Stan Disbrow wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 5:25 pm
Hi,
Oh, man! We all hated to hear that.....
Stay Strong, my friend. Take time in the woods. Not working, just In There. That'll help. Always does for me.
Stan
I am still working. Once a logger, always a logger the mantra goes. Sadly I got hurt pretty bad again the other day while out logging. I bring this latest injury up because it is a situation that occurs all the time while logging, and the remedy is easy, but I have never had this result before.
Anyway I was picking up my "hardwood tops" which are the top parts of the logs after logging out the Hardwood Logs earlier in the week. I had all 7 tops on behind me and was negotiating a pretty steep turn and the longest log wedged BEHIND a live tree on the frontish end, and in FRONT of a live tree on the very end of the log. Since this was a full cord of wood tree length, the skidder was having trouble forcing the twitch to make the turn, and that tree way in back was preventing it. We are talking front end off the ground, winch chattering, wheels spinning struggle here, and we all know that leads to cable breakage on a skidder.
Only 3 feet of the log was jammed and kept from making the turn by this live tree, so the obvious way to fix the situation it to cut the log just in front of the live tree. Yeah you lose a few feet of log, but really what is a few pounds not going to the paper mill?
So I keep carefully cutting the front of the log so the tremendous pressure is eased off. I keep doing this and the log bows a bit, Figuring I am good to go, I take my saw and cut the back part so the end will be cut off and the log will swing around...away from me. I no more than touch the saw to the wood and the tree explodes in half, the main part of the log swings around away from me like it should and like the rocket I knew it would, but the last few feet of the log ricochets off the standing live tree too, and takes me out at the shins. I flip into the air and land flat out on the ground on my stomach. It happened so fast and so hard that it knocks the wind out of me, not to mention making me feel like my left leg is broken. I can't get up for the longest time, the pain and shock hitting me, and here are my options I am thinking: a skidder with a full twitch on and 1/2 mile crawl out of the woods...with a broken leg. GREAT!
It wasn't though as I found out, just some major cuts from the bark, and a wide black and blue where it took me out across both legs, but man did it hurt. I was really hoping it would rain so I would not have to cut anymore, but the rain held off until noon so I kept cutting wood. I hobbled a bit and took it easy, and did NOT go down into the ravine I have been working, which is a post unto its own; I will save those tops for another day, but man did/does that ever hurt.
So be careful in this situation. It happens a lot while cutting tree length wood.
(PS: I know, if there are no pictures than it never happened, but trust me, you will want to see Katie's legs more than mine, now or before the injury!
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!