I made a dumb mistake!

[ennismaple]

I made a huge mistake on Saturday that almost cost me dearly!

My father and I were installing semi-rigid tubing in a part of our bush where we used to take down the tubing every year. Just before lunch Dad and I were looking at a widow-maker (a large, dead limb) that was stuck in a tree and he commented that it should come down before it kills someone. I foolishly grabbed the bottom of this 20 foot long by 8" diameter limb and started to pull it backwards to get it out of the tree. Just as it came loose I tripped on a stump and fell backwards. As I landed on the ground the end of the limb came straight down on my left thigh - OUCH!!! I rolled around on the ground for a minute before I could stand up. After I stood up I turned whiter than the snow, started sweating profusely and blacked out from the pain. A few minuted later I managed to get in the truck and back home.

Luckily, the limb hit the meat on my leg and didn't land on my femur, my knee or more sensitive areas a bit higher up! I didn manage to get back out in the bush yesterday to do some work . I've got a bruise from my knee to my groin that is black, purple and yellow but nothing too serious. I'm sure I'll be limping for several weeks but it could have been a lot worse!

Hopefully my dumb mistake will be a warning to everyone else - be careful when you're out working in the sugar bush!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Wow- Lucky it didn't hit you in the "treasure chest" they'd be swelled up like basketballs if it did....I was cutting this Ash tree for a guy a couple of years ago at his house that was leaning and i cut about 1/4 through the leaning side and then proceeded from the back i got about 1/3 of the way cut into the tree and i see it coming so i turned my head quick the Ash split like a gunshot went off as i turned my head and started to bail it caught the top of my helmet and took it right off my head/14" dia. tree has no mercy for body parts-Whew i'll tell ya...

[MASSEY JACK]

Maple Hill "governor"
You probably know this already but I was taught that the best way to cut leaning trees is to cut a very small notch and then bore through the tree behind the hinge wood and cut out toward the back of the tree. This way it will not likely do the "high back chair thing" and take your head off. This is information for other tree cutters who may be reading this thread. I once knew a logger who would put a log chain and a binder around large leaning trees before he cut them to prevent this too.

[maplehound]

If you take the master logger safty course, they teach you how to cut a spring pole so it won't take your head off. I have seen there way of cutting many times and it is amazing how safe they can cut any tree and drop it just where they want it and not where the tree would like to drop. I haven't yet been able to take the course but still recomend it to anyone who is going into the woods with a chainsaw.

[maple flats]

I took a mini, half day course with the Game of Logging. Even that small amt of training has changed how I cut trees. This has not been offered recently in such an abbreviated session that I know of. Wish it was. The full course would be great too, just havn't broken away to do it yet, plan to someday.

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

I went through 2 or 3 stages of the Game of Logging when I was in the Forestry program at our vocational center. And the "bore cut" method was Highly recommended because of that, "barber chair", very reason. They also had some very helpful techniques for saftey and efficiency of harvesting. I would say it's a worthwhile course to take.

Everybody stay safe out there!!

[Fred Henderson]

I was going to suggest the log chain and binder also. I did cut a 24" Ash last week but it did not give me any problems. All I can say ennismaple is that I think that the old boy was watching out for you. All please be safe.

[Russell Lampron]

Enissmaple,

I dumped my motorcycle last summer and had a big bruise on my hip like the one you described. It was quite a while before it went back to the natural color and some of the swelling lasted for 6 months. Be thankful that it didn't get you in the family jewels or worse.

Russ

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Yes massey jack- i do know about the hindge cut but i didn't think the tree would snap like it did. Surprised the hell out of me as well as the other guy. The outside 3-4" of the tree was living and the inside was mostly dead we found out later and when i got into that dryed dead wood that it when it let loose.

Guess it's best to never let your guard down/It might have been a 15-20% lean on the tree??

[802maple]

The main thing is everybody is here to talk about it.

[ennismaple]

The main thing is everybody is here to talk about it.

Amen. We've all made some dumb mistakes and gotten lucky. You can get badly hurt (or worse) really fast when working in the bush!

[802maple]

I lost a good friend, fellow sugarmaker and golf partner to one of these trees splitting 2 and 1/2 years ago. It was very awakening.

[TapME]

I'm glad that your not hurt bad. It's an awful experance to be a part of. A fast recovery to you and happy sugaring. TapME

[HanginAround]

Glad it turned out as well as it did, hope it heals up soon.

[ennismaple]

Sorry to hear about your friend 802maple.

Here's a pic of the bruise - talk about a conversation piece! Now that I'm wallking almost normally I can laugh about it!

[HanginAround]

OUch!

I ran into a young fellow I know last night that works in the woods, his eye was all black and blue and had a cut on his nose... from a branch hitting him. I also know a few people that had fairly serious saw accidents, so everyone is wearing safety pants now. Be careful out there!

Sorry for your loss 802, tough thing to go through, especially considering what people face in life, for something like that to end it.

[saphead]

I remember years ago the sugarer I used to work for caught a widow maker on top of his head.After that if his wife caught us in the woods without our helmet it was a $10 fine! This past summer I took all 4 levels of The Game Of Logging, I'm doing things now I wouldn't have dreamed of doing in the past. I had to wait a year for the course,I would highly recommend the course to everyone that does any work in the woods!

[royalmaple]

You might be able to quit sugaring, I think you can sell your leg on Ebay. I can make out the virgin Mary in the bruise.

That is some bruise. Better to be black and blue than cut in two.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

And use saw chaps.

[peacemaker]

few years back clearing a hedge row which i hate so much to begin with layed dwn a huge ash between 2 nice maples working back de limbing helmet on an chaps knicked a a limp (which i thought was a little sappling standing which was really a branch bent down off the maple ) bamm comes up takes helmet breaks my nose ..