Rigging Slinger

It’s hard work, but someone has to call the shots out there in the logging site. As a Rigging Slinger, you could be that person.

Once a tree has been felled, the Choke Setters run out there and attach steel cables to get it pulled in. You tell the Choke Setters which trees to hook up and how, using a high lead, slack line, or other appropriate yarding system. You also work with the Hook Tender to determine the order of trees to be moved.

Armed with that order, along with extensive knowledge of logging systems and choke setting from years in the field, you direct the fallen trees along the cable system that will move them out of the harvest area and onto a landing where they can be picked up for transport. Being a Rigging Slinger is like juggling chainsaws—you need to keep a million things straight in your head to keep everyone safe.

Every day, you coordinate a team of other logging professionals, train new Choke Setters, and use modern safety equipment to keep tabs on everything that’s going on. Forest fires, flash floods, and other hazards of the natural world are all your adversaries. But the forest is also your home.

While some logging jobs allow for commuting, many will have you living and working out there on the job site. So if you love being in the great outdoors and leading a team, then a job as a Rigging Slinger could be a good career choice for you.