FAQ AND Q&A

-DID YOU INVENT TREEFIGHTING?
I am the first to try to advocate treefighting as a sport to the best of my knowledge. I’m sure many of our ancestors over time have been treefighting one way or the other, especially when clearing a location. Trees are often removed for various reasons. Early man may have treefighted as a rite of passage to adulthood or as a seasonal ritual.
-WHERE IS A GOOD PLACE TO TREEFIGHT?
Anywhere it is legal and the trees are a problem. I personally am fortunate to have owned some wooded hunting properties in the rural Midwest that have provided ample opportunities for treefighting as seen in my videos. In the suburbs many properties have invasive “weed” trees such as Buckthorn that are nuisance trees. Trees that are dead or have dead branches at the bottom are more fun to treefight so you might ask your grandparents if you can girdle a smaller sickly tree on their property in the spring and than finish it off in the fall. Strangler vines make for good sparring since they move in unexpected patterns. Poison ivy and poison oak should be avoided for obvious reasons. Conifers do not make good candidates for treefighting because of the sap they secrete, although the deer like to treefight with several on my current property every year as seen by the rubs that often girdle the tree.
-DO YOU EVER GET INJURED TREEFIGHTING?
I wear safety glasses and try to treefight at safe heights with smaller trees and vines. I sprained my ankle more than once stepping with the side of my foot on a grounded branch. I have hurt my knee kicking at the wrong angle. I gave myself a minor whiplash on the neck one time dodging a vine. I have sometimes landed badly after ascending inclines (as seen in the video DEVINE INCLINE) and should probably wear a helmet. I have also punctured my hands on thorns so I sometimes wear gloves. So yes, I have been injured while treefighting.
-IS TREEFIGHTING GOOD EXERCISE?
You bet your bippy it is good exercise. Sparring with branches and vines are great for a cardio workout. I try to do pushups and chinups in the off seasons (summer and winter) to keep in good treefighting shape. I used to get asked by Amish people if they could use my stomach for a washboard.
-WHAT MUSICAL EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
My instruments of choice are a guitar and a keyboard. I play both raw acoustic and electric guitars with effects. The keyboard I use most frequently is also a sampler (digital instrument) which allows me to play an abundance of other instruments such as drums, bass, synthesizers and backup guitars. I also sing all my vocals since I know what I want in my music. Sometimes though I haven’t got the lyrics quite worked out to my liking. I often vary from the standard 4/4 time signature which allows for a variety of song styles.
-HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU WITH A QUESTION OR COMMENT?
I can be reached by email at AftCowl@AftCowl.com. Please allow up to 30 days for me to respond. I may include your question in the Q&A section. Note that I will not disclose your email address or other personal information.
-BWALSETH ASKS: Do you only fight deciduous trees? I have heard that pines can be forceful and rugged with their attack and the wily firs quite tricky and evasive. Do you have any tips for a first-timer? Should someone new to the sport start with a less ferocious tree species, such as the larch? Also, are palm trees considered fair game in the warmer climes, and how best to approach cacti?
All good questions…the deciduous trees are generally the easiest and most fun to deal with since they don’t secrete sap or resin as do the conifers (which includes larches) and most lack spines found on cactus and palms. Pines are generally easier to deal with than firs since the firs tend to have denser needle coverage on the branches. Many types of pine trees have dead branches at the bottom which can also offer better treefighting opportunities compared to the fir trees. Palm trees tend to grow their branches toward the tops so don’t offer many chances for picking off small portions of the tree. If you have to deal with palms and cacti than it’s best to deal with them by kicking them with shoes or wear thick gloves since they both tend to have many spines on their trunks. Otherwise you may wind up in a world of hurt.