When you aim your chainsaw straight through the middle of the trunk, it is more likely to fall on you instead of away from you. Cutting down a tree in section will be a lot safer. A successful tree felling starts with a notch. Face the tree so that it will fall on your right and your escape routes on your left. On the side of the tree facing the direction where you want the tree will fall, cut through the trunk at a roughly 70-degree angle. Continue slicing on that angle until your chainsaw is about one-third of the way through the trunk. The bottom of this cut should be about two feet from the ground. Next, cut horizontally into the tree at the bottom of your first cut, you'll have a notch once the two cuts finally meet.