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Unpopular opinion: I think a clean drop zone is more important than a perfect notch

Had a big maple in a tight Seattle backyard, and my ground guy was a step out of position when the top came down. We had a quick chat about priorities right then, and I'm still not sure if I was right. What's your non-negotiable safety rule?
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gracej99
gracej9925d agoProlific Poster
Man, I used to be so focused on that perfect hinge. Watched a big limb kick back once because the drop zone was cluttered, and that was it for me. Now I clear everything twice, even if my notch looks a little rough. A clean landing area is just non-negotiable.
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blair_torres70
Yeah @gracej99, how wide do you clear it? I mean, I've seen stuff bounce or roll way further than you'd guess. I'll pull all the small stuff back at least a full tree length, maybe more if the ground is sloped. It just takes one rock hidden under leaves to ruin your whole day.
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the_riley
the_riley25d ago
Guess you learned the hard way, huh?
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