A walnut veneer log

[whitepe]

Nope... It's the midwest... different weather patterns than NB.    I am just glad I am not in Oklahoma or Florida.   those states are crazy with lightning.

[tjdub]

I don't know what it is about black walnut, but they do seem more prone to lightning strikes than any other tree.  I'm guessing it has something to do with their bark when it's wet making a solid nice circuit of water down to the ground.  Anyway, I can think of about a dozen lightning damaged trees in my area and almost all are walnuts.  It's still pretty darn unlikely that any one individual tree is going to be hit though, and if it is hit, I'm not sure it would ruin the log since the damage is all on the bark.  You would just have to cut the tree down soon after it was hit because it won't heal well (or at all).

[beenthere]

Almost all of my tallest trees are walnut on the east slope of a ridge, and none have been struck by lightning in the 45 years I've been here. An elm and a couple shagbark hickory trees were hit in that time. But I'm not suggesting not to cut the walnut, as you seem destined to get it gone.
I'd be interested in the growth rate of the 22" DBH tree that was just planted in 1957. That is pretty fast grown. Was it cut down? Was it in a draw (alluvial soil) or on a slope?

[Autocar]

The way the limbs V your have to be very careful when its cut or it could split pretty easy if it hits wrong .

[chevytaHOE5674]

I'm not sure it would ruin the log since the damage is all on the bark.

Often times lightning will split the tree in a spiral from the top to the bottom. Thus rendering it useless for a peeler veneer log.

The way the limbs V your have to be very careful when its cut or it could split pretty easy if it hits wrong .

Very true if it lands wrong (or sometimes even the best landing) the limbs will "clap" together and split the log. If that tree was part of a larger timbersale where the crew had a feller buncher I would suggesting cutting both limbs off first and then dropping the trunk separately.