while cutting the backside. Honestly if it was me I'd just skip the rope.

[sugaringman85]

Dont use wedges! Bad idea! If the tree has been compromised at the break area and you start pounding wedges it will jiggle loose and land on your head. Fell towards the lean of the original stem, or the lean of the new part of the tree. you want to fell it so that the whole thing lands flat and doesn't have a chance to spring back anywhere. Use a rope or a tractor to pull it. don't use wedges, at least with a rope or tractor your away from the tree as its falling.

[OldManMaple]

Don't do it this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LBtxkfsKplI 911 or not?

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Don't do it this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LBtxkfsKplI 911 or not?
Yea I would say that went wrong.

[BlueberryHill]

I was all set with ever cutting limbs from a ladder even before I saw that video. That sealed the deal. Yikes.

[Cabin]

Don't know what to do with this without killing myself

Chain saw and PLASTIC OR WOOD felling wedges. I would drop the tree as is by standing on the side opposite the top and dropping it to the right. Cutting the top down may sound like a good idea but I have had cases where the top will sway from side to side.

[BreezyHill]

Cabin is correct this is a distressed or storm damage tree, they are best left in tacked and dropped to the side using a hinge of 1.5 to 2" on that size tree. The open face cut out to 20% of the diameter. Plunge cut a space from a 1/2" strap to the back side of the hinge area. Insert the plastic wedges till solid and remove strap. The tree will start to fall...if not a few taps on the wedges and she will go down nicely. Contact your local Cooperative Extension office and ask them where the closest game of logging or chainsaw safety class is being offered.

I have to attend a class every 5 years as our snow club has trails on NYS property. These classes are great...I had over 30 years of chainsaw experience when I attended my first. The instructor was a professor from Paul Smiths College. He answered all questions. Even how to sharpen a saw for brush, wood production and tree dropping. Class was around $50 and has saved my hundreds in extended chain life and possible deductibles for the doctor.

I suggest any body that operates a chainsaw attend one of these classes.

Ben

[motowbrowne]

I'm with Ben. If you don't know what to do with a tree like that, you ought to take some classes. I took a fista class here last summer. Best hundred dollars I've spent lately. I grew up around saws, and had worked with arborists for a year before the class. That one day changed a lot about my practices in the woods. Every time I watch an inexperienced operator use a saw I cringe. I've seen people go all day without using the chain brake; I use it every time I'm going to take more than two steps. Just one example of a hundred things that have the potential to save your life someday.