# Burl Harvest Questions



## rocky1 (Apr 4, 2017)

Got a few questions for those in the know. Have a what appears to be a sizeable burl, on a tree that's been dead for some time, and wondering if it's worth the effort to beg permission to harvest it, dig it up, clean it up, figure out how to saw it up, fill the hole up, etc. etc.

Tree has been dead long enough the bark is starting to peel off of it, not in a rotten fashion, but rather in large solid slabs. And, it appears there may be some rotting at the base although this may well be just a critter hole under the trunk, which raises questions as to the possibility there could be a skunk den thereunder. Is this burl game kind of a crap shoot? Am I subject to go to all this trouble and find the whole thing is rotten after going to all the trouble?

However... if it has started rotting, then we raise potential for spalting, in which case it may well be worth my time.

Species in question is Pecan, and this tree would likely exceed 36" at chest height. So you can only imagine the diameter of this burl. I'm guessing 25 feet ish to top of what's left. Out on an old farm, nothing close except a fence that one of the limbs has already fallen over and torn down.

How deeply do pecan trees typically root under burls?

Reactions: Like 1


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## vegas urban lumber (Apr 4, 2017)

pecan is great looking wood but fairly unstable in the straight grain. it might look similar to hickory burl, which would make it worth every bit of the effort. you'd probably stabilize small parts of it so rot might equal nice spalt. if i was there i'd have a shovel and saw in hand.


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## Mike1950 (Apr 4, 2017)

spalted straight grain pecan is nice- cut it down and see how rotten top is. dig the whole thing out by hand?? Yikes Not my idea of a good use of time. dig around the edges and cut some of the burl off is doable. I would try that first to see if it was worthwhile.


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 4, 2017)

I'm thinking you need a friend with a back hoe.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## rocky1 (Apr 4, 2017)

I'm thinking I got a skid steer and stump bucket, dig around it cable off to nearby tree apply pressure with very large come along. And, try to roll it out of the hole gently. 

If the critter underneath has dug around a bit there may be a good bit of dirt removed underneath.

Edit to fix - Damn cell phone posts anyhow!! Looked like T-Clem wrote that!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## DKMD (Apr 4, 2017)

I'd be tempted to take a chainsaw and cut a big wedge out of that to see if it's solid... I'd do that before investing too much time and effort. I don't recall seeing much pecan burl, but it wouldn't take long to find out if it's worth chasing.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## rocky1 (Apr 4, 2017)

That I've seen pictures of is awesome, and spalted on top of it, it could be very interesting. The pieces I can reach behind the bark seem quite solid, but I have no clue what the heart of it may look like. Likewise there is a limb, about a foot in diameter laying behind the tree to the left side in the picture, and that is quite solid. Unfortunately it doesn't exhibit any signs of spalting, but that doesn't mean the trunk itself may not. 

What truly sucks at this point is, the folks that own the property were at the local country store at lunch today, and they were supposed to stop by the shop after lunch, and apparently spaced it out.


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## JR Parks (Apr 8, 2017)

Rocky,
I agree with Doc, I would test some before you invested a lot of work. The sap in a dead pecan can go bad pretty quick here- but that is where the splalting occurs so definitely worth chasing a bit. Spalted pecan stabilizes very well in my experience. jim

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Nature Man (Apr 9, 2017)

Seems like lot of potential in that tree. Please keep us in the loop on what you finally decide to do. Chuck


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## barry richardson (Apr 9, 2017)




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## C.L. Boyett (Apr 23, 2017)

I like to leave the tree on it so when I dig it out you have the weight of the tree to help get it out. Much easier but I have access to a backhoe. To bad I'm not close I'd dig it out, load n haul it and mill it for part of it. It's very easy to end up with several hundred bucks invested real quick.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Apr 23, 2017)

Yeah leaving the weight of the tree to help roll it out of the ground is definitely on the agenda, just seems so much easier. Soil here is pretty sandy on top. And, if I dig around it and break what lateral roots are remaining, and give it a good shove with the skid steer, I think it's decomposed enough that it'll go over pretty easy.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Graybeard (Apr 26, 2017)

I had a big walnut stump that I planned on chipping out but when I had a fellow here doing some clearing he asked if I wanted the stump out. Darned if he didn't dig it out with the back hoe on his tractor. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. Obviously he's done this a time or two. Only trouble is I had him put it in a ditch out of the way, now every time I drive by I look at that big old root wad with lust in my heart.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Sincere 1


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