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General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:27:46 PM

Title: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:27:46 PM
Is this poison ivy (Northern IL)?


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16191/IMG_0487.JPG)
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: POSTON WIDEHEAD on April 21, 2015, 09:29:58 PM
Yes.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:34:27 PM
I've never had poison ivy in my life.  I'm buying some Walnut logs that may have some of this on it.  Any words of advice?
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: limbwood on April 21, 2015, 09:36:01 PM
were gloves
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: samandothers on April 21, 2015, 09:37:29 PM
Buy them without it!  :D

Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WDH on April 21, 2015, 09:38:18 PM
Don't touch the vines with you hands (or any other body part). 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WV Sawmiller on April 21, 2015, 09:43:06 PM
If you burn the vines or leaves stay far away from the smoke. it concentrates the toxins and gets it in your eyes and lungs. Burned PI can be worse than the actual vine or leaf.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 21, 2015, 09:43:24 PM
I just remove it with an axe, etc.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:48:14 PM
Thanks everyone.  So MM you think I should take it off before milling as opposed to just slabbing with ivy and all?
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: sandsawmill14 on April 21, 2015, 09:48:46 PM
also DO NOT BURN especially while its green until you know if/how bad allergic you are.  :)
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: fishpharmer on April 21, 2015, 09:48:55 PM
If you saw the vines, the sawdust can be nasty too.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 21, 2015, 09:53:07 PM
Quote from: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:48:14 PM
Thanks everyone.  So MM you think I should take it off before milling as opposed to just slabbing with ivy and all?
Absolutely.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: POSTON WIDEHEAD on April 21, 2015, 09:53:09 PM
Quote from: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:48:14 PM
Thanks everyone.  So MM you think I should take it off before milling as opposed to just slabbing with ivy and all?

Even if you take it off the log, I would wear a mask before sawing. If you've never had the rash before then you really don't know what your reaction will be. Better safe than sorry.  :)
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: beenthere on April 21, 2015, 09:54:59 PM
If the leaves are 5 instead of 3, then it is virginia creeper.
I find the vines on the bark of both can be quite similar, although I'd guess this one to be PI too. For sure, until I learned otherwise.

Cutting through it with the chainsaw and getting the chips down your shirt collar will give you an itch.. I've found. ;)
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 21, 2015, 10:01:20 PM
Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy attach to the tree completely differently.  VC has "legs" and PI has "hair".  The "hair" on the above pictured vine is a dead give away.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: 4x4American on April 21, 2015, 10:06:11 PM
Beenthere beat me to it.  I have also found that if you cut through the vines with a powersaw you best be careful where you're spitting them chips and oils.  Wash down equipment with dish soap.  Heck if I think I came close to ivy I'll shower with dish soap just to be safe.  The ivy's oils are what causes the rash and itching, and dish soap will dry it out and help.  Tecnu works good too.  I used to not get p.i. rashes, then all of a sudden I get it pretty easily.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: beenthere on April 21, 2015, 10:13:50 PM
I can agree with what MM says about the hairs and legs.  ;D
Also, on using the axe or tree loppers. I cut it at the ground, and use the axe to loosen it from the tree so the chainsaw doesn't cut through it. And still am careful where the chips fall from sawing through the log.

X2 for 4x4 comments. And washing soap and water all body parts within 2 hours of possible contact work for me. Always wash hands after tying the boot laces too. Wash clothes too.

Never used to get it, but now do if not real careful. Still need to work in and around it sometimes.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: trapper on April 21, 2015, 10:49:11 PM
Tecnu works good too x2
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Ljohnsaw on April 21, 2015, 10:57:12 PM
I bought my cabin property about 1,000' higher than the poison oak grows (as bad as poison ivy) around here.  I didn't want to deal with it!  Went camping down on the coast over spring break - There were bushes of poison oak EVERYWHERE!  I just wanted to use a spray bottle of Round-Up on our hikes :D
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: YoungStump on April 21, 2015, 11:12:38 PM
Wash your hands before you use the bathroom! Don't ask how I know.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Ron Wenrich on April 22, 2015, 05:50:51 AM
Sap is the big culprit in getting the rash.  Especially this time of year.  I don't get a rash very often.  When I do, it's when I rub up against fresh cut and I'm sweating.  But, I'm not very sensitive to poison ivy.  I can work in, pull it off logs, cut it in the brush, and not get more than an occasional rash.

When I was marking timber, I would sometimes wade through the stuff.  My wife would get poison just by washing my clothes.  She would also get it by just petting the goats we had at the the time. 

If you're not sure if you get it our not, keep covered up.  When you're done, make sure you wash yourself down with a strong soap.  Showering is usually the best.  Wash your clothes right away. 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WDH on April 22, 2015, 07:14:18 AM
Quote from: YoungStump on April 21, 2015, 11:12:38 PM
Wash your hands before you use the bathroom! Don't ask how I know.

Youngstump, that is one of those body parts that I was referring to  :). 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: bandmiller2 on April 22, 2015, 07:20:20 AM
Goats consider poisoned ivy a fine salad green. Frank C.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: thecfarm on April 22, 2015, 07:43:07 AM
I've never seen it in a vine here.   :o   On the edge of the woods I've seen it knee high,in the open not much more than a foot high.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: bandmiller2 on April 22, 2015, 08:14:40 AM
"C", you must be at the northern edge of its range, down here it will take to the trees, its a constant battle. I always take a pair of loppers and remove several inches of vine, that puts the bind on the top leaves. In my youth I caught it easily , now I have to really abuse it to get the itch. Tollerance will vary some folks don't get it others just have to look at it. Frank C.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: thecfarm on April 22, 2015, 08:23:40 AM
I must be. I have never seen it in the deep woods here,on my land. I have some on the edge of the woods,next to a field,that gets knee high. The past few years I have had an all out war on that stuff on the edge of the field. I have been spraying anything green there for about 3 years now. I go in about 100-150 feet and been killing all that tries to grow. But this is only an area about 500 feet long. I want to cut some wood in this area and have been cutting. So far,I have not caught it,yet. And yet is the key word here too. I did get rid of it,or I think I did, on a stone wall that I hauled off. I sprayed that for 3-4 years right steady. Anything green got killed. I mow it now like a lawn,part of a field.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: jrouth on April 22, 2015, 08:33:32 AM
Be careful regardless of your history of never having it.  My dad sawed all his working life, from age 18 to 65.  When he was younger he'd pull it off trees with his hands if the vine was small enough. Then at about age 60 he became very allergic to it.  There comes a time when the body has handled all it can handle of it.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: SawyerBrown on April 22, 2015, 08:34:09 AM
Brad, the good news (if there is any) is that many times, those big vines usually pull the bark off when you get one end started with axe/hatchet.  I fight it all the time
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: 5quarter on April 22, 2015, 09:06:21 AM
   Yup...that's poison ivy. Sensitivity to it increases with each exposure. Peoples initial resistance varies widely. I go though the woods every spring with a spray bottle and kill all I can find. by late summer I have to go through again and kill everything I missed. :-[
   Peel it off the logs as others suggest. I toss the vines in the ditch across the road. Never burn it in any volume. I hate the stuff almost as much as nettles.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WV Sawmiller on April 22, 2015, 09:18:26 AM
While we have firmly established this is PI (and I never knew about the hairy vines being PI vs smoother vines being Virginia creeper so this is a good life lesson for me today too) be careful with VC also. It is commonly called cow-itch (and trumpet vine because of the pretty orange trumpet shaped flowers) because many people are mildly allergic to it too. Not generally as bad as PI but can cause problems.

I guess unless you know a vine is a grape or smilax (greenbrier with green vine) you should use caution when handling it.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: gww on April 22, 2015, 01:01:40 PM
fivequarter
QuoteYup...that's poison ivy. Sensitivity to it increases with each exposure.

I am not sure I agree with this.  Keep in mind that my saying this will probly jinx me and I will get it worse then ever.  When I was young, Pre teen to early teen, I used to get poisen ivy really bad all the time.  I havn't had a need for calamine lotion in 30 or so years.  I also seem to make ithcy bugs not like me.  I get some but not many.  I truly believe that I am less suseptable to these things now.  Sorta like toddlers and feever, just sorta out grow it.

I am not going to eat or play with the stuff to prove it though.
cheers
gww
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: drobertson on April 22, 2015, 01:27:06 PM
Long sleeves, a bark raker, and remove before sawing,  the oil is less there, but there if allergic,
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: grweldon on April 22, 2015, 04:23:52 PM
I pulled some of these off some trees last weekend.  I know I'm not very allergic to poison ivy, I've had it before, but I guess I got lucky.  I didn't have any reaction at all.  That's really strange.  Now I've always heard, "leaves of 3, let it be..." but these had 5 distinct leaves, three large and the two at the bottom of each side were smaller.  Does this sound like poison ivy?
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: beenthere on April 22, 2015, 04:54:24 PM
5 leaved vines are not poison ivy. They likely are virginia creeper.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WDH on April 22, 2015, 08:36:57 PM
WV,

Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans, are two different vines.  Virginia creeper has a palmate compound leaf with 5 leaflets.  Trumpet creeper has a pinnate compound leaf with many leaflets and those orange, trumpet shaped flowers. 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Ribsy on April 22, 2015, 08:47:00 PM
If you have time before harvest, sever the vine at the base of the tree. Wait for the vines to die, then you won't have issues.

Unless you are extremely sensitive, poison ivy is ok to deal with as long as you don't touch the leaves or sap. Even in winter. One can usually pull the vine away from the bark once it is severed quite easily. Best to wear gloves and safety glasses, long shirt etc.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: mesquite buckeye on April 22, 2015, 08:55:05 PM
Virginia creeper has light colored wood, poison ivy has yellow heartwood.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: jmouton on April 22, 2015, 08:57:46 PM
if it is poisen ivy  i better not look at the pic again  i might catch it through the screen



                                                                                                                         jim
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 22, 2015, 09:48:30 PM
 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/3612/DSCN0520.JPG)
One of these ceiling tiles on Jeff's cabin is Poison Ivy.   :o
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: kensfarm on April 22, 2015, 11:28:52 PM
Quote from: Brad_bb on April 21, 2015, 09:34:27 PM
I've never had poison ivy in my life. 

Growing up.. we got poisen ivy all the time playing in the woods.  My oldest sister got into the smoke.. face swelled up like a strawberry.   How about bee's.. did you ever get stung.. your mom must've never let you have fun.  A sling shot w/ a sweet gum ball will really stir them up.. plus.. you gain superpowers.. like the ability to run faster then you ever have in your life.  ;D 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WV Sawmiller on April 23, 2015, 08:56:09 AM
WDH,

   Ooops! Thx for the correction about Virginia creeper vs Trumpet vine/Cowitch. Don't know how I got them crossed up.

    They say the mind is the second thing to go and I can't remember what the first one was.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: red on April 23, 2015, 09:07:36 AM
you need some GOATS

then maybe goats milk soap
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: WV Sawmiller on April 23, 2015, 01:31:35 PM
Red,

Had goats. Don't need any more. They did a fine job cleaning up the place. They loved the multiflora roses which were such a problem for me. Had one old granny goat named Gumdrop survived me cutting a tree on her, getting hung in a fork when her leg slipped while standing and feeding (was there a couple of days - thought she'd die or lose the leg but recovered completely), son ran over her when she got out and was napping in front of the truck (thank goodness 4WD provides better ground clearance and just straddled her leaving her dazed and confused but unharmed), and wrapping a foot in old electric fence wire and getting tied to a tree for a couple days. She finally died of old age.

Another was a bottle fed billy grew to a fine herd billy till he went crazy and attacked my wife, dislocated her shoulder (she still has pins in there) and kept breaking out so finally had to be put down.

Nothing cuter than a baby goat and nothing nastier than an old Billy goat (I always named my Billys after targeted politicians they favored).
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Brad_bb on April 23, 2015, 02:35:10 PM
Thanks all for your replies.  I'm going to get some poison ivy technu just in case.  I'll remove the vines with gloves before I mill. 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: beenthere on April 23, 2015, 02:55:46 PM
And be careful what and where you scratch with your gloves on.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: 21incher on April 23, 2015, 07:07:55 PM
I recently took down 4 ash trees in my back yard that were covered from bottom to top in poison ivy. I thought it was still dormant but when cutting the vines I found out the sap had started flowing already.

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34694/IMG_2514.JPG)
I was totally covered up while cutting and removing the vines, and washed up well after but still wound up with Ivy around my 2 wrists.  I think came from some sawdust stuck to my jacket cuffs after my gloves were removed. I found that 1% Hydrocortisone cream helped with the itching and kept the rashes from spreading.  :)
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 23, 2015, 09:54:29 PM
I sawed an ERC log this afternoon that had a PI vine on it.  I was going to take a picture, but the customer yanked it off.  Oh well.  :-\
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: 4x4American on April 23, 2015, 10:18:44 PM
If you put just 200°f water and dish soap on your ivy it will stop it from itching for a few hours, might even get you through the night.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: beenthere on April 24, 2015, 12:07:44 AM
Ouch!  Go from an itch to a burn?
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 24, 2015, 07:37:10 AM
A turkey is fully cooked at less temperature than that!!  :o
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 24, 2015, 04:49:02 PM
I had an ERC log this morning that had a few PI vines.  Notice the hairy "roots" that attach the vine to the tree.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/DSCN0050.JPG)
I sawed the log and let the vines go with the slab.   ;D
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: 4x4American on April 24, 2015, 07:34:30 PM
You can't cook your ivy and have it too!   :D




The hottest water you can stand will make any ivy itch almost feel worth it. 
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: mesquite buckeye on April 25, 2015, 01:58:59 PM
Quote from: Magicman on April 24, 2015, 04:49:02 PM
I had an ERC log this morning that had a few PI vines.  Notice the hairy "roots" that attach the vine to the tree.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/DSCN0050.JPG)
I sawed the log and let the vines go with the slab.   ;D


Note the long side branches on the vines. Virginia creeper has much shorter side branches. Also the buds on poison ivy are pointed and those on Virginia creeper are blunt. ;D
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: sandhills on April 25, 2015, 04:06:47 PM
You folks must raise your poison ivy on steroids, ours doesn't get much over a foot tall but still makes you itch just as bad  :-\.
Title: Re: Is this poison ivy?
Post by: Magicman on April 25, 2015, 04:34:31 PM
Want me to send you some firewood sized sticks?