| [College of ACES] | [University of Illinois] | [Illinois CES] |
By your description, you may have two Sugar maples which have seen more history of SE Wisconsin than I will ever know. Please provide them with dignity -- Before you hire a "professional" to randomly flail a chainsaw throughout your trees, consider hiring an ISA Certified Arborist to provide you with an unbiased evaluation as to your best course of action. The result may be the trees need to have deadwood removed, or possibly are a hazard and need removal!
Hiring a Certified Arborist does not mean they will act from 100% integrity (unfortunately), but does show they have tested to a baseline of knowledge regarding all aspects of caring for trees -- including tree physiology.
Back to the possibility that your trees are Sugar maples: A Sugar maple that is topped will soon be wonderful wildlife habitat, as well as a hazard to you and your neighbor.
Please, for the dignity of your trees, listen to an Arborist who speaks for the trees!
Mpls, MN