I've been on the outside of the Bonfire community for the past 5 years, but have had a lingering curiosity about the increasing height of the stumps at cut. At First Cut in '99, I recall the wedge on a tree being set 12 to 15 inches off the ground; however the past few years of pictures have shown stumps almost 3ft. tall. I have participated in logging operations that sought to level off the stumps at as near to the ground as possible (to harvest as much viable wood as possible) so leaving valuable timber in the ground is strange to me.

I can try to rationalize this practice, but need some help verifying current reasoning. Here's what I have come up with:

1. Safety. Cutting high reduces the incidence of foot injuries from glancing axe swings. It also levels out the wedge for a more "predictable" tree felling.

2. Landowner Request. If the landowner doesn't care how the site looks after cut is complete, safety reigns supreme (#1) and stumps will remain high.

3. Root Ball Removal. High stumps give stump removal equipment more to grab on to, so leaving them makes it easier for the browns/clean-up crew.

4. Fundraising. Money used to be made from firewood harvested from the tops, butts, and stump left-overs after burn.

5. Kickback issues. The higher the wedge, the less the grounded foliage is likely to push the base of the log into the individual killing the tree.

6. Swing efficiency. A low front wedge is tough to keep level and requires more accuracy and control to do correctly.

7. Tradition.

8. Expendable timber. The trees are so tall and Bonfire height is capped, so logs over XX ft. tall aren't needed.

I'm playing Bonfire's Advocate, hoping that a real answer comes forth. I can make a case against all of my stated rationale, but I'd like for someone to come forward with "the" reason.

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I've been out for a few years but from my experience the stumps just got higher due to better trees and laziness (i wish there was a better word...). Normal-sized to tall people don't feel like adjusting their swing to get the wedges lower if the tree is tall enough to not be an issue. For example, a completely straight 50-foot blackjack isn't really worth cutting at 12 inches because you don't have to push for that extra couple of inches. That being said, taller stumps are definitely better for spotting road blocks on the way to the skid. In our crew, cut low if you need the inches, don't if you don't.

The tallest tree we could use in recent years is 35 feet (feel free to destroy me if it's 42, i can't really remember), I forgot to mention that.

[This message has been edited by SoSLutka10 (edited 9/19/2011 12:01a).]

I hadn't even noticed until I looked at the website and compared the 2005 and 2008 pictures.

I'd say it's a combination of #6 and #8.

Numbers 1,4,5,6, and 8. In regards to #2, I believe the next year's leadership usually goes back to the cut site and cuts the stumps down to ground level and removes them. #8 may have had something to do with the higher stump height coming about, but I'd say that 1 and 6, which amount to about the same thing, are the primary reasons that it has remained so high. Most fish have never swung an axe in their lives whenever they first go out; you want them swinging the sharp part of the axe as far away from their body parts as possible.

My stumps were always low cause I have short little hobbit legs.

"Bunter, hit the *****!"

"I CAN'T REACH!!!"

1, 5, 6, and maybe a little bit of 8.

I vaguely remember it was so people wouldnt be tripping on low level stumps and something about the landowner going to use a tractor to pull out stumps could be off though

I would attribute it to safety above all else, though 5,6, and 8 do factor in a bit.

Today's bonfire participants are much less likely to be the farm boys of yesteryear (I'll admit I'm a city boy myself) and therefore much more prone to "scratching their feet with the axe" when golf swinging is involved.

"Besides, what else are you doing at 6 am to not come out to Cut?"

I don't know if its happened on purpose or its just sorta happened... I would always start the wedge as low as I could comfortably and realistically expect my crew to swing on it... if I needed more tree I would lower it... if not I didn't really care

I don't know if it's really mandated... maybe?

my stumps were always about waist high... as my first few swings were level, and back then we had to completely remove the stumps afterward, so leaving the dozer a better bite was a good idea.

in the cut class in '06 we tried to explain the concept of having a wedge with a level table, but I'm sure it didn't sink in too well:

On the front wedge, If you keep your lower swing level to cut a flat and level table, then make your chop swing come in between 35 and 60 degrees, you will have a nice pretty wedge that will sever the fibers of the tree that the ax never reaches.

the back wedge doesn't matter as much as long as you clear the corners... too many kids pound away at the center and wonder why they can't make a timely finish. Cut those corners and when the top of the front wedge meets the table, the momentum of the tree falling puts a tension shock load on the fibers you haven't cut (that loud pop right before the tree leaves its stump. In my opinion an awesome sound)

when you drop that table, it becomes difficult to keep it level, as you can't swing level anymore... when you start angling the table you move the fall path (I've used this trick to avoid fences and tractor paths)... give the wedge an angle and you can get it to take a downward path that twists enough to clear an object you'd like to miss... (or in some cases like a dress pot on the ground, hit)

[This message has been edited by TexasRebel (edited 9/23/2011 1:09a).]

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