Pro tip: A forester in Boise told me to always check for 'included bark' on co-dominant stems before a removal quote.
He said a simple visual check for that V-shaped union can save you from a nasty surprise when the saw hits, so now I always look for it first thing on a walk-around.
That's such a good point. It's wild how often the biggest risk in any job is the thing you don't know to look for. A quick visual check can literally save your day.
But what about trees where that V is hidden by ivy or leaves? Seems like a quick check could miss the real trouble spots if you don't know where to dig deeper.