Funny what you find in trees, wonder where in heck that tree dweller was hauling the grain (peanuts) from? sounds like he borrowed your old chevy truck.
Those kinds of trees will definitely put some miles of experience on you both felling and bucking, hard to predict, like you said, hard cutting, then like butter, repeat!
One rule I live by is never be in a hurry, and always look em over but good, and use your best judgment, and of course never put yourself in danger.
I took a dangerous limb down for a friend last weekend, red oak, solid wood, but 25' up and off a ladder secured to the tree. Cut in with the intent of leaving so much hold wood, but then pinched just enough to hold the bar, it happens to the most experienced at times, she settled and I could not move it fast enough, was best that way anyway, just run with it. Had I flinched or reacted quick, not good. So I took the power head off, had a rope on it prior to, got the bar out next with a little tension, pulled more to see if it was weak enough, it was not, so I put another chain on, went back up, cut just a little more, then got clear of it. I had him pull it down. Went as planned. It would not come down prior and just a little more depth to the cut made the difference. I almost walked away from doing it at all, but found a comfortable spot, a tree to lean back on, no harness or lanyard and should have in case I needed to bail off the ladder and swing around to the adjacent tree. I took photos and a short video of him pulling it, was 8" and 50' long, he just wanted more sun in there.
Week before, had 2 easy trees to fell for another friend, some shyster quoted his parents $1k to do it, outrageous. Spruce tree had died, suspected rot in it, but for some reason I did not trust plunging in with the bar to see if there was rot, using a yellow stihl bar and RS chain, was used to the green type bar, and slimmer nose, will take a little practice is all. Start the face cut and pinch, was well rotted inside LOL. Not much, so I got it out and just did the back cut, it was a leaner anyway, and it then fell easily.
Next one is at the other friends place with the limb I cut. A large red oak, rotted at the base, $1250 for an experienced climber to do that one, a side job, that or boom lift and crane, if were me. I'm going to watch how he does it, he's insured and there is no way I'd go near it climbing, best money spent is on experienced hands for sure It will be interesting to see how he does it, power lines, road, all the usual risks LOL !!
I just hope to get some more of that oak, help with clean up or bucking, got one trailer load of red oak which for me is highly sought after, we have oak trees here, but many are young, I want them to grow and be left alone. I do get some at times, but most I've been able to get is off site. My friend asked me if that was enough pay, I said absolutely, was just under 1/2 cord, and those I burn late at night to carry over, so it does last me awhile, just when its needed the most as I've got about a face cord of it left in the shed, seasoned for years, that tree was live cut in '09! I do use it sparingly of course.
