Hanging Limbs (Widow-Makers)

Broken but caught limbs — called widow-makers by working arborists for a reason — are one of the most underestimated hazards on a residential property. They fall on calm, sunny days, weeks or months after the storm that broke them. Every year they cause serious injuries in Brunswick County.

Where to look

• Directly above walkways, driveways, and play areas.
• Where a large limb split from the trunk and the broken end lodged in nearby branches.
• Along the edges of storm-damaged canopies — the biggest breaks throw the largest hangers.
• In loblolly pines especially — the long straight limbs snap and hang without support.

What to do (and not do)

• Do not stand under any hanging limb while assessing it. Look from a safe angle.
• Do not try to knock it down with a rake, hose, or thrown object. That's how people are killed.
• Do not shoot it down. We have to say this.
• Rope off the area below and keep kids and pets clear.
• Call a certified crew with rigging capability. Removing a widow-maker safely usually requires bucket access or a climber tied in above the hanger — this is not a DIY job.

Timing

Every hanger comes down eventually. Wind, rain, birds, or its own weight will bring it. Removing one costs $150–$500 depending on access; letting one fall on someone costs much more. Handle it in the first week after you notice it.

Preventing them

Structural pruning done a year before hurricane season removes weak, over-extended limbs before they become hangers. It's the single best investment you can make in a mature-tree yard on the coast.