drinksloe

Even at 16 inch u don't have all that much room, if using a 3/8ths bar be 4" ish, by time u got it gub + hinge + tag at back, easy enough for an inexperienced cutter to bore throu 1 side of hinge, esp if they are too busy concentrating on tag at back. And that could be dodgy if hinge cut on 1 side. In smaller timber and using a boring cut I use a smaller/shallower gub to give me more room behind it Deeper gub and power throu back cut is simple enough too. Quite a few different ways u could do it safely, Vancouver v another easy cut which suits smaller timber.

The problem is with a tree so small u don't have a massive ammount of room for any fancy cuts. Esp depending wot size of bar ur using. On bigger stuff ud use a holding cut ( dogs tooth) and letterboxing hinge will help. On smaller stuff like that I'd probably use a T cut, normal gub/hinge but do back cut in 3 stages the 2 sides first and leave a strap in the centre. Another version of that is put 2 diagonal back cuts in either side 1st then put it final back cut in Or possibly an oversized gub, althou runs the risk of nipping bar. But it would depend on each tree, species and lean, good escape routes etc, which cut I used

I can imagine they will if they got the chance esp if PM was sick injured or old. Wouldn't be an easy meal for them. Vicious sods Most predators will eat anything they can and since they both lie in the same habitat. PM are far more common in many parts of Scotland than made out. There is evidence of PM predating on wildcat dens, young kittens, infact 1 wildcat charity stopped putting artificial nest/den boxes up for wildcats as they thought were getting too much predation in the man made boxes. Most predators never pass up an easy meal no matter how rare the meal is. Is it not Woburn that has the 'black' grey squirrels?

??? No. Why?

Do u not get a version of black grey squirrels too? I thought there was an English big house with a lot of the ' black' Grey's. Amazing the colour variation u get with reds esp in winter coats Aye an adult wildcat would try to catch kill a PM but equally if an adult PM found a litter off wildcat kittens it wouldn't struggle to kill them. When u think the Scottish wildcat is the rarest cat species on planet not something it can really afford from such a common predator. Some wildcat estimates are below 40 individuals althou some think already too late for genetically pure wildcats.

Aye u get the kania and ur new DoC trap althou it's more designed for stoats, it just really modified fenns. I think it's called the natura 2000 or something I think they could even be licensed now for UK. Lucky where I come from still are/was plenty of reds, never really seen or trapped my 1st grey locally till 4yrs ago. So not familiar with using poison for Grey's or even spring traps for them, all cage traps as high chance off catching reds.

To be honest long term it sounds like ud be better with 2 saws a 45 50cc size then likely a larger 70 to 80cc or get ur pro mate in for the big stuff. 1 tip get ur mix right for mixing 2 stroke ( or use Aspen) and don't mix too much it I'll go off if ur mixing large quantities I'm not into coarses but the saw coarses are really worth it, esp if u have and experienced trainer. Some of wot ur talking about is the most dangerous stuff u can do, dead trees possible hung up widow makers, ivy hiding defects in trees etc. Be worth buying a few plastic wedges too, not dear but a lifesaver hen u need them Ps it doesn't actually usually kill the trees itself it may out shade/compete when it gets right out to the branch tips and does make them more prone to wind blow. Good habits for meeting birds thou

Must admit I don't understand why they banned poison for Grey's, esp in areas with no reds. If it's good enough for rats can't see any other way to control them at landscape level. Tapping is just too labour intensive, althou here is those new traps from NZ nuartra? Can't mind the name but it's basically a tiny bolt gun powered by a gas canister that resets itself, put a bait in a small chamber squirrel sticks its head in and bolt fires killing it and resets as squirrel falls dead to ground leaving trap free for next. Really quite clever. They are working on contraceptives too, I thought a stupid idea but possibly not as stupid as I 1st thought. But just an excuse so the bunny huggers don't have to kill anything, or have blood on there conscion. Would off been far better to spend the money on developing the contraceptive on just killing the bloody things I actually think sadly in my lifetime I'll see reds go extinct in mainland UK/Scotland. At moment the only saving grace is the Scottish central belt population of Grey's tends not too carry squirrel pox, which the English 1s do. South of Scotland's reds are just hanging on by a finger tip. If they start carrying it theyll quickly spread throu some real red strong holds,

I think the Nfu Scotland and some forestry bods managed to take the bio desiel out off Scottish red, not sure if nation wide, but was an article in a forestry magazine claiming it as having too many fuel/filter issues with modern machinery

There is quite a few scientific studies which do claim to prove that.where PM are present there is more red squirrels. The SWT I think are going to go down and push this route more I think in the future. Grey's spend a far longer time on the ground ( up to 70%) and with them being larger can't escape into the lighter branches the way reds can. So there is some logic behind it at face value But in my opinion the studies are flawed, and there is not more reds because of the PM but more as the PM is a goos indicator species for good red habitat. Which is not surprising as they both evolved together, so good PM habitat is also good red habitat For the studies to be truly proved by rights they should be removing the PM and see if the reds either increase or decrease. By rights if the studies are correct the reds should decline in number when PM are removed, but I'd be very surprised if that actually happened. A PM is a fearsome predator, they're is a very good chance the Capercaillie will likely go extinct again pretty much just due to there increasing numbers, they also won't be helping the Scottish wildcat either if there even is any left. Yes they will hammer the Grey's, but by the time they're is enough numbers to make a dent in Grey's, wot happens then?? As Grey's decline they will just switch the prey drive to other species, no nests will be safe, same with chickens. And at a time when rabbit numbers are very dry low across almost the whole UK. Coupled with the rise in corvid numbers ( magpies, crows etc). U ask any wild bird keeper or conservationist from NZ ( there spending massive fortune trying to eradicate the introduce stabs which has decimate there wildlife including dropping poison from helicopters over vat areas) about the massive damage stoats cause, so imagine giving 1 steroids and teaching it to climb trees. Ur song birds would be even more screwed than they are already. Really not a good idea to encourage them might solve or help to solve grey squirrel problem but will cause a lot more future problems. The main problem is modern people esp urban rally don't like killing anything.

Been a few studies in Scotland and possibly n eng where it has been proved the reds will fairly quickly re establish in an area once Grey's have been wiped out. If a population nearby, is it Anglesey? they reintroduced them quite successfully. I think they have entirely wiped Grey's out off Aberdeen now and reds were moving back in. Same after any reds have been hit with squirrel pox as long as keep the Grey's out the reds quickly come back. Stick at it squirrely, wasnae meaning to pee on ur chips but it's just not that easy or else it wouldn't be costing forestry billions of pounds in damage. I'm involved with local red squirrel group and bloody time consuming trying to trap Grey's esp when only 1 or 2, still just about hanging on to our reds, just.

Fair play to u, wish more folk would do it. No offence but are u entirely sure u have wiped out every squirrel in only 3 visits?? Usually a lot harder than that to wipe out, esp just by shooting. I'd guess just lowering the population a bit, esp when shooting fairly large numbers in a visit.. Generally squirrels or any other animal it will be a continual control plan, as even if u have wiped hem out will soon repopulate again from elsewhere. Nature hates a vaccum Wot u shooting them with airguns, fac airguns or 22lr? Or even 22lr with low powered bullets forget the name of them now?

Aye I meant to say keep a photo record with dates incase any bother

So could the OP go in and selectively thin every tree under 8cm dbh, then go back in and fell 5 cube ( about 4T ish) wait till next quarter and fell another 5cube? Depending on the wood but by the time u thin it might not be that much left if larger stems are only 8". And even at 8" dunno how tall they are or how dense the stems are, but will take a fair few to make up ur 5 cube

I've got some cypress about that age still to split some rings some logs some could be older. I'm not too worried about splitting them, usually day slit anyway

Nae bother I bought it was a mis communication. To me a vertically hung up tree is a tree somehow compromised and is leaning hung up on another tree. While potentially a few ways to deal with it any courses I've done would winch the butt. In the past with smaller trees ,(esp 1st thinnings,) ud try and get shoulder under it lift it and run with it

Photos don't show the whole clear picture. Plenty of really scary chainsaw fail vids online too Watched quite a lot of those vids too , as any cut that seems to defy gravity and physics would be brilliant in forestry. Was getting quite good at Dutchmen in birch but u do 10, 20 or 30 trees perfectly then u just get 1 failing with no warning The single biggest thing is knowing timber and how it reacts, does hinge hold splitty etc A lot off hardwoods or in Norway Spruce there just a non starter, hell sycamore will hardly holds hinge even with a winch on

No offence but if ur truly talking about a hung up tree ( and not a standing tree with no room to fell) id say spiking up it could be a very brave move to make and potentially very dangerous. Like I said every situation will be different, possibly u could climb nearby trees to put a line in and swing in, but even being on a compromised stem could be very dodgy, every cut u make makes it more unsteady and unsafe. They used to cover takedown of hung up trees on even the basic felling tickets

Just shows u an experienced cutter/arb didnae fancy it when u seen it in the flesh. Only had a quick glance at photos but u could see a manhole cover and tree looks like I would like to fall right down the fence line naturally. Also really no escape routes as they're usually 46 degrees to both sides to rear where ur fence is, if something wen wrong ur pretty much trapped by fence. Like spudog said sometimes amazing how far a tree can spring on is branches, I had a come back up an 6ft banking and sat on my leg, never in a million years did I expect that to happen, big hairy 3ft sitka. Was a sore 1 If u knew wot u were doing u could probably easily put the tree in a 90 degree arc of fall and with some know how, wedges/rope probably put the tree n a 180+ arc. I think u made the right decision, all great when it works but it wouldn't take much to go wrong to cause more than 200 quids worth of damage. To an experienced/confident lad prob an easy enough straight fell, and while cypres generally hold hinge well and don't barber chair, it would be very easy in a smaller dia tree like that to put too large a gub in, then when u bore cut so busy keeping it away from rear of tree u cut 1 or both sides off the hinge away. Then u do have a problem. U could ratchet strap the stem to stop a barbers chair, in he olden days pre chainsaws the boys would wrap a chain round the stem on hardwoods to top them splitting, as they had cut from the back with cross cut saws. Great ur waning to learn more but be careful watching some of the clips u see online, quite a few heroes out there. Some I wouldnae trust to cut my fingernails Same with ur more advanced cuts, it's not the cut that's hard it's knowing when to use them, which trees hinges will hold enough to make it work which won't. Seen a good clip recently about Dutchman cuts and he made the very valid point they do not always work even when cut is right, u have to be ok if it fails. ( Ie middle of nowhere and no property to damage. Not next to houses, decent fences etc

I'm thinking put the pull line on the upper trunk? Would that not work? Is will's line not on the upper part that I'll come away and leave root. Just got to think which way u put the step in too. If u mean a rope well up the tree, like ud do for an assisted fell, it's not going to do much unless u can pull it through the canopy it's hung up on. Otherwise it better leaving it hung up supported in canopy, sever stem from root and pull the butt with a winch so tree slides down slowy. And ur well out the way as could be debris widow makers coming down all over the place

There is semi recognised ways of dealing with it, it's just every situation can be so different from the last, so many varibles. Is there not a dangerous or emergency tree ticket now since they revamped everything Why is tree hung up n 1st place, rotten, wind damage/busted crown/top, root plate moved and that will lead to other potential complications. Any damage to other trees, esp widow makers And realistically most will involve a winch of some description. Or climbing neighbouring trees and swinging in or mweps Really I think I would of felled it towards the biggest stem/tree that will also not be damaged too much by the crown sliding down it. A to secure/hold the crown while u winch the butt and B it gives u ur danger areas but also known safe areas. Really a job for experienced boys with there head screwed on and on a swivel. Can get hurt very easy I almost had my head taken off today cutting bloody windblow, a right ugly mix off long dead stuff and fresh monster Norway's. Done all the really dodgy 1s and harvester pulled them away nae bother, done wot I thought was a smaller easy 1 it went with a bang sat right back up showering me with debris. Must off been a good 4m+ from root plate and it still sprung up at speed on me.

I don't lay hedges but I lad I work with does. He was on about this the other week seemingly u can't flail a hedge after march but u can lay 1 till end April on grant schemes. Was saying bonkers He reckoned doesn't do any harm with sap rising, but possibly species dependant. I only remember as was surprised, reckoned the old saying lay when an R in month wasn't too far off ( althou may depend how far south u are)

I think it 1 of those things u learn with experience as almost every situation will be slightly different. I imagine the proper would be to fell/gub it into the standing tree, then letter box he hinge from the back safely then sever both of the tags of hinge on either side coming down at 4t degree angle taking small pieces each time until both severed keeping ur self safe and in a safe area ready to move into ur escape areas quickly any sign of movement Then get busy with ur tirfor,/hand winch and pull the butt straight back. Often hard work. Was don't some dodgy standing windblow this afternoon, felling into other trees, cutting hinge then using a ratchet strap tied to a pole/tree the harvester was pulling them away as I was 30m down a eep banking. Worked well dodgy bit was very little in way off escape routes as banking do steep and 1 the mud was almost over u boots had to almost peel ur feet out, not good for a kick getaway. Jut need ur head on a swivel

No just I'm in a wid in the middle off nowhere an be lucky to wave at a machine operator and if very lucky speak to 1. I'm off an age when trousers only came in 1 colour per brand, and were affordable.

For ARB I really can't see the point, atleast in the different designs for different jobs, who cares wot u look like as long as protected. Not a fashion show Even the waterproof 'skns u might as well jut chuck some waterproofs over ur normal cutting gear. Must admit I can see the point for wear, esp in commercial forestry mine were condemed by a forester the other month as outers ripped to shreds ( not by saw, but I have had a lot off use out them) another called me Frankenstein cos of all the untidy stitch work holding them together. Finally broke out my new pair today