Several years ago I had taken my nephew out to the National "wilderness" area in my state. He was really excited to go on his first real trip, and was doing everything I asked to make sure we found a great spot. He ran ahead and was really excited that, on his own, he had found the "perfect" camp site. He had paced off the distance from water both for drinking and to make sure our hygiene/latrine didn't contaminate anything, had figured for rain run off & flash floods, fire hazards, the whole nine, so he was really upset when I didn't agree with his choice. He was about 3 seconds away from blowing a fuse when I tossed a fist sized rock into the trees right above where he wanted to set the tent. The sound he made when the dirt splattered his pack 30 feet from the impact of the huge branch that had fallen, is one I still try to imitate to this day. Bushcraft is a lot of fun but not paying attention can cost you.
I was almost killed by a widow maker. I was out fiddlehead picking. I had finished and was walking out down a path (trees on one side, a field on the other side) with 2 small buckets in my hands. There was only a very slight breeze that day. Not windy at all. A beautiful day. Anyway, while walking down the path I hear a very loud crack. For some reason I instantly looked straight up and just saw a blur above me. I managed to take one step backwards, and as I did this my hands went straight out in front of me and a tree trunk, about the size of your upper leg, came crashing down grazing my fingers and knocking the buckets out of my hands. If I wouldn't have moved it would have hit me right on the head. I was also lucky there was no branches on it. After staring at the tree trunk in shock, I then had to go and pick up all the fiddleheads that were scattered everywhere. Needless to say, I keep a very sharp eye out now for widow makers.
Gamerman Zeake no his brain saved him that day. Why do you people have to bring god into everything. Or better yet why not talk about all the kids god gave cancer to today ? Nuts.
@@TS-xj5mt Hell is a terrible end to which all will meet, without the Lord Jesus. I'd strongly recommend you repent! John 3:16-21 Authorized! However, for your information, thou fool. Cancer is a consequence of terrible lifestyle all throughout this world. Horrible eating habits during pregnancy can cause such, and so can it after child birth. Negligence and poor parenting can also help in that cause... and then there's just the folks out there who get cancer because their own body is in a state of malfunction through the cell duplication process, as bad cells in the mix cause tumors and cancer. I brought God into the situation because He's here helping us day by day. Your (or anyone else's) belief or disbelief in Him, does not change His Holy Word. Romans 3 can help you there. Good day and get lost.
@@gamermanzeake brainwashed wacko....you will eventually get prostate cancer....if u live long enough. Oh my I just saw a chariot in the sky...remember faith my boy FAITH! if you have faith u can believe anything. Darn, now my toe hurts , please pray for my toe. It's your mission to save souls and toes. Maybe I should mention ...
Happened to a friend of mine near Yosemite. The force of the impact broke his hip. He had to be carried out. All that movement the whole way out was extremely painful. Yes, widowmakers are real.
You offer a very important message here. Sometimes we get so excited in finding an ideal camping site that we forget to take note of the fallen branches and limbs or look up and read the canopy overhead. Since I frequently end up camping during thunderstorms, this assessment is critical. Last summer I ignored my own advice once and set up camp on this gorgeous river in Northern Michigan only to see afterwards that a large pine tree had cracked in two about eight feet up and was leaning on two other trees for support. I moved, and now take the time to look first before setting up camp. This could be life saving advice, thanks!
My grandfather has been a longer once upon a time and spends much of his time in the woods still and he always has crazy stories about widow makers. You did a great job explaining them and giving some examples and tips. 👍🏻
Here in Australia we have predominately hardwood trees. Many of these, especially gum trees, can look perfectly alive, healthy and solid but on a hot day, even without wind, can simply drop a limb. It is thought that the sap expands in the heat and "blows" the limb off just as an explosive would. The type of tree can be just as important as the condition of the tree.
And you don't even have to be in the woods to worry about widow makers! I remember one Boy Scout jamboree, we had several troops camping on wide open ground, but there were a few lone trees in the area, and when we had a flash flood and thunderstorm in the middle of the night, one of those big old trees came crashing down, and nearly crushed some campers to death. They were very lucky to survive.
Once while squirrel hunting I was nearly killed by a widowmaker. The weather was calm, no wind, no reason but gravity for the tree to fall. It was about 3 feet in diameter at the base that broke off. I was watching a squirrel and moved from my position to get a shot, probably not more than 100 feet from where I was sitting when crash behind me. The tree for some unknown reason fell and landed right where I was sitting. It was a real wake-up call. I'm now extremely aware of any dead trees in my area and they can fall at any time.
Thanks, Dan. Though I’ve been wandering and pondering woods for 80 years now, I enjoy learning from you. You’re very knowledgeable, a good instructor, and (as Mason Williams would say) “an all time good guy”.
Good luck finding a spot like that here in the cascades. Nothing but trees everywhere. I wear a hard hat during day, but for camping we've learned what to watch for.
When I was in Cubs as a kid, we were expected to make sure all the small "trees" around our camp area were actually trees, and not Dan's Torpedo Stick (great name, by the way!). To make the point of how much force those came down with, the pack leader would make a mark on the stick at ground level, then make each of us try and stab it in that deep again in one shot. Of course, none of us came even close to getting it in at the same depth. It certainly made the point though. Oh...sorry...no pun intended there.
Solid info. Every year there's probably a death or 3 (at once) in Australia from this. Especially because in the heat people like to camp under big leafy eucalypts, but many of the eucalypts are literally designed to shed healthy live branches with no warning. I think due to water preservation and if the wind threatens the whole tree. I'm not sure what eucalypts are invading California but that might be worth remembering.
ismailperth: I was looking back over Dan's old shows and saw ur comment about eucalyptus in California, according to Google there are over 250 species of the tree here! I also saw there was not much mention of pine cones and that they fall from great heights here our pines are some of the largest in the world. As they fall the cones bounce to the outer limits of the branches and in falling go silent Some of the cones here weigh in at over15 to 20 lbs. man they'll leave a huge mark and broken bones neck bones to be sure!
@@Radnar1fastrabbit yeah those eucalypts in California are terrifying. They literally create a landscape that thrives on fire and kills off all the other species. Managed correctly they were a wonderful renewable firewood resource a hundred years ago, which is also why there's a lot in Algeria planted outside towns a hundred years ago (my wife is from Algeria and I thought I was tripping when I saw "back home" trees - even the locals forgot the history). Anyways, eucalypts are a fact of the landscape around a lot of the world now.
Always do a 360 which means look around 360 degrees. Please look around your surroundings and pay attention to detail. Water ways, tree's, hives, and possibly things that's can hurt you
I've known 3 people who've been hit by falling limbs. All 3 suffered brain damage, one died. Here in North Alabama, water oaks are the worst. Good video, thanks.
Hello my Outdoors friend, thank you for sharing this vital information. This was truly an eye opener. We certainly need to be vigilant when in the Outdoors. All the best to you. Stay healthy out there. 🤗
Called widowmakers for a reason. Spent all my free time in the wilderness. Lived in California, Idaho, Montana, moved to Arizona. I have had 3 experiences with falling trees in apache sitgraves forest. Scares the sh*t right out of you! I stick to the open areas in apache sitgraves forest. Great video..
Several years ago a woman was killed by one the fell over the road. She was a passenger in a car going around 45 - 50 mph, the limb went through her wind shield then through her chest and into the seat behind her. I was one of the first responders on scene. They are no joke.
Thanks for posting this video Dan! Learning alot from you ! People instinctually don't look up . I used to work in a high place and I used to see people do all kinds of things thinking no one could see them . Anyways more tools for the toolbox !!take care and stay safe my friend !!
One of the instructors that trains on the chain saw portion for the Combat Engineer Instruction Course at Lejeune was killed by a tree back in '05. I dunno exactly how it happened but it was a few months after my graduation there
In Idaho and much of Inter mountain West we've had injuries and deaths from Ponderous pine branches. These branches can get many times bigger diameter than the ones Dan use for illustration. Old timers and my Scout master (very experienced woodsman) cautioned against camping in a grove of Ponerosa. The branches can come down with little to no wind.
You should write a book. You have the best tips and information out there. I wish I had written notes while watching all your videos. Guess I have to watch them all again 😎
Hey i just found out he did write a book - it is a bushcrafting for kids book, but he says it has knowledge for adults to glean from, too. Just in case you're interested!
Up here in PA, lots of widowmakers, that last storm downed tons of branches. I had a few braches spear into the soft ground. At my camp, i try to trim braches, and manicure as much as I can. But always with the head on a swivel.
After Hurricane Michael wrecked all my camps, I built a tarp and para-cord shelter on my cousin's land. Her trees were younger, so more of them were standing. I made my camp in blowdowns, but tied off to two semi upright trees. In about 3 months, two good looking trees broke and fell on the shelter. I gave up and built back close to one of my old camps.
Timely as always. I recently camped at a site and didn’t think to look up for branches. All the trees looked solid. But the next day when I looked up, there were some serious head clunkers. I would have been toast. Good tip. Thanks.
many years ago while at a campground in california . my cousin and i were setting up a campsite and the campsite next to us was occupied by a group of girl scouts . the girls were laughing and making loads of noise and having a great time. but the tree squirrels high up in the trees didnt like the motions going on down below and you could hear them churping in agitation over the girls below. a few moments went by and then a pine cone fell near their site. it scared the girls at first then they went back to having fun and making noise. the squirrels only became more agitated and soon afterwards we notice a squirrel chewing at a pinecone then from somewhere higher up in the trees another cone fell straight down onto one of the girls tents crushing it . these pinecones are about the size of volleyballs. my cousin went over to the scout leader and pointed out what was happening because they seemed to just think it was random cones falling. as soon as the girls got quiet so did the squirrels and no more cones fell the rest of the weekend. when i taught my oldest son about being in the woods i always taught him to stop and listen to the sounds around you it can tell you a lot about whats happening in the woods.
Had the top of a medium sized rotted tree break off and fall 15 yards up the trail into the weeds this past weekend. Closest I've ever been. Recent rain increases the odds and dangers. Eyes up even when your hiking.
Hey Mr. Dan another great video , this is what I loved about being in the boy scouts . We learned about these types of things that could kill or injure you in the woods . And your vids are great teaching aids to help everyone learn these same things .
Awesome video. Thank you for the info. I spend a lot of time out in the woods And there’s a lot of things as a survivor I have to be on the look out for. Love your channel ! ❤️
My wife and I were hiking on a moderately windy day. A 16” tree that was 40-50 feet off the trail came down with almost no sound hitting the two of us (missing the dog) and knocking us down surrounded by all kinds is sharp, broken branches (like a knife throwing act). Luckily most of what we got hit with was the crown so just had the wind knocked out of us and a couple scratches. Always looked for widow makers but this one was so far away it really surprised me.
Thank you for covering this so people get a better idea of what to look out for. These branches can take out even an experienced woodsman like my mother's cousin. He was sleeping in his hammock in south Texas while leading his Boy Scout troop on a camping trip. An unexpected windstorm sprung up in the middle of the night, and, well...widowmaker, indeed. A ridgepole or sturdy rope ridgelines overhead might've been able to deflect it, or absorb enough of the blow to have not made it lethal.
I totally pulled a rookie move and set up camp in the dark in Kananaskis (near Canmore) only to discover a massive dead fall barely propped up by younger trees right over my tent the next morning. Together with the forestry folks we knocked it down (by leaning on it). I've back country camped plenty and always assess the environment before set up. Don't ever assume the parkies are doing their job perfectly. I could have died without a doubt. That tree would have crushed me like a bug. I just thank the tree spirits that didn't happen.
After a bad storm, I once found a spear that was as big around as my arm, over two meters above ground, most of a meter embedded in the ground. Forget camping, I'm not sure my ROOF could stop that.
My friend was shed hunting and came across a doe that appeared to have been sleeping to at least laying down in the woods, and it was speared right through the body , still curled in sleep position. Also another friends travel trailer was parked in his yard during a storm and a branch about 5" in diameter and 12 feet long snapped off and drove right through the trailer roof and through the kitchen table seat into the storage area under the seat. So definitely something to watch out for, good reminder
Great video and great reminders, especially about the smaller branches. The smaller ones may only kill you a little while the big ones kill you a lot. Either way you are still killed!
Up in Vermont, it will be warm (for there!), rain, and the trees will soak up the water, then it will get very cold and the water in the trees expands and 1/3 of the tops snap off with a sound like a rifle shot.
Dan I looked through a lot of your comments noticed that ponderosa Pine Cones were not mentioned as widow makers these are as dangerous as any branch and just as likely to fall. Matter of fact most of the pines in the California mountains have cones large enough to kill or maim a person at anytime just walking in the woods or forest is enough to put a body at risk. 5 W's are cool working as a lumber jack cutting down trees they are worse, hard hat or a pith helmets are the best protection when working the tree's as all wood cutters know. Though a broken neck will still get you dead enough some noise is evident higher in the branches normally. A lot of times when the cones take flight if they are in a tall tree and high in the branches the tend to gravitate to the out side of the branches to free fall silently. There really isn't much warning if you miss the first warning it may be so high atmospheric conditions may mask these sounds so it's all still true if your number is up it's up! Your outta luck at this point. Sorry about your dum luck!
I know a family who lost their little girl riding a tricycle on the sidewalk from a falling branch. When I lived in the tropics falling coconuts were deadly. This is for real.
When you started, I thought of the limbs I find sticking in the ground in my back yard. Just like the ones you showed in the last third of your video. I've often thought... "that's a killer" wrong time or wrong spot in the yard... bad news! Good video. Makes us think!
Good Info .. thanks. My local forest here in Switzerland sometimes drops branches and trees at the mere sniff of a breeze. Fortunately the local Forest Services do try to remove the obvious potential offenders along the walking paths. That said .. any appreciable breeze or oncoming storm is a warning to stay out of the forest. The little Malti-Poo then gets to go on her 'River Route'. Take care ..
My place burned down so i moved to the woods. Natural reaction for me. A "once in a thousand year" flood happened and in the time leading up the rain was going for weeks. I had a tree come down about 20m from me. Pretty scary. Now im actually fairly weary of being in the woods in winds. Friend of mine had his camper crushed a couple years ago too. On the 'not a tree' - that's how many species propagate albeit usually smaller sprouts.
![Lp. Последняя Реальность #107 РОДНОЙ ДОМ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IK3QKzKUlHM/mqdefault.jpg)
Several years ago I had taken my nephew out to the National "wilderness" area in my state. He was really excited to go on his first real trip, and was doing everything I asked to make sure we found a great spot. He ran ahead and was really excited that, on his own, he had found the "perfect" camp site. He had paced off the distance from water both for drinking and to make sure our hygiene/latrine didn't contaminate anything, had figured for rain run off & flash floods, fire hazards, the whole nine, so he was really upset when I didn't agree with his choice. He was about 3 seconds away from blowing a fuse when I tossed a fist sized rock into the trees right above where he wanted to set the tent.
The sound he made when the dirt splattered his pack 30 feet from the impact of the huge branch that had fallen, is one I still try to imitate to this day.
Bushcraft is a lot of fun but not paying attention can cost you.
I was almost killed by a widow maker. I was out fiddlehead picking. I had finished and was walking out down a path (trees on one side, a field on the other side) with 2 small buckets in my hands. There was only a very slight breeze that day. Not windy at all. A beautiful day. Anyway, while walking down the path I hear a very loud crack. For some reason I instantly looked straight up and just saw a blur above me. I managed to take one step backwards, and as I did this my hands went straight out in front of me and a tree trunk, about the size of your upper leg, came crashing down grazing my fingers and knocking the buckets out of my hands. If I wouldn't have moved it would have hit me right on the head. I was also lucky there was no branches on it. After staring at the tree trunk in shock, I then had to go and pick up all the fiddleheads that were scattered everywhere. Needless to say, I keep a very sharp eye out now for widow makers.
God spared you that day! Wow.
Gamerman Zeake no his brain saved him that day. Why do you people have to bring god into everything. Or better yet why not talk about all the kids god gave cancer to today ? Nuts.
@@TS-xj5mt
Hell is a terrible end to which all will meet, without the Lord Jesus. I'd strongly recommend you repent!
John 3:16-21 Authorized!
However, for your information, thou fool. Cancer is a consequence of terrible lifestyle all throughout this world. Horrible eating habits during pregnancy can cause such, and so can it after child birth. Negligence and poor parenting can also help in that cause... and then there's just the folks out there who get cancer because their own body is in a state of malfunction through the cell duplication process, as bad cells in the mix cause tumors and cancer.
I brought God into the situation because He's here helping us day by day. Your (or anyone else's) belief or disbelief in Him, does not change His Holy Word. Romans 3 can help you there.
Good day and get lost.
@@gamermanzeake you are not allowed to smoke any more weed
@@gamermanzeake brainwashed wacko....you will eventually get prostate cancer....if u live long enough. Oh my I just saw a chariot in the sky...remember faith my boy FAITH! if you have faith u can believe anything. Darn, now my toe hurts , please pray for my toe. It's your mission to save souls and toes. Maybe I should mention ...
Happened to a friend of mine near Yosemite. The force of the impact broke his hip. He had to be carried out. All that movement the whole way out was extremely painful. Yes, widowmakers are real.
You offer a very important message here. Sometimes we get so excited in finding an ideal camping site that we forget to take note of the fallen branches and limbs or look up and read the canopy overhead. Since I frequently end up camping during thunderstorms, this assessment is critical. Last summer I ignored my own advice once and set up camp on this gorgeous river in Northern Michigan only to see afterwards that a large pine tree had cracked in two about eight feet up and was leaning on two other trees for support. I moved, and now take the time to look first before setting up camp. This could be life saving advice, thanks!
My grandfather has been a longer once upon a time and spends much of his time in the woods still and he always has crazy stories about widow makers. You did a great job explaining them and giving some examples and tips. 👍🏻
Here in Australia we have predominately hardwood trees. Many of these, especially gum trees, can look perfectly alive, healthy and solid but on a hot day, even without wind, can simply drop a limb. It is thought that the sap expands in the heat and "blows" the limb off just as an explosive would. The type of tree can be just as important as the condition of the tree.
Yeah so many times walking around you see the branches that are freshly down are covered in leaves.. They don't look dead
And you don't even have to be in the woods to worry about widow makers! I remember one Boy Scout jamboree, we had several troops camping on wide open ground, but there were a few lone trees in the area, and when we had a flash flood and thunderstorm in the middle of the night, one of those big old trees came crashing down, and nearly crushed some campers to death. They were very lucky to survive.
Those “torpedo sticks” explain why some trees have the ability to root from broken branches.
Once while squirrel hunting I was nearly killed by a widowmaker. The weather was calm, no wind, no reason but gravity for the tree to fall. It was about 3 feet in diameter at the base that broke off. I was watching a squirrel and moved from my position to get a shot, probably not more than 100 feet from where I was sitting when crash behind me. The tree for some unknown reason fell and landed right where I was sitting. It was a real wake-up call. I'm now extremely aware of any dead trees in my area and they can fall at any time.
Thanks, Dan. Though I’ve been wandering and pondering woods for 80 years now, I enjoy learning from you. You’re very knowledgeable, a good instructor, and (as Mason Williams would say) “an all time good guy”.
My old boy scout chief ever said "never camp under trees, never!"
Well, I follow him and today I'm 47 years old.
We are taught the same in Australia , a lot of types of gum trees we have down here will just drop big branches in summer from heat stress.
Crud...I'm a hammock camper!
= [
You can't always find a clearing to camp in. That's why the 5 W's. Have fun outside and be careful.
Take care everyone.
No way. I’m 35.
Good luck finding a spot like that here in the cascades. Nothing but trees everywhere. I wear a hard hat during day, but for camping we've learned what to watch for.
When I was in Cubs as a kid, we were expected to make sure all the small "trees" around our camp area were actually trees, and not Dan's Torpedo Stick (great name, by the way!). To make the point of how much force those came down with, the pack leader would make a mark on the stick at ground level, then make each of us try and stab it in that deep again in one shot. Of course, none of us came even close to getting it in at the same depth. It certainly made the point though. Oh...sorry...no pun intended there.
I kinda how this guy's production quality went from crazy guy with a phone, to serious survival show in the span of like, a year.
Solid info. Every year there's probably a death or 3 (at once) in Australia from this. Especially because in the heat people like to camp under big leafy eucalypts, but many of the eucalypts are literally designed to shed healthy live branches with no warning. I think due to water preservation and if the wind threatens the whole tree. I'm not sure what eucalypts are invading California but that might be worth remembering.
ismailperth: I was looking back over Dan's old shows and saw ur comment about eucalyptus in California, according to Google there are over 250 species of the tree here! I also saw there was not much mention of pine cones and that they fall from great heights here our pines are some of the largest in the world. As they fall the cones bounce to the outer limits of the branches and in falling go silent Some of the cones here weigh in at over15 to 20 lbs. man they'll leave a huge mark and broken bones neck bones to be sure!
@@Radnar1fastrabbit yeah those eucalypts in California are terrifying. They literally create a landscape that thrives on fire and kills off all the other species. Managed correctly they were a wonderful renewable firewood resource a hundred years ago, which is also why there's a lot in Algeria planted outside towns a hundred years ago (my wife is from Algeria and I thought I was tripping when I saw "back home" trees - even the locals forgot the history). Anyways, eucalypts are a fact of the landscape around a lot of the world now.
Killer trees. Damn never knew the branches could actually peg into one like in the ground.
As always, top notch woodsmanship advice! Thanks.
Always do a 360 which means look around 360 degrees. Please look around your surroundings and pay attention to detail. Water ways, tree's, hives, and possibly things that's can hurt you
Didn't think about hives. Great advise.
I've known 3 people who've been hit by falling limbs. All 3 suffered brain damage, one died. Here in North Alabama, water oaks are the worst.
Good video, thanks.
Hello my Outdoors friend, thank you for sharing this vital information. This was truly an eye opener. We certainly need to be vigilant when in the Outdoors. All the best to you. Stay healthy out there. 🤗
Better be safe than sorry. Thank you! Cheers from 🇨🇦👍
Called widowmakers for a reason. Spent all my free time in the wilderness. Lived in California, Idaho, Montana, moved to Arizona. I have had 3 experiences with falling trees in apache sitgraves forest. Scares the sh*t right out of you! I stick to the open areas in apache sitgraves forest. Great video..
Great advice! With All the dead and dying Ash trees in PA, it's becoming a very serious consideration for sure!
I learned this watching "Lassie" when i was a kid. I guess we need this video since so few watch Lassie nowadays.
Several years ago a woman was killed by one the fell over the road. She was a passenger in a car going around 45 - 50 mph, the limb went through her wind shield then through her chest and into the seat behind her. I was one of the first responders on scene. They are no joke.
Thanks Dan for the look out really appreciated it
This is something that never came in mind so thanks for the info.
I am not the kind of people that go outside often but this is still good to know...
Thanks for posting this video Dan! Learning alot from you ! People instinctually don't look up . I used to work in a high place and I used to see people do all kinds of things thinking no one could see them . Anyways more tools for the toolbox !!take care and stay safe my friend !!
One of the instructors that trains on the chain saw portion for the Combat Engineer Instruction Course at Lejeune was killed by a tree back in '05. I dunno exactly how it happened but it was a few months after my graduation there
Love your content brother!! Keep the good stuff coming!!!
Great and informative video. Will keep my eyes wide open! Thanks.
Every so often a gem shows up.
In Idaho and much of Inter mountain West we've had injuries and deaths from Ponderous pine branches. These branches can get many times bigger diameter than the ones Dan use for illustration. Old timers and my Scout master (very experienced woodsman) cautioned against camping in a grove of Ponerosa. The branches can come down with little to no wind.
Pines are notoriously dangerous for tree climbers too. You could never trust them to hold you weight, and they would crack and break easily.
About to go camping in a week.
Great timing - thanks.
Got some stories, craziest on a calm night!
always look forward to new vids!!
Thank you for this video brother, not enough people have pointed out these dangers. God bless.
You should write a book. You have the best tips and information out there. I wish I had written notes while watching all your videos. Guess I have to watch them all again 😎
Hey i just found out he did write a book - it is a bushcrafting for kids book, but he says it has knowledge for adults to glean from, too. Just in case you're interested!
@@dianedegree3615 Thank you. I will look into it.
Hi from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing your thoughts and adventures
Your videos always have excellent information.
I teach my kids to always look up. Watched a half a tree come down 100 ft in front me while on a hike in NC.
Excellent! Thank you! 🇺🇸
This is a good video man. I’ve watched a ton of your vids without a comment, but this one is worth it.
Thank you for covering it
Up here in PA, lots of widowmakers, that last storm downed tons of branches. I had a few braches spear into the soft ground.
At my camp, i try to trim braches, and manicure as much as I can. But always with the head on a swivel.
Another great video! It’s a great reminder to be aware at all times when you are out enjoying Mother Nature.
After Hurricane Michael wrecked all my camps, I built a tarp and para-cord shelter on my cousin's land. Her trees were younger, so more of them were standing. I made my camp in blowdowns, but tied off to two semi upright trees. In about 3 months, two good looking trees broke and fell on the shelter. I gave up and built back close to one of my old camps.
If you are in coastal Washington state, never camp near a Big Leaf Maple.
Why?Because of tree or leaves?
@@slavensmolcic The trees are huge, yet, they have a root system that only goes down a few feet.
They are notorious for falling in high winds.
Timely as always. I recently camped at a site and didn’t think to look up for branches. All the trees looked solid. But the next day when I looked up, there were some serious head clunkers. I would have been toast. Good tip. Thanks.
Thanks for the heads up, literally!
Love the videos, Dan!!
Thanks Dan!
many years ago while at a campground in california . my cousin and i were setting up a campsite and the campsite next to us was occupied by a group of girl scouts . the girls were laughing and making loads of noise and having a great time. but the tree squirrels high up in the trees didnt like the motions going on down below and you could hear them churping in agitation over the girls below. a few moments went by and then a pine cone fell near their site. it scared the girls at first then they went back to having fun and making noise. the squirrels only became more agitated and soon afterwards we notice a squirrel chewing at a pinecone then from somewhere higher up in the trees another cone fell straight down onto one of the girls tents crushing it . these pinecones are about the size of volleyballs. my cousin went over to the scout leader and pointed out what was happening because they seemed to just think it was random cones falling. as soon as the girls got quiet so did the squirrels and no more cones fell the rest of the weekend. when i taught my oldest son about being in the woods i always taught him to stop and listen to the sounds around you it can tell you a lot about whats happening in the woods.
Great set 👍👍
Had the top of a medium sized rotted tree break off and fall 15 yards up the trail into the weeds this past weekend. Closest I've ever been. Recent rain increases the odds and dangers. Eyes up even when your hiking.
Thank you for the great work Sir
Thank you for the information. Most definitely going to keep this in mind
Hey Mr. Dan another great video , this is what I loved about being in the boy scouts . We learned about these types of things that could kill or injure you in the woods . And your vids are great teaching aids to help everyone learn these same things .
I knew those branches in my backyard were strange. Thanks for confirming my suspicion.
Awesome video. Thank you for the info. I spend a lot of time out in the woods And there’s a lot of things as a survivor I have to be on the look out for. Love your channel ! ❤️
Good one, Dan. In addition to all the people not told this before, we should all be reminded from time to time.
My wife and I were hiking on a moderately windy day. A 16” tree that was 40-50 feet off the trail came down with almost no sound hitting the two of us (missing the dog) and knocking us down surrounded by all kinds is sharp, broken branches (like a knife throwing act). Luckily most of what we got hit with was the crown so just had the wind knocked out of us and a couple scratches. Always looked for widow makers but this one was so far away it really surprised me.
Gr8 content as always...🥰
Excellent points. Thank you👌🏽💚💙
GREAT REMINDERS!!!!
Thank you for covering this so people get a better idea of what to look out for. These branches can take out even an experienced woodsman like my mother's cousin. He was sleeping in his hammock in south Texas while leading his Boy Scout troop on a camping trip. An unexpected windstorm sprung up in the middle of the night, and, well...widowmaker, indeed. A ridgepole or sturdy rope ridgelines overhead might've been able to deflect it, or absorb enough of the blow to have not made it lethal.
Well that's just great. And no warning.
👍👍 Dang!!! Big Ups to you man! Never thought about how falling branches could hit you like a giant lawn dart 😬
I totally pulled a rookie move and set up camp in the dark in Kananaskis (near Canmore) only to discover a massive dead fall barely propped up by younger trees right over my tent the next morning. Together with the forestry folks we knocked it down (by leaning on it). I've back country camped plenty and always assess the environment before set up. Don't ever assume the parkies are doing their job perfectly. I could have died without a doubt. That tree would have crushed me like a bug. I just thank the tree spirits that didn't happen.
Good lesson! I like your show!
Dude, I am a follower and huge fan. I like to think I am a good survivalist but i have learned a lot from you. Thank you.
Thank you for making this
Thanks, love this channel. Similar issue in the tropics, don't have a snooze under a coconut tree...
Black Oak in the West is very brittle in the winter. A little wind or snow can shower limbs. Be safe.
Good advice, thank you!
I should mention that advice about Ponderous Pines was given 55 years ago.
Thank you ! Very informative.
Especially important when hammock camping!!
Much better video!!!
Backed away from the camera makes a huge difference.
After a bad storm, I once found a spear that was as big around as my arm, over two meters above ground, most of a meter embedded in the ground. Forget camping, I'm not sure my ROOF could stop that.
Love to be out in a storm!
Especially when I now myself safe...
It really is invigorating.
Impressive, thanks.
Thank you for the information.
Something to think about. Those torpedoes are really something.
Fantastic camera, very nice! Looks almost hdr good :)
Great advice thanks
Dan comes through again!
My friend was shed hunting and came across a doe that appeared to have been sleeping to at least laying down in the woods, and it was speared right through the body , still curled in sleep position. Also another friends travel trailer was parked in his yard during a storm and a branch about 5" in diameter and 12 feet long snapped off and drove right through the trailer roof and through the kitchen table seat into the storage area under the seat. So definitely something to watch out for, good reminder
"Clunking you in the head would not be a good option" Love the way you phrase things haha
Great video and great reminders, especially about the smaller branches. The smaller ones may only kill you a little while the big ones kill you a lot. Either way you are still killed!
Just saw you on Townsends! Very cool.
Up in Vermont, it will be warm (for there!), rain, and the trees will soak up the water, then it will get very cold and the water in the trees expands and 1/3 of the tops snap off with a sound like a rifle shot.
Dan I looked through a lot of your comments noticed that ponderosa Pine Cones were not mentioned as widow makers these are as dangerous as any branch and just as likely to fall. Matter of fact most of the pines in the California mountains have cones large enough to kill or maim a person at anytime just walking in the woods or forest is enough to put a body at risk. 5 W's are cool working as a lumber jack cutting down trees they are worse, hard hat or a pith helmets are the best protection when working the tree's as all wood cutters know. Though a broken neck will still get you dead enough some noise is evident higher in the branches normally. A lot of times when the cones take flight if they are in a tall tree and high in the branches the tend to gravitate to the out side of the branches to free fall silently. There really isn't much warning if you miss the first warning it may be so high atmospheric conditions may mask these sounds so it's all still true if your number is up it's up! Your outta luck at this point. Sorry about your dum luck!
I know a family who lost their little girl riding a tricycle on the sidewalk from a falling branch. When I lived in the tropics falling coconuts were deadly. This is for real.
When you started, I thought of the limbs I find sticking in the ground in my back yard. Just like the ones you showed in the last third of your video. I've often thought... "that's a killer" wrong time or wrong spot in the yard... bad news! Good video. Makes us think!
Great reminder to always be aware of what's above you
I never even thought about that!
Good Info .. thanks.
My local forest here in Switzerland sometimes drops branches and trees at the mere sniff of a breeze. Fortunately the local Forest Services do try to remove the obvious potential offenders along the walking paths.
That said .. any appreciable breeze or oncoming storm is a warning to stay out of the forest. The little Malti-Poo then gets to go on her 'River Route'.
Take care ..
My place burned down so i moved to the woods. Natural reaction for me.
A "once in a thousand year" flood happened and in the time leading up the rain was going for weeks.
I had a tree come down about 20m from me. Pretty scary. Now im actually fairly weary of being in the woods in winds.
Friend of mine had his camper crushed a couple years ago too.
On the 'not a tree' - that's how many species propagate albeit usually smaller sprouts.
“Dans just pointing sticks out” 😂😂🤣
Love the page. Great content. Originally from Ashland now living near Tremont. Would be awesome to meet up one day do some bushcrafting