The man who trained me to climb committed suicide about 6 months ago. Neither of us was a people person, but we got along better than anyone I've ever met. I'm only 21 now and I was 19 when he started training me, yet I feel like there was an infinite amount of things that he could have taught me. He used to send me your videos whenever we had a tricky tree coming up so I could learn a little bit before he taught me more in the tree. You remind me a lot of him with your sense of humor and extensive knowledge about the tree work industry. I'm glad he showed me your channel, you're a true role model.

These videos are outstanding, Evan is a lucky dude to be able to be trained by one of the greats Great job up there Thank you for taking us along

"Like my daughter, who's eleven." Savage.

I remember when I first started climbing. The boss said to cut off what I could on the way up and when I got to the top to tie off the rigging rope and come down. After the rigging line was tied, I was trying to tie my blakes hitch to repel down, then the boss pulled on the rigging line several times swinging me several feet side to side to scare me! It didn't work, I was already scared! I just wanted down. It was his way of getting me accustomed to swing trunks. Thank god you are willing to take the time to walk a new climber thru a tree step by step and build confidence. I never had that.

I was a lineman for power company in Southern California, retired 20 plus years ago, before that trained with powerline tree crews keeping lines clear. Tree stuff was demanding and rigging was slightly different with monkey knot, clearing the never ending brush was dangerous, I hated the chippers. I liked line work better, we worked more hours during natural disasters and made more money. Actually climbing was always easy and fun for me, working with different people where learned new things was great! . Now everyone wears multiple safeties making the job less stressful. When you free climb a pole to 100 feet and then belt off the first time there's a bit of pucker factor. I really enjoyed my job, but by 59 I was beat up, 3 knee surgery and 4 rotator cuffs finished me. Fantastic to see all the modern safety equipment today, I love tree work !! Love this channel watching this guy with tremendous experience, would love to climb with him.

This was awesome. I wish I had had an opportunity to be with August. I learned the climbing part climbing soooo late in life that I haven't had many opportunities to climb. Now it's really kinda late. I always had to figure how to do the job from the ground and with various ground tricks and equipment. I really felt joy with this young man. He was sooo happy. Loved it!! Loved the look on his face. I could feel the joy all the way over here in Tennessee. I still learn from August. It's just on video.

Man I wish you guys could see my smile as I watched Evan smile while climbing and cutting. What an awesome opportunity to capture and share! Really appreciate you taking us along and kudos to Evan for getting up there and getting after it. Be careful letting him come along haha he may end up wanting to climb trees instead of be in the office 😜

August, you are a fantastic teacher because you gave Evan good instruction for the things you wanted him to do. Evan knew he was safe because he was under the direction of a master instructor who gave great encouragement and compliments instead of barking orders to Evan. August, you are a blessing and make great videos.

Thanks for this, August. My dad worked for the Davey Tree Expert Co for 47 years. He attended the Kent, Ohio Davey Institute in 1926 and was a "tree surgeon." Retired in 1973. No cranes, high rangers (until about 1967), chippers, or power saws when he started. Hemp ropes and leather and he knew a lot of knots. He did "cavity work" to save trees back in the day that probably did more harm than good. He was a crew foreman for over 40 years and likely trained hundreds of men during this time. He was known as a 'company man" where a coffee break was 10 minutes, not 9 or 11. He was a man of few words and I suspect training under him was not as pleasant as with you! A different generation. I enjoy your content and your character.

Great video as usual and I can see how that battery saw really brings something extra to the party when taking off limbs on a climb. Impressive.

Evan is getting the best training from a fantastic teacher/team. I'd love to have someone like August and crew to work/learn from

What a good respectful young man with a great attitude, good on you Evan. You to August and Damien for giving him the chance and the knowledge.

Really good techniques and seeing your daughter demonstrate it too really shows how simple it really is.

It’s cool to see an atmosphere in the trades where the new guy isn’t being treated like a dumbass and actually helping and being patient

You can tell Evan has spent the hours on the ground with a saw, it wasn't all new. I hope we get to see more of the guy, he seems like a solid teammate.

It’s awesome your daughter is learning about climbing. Tree work has taught many things that has transferred to other parts of my life.

10:44 - Perfect example @August, teaching and learning, learning to teach, and teaching to learn! Maybe that sounds like _word-salad. riddle bits,_ but that's the beauty of the simplicity of it. _core strength, for the mind._ Cheers-

Priceless information here, my friend! Starting out climbing I have had more than one limb hit my boot on the way down, I am taking notes feverishly on this one. Thanks for all you do! Great job, Evan!!

So much experience at video creation combined with sharing so many tricks and details cause me to predict that this video will become a legendary training tool.

How big of a smile even had while taking that top!!!! Awesomeness

Thank you so much August - I really appreciate your time and effort - and expertise. It's really clear and we learn so much from you.

This was great watching Evan have a great time on his second tree. Looking forward to number three. Thanks for doing a lot of talking August. I truly enjoy listening to your words of wisdom. Lots of first solos happing with team Hunicke. Smooth landings for both you.

Learning to do this on my own , I'm taking every precaution imaginable. Thank you for videos like these they help a ton

Good job guys. Evan is getting better. And it helps to have a good teacher. Take care and have a blessed day and I'll see you on your next vidja.

im def not a first time climber but was taught that theres always one thing you can always learn from these videos. def learned something i want to try here soon. thanks again for your content

Wow. Looks like great fun, Evan, Great teacher, and great student it seems. Can't wait to watch the next one. Keep up the good work and keep staying safe!

Evan, great job. Same as you August taught me so much, but it was through a camera lense. Then the next tree I climbed I applied what he said in his videos and still do to this day. I hope be able to come out there and meet all of yall this year. Lord willing. See you on the next one.

You are an excellent teacher August. Very patient and so very good at explaining what to do and more importantly why. Good on you!

Good Job Evan!! It gets easier every time up!! Once you learn to trust your equipment 100% gets so much easier!! Good luck and health to ya!!

Great stuff Evan and august u the man for giving him the opportunity and your knowledge/training awesome guys 👍👍👍👏👏👏💪👊

Nice! Excellent training to build confidence. And an eager student. Kudos to him.

Love it August. Not many people can teach and train like that. It's nice to see you taking time to invest in your crew.

You and your crew would be great to apprentice under. I learned my first stuff as an amateur who remains accident free so far (knock on wood) from a Homelite consumer saw brochure. Now I am lucky enough to have my fav tree folks teaching me on KZfaq. I keep telling folks how relaxing it is to watch these kinds of vids. The strange looks I get have lessened over the years I think. LOL

My learning experience was so much different, your an angel Auggie.

Great video and what an experience, the training looks excellent!!!!

Good Morning August, August, you have a very nice way of explaining. You don't try to sneak a bunch of ego into what you have to share. I like the way you make it simple but do not get snarky about someone not already knowing.

That battery saw is so badass... I wish I could convince my wife I needed one lol

Evan seemed pretty comfortable considering being his first time. Good job 👏

The next time someone asks me why I climb ill show them a still frame of Evan's smile. That combo of fear and exhilaration and joy kinda sums it up.

It's awesome to see you flying! I have been flying for a few years and will be finishing my IFR this year. I'm about 6 hours away from scheduling my check ride.

you are an amazing teacher August , i come from construction and the times in my life when i have been self employed and not contract is by far the best times to teach a new guy as you can take that extra time , all too often when contracting its all about time so those times are just no good for teaching the new guy , keep up the amazing work , and Evan keep smiling dood and above never stop trying new stuff

An ounce of experience is worth more than a pound of theory. Great video, well done.

Cool video ... nice to see your overall teaching approach based on small steps for the learner ... great support and understanding. Well done man

Well done Evan. August is a great instructor. Also thanks for some showing me in my kiddos around the monkey beaver store last month.

You did really good man, you have a great attitude! Keep it up, it will take you a long way in life!! Great work!

Great job all around. Love your videos!

Dude, I’m a beginner tree-climber myself from Germany. And I felt exactly like you did. It’s so scary but so much fun at the same time. To cut down you’re first tip is such a unique experience. That video for me was just as fun to watch as it was educational.

As a self taught tree climber this helps a lot. I recomend watching hundreds of tree climbing videos and when in the tree go low and slow. I only topped one 35 ft cedar tree had tree lay back on me when I was topping it but it was a small top. That one tree taught me alot.

Ive noticed over the years beginner climbers tend to bend their knees a lot at first while resting or working on a spar. Straighten and lock your legs ,and trust leaning into your gear. Your body and muscles will thank you. Good Stuff Guys!!!!!

It would be awesome to spend a day with August and learn the proper way. I've been watching his videos for awhile now. I've learned a lot of things I've been doing wrong. Im basically self taught climber.

Wish I could've had a teacher like you. It was more like YOU WANT TO GET PAID CLIMB THE F*CKIN TREE lol great vid

I am so jealous! August is a great teacher, calm, clear, motivating!

You are a great teacher you know your way around a tree.

i started learning to climb off my grandfathers buddy when i was about 16 just kinda screwing around learning basic stuff but learning with 2 fliplines and spikes and an old linemen belt then i started working for a guy who did tree work and landscaping and really really got into climbing got my first actual saddle climb rope rappel device and im now 22 running my own landscape company with my brother and doing my own tree work but the amount ive learned off of you buckin billy ray and guilty of treeson something i couldnt repay you gentlemen for thank you guys!!!!

Good to see you aloft Evan I get to hear your voice and I get to leave y’all some answering machine noises fairly regular, but I hadn’t a face for the name until now Good job!

This was so good and joyful I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Too much say. Where to start? Well, maybe by putting your spurs on! LOL! A beautiful moment, gracefully dealt with. I'm a 53 y.o. carpenter in Scotland. I've only done a little teaching and all the knowledge and experience swirls around my head. I worry I'm over-explaining and over-whelming the learner with too much. (Wish I could just ball up that info and inject it straight into their brain.) The reference to your flying teacher was heartening. On a separate point, here the teacher and student are doing it all while perpetually in the face of imminent death! I'm humbled enough already, thanks. 😁 Full respect to the pair of ye. Been watching Reg Coates for years. Not sure how I've come to you so late, but I've been loving catching up.The fluidity of the consummate professional is suddenly thrown into stark relief by the inexperienced. How much we non-climbers take for granted while watching. I'm humbled enough already, thanks. 😁 Full respect to the pair of ye. Random thoughts: Battery saw. Quiet. Great for a teaching situation. Sketchy tradesman: We take cash, not responsibility. 🤣 Laughter is food for the soul. This channel is awesome. Thanks to all involved. Mark

I do a lot of one hand, when two handing I’m working at keeping the left hand up top behind the chain break. Not only is it safer but it mostly feels better, which surprises me. Seems I’ve been lazy for no reason these last years. Thanks for the vid.

I really appreciate these videos as someone who is teaching themselves to climb

As he talked about the top and ”what should I do with my hands!?” It reminded me to tell new guys to keep their fingers out of the uncut as it closes 👍

You’re patience is awesome august. I did notice he had a bit of setback in his knot if he tries to tie a knot that has a little less set back he may be able to get more comfortable.

First tree!?! That was fucking outstanding!! Too close to the tree with the lanyard and you figured it out. Only advice I can give for a noob would be to always be comfortable and stable. After awhile it will fall under August's rule category he was talking about in the video haha. Good job! Be careful and learn everyday!

Can’t wait till the next one. Another great job!

Really thinking about getting started in this profession looks challenging but rewarding

This is so cool. Evan was awesome! His smile and attitude is something I love to see. Thanks for recording the instructions you gave him and sharing. Been watching you for a few years and your videos have been a big help to me and a lot of fun to watch. You’re supposed to use two hands?

Idk why but I'm extremely happy after watching this video. Good job dude. Y'all be safe.

I can't wait for the follow every rule videos. I work for a larger company and always get into it with the safety guys about the very thing you were talking about. I tell them I will follow their rules but I won't just agree that their perspective is correct. I really think playing the statistics card and making black and white rules doesn't produce confidence or create a good environment for learning and betterment as far as skill and technique is concerned.

Howdy August, really enjoying this series with Evan. Looking forward to Evan being 91.3 in tree number three. Have A Day! ;~)

Evan is lucky to have a good patient teacher as i did fifty years ago great job August

Had my first day in a bucket truck yesterday. Can't wait to learn to climb. Good job dude 👍

I like the way you teach stuff to Evan,he ‘s a lucky man…👍

I worked on an offshore workover oil rig back in the early 1980's as a roustabout (greenhorn). The crew that was due next had car troubles on the way to the pickup point so the boss (toolpusher) had to put together a makeshift crew. I ended up being the guy who had to climb the derrick and be the derrickman. I have always been scared to death of heights so that day has always registered as one of the scariest days of my life. It might've been a little easier if I had a little more trust in the toolpusher who was running the rig that day. I lived through it, but I was terrified for 12 hours straight. August's voice and demeanor is a lot more reassuring than that old cajun toolpusher's.

most excellent , great camera angels too ..

Noice August and Evan...hope to see you sitting in your harness soon. August great voice command...smooth and confident for your student. Keep up the great work y'all.

"....and this just in, Canadian boy does good"... I can hardly wait to see the solo run...climb...cut...well you know...lol. I never have, nor care to, climb a tree to cut it down...but I have done some repelling...Evan, you may want to consider straightening your legs and resting into your rope, it's easier on your legs (and in repelling...easier on your knees when you're not bouncing them off the rocks😉). Thanks again for sharing woth us.

Wow I wish I could have learned this way !!!!! Great job Evan I know you're a bit nervous but you gotta be having a ball also 😁 And Dang it I must've missed a solo video... now I gotta go look for it !!!! Thanks for these great video's August !!!! Much appreciated and kinda crazy how excited I am when I see another one 😃

August, if you want a break from down south, come up to Monmouth and teach me to climb our tress, without fear of heights, mainly falling, and to get use to using the gaffs.

Nice video. I saw a lot and learned a lot. Great education video

This is awesome, learning a lot!

Hey guys, I hope all is well with you and the crew. Have you ever done tree work live? That would be pretty cool I think. I have seen other channels do live feeds but I have never seen climbing cutting and rigging live.

Topping the tree is like rounding 3rd base. Feels great.

Haha. I have a feeling he is hooked on tree work already. Nice work evan. Thats pretty high stuff for the first couple climbs...

Why do all of these comments about training sound exactly like kitchen work experiences with shitty, drunk and impatient chefs? I never would have thought an industry as dangerous as this would be run and trained by the same type of characters. What a shame! This is the first arborist climbing video I've seen, and August's clarity, explanations of "why not to," and "otherwise," and jointed celebration are exactly what I would expect for work like this. If you're one of a kind, fuckin good on ya! This video has made me want to get into the business. I was a scout growing up and always loved knots, go figure later in life I got into shibari and self-tying and doing aerial work. This looks like loads of fun as a way to be up and dynamic on the ropes all day long for a paycheque. I'm excited to binge this channel like a Netflix production. Thanks so much for taking the time to shoot and edit these; I know how much effort editing takes and this video is fantastic. I was counting the cuts as you climbed and cut the trees and I was quickly overwhelmed. You do all sorts of good work, August. Cheers!

Amazing video I'm learning also and all you tube tree guys taught me I bought the monkey bever harness years ago and been using it again recently..thanks

Evan got right into the KZfaq commentary.

So lucky! I would love to have a teacher!

Awesome video as always brother

That dude is lucky. Being trained by the best.

Man you got some awesome teachers with ya but doin a nice job hey August that’s great having Evan out there you can watch it but until you leave the ground ya just don’t know 👊

Your my Hero these days brother

"this is the face you're gonna see" 😂 Priceless!

Evan's so lucky to have you for a teacher August:)

Well done Evan!

I wish I was Evan, you're a good mentor.

As someone who climbs and knows how scary it can be when first starting off, I find this video hilarious. You telling him you don't know if they tree will hold both of y'all and then putting the camera in his face when he topped the tree. That is hilarious. I know how scary it can be when first starting out, especially something that is tall and skinny

Thought you weren't tied in for a second at 23:35 , couldn't see the other tie in point but I'm sure it was there. Got the chills there for a second

The help we have learn the same Thang every day they just can't get common nelege as a tree climbers I cry everyday

As my sensei taught me, "Good manager makes decisions, not rules."

As a young newish climber I avoid one handing almost at all costs, I do a lot of snap cuts and use the hell out of my sharp handsaw. When I want hand control of a branch, taking 10 swipes with a sharp handsaw seems easier and safer than one handing my heavy 201. I love watching your videos and always learn a lot but some days when your one handing a lot I find it hard to find any used takeaways because my company tells us not to one hand all the time. I can’t wait to see your series on following all the rules haha!

All around good job 👍👍

Dude you are appreciated