a warning about widow makers

[Dave ward]

Hi all happy new year! Heres my lastest video, just wanted to touch on a subject that isnt really spoke to much about but is really important to us bushcraft/survival practitioners(wow thats a BIG word for me!) Hope you enjoy and I have some other new vids on my channel also Iin the pipeline.

[Dave ward]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC5XxcKNASg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[alvino78]

T^

[happybonzo]

Good advice - many thanks

[Dave ward]

Thanks guys, I know most of us do check but its so easy to just get your basha or hammock set up quick as you can so you can have a brew but its worth those extra 5 secound to check :)

[Stevie B]

Good shout Dave, thanks for posting

[JonnyP]

Good call chap :0)

[rosseveritt]

Thx for sharing that. T^ :)

[Paul De Fitter]

Good call.
I was in a Pine forest one time & as I was setting up I thought I'd check the tree I was planning to tie to.
I gave it a good shake & it snapped like a carrot in 3 places, it crashed down where I WAS standing, I was 20 yards away by the time it hit the ground, I was surprised how fast I can move when I have to.:rolleyes:

Pine is a royal pain in the butt; I try to avoid Pine woods if I can.

[jus_young]

Had the same on a job I did recently. Looked like a few beech tress were taken down in the wind but noticed a section of one of the trees, about 20 ft long, resting across the branches of two other trees right above where I needed to work. Was a little unnerving to say the least!

[TarHeelBrit]

I live in an apartment in a HEAVILY wooded area. About 6 weeks ago a wind storm came through and broke a large (6" - 8" diameter branch) from the top of a Maple tree and it fell into the other branches but has worked it way out and is now balanced precariously on the end of two live branches. Trouble is it's in an area where people walk as a short cut.

I've warned the managers about it but they don't think it's a big deal, just another branch. Yeah a branch that I call a "widow maker" but on one else sees the threat. Now I always look up when I go into the woods

[OakAshandThorn]

People don't think about until it happens, unfortunately. About a decade ago I attended a military concert at some high school's sports field, and there was a large Sugar Maple which had a sizable dead branch about 12m up, under which some thoughtless attendees sat down, seemingly oblivious to the precarious position they were in. Well, about 15 minutes into the concert, we all heard a loud "snap", and the branch fell almost on three persons, who just managed to get out of the way upon hearing the crack and looking up. No one was hurt, but the whole ordeal could've been avoided if they simply looked up BEFORE the branch came down, and moved to a safer location.
*sigh* Some people don't learn until it's too late...