The hydraulic crane-mounted remotely-controlled lifting device (10) includes a housing (26) having hydraulically-operated, grasping members (16), (44, 46) that will permit the removal of limbs from the trunk of the tree without having a climber to move out on each limb to secure the lifting device (10). The device (10) can be easily attached and detached from the end of the crane's cable (12) and requires no other physical connection to the crane other than the cable. The device (10) is self-contained in that all hydraulic mechanisms (30, 32), including an electric power source (34) for operating the hydraulic mechanisms, are enclosed in the housing (26). A wireless control device (22) permits the crane operator to position the pair of grasping members around the designated tree limb from a remote position.