Thankful to be home!

CCC4 · October 15, 2015, 07:46:15 PM

I am cutting a large clearcut of 400 some odd acres 100% timber. Since my arrival I have sort of been shook about this job. My main obligations are the very steep sections first. I don't know if to say I had a bad day or a lucky day today...day started off with me in the bottom of the steep holler cutting some good water oak and some large White Oak. While cutting I heard my boss fire up the hydro ax, I was working up a big White Oak I had just fell and heard the hydro ax on the ridge above me. I watched in horror as he cut a tree and sent it right down the hill straight for me...luckily I was in the process of running and he missed me by 4 ft!!

Then I went to another section I had been working and was up near the top of the ridge along a bluff line, I had targeted a 34 inch on the stump super tall forked topped pine. It had body mass lean back up the hill and top lean down the hill. My lead was all downhill so the skidders could reach the tops. I made my face for downhill, backed up with (2) 10" wedges. I was watching my kerf and knew she wasn't moving so I drove in a 12" with a little more lift...I got nothing!! Kept pounding the wedges and they were driving fine but with no lift. My heart was racing because wind was picking up and not in my favor. I kept chipping away till I reached a 3/4 inch hinge, kept driving wedges...still nothing! I knew I had a major problem and possibly left a post somewhere in my back cut. Due to the 60* plus slope and 3 wedges drove in...I couldn't send the tree uphill safely at all! My skidder OP was at the bottom of the hill, he can cut pretty good and must have seen I was in trouble. This crazy SOB put himself at risk by backing up the rocky steep hill, over stumps and boulders. He made it all the way to the bluff and was able to wiggle the machine and give the stalled tree some motivation. I had to sit down for a cig after that...I was shaking kinda and stressed out.

I was so appreciative of my OP today and let him know. He knew I was in bad trouble up there and he didn't hesitate to come help me. It could have been a really really bad situation if the hinge had broke and went up hill...actually, I may not have been typing this tonight if it had.

So thankful to be home tonight!!

ga jones · October 15, 2015, 07:53:54 PM

I think we all have those days... And I'm happy when you and the rest of us come home shaken but ok.

treeslayer2003 · October 15, 2015, 07:55:58 PM

bro.......i think your boss is a nut. and i wouldn't fall any where around him and that hydro ax. as for the stubborn pine.....well we all have them days.
be careful out there brother.

treeslayer2003 · October 15, 2015, 07:57:17 PM

Quote from: ga jones on October 15, 2015, 07:53:54 PM
I think we all have those days... And I'm happy when you and the rest of us come home shaken but ok.

yes we do, but when some else makes a mistake with my safety that way.........well........that ain't good for them.

CCC4 · October 15, 2015, 08:09:19 PM

Mike, I hate cutting anywhere near the hydro ax. I was doing what i was supposed to be doing...why on Earth he didn't shut down and listen to hear where I was is beyond me. Money money money...rush rush rush...it just pretty much sucks how hard I am pushed.

treeslayer2003 · October 15, 2015, 08:15:52 PM

Quote from: CCC4 on October 15, 2015, 08:09:19 PM
Mike, I hate cutting anywhere near the hydro ax. I was doing what i was supposed to be doing...why on Earth he didn't shut down and listen to hear where I was is beyond me. Money money money...rush rush rush...it just pretty much sucks how hard I am pushed.

yes it does suck.........it bugs me even.
i bet if you dropped one close to him, he'd have some words for you.

thecfarm · October 15, 2015, 08:30:23 PM

With that many acres,you think he could not cut where you was? :

redprospector · October 15, 2015, 09:34:26 PM

I'm glad that the day ended as good as it did for you. Sounds like you're working with a good skidder operator.
As far as your boss...I wouldn't put up with a space cadet like that at all. He'd change his way's or I'd change job's.

Pine Ridge · October 15, 2015, 10:50:55 PM

Ccc4 it might be a good time for a talk with the boss, before he pulls another stunt. All the production and money in the world is useless if your risking your life working around him. Hope it works out for the best for ya.

3rdgenlogger · October 15, 2015, 10:57:08 PM

It's a good thing you were aware of your surroundings or that would have been bad. I'm wondering what his reaction was when he found out that he nearly killed you. I hope he got the same "oh my God" feeling you had when that tree was coming your way.

coxy · October 16, 2015, 07:22:40 PM

that's the trouble today we ARE ALL in a rush for more timber just to make ends meat the guy I work with in the winter is great if I have a hanger I don't leave it till he comes back with the skidder to push/pull it down his rule not mine ill cut trees till he comes in then ill move a100 yards or so till hes gone then go back glad your ok jmop but I think I would have a talk with your boss in the am

Autocar · October 16, 2015, 07:55:10 PM

I agree with Coxy He should be aware where your at and take time to listen. It is dangerous as it is let alone the Boss pulling a stunt like that.

CCC4 · October 16, 2015, 09:18:33 PM

I didn't wait till this morning, I let him know about it pretty quick. He said he saw me after the 5th tree...awesome...that was 5 too many! He was trying to blow it off, but I think it bothered him hopefully.

lopet · October 16, 2015, 10:14:12 PM

That's the problem these days. Rush, rush, rush, production is all want counts. I would have a huge problem working for somebody, who's putting somebody else's live at risk just for that reason.
A lot of people call me crazy working alone in the bush, but statistics show that most accidents happen in the woods when there is more than one person. One skidder/tractor operator is jerking on a winch cable and another guy is sawing away with his ear muffs down, pretty common.
It happened around hear just about two years ago , when a 22 year old cutter got killed while walking out of the bush into the open landing, when the skidder pulled out of the woods at the same time and hit a dead elm. That poor fellow didn't even see it coming.
I take all the precaution i can, but I know that people make mistakes and I am not saying I don't, but I love what I do and a certain risk is always there.

Glad you made it home to tell the story. 8)

treeslayer2003 · October 16, 2015, 10:19:35 PM

i prefer working alone. production? i only answer to me.

mills · October 17, 2015, 06:25:16 AM

Seems to be a common theme in the comments above. We may talk about the pros and cons of working with others in the woods, wind directions constantly changing, or trees that just will not follow the laws of gravity. But we all have one thing in common, God willing we're all planning on going back in the morning. What we do is extremely dangerous, but for what ever reason we're drawn to it. Every now and then I need to be reminded that going home tonight is more important than getting that last tree on the ground.

Glad you made it home CCC4, and thank you for reminding me.

coxy · October 17, 2015, 07:01:25 AM

good post mills

ehp · October 17, 2015, 08:30:16 AM

l am guilty of wanting more out on the landing than what should be cut in a day , I know that and now am seeing that money is not everything , going home to my family is far more important than any money but one thing I can say is I never put anyone elses life in danger and if I see something I donot like I tell them fast

ehp · October 17, 2015, 08:33:46 AM

Now I'm sure we have all seen stupid stuff done in the bush and sometimes it makes me wonder why more people are not killed in the bush

coxy · October 17, 2015, 07:08:01 PM

your right ehp I am guilty as charged also the things I use to do I wont even think about it now its funny how having little one/ones at home will change your ways of thinking

oldseabee · October 17, 2015, 08:26:11 PM

Sometimes factory folks do stupid stuff too. I was working for the Clark engineering lab in Canada and we were testing a tree harvester up in Northern Saskatchewan. An engineer came up to run some strain gauges on the boom and cutting head which was fine until he decided to be the operator and shake the hell out of a large pine tree, he hit the wrong lever and dropped the tree across the bed of a pickup full of test equipment where I was reading the strain gauges, I saw it coming and jumped back to the tailgate, missed me by a couple of feet. Engineer, jumped out of the machine, ran to his rental car and hightailed it.