How to Identify dead trees/limbs?

[Dante2k]

Hey everyone, I just recently purchased a hammock and have not yet tried camping with it yet, but I am super excited to try it out.

I've watched a lot of youtube videos (thanks shug for your awesome videos!) about hammocking and camping in general and one of the things that often comes up is to not hang your hammock to a dead tree or under a tree with dead limbs. Being new to hammocking, and camping in general, one of the fears I have is getting struck by a falling tree limb. I know dead trees/tree limbs will not have any leaves on them in the spring and summer, but in the fall and winter how do you identify dead trees and dead tree limbs?

Thanks for your help in advance!

[jeff-oh]

Hey everyone, I just recently purchased a hammock and have not yet tried camping with it yet, but I am super excited to try it out.

I've watched a lot of youtube videos (thanks shug for your awesome videos!) about hammocking and camping in general and one of the things that often comes up is to not hang your hammock to a dead tree or under a tree with dead limbs. Being new to hammocking, and camping in general, one of the fears I have is getting struck by a falling tree limb. I know dead trees/tree limbs will not have any leaves on them in the spring and summer, but in the fall and winter how do you identify dead trees and dead tree limbs?

Thanks for your help in advance!

Dental Records???

There are some fairly obvious things to look for. Missing bark. Lack of smaller side branches and twigs. On the trunks look for loose or missing bark and you can usually feel and tell a dead tree is just differen than others. Get out in the field look and start to take notice of your surroundings and you'll quickly get the hang of it. 👌😉

[Dante2k]

Jeff thanks for your help. It never occurred to be that dead branches would have less number of branches attached to it.
I think I would be able to confidently identify a dead tree, it's the living trees that have a few dead branches that I'm most concerned about.

[Rolloff]

You take all the precautions in jeff-oh's post, then hope for the best. Some of the blow downs and deadfalls I've come across in recent years defy a lot of those indicators. Hopefully you won't be hanging from those trees in the storms that knocked them down. I doubt a hammock hanging from them would have made much difference in any case.
Each year you read of someone in a hammock with a tree on them. Each year trees fall on unlucky folks in tents too.

No matter where, how, or in what, you are camping, scout the area and find the most protected or least threatened area nearby that you can bail to, should the weather change and things start to come crashing down around you. You may end up cold, soaked, and wind beaten but you'll stand a much better chance of not getting crushed.

[Carver]

This may help to show some of the danger signs.

[Phantom Grappler]

Many experienced hammock campers hang from smallest diameter and height trees, that are strong enough to be safe. Less chance of dead and rotting limbs on young trees. And if a limb does fall, since it’s from a smaller tree, that limb might be smaller too.
Both trees should be same diameter as your thigh at strap height. I usually place my thumbs barely touching each other on front of tree and try to reach all way around tree. If my fingers touch each other in back of tree—I choose other trees.

Look up before hanging for dead limbs overhead.
Still there are no guarantees.

[ylnfrt]

When your looking up check for any signs of mistletoe - a bushy looking waxy leafy fungus that grows on dead/ dying hardwood. We have a lot of it in the area right now. Some of these trees are 4'+ in diameter and 60'+ high- no telling which way they will fall. Also look around for already fallen branchs in the site area- branchs don't fall from live trees.

[SilvrSurfr]

I like oak and pine trees. If they have a problem, it's usually pretty obvious. However, there are some trees I don't trust at all, because they can rot from the inside and you have no clue they're on their last legs. I avoid pecan trees especially - I've just seen too many failures. And birch trees? I'm not going near a birch tree.

[Bobonli]

....also look around, not just upward. If you're walking through an area where there are lots of limbs already on the ground, it's usually a clue.

Inspecting the trees is another reason to locate your hanging spot before it gets dark.

[Shug]

I'll add this video. Carver's video is very good info as well.
Trust your gut.
Shug