Daver
PMA Member
Spreading disease between trees is a real concern once you get too late in the spring. Warmer temps mean active bugs/beetles and freshly cut trees can be an open invitation for them.
There is an old saying that I am going to butcher that goes something like this, "May or June...do not prune."
The red oak family of trees is particularly susceptible to oak wilt and it can be spread during these warmers months. I personally would not do much TSI work after about the 1st of April. Google "oak wilt" and you will get more/better info than what I am giving here.
Boonervilleusa
Well-Known Member
That is good info to keep in mind. I would add that personally I very rarely ever hinge cut an oak tree. I try to cut less desirable species since they have very little wildlife or timber value. I have on occasion cut oak, cherry, or other desirable species if the tree was already diseased or if there was no other option and I absolutely needed to hinge that specific spot
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
I did some cutting the other day but we extra careful to not cut any desirable tree or even damage the bark or any limbs. I was just focused on hinging junk trees. I didn't girdle or fall a single oak and don't plan to until this coming winter for just the reasons Daver said. 
Daver
PMA Member
A little more info...but first a caveat, I am not a professional forester, although a fair amount of what I am sharing came from a pro...be aware that you are trusting my understanding of what someone else told me, etc.
Even if you don't cut into oaks once it has warmed up...be careful that the trees that you are felling/hinging don't fall into oaks and scrape the bark, etc, on the way down. I have seen this happen.
If I do any hinging at this point of the season and forward, I do not cut oaks and I do not cut larger trees that could fall into an oak(s) either. Even then, when we are hinging, we are creating habitat of sorts for insects/beetles and exposing fresh wood and nice little places to hide, etc. Also, the red oak family is more susceptible to oak wilt than is the white oak family.
Even if you don't cut into oaks once it has warmed up...be careful that the trees that you are felling/hinging don't fall into oaks and scrape the bark, etc, on the way down. I have seen this happen.
If I do any hinging at this point of the season and forward, I do not cut oaks and I do not cut larger trees that could fall into an oak(s) either. Even then, when we are hinging, we are creating habitat of sorts for insects/beetles and exposing fresh wood and nice little places to hide, etc. Also, the red oak family is more susceptible to oak wilt than is the white oak family.