feller

A feller is a worker who fells trees as part of the logging or forestry industry. The term is roughly synonymous with logger or woodsman and derives from the verb fell, meaning to cut down. In some regions a feller focuses on the initial harvesting phase, while others include subsequent steps such as bucking and skidding.

Duties and methods include assessing the site, selecting trees for harvest, planning the direction of the fall, and making a notch and back-cut to guide the tree’s fall. Fell cuts are made with hand tools or power tools, and wedges may be used to control the direction of the fall. After felling, branches are removed, the trunk is bucked into logs, and logs are moved or transported as needed. Fellers operate within safety and regulatory requirements and may coordinate with other crew members to minimize risk to people and infrastructure.

Tools and equipment range from traditional hand tools such as axes and crosscut saws to modern power tools like chainsaws. Support gear includes felling wedges, cant hooks, winches, and various lifting or dragging devices. In contemporary forestry, mechanized felling methods may employ feller-bunchers or other harvesters, but the core skill of planning and controlling tree fall remains essential.

Other uses of the term: feller is also a surname. Notable individuals include William Feller, a mathematician known for foundational work in probability theory; the Feller process and Feller semigroup are named after him. The word may appear in historical texts, regional dialects, and contemporary discussions of forestry and wood production.