Why do lumberjacks yell "Timber"

[Howdy]

One of those things we just take for granted, but why and how did the custom of yelling "Timber" when falling trees start?

[Ernie]

It's a lot more effective than yelling "Fish"

[chevytaHOE5674]

I cut a lot of timber everyday and never yell anything. Make sure nobodies in my area and then let them rip.

[Tom]

Brother Dave tells a story of a little bird that couldn't say timber.  When his tree was cut down, he said, "Hom-me, Hom-me".

[Faron]

They don't always do that.  Sometimes we yell  "Oh crap!"

[footer]

Why does a golfer yell "4" when they hit a ball?

[Tom]

I looked that "fore" comment up just yesterday.  It comes from possibly several different places, one being the old British Artillery  saying when they fired behind friendly troops, "Beware before".   It meant "look ahead" or "heads up".   I would add, "look out!!"

[tlandrum]

sometimes i yell a few choice 4  letter words when tree is falling in an unintended direction

[fishpharmer]

It's a lot more effective than yelling "Fish"

You call?

Well durnation, I knew I was doing something wrong. 

[arojay]

A-hem,  where I come from the term 'lumberjack' has come to have a somewhat different meaning.

[captain_crunch]

We yell across the hill(leaves more room for error) Belive Movie screne had more to do with this. But after logging for 20+ years you could listen to a saw(if you still could hear) and tell real close to what faller was up to so generally nothing was hollered unless it was I could sure use a BEER after that wreck
But my question is what the heck is a LUMBERJACK. We were Loggers and Lumberjack was a brand of syurp

[Bobus2003]

I don't yell anything and I don't tolerate anyone yelling anything while I am/they cutting.. I figure if theres yelling someone is hurt or something went wrong.. no point in yelling for no reason

[chucker]

" TIMBER "!!! was just a call for heads up when the woods were full of man and animal power to limit the accidents.........  a "LUMBERJACK " was a term name for a person that could do all job facets in the logging industery( a multy tasker)........

[Howdy]

Thanks for the replies.  Yelling something when dropping a tree when the woods are full of workers and work animals sounds about right.  It does sound better to yell "Timber" than "Fish" or "Lookout" as it is a sound that will get some attention. 

Letting other loggers know when a tree is falling and to be on the lookout for flying branches or other displaced material is something that would be good in a crowded work setting.  Anyway, it's something I can tell the Mrs. and she will accept.

[chucker]

!! glad to of been some help???  love the area your in!! lived just across the river from you in wash. long/kelso... nothing like the pnw woods!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DirtForester]

It's a lot more effective than yelling "Fish"

 

[Cedarman]

The sounds of crosscut saws  sawing and axes chopping allow you to hear someone shouting.  Now with skidders blaring and chainsaws screeching you couldn't hear someone shout anyway.

[Magicman]

Power and Telephone Co. Linesmen yell "HEADACHE" when they drop something.  And it does NOT mean for you to look up.  It means to cover your head and get out of the way.

Many jobs have adopted "Danger Yells" to alert unsuspecting co-workers.......Thankfully.

[VTLogSlayer]

Up here at Paul Smith's, we are told to have our last name on the back of your helmet in dark lettering, just incase you need to be yelled to get outta the way.

[Tom]

We holler "Dinner" here at the house, but with the all the skinny people downgrading the fat people today, that might be considered a yell of alarm by some.

The way the Government is taking over, we might have to find a closet, in which to hide, to eat supper.