Before the chainsaw existed, every tree that came down came down by hand. Men felled timber for a living with nothing but an axe and the technique to use it well. That technique was learned carefully because the consequences of getting it wrong are serious and immediate.
Felling a tree with an axe is not complicated, but it is also not something you improvise. There is a specific process with specific steps in a specific order, and each one exists for a reason. This guide covers that process for small trees, which for the purpose of this article means trees up to roughly 8 to 10 inches in trunk diameter. Larger trees involve greater risk, are harder to control, and are generally better handled with a chainsaw and professional guidance.
If you are a property owner dealing with problem trees, nuisance growth along a fence line, or timber you want to drop for firewood, this is the guide you need.
Know When Not to Do This Yourself
Start here. There are situations where felling a tree with an axe by yourself is appropriate, and situations where it is not.
Do not attempt to fell a tree by hand if the tree is dead, diseased, or hollow. Dead trees behave unpredictably when stressed. The wood can fail in unexpected places and the tree can fall before you intend it to, or in a direction other than the one you planned.
Do not attempt to fell a tree near structures, power lines, fences, or vehicles. A tree is always taller than it looks standing up. It reaches farther when it falls than most people expect. If a tree of the size you are working with could potentially reach anything you care about, the margin for error is not wide enough for hand-felling.
Do not work alone on anything beyond a small sapling. Have a second person on site who can call for help if something goes wrong. That person should stand well back and to the side, not behind the intended fall direction.
If the tree leans significantly in a direction other than where you want it to fall, do not try to fell it against its lean with an axe. The tree will fall where it wants to fall. Plan your notch and your felling cut to work with the natural lean, not against it.
If any of those conditions apply to your situation, call a certified arborist. This is not a disclaimer for liability. It is practical advice from people who have seen hand-felling go wrong.
The Right Axe for the Job
A splitting maul is not a felling axe. A hatchet is not a felling axe. A felling axe has a thin, keen bit designed to cut across wood grain cleanly and efficiently. The thin geometry bites into the wood fibers on each swing and releases cleanly for the next stroke. A thick, wide splitting geometry fights you on felling work.
For a small to medium tree, a 3 to 4-pound head on a handle of 28 to 34 inches is the right range. The head needs to be heavy enough to drive through the wood with authority on each stroke, and the handle needs to be long enough to develop real swing speed and arc.
The axe needs to be sharp. A dull felling axe bounces off wood instead of biting into it. Every swing with a dull axe is wasted energy and compounded fatigue. Sharpen the axe before the job. We covered the full sharpening process in our bastard file guide.
The Council Tool Classic Jersey at 3.5 pounds on a 32-inch curved hickory handle is a proven felling pattern. The Jersey geometry with its wide bit and forged-in bevels bites cleanly across grain and releases well without sticking in the wood. It is made in North Carolina and built for this kind of work.
Step 1: Clear the Area and Plan the Fall
Before you make a single swing, spend time looking at the tree and everything around it.
Determine the natural lean of the tree. Look at where the trunk leans and where the branches are heaviest. A tree with a significant lean or a heavy branch load on one side will fall toward that side regardless of what you do with the axe. Work with it.
Identify the fall direction. Pick the safest available direction, ideally an open area clear of structures, vehicles, and other trees. Avoid falling a tree so it will land across a fence, a ditch, or anything that makes processing it difficult.
Estimate the fall zone. A common method is to hold an axe handle at arm's length, close one eye, and back away from or toward the tree until the top of the handle aligns with the top of the tree and the bottom aligns with the base. Where your feet are standing is roughly where the treetop will land. Mark that zone mentally and make sure it is clear.
Plan your escape route. When a tree starts to go, you move. Your escape route should be at a roughly 45-degree angle to the intended fall direction and away from the stump. Do not retreat directly behind the stump. A falling tree can kick back over the stump as it hits the ground, and that path puts you in the danger zone. Pick two escape routes, one on each side at 45 degrees, before you swing the first stroke.
Clear brush and obstacles from your escape routes so you can move quickly without tripping.
Step 2: The Face Notch
The face notch, also called the felling notch or directional notch, is the cut that controls where the tree falls. It goes on the side of the tree facing the intended fall direction.
The notch is made of two cuts that meet to remove a wedge of wood from the trunk.
The first cut is horizontal, made with the axe swung level. It should enter the trunk at about knee height, no higher than waist height, and penetrate no more than one-third of the trunk diameter. This cut forms the bottom of the notch and determines the direction of fall. The tree will fall perpendicular to this cut, so make sure it is oriented correctly before you commit to it.
The second cut comes from above, at roughly a 45-degree downward angle, aimed to meet the bottom cut at its deepest point. Together the two cuts remove a wedge-shaped piece of wood from the trunk.
Alternate between the two cuts as you work. Make a few horizontal strokes at the bottom, then a few angled strokes from above, progressively deepening both until they meet and the wedge falls free. Keep both cuts as clean and straight as possible. The accuracy of the notch determines how well the tree responds when the felling cut starts to bring it down.
The wood remaining between the base of the notch and the opposite side of the trunk is the hinge. The hinge is what guides the fall. You want it to be consistent in thickness so the tree pivots cleanly rather than twisting as it goes down.
Step 3: The Felling Cut
The felling cut is made on the opposite side of the trunk from the face notch. It is a horizontal cut aimed toward the hinge from the back of the tree.
Position this cut slightly above the level of the bottom cut of your face notch, typically one to two inches higher. The height difference creates the hinge that guides the fall. If the felling cut is at the same height as the notch bottom, the hinge is weakened and the tree may not fall where you intend.
Make the felling cut horizontal and aimed directly at the face notch. Work steadily and watch the tree as you chop. When the felling cut gets close to the hinge, the tree will begin to lean toward the fall direction. Keep the hinge intact. Do not cut through it. The wood of the hinge is what controls the direction of the fall until the tree is on the ground.
When the tree begins to move, stop swinging. Step back and take your escape route immediately. Do not wait to see where the tree is going. Move along your planned escape path at a 45-degree angle away from the fall direction and keep moving until the tree is down and settled.
Do not stand behind the stump. Do not look back until you are clear.
Step 4: What to Do If It Does Not Fall
Sometimes the felling cut approaches the hinge and the tree does not move. This happens when the tree is settled firmly on its base or when the cut has not yet gone far enough.
If the felling cut has reached the hinge and the tree has not started to move, the most common reason is that you need to go slightly deeper. Continue carefully, checking the hinge width frequently.
If the felling cut is getting close to the hinge and you are concerned about losing control of the direction, a felling wedge driven into the felling cut behind the axe can help open the cut and push the tree toward the fall direction. Drive it with the poll of the axe, not with a steel hammer on the bit. Keep the wedge in the kerf as you continue making the felling cut deeper.
If the tree is hung up on another tree, do not try to free it yourself by pushing on it or making additional cuts at the trunk. A hung tree is one of the most dangerous situations in felling and should not be resolved by an inexperienced feller alone.
After the Tree Is Down
Once the tree is on the ground and settled, wait a moment before approaching. Trees can shift and roll, particularly on slopes or uneven ground.
Clear the area of brush and debris before you start limbing. Limbing is the process of removing branches from the felled trunk, working from the base toward the top. Keep the trunk between you and the axe on each stroke. Work on the opposite side of the trunk from where the axe will be swinging.
After limbing, buck the trunk into rounds by cutting across the grain at whatever lengths you need for splitting or processing.
FAQ: Felling a Tree with an Axe
What size tree can you safely fell with an axe? For an inexperienced feller working alone, trees up to roughly 6 to 8 inches in trunk diameter are manageable with proper technique and preparation. Trees up to 10 inches are possible for someone with experience. Beyond that range, the forces involved increase significantly, the risk of a hung tree or unexpected fall increases, and the job is generally better handled with a chainsaw and a helper.
What is the face notch and why does it matter? The face notch is a wedge-shaped cut made on the side of the tree facing the intended fall direction. It consists of a horizontal bottom cut penetrating about one-third of the trunk diameter and a 45-degree angled top cut meeting it to remove a wedge of wood. The face notch controls the direction of the fall by creating the hinge that guides the tree as it goes down. An accurate face notch produces a predictable fall. A poorly placed notch produces an unpredictable one.
How deep should the felling cut go? The felling cut should go deep enough to get close to the hinge but should not cut through it. Leaving a consistent hinge of uncut wood between the base of the face notch and the end of the felling cut is what controls the fall direction. When the hinge is cut through completely before the tree has committed to falling, you lose that control. The felling cut should approach but not reach the face notch.
What is a hung tree and what do you do about it? A hung tree is one that has been partially felled but has become lodged against another tree or object during the fall, leaving it suspended above the ground at an angle. A hung tree is extremely dangerous because it can fall unpredictably at any time. Do not attempt to free a hung tree by pushing, pulling, or making additional cuts alone. Clearing a hung tree is a task for experienced professionals with the right equipment.
What kind of axe should I use to fell a tree? A felling axe with a thin, keen bit ground for cutting across wood grain is the right tool. Head weights from 3 to 4 pounds on handles from 28 to 34 inches cover most small tree felling work. A splitting maul or hatchet is not the right tool for this job. The axe must be sharp before use. A dull axe bounces off wood instead of cutting it, wastes effort, and makes accurate notching very difficult.
The Right Tool Ready to Work
A felling axe that is sharp, properly balanced, and hung on a good handle does the job efficiently and accurately. One that is dull, loose in the eye, or poorly fitted fights you from the first swing.
The Council Tool Classic Jersey is the felling and chopping axe we carry at Whiskey River. Three and a half pounds. Thirty-two-inch curved hickory handle. Jersey pattern with forged-in bevels. Made in North Carolina. It bites clean and releases clean, which is exactly what you want when you are working your way through a notch and need every stroke to count.
Keep it sharp. Know the steps. Work carefully. The tree will come down where you planned it to.