What Does it Take to Be a Faller?

Example of Faller Job Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.

List of Faller Job Duties

• Maintain and repair chainsaws and other equipment, cleaning, oiling, and greasing equipment, and sharpening equipment properly.
• Mark logs for identification.
• Trim off the tops and limbs of trees, using chainsaws, delimbers, or axes.
• Determine position, direction, and depth of cuts to be made, and placement of wedges or jacks.
• Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
• Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.

Qualities of a Faller

When polled, Fallers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Other Faller Job Titles

• Feller Buncher Operator
• Paper Wood Cutter
• Lumberjack
• Dozer Operator
• Timber Feller

Job Opportunities for Fallers

There were about 7,500 jobs for Faller in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Faller. The BLS estimates 800 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Faller are Kentucky, Maryland, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Georgia, Alaska, or South Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Faller

Fallers make between $27,080 and $78,500 a year.

Fallers who work in New York, Oregon, or Montana, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Fallers in different U.S. states.

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$44,320
Alaska	$59,680
Arkansas	$55,050
California	$56,720
Colorado	$29,650
Georgia	$42,570
Idaho	$43,170
Indiana	$53,620
Louisiana	$39,320
Maryland	$41,480
Massachusetts	$45,480
Michigan	$36,670
Minnesota	$45,010
Mississippi	$48,700
Missouri	$39,910
Montana	$65,560
New Hampshire	$45,240
New York	$63,040
North Carolina	$56,500
Ohio	$29,130
Oregon	$67,560
Pennsylvania	$33,170
Tennessee	$38,020
Texas	$50,220
Vermont	$40,810
Virginia	$42,120
Washington	$66,870
West Virginia	$38,620

Tools & Technologies Used by Fallers

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Fallers:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• ESRI ArcView
• BCS Woodlands Software The Logger Tracker

Becoming a Faller

What education or degrees do I need to become a Faller?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Fallers?

Fallers work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Faller may also be interested in:

• Helpers–Extraction Workers
• Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: via

More about our data sources and methodologies.