Had a huge oak limb hung up in a crotch, rope wasn't cutting it

Last Tuesday in Springfield, I had a big dead limb from a white oak stuck about 30 feet up, just wedged in a fork. My usual pull line wasn't getting it to budge at all. I ended up using my pole saw to hook the limb and give it a sharp twist instead of just pulling, and it popped right free. Anyone else have a good trick for freeing hung-up wood without climbing?

3 comments

3 Comments

felixm2922d ago

Honestly, sometimes you just need to change the direction of force. A straight pull tightens the wedge. I keep a throw line with a small weight bag in my truck for this. You can toss it over a higher branch, hook the stuck piece, and pull from a different angle, almost straight up. That vertical lift can break the bind when horizontal pulling just makes it worse. Saved me from having to climb more than once.

seanc7322d ago

That trick with the throw line is a total lifesaver, lol.

karenbailey22d ago

Man, I have to disagree on the throw line trick. In my experience, getting a vertical pull is a huge pain and you rarely get a clean lift. For a limb really jammed in a crotch, I go for shock. I'll take a big maul and whack the trunk right below the stuck piece, hard. The vibration travels up and can knock it loose. If that fails, I've had luck with a long, sturdy pole and just ramming the end into the limb a few times. A sudden jolt works way better than a steady pull for me.