It's official, I'm a farm accident statistic

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Fool ash tree. Laying mostly on the ground but snagged in a couple other trees. Usual procedure, done it many times. Sever it from the root and drag it free of the other tree(s). I always cut a short distance down from the top and then put in a wedge. This usually holds the tree up until you pull the wedge. But this tree was mostly down and when I started down from the top the underside suddenly shattered and the root end went down fast. Chainsaw went with it. I was watching out for the saw when I realized the top half of the tree was pivoting toward my head. Really don't know if I ducked. The cut end sideswiped my head and tore the lower half of my ear loose and ripped it free of the cartilage. I was on the ground holding my dangling earlobe when my daughter came up and got me to the road. Drove the tractor about halfway before the other daughter caught me up and drove me the rest of the way. Six hours later, two ER's and an emergency plastic surgeon and I am home. Sore but OK. You never think it will happen to you. Have a good holiday folks! Mine is all the better for not having my skull crushed by a 10" ash tree.
 
Happens fast don't it? I've got one thumb that doesn't work right because I cut the tendons off. I could see the bone when I looked down in the cut.
Bet you won't make the same mistake twice.
Enjoy your turkey tomorrow anyway.
 
Just fractions of an inch and fractions of a second were between you and not being a contributor here anymore, We care, best wishes and eat well to recover. Jim
 
That's gotta hurt! Hope you heal up fast. I'll bet you'll be a little cautious about anything coming close to that side of your head for awhile. Let us know how it's doing in a few days. Jim
 
I guess I'm a statistic too. I never thought of it that way because I didn't lose anything. Nov. 1 1985 I was picking corn in beautiful, dry weather. Too dry, in fact. I got stupid and did something I never thought I would do. Ended up with my left hand caught up through the bottom of the husking rolls on a one row NI. I was there long enough that the hammering slip clutch was shot when I went to start up a couple days later. It was a strange day. Early that day, very near where I was picking later in the day, a cousin broke a wrist when he fell out of a tree stand.
 
Glad you are going to make it Dave--had an accident 2 weeks ago with wood falling on my leg. And a year ago the chain saw bit me.
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Danged near cut my big toe off back in 2005. I was cutting on the ground and the saw caught and went right across my toe. Didn't get the bone but severed the tendon. A bit of surgery to tie it back together and it works like normal again. I now watch where the saw is aimed.

I happens in an instant.
 
Is what you describe the same as what I have heard called A "WIDOW MAKER"? A half fallen tree waiting to go the rest of the way down in some wild and jumping direction?
 
I've been "attacked" by farm tractors twice. Run over and got a broken neck and ribs. Also had to jump off a run-away 3020 at a high speed (with no steering and brakes) and broke both my legs. My right foot came almost completely off.

Part of "statistics" is the number of those that survive such maladies and get to tell about it. You're lucky.
 
Dave you're damn lucky that's the part of you ear got hit. No matter how safe we are and the folks on this forum are seasoned things do happen. Splitting hauling lots of wood right now and taking my time. Glad you're ok. Happy thanksgiving and you've room for thanks
 
Yes. Those are what we were taking down today. I was on my fourth one and they had all gone smoothly. Last one was hung but it was only at about a 15 degree angle. Note to self: those kind are a lot more dangerous. I asked the oldest if she saw it and she said yes and I was right. The upper half of the tree did not react immediately. Took about two seconds for it to come loose and it was scissored between two trunks that caused it to pivot toward me. She said I dove for safety but not fast enough. Also, I had just bought myself a new hat at Big R. Padded Carhartt with the flap that folds down over the top half of the ears. I think that hat saved the top of my ear. I got lucky in a LOT of ways.
 

Glad you didn't get hurt worse. I had a couple of near misses with trees, now I dress up with a helmet, ear protection, face shield, and chaps, with steel toe boots. Always a cell phone. I am working by myself usually, and I am afraid of getting hurt with nobody around.
 
Same to you! Thanks to all for your best wishes. I am loaded up on pain killers now. Don't know how many stitches I got but it is a lot. Have to go out now and do my wife's birthday celebration. We have a cake and presents. Feel bad she had to spend so much of it in a chair at the ER but she seems pretty happy. Going to head out tomorrow and look over this tree and see if I can try to figure out where I went wrong. Thanks again and happy Thanksgiving!
 
Dave that was a close one. Years back i was cutting a blackash about 4" that was at about a 30 degree angle. I was standing on a corduroy road i was building ,when the stick dropped on the end of an 8ft corduroy stick it flipped it up and the opposite end hit me from behind catching me in the back of my jaw bone. I saw stars but did not go down. Made it back to the house ,was spitting blood dang near bit completely through my tongue.Wishing you a speedy recovery.
 
Glad to Hear You are Safe and Sound ,,, Personaly try not to do tree felling totally alone , don't even like cutting wood alone ,.but most times all I do is make sure I have my cell phone ,, and tell my sara to listen for the saw ,, and if anything don't seem rite to call me ,,.I am 58 , over the yrs. I have seen statflite rushing across the sky many times in a hurry to somewhere , and have paused and said a Hail Mary for whomever was in peril ,among some friends .. tree snapped killing one seasoned wise logger in his prime ... another incident a felled tree backed up while falling killing a local auctioneer /farmer , in front of his son! ,another incident A son , not hearing his Dadssaw dropping trees , found his Father half dead from a good clubbing from the spring action of a sapling ,, They walked down the hill to ambulance and the walk probably saved his life ,, That was 10 yrs ago , head swelled up like a basketball came home after 2 monthes ,They are logging today alive and well ..LOl ,another good seasoned loger got kidney punched bad from a twist drop tree ,,Messd up his back broke ribs , Leg and arm , He is on Disability ,,. The saddest one is of the young father to be , whose wife and family buried him,, after a wall of dirt slid over in a trench he was checking for grade,,. just wasn't nothing anyone could do..also I , .Lost a cousin in 1969 in same sort of accident ,,.. In Summary ,, Guys , Do the best You can to Stay Safe ,, in our quest for LIFE LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS ,though our paths may be dangerous at times , these are the virtues that makes us what we are and makes this country Great ,, and tomorrow lets ALL give THANKS ,
 
Thanks for sharing that. I've got a widowmaker in my yard that's dangerously close to the neighbor's house. I'm not sure what to do with it. If I leave it alone, there's a 95 percent chance it won't do any damage when it falls. But it's possible it will take out a second tree which would hit the neighbor's house.
 
Neighbor has a large willow tree that is splitting at the "Y". It will probably go down if there is a strong wind from a certain direction.

I told him to hire a professional; I'm too old to try to escape from a tree falling in the wrong direction.

Did tell another neighbor that I would cut down a tree for him - but it is only 3 inches in diameter and about 8-9 ft. tall. I'll cut all the upper branches first and then cut the main trunk. The tree just died this summer.
 
Similar thing happened to me a couple years ago cleaning up from Sandy only I was wearing head protection so was a little sore and two chipped teeth from clicking my teeth together from the impact. I feel very lucky and wish you a speedy recovery.
 
Holy cow .. I just talked to you. If you need something call me I'm off till Mon. I hope you feel good enough to enjoy dinner today .Trucker
 
This is what I call a true Widow Maker. This limb is a foot across and is hung good and high from a tree we took out. Its still there now and I am not sure how its going to be gotten out. I hate being around trees that have limbs hung like this because you never know when it going to come down. Bandit
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I was cleaning up the yard last spring, I had a tree leaning into another. I cut out the lean successfully, but a widowmaker I hadn't seen came down out of the standing tree, hitting my helmet hard enough to ring my bell. The helmet ended up about a inch lower on my head, but I am sure glad I had it on.
 
(quoted from post at 06:54:45 11/27/14) This is what I call a true Widow Maker. This limb is a foot across and is hung good and high from a tree we took out. Its still there now and I am not sure how its going to be gotten out. I hate being around trees that have limbs hung like this because you never know when it going to come down. Bandit
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I was mowing my pasture a few years ago, some of the branches were low, and I was moving them with one hand as I was mowing under them. I came back on the next round, and there was a branch 10 feet long, 6 inches in diameter, stuck end first into the ground about a foot. Those pine trees are about 100 ft tall, and the branches break easily.
 
Nope. I was driving out there yesterday and there is a fella around the corner combining corn with his 1660...looks like a twin to mine except his is more pink than red. Think he needs a shed. I was wishing I had put the trees on hold and brought the combine instead but the ground is real wet and I was worried if I had a problem and got into the holiday it would end up a disaster. So as soon as I know the elevator is open and the IH dealer is open and the (bleep) weather is OK I am heading out there to do it. Pretty eager to see if all the hard work has the machine up to speed. I will throw some pics up when I get her done!
 
Thanks Trucker, and all! Yeah...I'm fine. Must not be a lot of nerves in the ear because I don't feel any pain at all unless I poke it hard by accident. Slept good, can eat just fine. Later I am going out to make sure the girls found all my tools and buttoned things up. I also want to see just what happened to make a tree fall UP! LOL

Have a good holiday, stay safe, eat lots!
 
Dave, That was a scary story !! So glad it wasn't worse. My Dad & I cut trees(for heat)at our farm in Branch Co, many years.. We came thru that fine, were lucky, only a couple close calls. ;-)
Hope you have a full recovery.
CKain vicksburg,mi.
 

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