tree question

[TroyH]

I'm going to post this both here and in pow wow.
I have a friend that lets me cut osage on his property.  We went one day after work and cut down a large tree, but it hung up and couldn't get it to fall.  We were expecting some storms, so we decided to let the wind bring it down, which it did.  We waited until until we had overlapping days off (shift work) to go try to retrieve it, but by then, the field that we have to cross to get to it had been planted leaving no way in except by boat.  It is back in a bottom land area that is difficult to get to much of the time.  Now it looks as if we can't get to the tree until after harvest in the fall.  My question is, since the tree isn't cut up and hopefully most not in contact with the ground, will it be ok after having to wait probably 6 months?  The straight portion where I can get staves out of is at least 5 feet up the trunk where it was cut off.  I hate to lose a good osage tree.  What do you think?  Will is still be good?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Oh yeah, it will lay there for years and still be good unless the worms eat it. That would be the only worry when the bark is left on after the tree has been felled, the bug lays it's eggs in the bark then when they hatch they start to eat their way into the wood. I think it should be ok though. As far as the wood starting to rot or go bad on it's own that won't happen for years. It won't dry much on the inside in that length of time. Only way it will dry good is if it's split.

I found a log that I forgot about that was cut in August of 2010 and brought it home about a month ago and split it, it was still green on the inside. I've cut the ends off of logs that had been on the ground for 3-4 months and sap came out. Hedge is some tough stuff, that's why it makes great fence posts cause it will take 100 years for it to rot.

[Magnum in Ms]

You could split it into staves and get it out with the boat. Thats the only way I can handle it , split it as I cut it .

[okie64]

I've left osage layin on the ground for 2 years before I went back to get it. Like Semo said it wont rot but the bugs will probably bore through the sapwood and maybe a couple heartwood rings. Should be fine though, especially if its not even on the ground.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I normally bust the bigger logs in half or quarters so I can hoss em up onto the trailer. The 8-10" diameter logs I just stand em on end and flip them up onto the trailer. I've still got a huge monster osage log about 20+ inches across the stump that I couldn't split and it's still laying out there. Someday when I get burst of energy I'm gonna go back and tackle that monster.

[Eric Krewson]

I would split it on the spot and haul out the staves. On bigger trunks I make the first split with my chainsaw. I may loose a little wood at the saw cut but 5 minutes with a chain saw beats an hour or more of pounding wedges anytime, at least for this 60+ year old guy.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

You got that right Eric! I'm not even 50 yet and it hurts me just as bad. I've done the same thing with the chainsaw and at the time I was wrestling with this big osage log my chainsaw shot craps on me. I've since fixed my saw, but haven't been back down there to retreive the monster log. I just hope the river didn't wash it away, but doubtful cause it's so heavy.

[J.F. Miller]

I also would be inclined to go after it immediately, reducing it to whatever extent is necessary to be able to move it to a safe place out of the weather and away from bugs. there are lots of opinions on how to handle osage, but I'm a very firm believer in going from live tree to a pile of bow blanks as quickly as I can move my draw knife. I never leave cut osage laying around with the bark on it for more than a few days. once you have staves reduced to blanks, they can sit around in that state indefinately, and you are in control of the drying process, which is fundamentally important to getting the most out osage staves, imo.

[frank bullitt]

Troy, I live just south of ya, in Covington. I would leave it until a better time!

I also, have found wood that was cut years before, no harm. Some of my best pieces have been "weathered".

Besides, the river is up, skeeters are bad, and it's getting hot!