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Thread: Heads Up, Widow Makers

  1. #1
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Default Heads Up, Widow Makers

    I was out for a walk a while ago and watched one of the neighbors nearly get killed.

    We have a steady 25mph wind with gusts up to 40mph going right now. The neighbor was riding her lawn tractor doing the regular three times a week mowing thing the anal retentive seem to enjoy.

    Anyhoo, as she whipped the zero turn radius mower around a big maple tree the Lords of the Earth decided to get even with her and dropped a big, and I mean BIG branch out of the tree.

    Now I am sure both Zeus and Thor were sitting on a cloud somewhere and Thor looked as Zeus and uttered those famous words: "Missed that SOB"

    The relevance of this post is that I was contemplating a brief walk in the woods with shotgun over the shoulder, in true Elmer Fudd fashion, and changed my mind instantly on seeing this drama unfold.

    I am not completely sure Thor is not Pi$$ed off at me too!

    This time of the year keep your eyes open for the "widow makers".
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?


  2. #2
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Default

    Oh good tip. We normally don't have any wind except a few little breezes in the spring time. The problem with that is that when we do have wind, it plays catch up with the limbs that have been just hanging out waiting to fall and power is normally knocked out.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Solar Geek's Avatar
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    Kyrat, you are "dead on". We have had so many days of sustained winds over 20 mph with almost constant gusts to 35+ mph that we have not been too near the woods on our property either. And altho my DH tells me I am imagining things, I could swear we have many new large branches down.


    Everyone please pay attention to the trees. He is right. (Perhaps the Ents are on the move)
    But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

  4. #4
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    After a short turkey hunt this morning till the sun came up......wind seems to start when the sun come out....the dead elm started dropping limbs....not many left....but enough to drive us off the side of the ridge.

    Maybe tomorrow we will try it again.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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  5. #5
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Widow makers are deadly when it comes to tree falling too.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  6. #6
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Hard hats are recommended....may help some.
    I wear one, steel toe boots...and the chaps.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
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  7. #7
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Hard hats help some but didn't help my friend.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  8. #8
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Widow makers are always a concern when camping in wooded areas.
    Hard hats.....Sorry to hear about your friend,.....but they have helped me in the past.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  9. #9
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    I'm always on the lookout for a widow maker. My buddy got hit with a big widow maker years ago. Too big for a hard hat in that case. He was cutting a big white pine when it happened, he had been a logger all his life. White pines are bad for widow makers.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  10. #10
    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    Glad she was OK.
    And this is the time of the season to be extra attentive.
    Branches damaged during the winter coupled with new growth lead to trees "self pruning".
    Be safe folks!
    When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!

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