8 Tools for Felling Small Trees on Your Property

Managing a small property or hobby farm inevitably means dealing with encroaching brush, storm-damaged timber, and overgrown fence lines. While hiring a professional tree service is always an option, tackling small tree felling yourself saves money and builds valuable homesteading skills. Having the right arsenal of tools transforms a potentially hazardous chore into a safe, efficient, and deeply satisfying weekend project.

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Assessing Tree Size and Safety Before the Cut

Before reaching for any tool, a landowner must accurately evaluate the target tree to determine if it is safe for a DIY approach. For most hobby farmers, a "small tree" is one with a trunk diameter of 12 inches or less at chest height. Trees within this size range are manageable with standard land-clearing tools, but they still carry enough mass to cause serious injury or property damage if handled carelessly.

Look upward first to scan for dead, hanging branches—often called widowmakers—that could shake loose and fall during the cut. Assess the natural lean of the trunk, the weight distribution of the canopy, and the wind direction, as these forces heavily influence where the tree will naturally want to fall. If the tree is near utility lines, buildings, or exhibits signs of internal rot, step back and call a professional arborist instead.

Compact Chainsaw – Stihl MS 170 Wood Boss

A reliable chainsaw is the workhorse of any woodlot, turning what would be hours of exhausting manual labor into minutes of efficient cutting. It is the primary tool used for making the face cut, back cut, and quickly bucking the fallen trunk into manageable firewood lengths. Without a motorized saw, clearing multiple small trees quickly becomes a grueling, multi-day ordeal.

The Stihl MS 170 Wood Boss stands out as the ideal entry-level gas saw for small-property maintenance due to its lightweight design and dependable performance. Equipped with a 30.1cc engine and a 16-inch guide bar, it offers just the right balance of cutting capacity and maneuverability without overwhelming the operator. The anti-vibration system reduces hand fatigue during extended use, making it highly approachable for part-time farmers.

• Engine Displacement: 30.1 cc
• Bar Length: 16 inches
• Weight: 8.6 lbs (powerhead only)
• Fuel Source: 50:1 Gas/Oil Mix

Keep in mind that gas chainsaws require regular maintenance, including mixing fuel correctly, checking chain tension, and keeping the bar oil reservoir filled. This saw is perfect for landowners clearing small woodlots, cutting firewood, or cleaning up storm damage. It is not designed for daily, heavy-duty logging or felling trees larger than its bar length.

Felling Axe – Gransfors Bruks American Axe

Even in the age of power tools, a high-quality felling axe remains indispensable for clearing undergrowth, de-limbing fallen trunks, and driving felling wedges into the back cut. An axe provides a level of control and quiet precision that chainsaws lack, making it ideal for delicate notches in tight spaces. It also serves as a reliable backup when a chainsaw bar gets pinched in a stubborn trunk.

The Gransfors Bruks American Felling Axe is a masterpiece of Swedish craftsmanship, hand-forged to deliver maximum splitting and cutting power with every swing. Featuring a 35-inch curved hickory handle and a 3.3-pound head, its balance is meticulously tuned to reduce user fatigue while maximizing kinetic energy. The razor-sharp edge holds up beautifully against dense American hardwoods like oak and hickory.

• Head Weight: 3.3 lbs
• Handle Length: 35 inches
• Material: Hand-forged Swedish steel, hickory handle
• Best For: Heavy felling, limbing, and driving plastic wedges

This is an heirloom-quality tool that requires respect and regular maintenance, including oiling the handle and honing the edge with a whetstone. It is perfect for the serious hobby farmer who values traditional hand tools and needs a dependable wedge-driver. It is not the right choice for casual users looking for a cheap, low-maintenance tool to throw in the back of a damp utility vehicle.

Heavy Duty Bow Saw – Bahco Ergo 10-30-51

For properties where noise control is important, or when a quick cut is needed without the hassle of starting a gas engine, a heavy-duty bow saw is the perfect manual alternative. It excels at cutting saplings, clearing low-hanging branches, and bucking small logs into stove-sized pieces. Because it is lightweight and quiet, it is a staple tool for early morning chores or working near livestock.

The Bahco Ergo 10-30-51 features a 30-inch high-tension steel frame designed to prevent twisting and binding during deep cuts. Its ergonomic handle protects the operator’s knuckles from scraping against rough bark while providing a secure, comfortable grip. Equipped with a Type 51 peg tooth blade, it cuts through green wood with surprising speed and minimal physical effort.

• Blade Length: 30 inches
• Blade Type: Peg tooth (designed for green wood)
• Frame Material: Lightweight, high-strength steel
• Tension Mechanism: Integrated lever-action tensioner

Users should note that the blade must be kept under high tension to prevent bowing, and the teeth are extremely sharp out of the box. This saw is ideal for budget-conscious landowners who want a reliable, non-motorized option for clearing saplings up to six inches in diameter. It is not suitable for thick trunks where the frame height would restrict the depth of the cut.

Felling Wedges – Oregon 8-Inch Felling Wedge

Felling wedges are simple but critical safety tools that prevent the weight of a leaning tree from pinching your chainsaw bar during the back cut. By driving a wedge into the cut behind the bar, you lift the tree slightly, shifting its center of gravity in the direction of the intended fall. They are cheap lifesavers that keep your expensive saw from getting trapped in a crushing wooden vise.

The Oregon 8-Inch Felling Wedge is constructed from high-impact ABS plastic, meaning it can withstand heavy blows without shattering, even in freezing temperatures. The surface features raised, serrated spikes on one side that grip the wood fibers securely, preventing the wedge from slipping out under pressure. Because it is made of plastic, it will not damage your chainsaw chain if you accidentally make contact with it during the cut.

• Length: 8 inches
• Material: High-impact ABS plastic
• Surface Feature: Single-cone serrated spikes
• Pack Size: Often sold individually or in multi-packs

Always use a wooden mallet or the flat poll of an axe to drive these wedges; never use a steel sledgehammer, which can damage the plastic over time. This tool is an absolute necessity for anyone felling trees with a chainsaw, regardless of experience level. It is not meant for splitting firewood, as its shallow taper is designed specifically for lifting, not splitting.

Felling Lever – Stubai Heavy Duty Felling Lever

When felling small-to-medium trees, they sometimes refuse to fall due to interlocking branches or a slight back-lean. A felling lever acts as a giant crowbar, allowing a single operator to manually tip the tree over its hinge point with minimal effort. It also doubles as a log roller, saving your back when you need to rotate a trunk on the ground for bucking.

The Stubai Heavy Duty Felling Lever is built from high-tensile forged steel and features a robust, non-slip handle designed to withstand intense leverage. It includes an adjustable cant hook, allowing you to easily grip and roll logs up to 12 inches in diameter to keep your chainsaw chain out of the dirt. Its sliding forged ring ensures the hook stays securely attached to the lever body under heavy loads.

• Length: Approximately 31 inches (800mm)
• Material: Forged alloy steel
• Feature: Integrated adjustable cant hook
• Capacity: Best for trees/logs up to 10 inches in diameter

Operators must lift with their legs and keep their backs straight when using this tool to avoid muscle strain. It is a game-changer for solo hobby farmers who frequently deal with hung-up trees or need to roll heavy logs for processing. It is not suitable for large-diameter timber, where the physical forces exceed the strength of a hand-operated lever.

Hand Pruning Saw – Silky Zubat Professional 330

Before making the main felling cuts, you must clear away the escape routes and remove low-hanging branches around the base of the trunk. A hand pruning saw is the perfect tool for this preparatory work, offering unmatched maneuverability in tight spaces where a chainsaw would be dangerous. It allows for clean, flush cuts that prevent snagging your clothing as you move around the tree.

The Silky Zubat Professional 330 is legendary among arborists for its 330mm curved blade and incredibly sharp, impulse-hardened teeth. The pull-stroke cutting action requires far less effort than traditional push saws, gliding through green limbs up to five inches thick like butter. It comes with a durable polypropylene scabbard that mounts to your belt, keeping the saw safely at your side but ready for instant action.

• Blade Length: 13 inches (330 mm)
• Tooth Configuration: 6.5 teeth per 30 mm (large teeth)
• Blade Type: Curved, mono-constructed hard chrome-plated
• Weight: 0.65 lbs (saw only)

Because this saw cuts on the pull stroke, pushing hard during the cut can bend or snap the premium steel blade. It is the ultimate tool for landowners who need to prune orchards, clear trail brush, or prep tree trunks before felling. It is not designed for cutting dry, dead firewood, which can quickly dull the specialized teeth.

Bypass Loppers – Fiskars PowerGear2 Lopper

Clearing the dense brush and saplings around a target tree is essential for establishing a clear work area and a safe escape path. Bypass loppers allow you to snip through woody stems up to two inches thick with a single, quick squeeze. They bridge the gap between a small hand pruner and a hand saw, keeping your hands away from thorns and sharp twigs.

The Fiskars PowerGear2 Lopper utilizes a patented geared mechanism that multiplies your leverage, providing up to three times more cutting power on every cut. The fully hardened, precision-ground steel blade is treated with a low-friction coating to prevent sticky sap from gumming up the action. Its lightweight, structural-foam handles are highly durable while keeping the overall tool weight manageable for overhead work.

• Cutting Capacity: 2 inches
• Length: 32 inches
• Blade Style: Bypass (scissors-like action for clean cuts)
• Mechanism: PowerGear patented gear technology

Keep in mind that bypass loppers are designed for live, green wood; trying to cut dry, hard deadwood can misalign the blades. This tool is perfect for property owners who need to quickly clear brushy undergrowth or prune low limbs before felling. It is not a replacement for a saw when dealing with limbs thicker than two inches.

Hand Winch – Maasdam PowR Pull Come-Along

When a tree has a natural lean that opposes your desired fall direction, manual force alone is not enough to guarantee a safe drop. A hand winch, or come-along, allows you to apply continuous, heavy tension to the trunk from a safe distance, coaxing the tree to fall exactly where you want it. It is also an invaluable tool for dragging heavy logs out of dense brush or freeing a hung-up tree.

The Maasdam PowR Pull Come-Along is a rugged, American-made winch featuring a 1-ton capacity and a high-strength, aircraft-grade cable. Its precision-cast aluminum alloy chassis and steel ratchet wheel provide smooth, reliable operation under immense loads. The safety latch system allows for a controlled, notch-at-a-time letdown, preventing dangerous, sudden releases of tension.

• Pulling Capacity: 1 Ton (2,000 lbs)
• Cable Length: 12 feet
• Cable Material: 3/16-inch aircraft galvanized wire rope
• Frame: High-strength aluminum alloy

Never wrap the steel cable directly around a tree trunk, as this will ruin the bark and kink the cable; always use a heavy-duty polyester tree saver strap. This winch is highly recommended for solo operators who need an extra margin of safety when felling leaning trees near fences or gardens. It is not a high-speed recovery winch and requires patient, manual cranking to operate.

Planning the Direction of Your Tree Fall Safely

Safe tree felling relies entirely on physics and preparation, not luck. The first step is to establish a clear escape path at a 45-degree angle away from the line of the fall on both sides. Never stand directly behind a falling tree, as the trunk can kick backward off the stump with lethal force—a phenomenon known as barber-chairing.

The directional fall is controlled by cutting a precise notch on the side of the tree facing the landing zone. This notch should penetrate about one-third of the trunk’s diameter, consisting of a flat bottom cut and an angled top cut that meet in a clean line. The final back cut is made from the opposite side, slightly higher than the notch floor, leaving a strip of uncut wood—the hinge—to guide the tree safely to the ground.

Processing Branches and Trunk After Felling

Once the tree is safely on the ground, the process of limbing and bucking begins. Start by removing the branches from the top side of the trunk first, working from the base of the tree toward the crown. Always stand on the uphill side of the log to protect yourself in case the trunk rolls unexpectedly once the supporting limbs are cut away.

When bucking the main trunk into firewood lengths, watch for tension in the wood to prevent your chainsaw bar from getting pinched. If the log is supported on both ends, make a shallow cut on the top (compression side) first, then finish the cut from the bottom (tension side). Sort the processed material immediately: thick trunk sections for firewood, medium branches for wood chipping, and small twigs for wildlife brush piles.

Essential Safety Gear for Every Felling Project

No matter how small the tree, operating chainsaws and handling heavy timber carries inherent risks that demand proper personal protective equipment (PPE). A pair of chainsaw chaps made of cut-retardant fibers is non-negotiable; they are designed to instantly clog and stop a spinning chain before it touches your leg. Your safety gear should be put on before any tool is started and worn until the job is completely finished.

A proper logger’s helmet system is equally crucial, combining a hard hat, integrated hearing protection, and a steel mesh face shield. The face shield keeps flying wood chips out of your eyes, while the ear muffs protect your hearing from the high-decibel scream of two-stroke engines. Complete your safety kit with heavy leather gloves and steel-toed boots with aggressive tread to prevent slips on loose soil and protect your feet from falling logs.

Felling small trees on your property is a rewarding way to manage your land, clear space, and harvest firewood. By investing in quality tools and following smart safety protocols, you can confidently handle these projects yourself. Take your time, plan every cut, and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done.