Tractor logging Accident

[JDeere]

 A reminder to all of us how dangerous tractor logging can be.

NH farmer dies beneath overturned tractor


MONROE, N.H. (AP) -- New Hampshire State Police say a 62-year-old farmer was killed when he was accidentally pinned under a tractor on his property in Monroe.

According to police, Howard Ward and another person had been trying to cut down a large pine tree Monday afternoon. Ward was using the tractor to push on the tree and guide it down.

Police say that as the tree started to fall, the front of the tractor became entwined with the tree. The tractor rolled over and Ward was pinned beneath it. Rescuers pronounced him dead at the scene

[Sawyerfortyish]

Tractors are for farming and skidders are for logging. I learned this the hard way and lived to tell about it. It's very sad to hear that someone else didn't make it before he learned. For me I was luckey the tree that fell accross the tractor seat I was sitting in knocked me sideways but I held on so I didn't end up under the rear wheel. Shortly after that I bought a timberjack.

[bill m]

Lets not blame the tractor because of operator error.

A reminder to all of us how dangerous tractor logging can be.

All logging is dangerous not just with tractors.

Tractors are for farming and skidders are for logging.

Logging is farming our crop just happens to be a little bigger than corn.

[thecfarm]

billm,I thought the same thing. I don't like to say anything when it comes to a real bad accident or a death.But I would not be doing something like that.It's too bad things like this have to happen.Probaly he's done it before and had gotten away with it.We all do things we should not do.At times we get lucky and say that was a close one and than there's the time we don't get to say anything.

[240b]

My uncle lives acouple miles away and I remember seeing a 64 clark in the shed  by the road for years.

[RSteiner]

I use my 2,000 lb. 30 hp. Kubota for gathering firewood and the Farmi winch once in a while for pulling a tree so it will fall in the right direction.  Trying to push a tree over with that small of a tractor is asking for trouble, I can't get the bucket up high enough to make me feel comfortable. 

My neighbor has a 16 ton Cat skidder that  I would trust to pull over a large tree if necessary.  I have heard stories where a dozer or skidder has pushed on a tree and pushed the bottom of the tree off the stump causing the tree to fall over backwards onto the machine.

So, you got to be careful with whatever you are using.

Randy

[treefarmer87]

that is sad that happened. i never had any turnovers when i used the 5310, i had it on 2 wheels, but nothing dangerous. i agree with  Sawyerfortyish, my close friend who is a older experinced logger said the same thing, tractors are for farming, skidders are for logging. i pushed a nice poplar over today with the skidder arch, just go slow and be cafeful and you will be fine. i am never in a hurry when im in the woods. i dont cut quite all the way thru the tree either if i have to push it, so it works like a hinge, i prefer to pick up the sledge hammer and a couple of wedges, and i can make the tree go anywhere i want.

like RSteiner  said though be careful no matter what you are using

[vahighlander]

All logging is dangerous.  Im using my Kioti with a Wallenstein winch to skid logs, one at a time and with patience, and its as safe as a persons common sense will allow.  Idiots die on skidders too.... I'm sorry this guy died- but what he was doing is plain stupid.....

[Sawyerfortyish]

When my accident happened I was skidding a tree out with a 70hp ford tractor and a farmi winch and the log slid against a small dead tree along the skid trail and it fell across the seat I was sitting in.Those small 6-8" trees you never bother with because theres just not much wood to play with is what got me. It was a good leson learned.

[woodmills1]

kioti?  tell me more

[Black_Bear]

I'm sorry this guy died- but what he was doing is plain stupid.....

Mr. Ward lived on the Ward farm, which is located on Ward Road. I didn't know him or his family, but I would guess that he was a multi-generational, old-time farmer. A good old boy who wouldn't think about asking somebody else to perform a job that he thought he could do himself, which is just about any job known to man. It's in his blood.

Hindsight is 20-20, and maybe his methods weren't safe, but you have to understand the circumstances. It's a way of life.

[celliott]

I'm sorry this guy died- but what he was doing is plain stupid.....

Mr. Ward lived on the Ward farm, which is located on Ward Road. I didn't know him or his family, but I would guess that he was a multi-generational, old-time farmer. A good old boy who wouldn't think about asking somebody else to perform a job that he thought he could do himself, which is just about any job known to man. It's in his blood.

Hindsight is 20-20, and maybe his methods weren't safe, but you have to understand the circumstances. It's a way of life.

I did not know him personally, but I do know that the Wards are one of the biggest farm families in Monroe, and the area.  So you would be correct about him being an old time multi gen. farmer.  I had a tech class in high school with one of the wards, most likely one of his grandsons, and just from knowing him, I could definitly see how the family could be stubbornly set in their ways, just gonna do it their way.  It is a tragedy and just goes to show that no matter how much experience, or what equipment you are using, things can go wrong.  Be safe.

[Cedarman]

I put heavy steel fenders on the tractor and also a nice heavy duty roll bar and roof over the tractor seat.  Many times a small limb and sometimes a small dead tree will hit the top.  Ihave wire mesh along the back  to keep something from whipping in behind.  Almost all of what we do is cedar which tends to be bottom heavy rather than top heavy like hardwood.

That said it takes full attention at all times to be prepared.  The Farmi winch I use is much better to pull down than to use the front of the tractor or back for that matter to get a tree down.

I have heard of way to many logging deaths in the last few years.

[fishpharmer]

JDeere, what a tragic event.  In spite of the tragedy, thank you for sharing it with us.  I know I can never be reminded enough how quickly something like that can occur, to any of us.   Patience, planning and common sense can be a lifesaver.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Tractors are for farming and skidders are for logging.

A properly equipped tractor (Rops, seat belt, etc) is just as safe as a skidder for pulling logs.

[donny hochstetler]

I gaurantee if you would take all the skidders of the face of the earth and continue logging or trying to log  with tractors there would be a s hortage of tractor operators cause most of 'em would get killed I'm not saying you can't skid with tractors an it can probably be done in a safe way if you are very careful  I believe there are jobs where a tractor might be just fine but I think we should not be comparing tractors to skidders

[Ron Scott]

I can agree with that. ;) When using a farm tractor for logging, it needs to be outfitted and modified so that it can be safely used for logging. OSHA standards should be met in regards to its roll bars, overhead canopy, body armor, etc.

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/420/420-090/420-090.html

[SwampDonkey]

Dad farmed for 40 odd years and never used a tractor to seriously log, only cut some firewood off the fields. For logging he used a skidder and on the 400 acres of woods there was some ground he never even got to. Our woods was a loggers dream, flat and for the most part pretty firm ground except for some low land cedar stands or a spring here and there.

[captain_crunch]

Tracic Accident no doubt. I don't think you could armor any tractor to withstand what a Skidder is already designed to withstand. And belive me they ain't bullit proof either. use to have a pic of 440 Deere in 3 pieces from down hill runnaway. only neet part was opperator took the pics. Pushing tree off stump and haveing it come over backwards aint cool either(as in been there done that) only saveing grace is dozer was close enough to tree it kinda cantaluved over cat no geat impact like say 50 yards from stump. Sometimes I wonder why I loved logging like I did ??? ???

[John Woodworth]

I've yet to see a tractor of any kind in the woods here in the North West, our terrain, underbrush and all the other neat things about working in the woods you wouldn't even get off the landing let alone pull any serious wood. Some of the mishaps I've had through the years would have Killed me had I been on a tractor, you people using them are using what you have and it's working just take care, respect your machine and everything else as each situation is diffrent and things happen so fast.

Here in the late 40' up through the 1960 there were a number of Gypo pulp loggers cutting short length pulp wood and they were using Fergusion 40 tractors with front end loader and a 55 gal. barrel full of cement for counter weight to load pulp, most of them made to old age.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Tracic Accident no doubt. I don't think you could armor any tractor to withstand what a Skidder is already designed to withstand.??

In Europe they use many many forestry tractors for logging. A tractor with a properly designed ROPS with a buckled in operator can be as safe as possible.

[Shetland Sheepdog]

A tragic accident no doubt! :(
Working safely with what you have, and knowing your equipment's limitations is what it's all about! :
A skidder will, without doubt, do way more than a farm tractor, but a farm tractor will do way more than a horse, or ATV! It's a matter of what you have to work with, and working smart!
JMHO, Dave

[mad murdock]

Started in the woods with farmall super A for pulpwood, worked with a horse, another Farmall (H), Dozers, and skidders.  For serious day in, day out logging, a skidder can not be beat, though a good team of horses can do a good job with not too long of drags.  A tractor properly fitted with rops, though not as safe as a skidder, can be used effectively as long as you accept the limitations of the equipment.  I guess that can be said of any machine, they all have limits, and when exceeded, can be dangerous.  My dad told me of a logger years ago in N. Wisc, who while on his skidder, was skewered in the gut by a sapling maybe 1-2 in. dia. that snuck through the cab of his C-4 Tree Farmerl  It pinned him to the operators seat, he had to back up the machine, so the stick would come out, and he plugged the hole with his shirt, drove himself to the hospital and survived the whole ordeal.  ANYTHING can happen in the woods, and if a guy is not wary, will end up on the receiving end of a bad deal every time!

[Harvey]

kioti?  tell me more

www.kioti.com 

[SwampDonkey]

In Europe they use many many forestry tractors for logging. A tractor with a properly designed ROPS with a buckled in operator can be as safe as possible.

I'm guessing it's mostly on the easy ground though. That harvest block in the picture is flat as field. I've seen similar setups on woodlots and they aren't putting up much wood. Mostly older gentlemen in retirement on their own ground, so no hurry to do anything. One couple of fellas haul trailer and all direct into a local commercial mill as it's loaded, no yards. ;)