TIL to never trust a squirrel's judgment about branch stability after one dropped a whole walnut on my hardhat in Cincinnati.

I was doing a crown reduction on a massive pin oak in Eden Park when a squirrel, apparently offended by my pruning cuts, launched a green walnut that hit my helmet with a loud 'thonk', making my ground guy jump and almost drop the lowering rope.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas20d ago

That squirrel in Eden Park must have been doing target practice. I'd start wearing a hard hat to my backyard barbecue after hearing that.

noah_chen176h ago

Gotta disagree on the aiming part. That's giving them way too much credit. Watched them for years while working, and they're just panicked and chucking whatever is in their paws. The one that got you with the pine cone was probably just trying to break it open and you walked into the line of fire. They're not smart enough for target practice, just lucky.

uma_nguyen2420d ago

That loud 'thonk' on your hardhat is so real. I was clearing storm damage last fall and a squirrel bombed me with a pine cone from about forty feet up. It felt like getting shot with a paintball gun right on the shoulder. They absolutely aim for you when they're mad. Another time one threw a half-eaten acorn and it went right down the back of my shirt. They're little furry terrorists with great aim.