Need help with Tear outs!

[birdpointlightstring32]

I should start with my tool. I have a 1.5 lb hatchet with chisel cut blade(picture down below.since I reground my hatchet and dents in blade removed. Amazingly sharp). The wood I am using is sapling winged elm. Seems to happen more with wet wood just cut and not dry as it should be. As I am taking the first chops  to get the stave to 7/8 thickness entire the whole length at some point the hatchet head will catch the wood and tear out or even drive a split through the whole stave almost ruining it. I need advice. I want to thin the stave down as much as possible and work it green all I can before drying. Does wet green wood increase tear outs and splits? Is my Hatchet blade angle to low or acute and driving these splits? Would a duller hatchet work allow less splits and tear outs? Do I need a hatchet with a higher angle instead of a steeper one? Thank you all for your time. 

[TacticalFate]

When I'm working with a hatchet I always chop a few quick notches into the wood down the belly of the stave to act as stoppers---when my hatchet hits those stoppers it only takes out the wood above the stopper, and can't tear out the grain because the grain is cut there. Now, this only works for when you don't have to worry about thickness too much, and you gotta be careful about how deep you make the notches , but it is the best way I know of to prevent tear-outs with a hatchet.

[BowEd]

Diddo....I always start at the bottom of the stave first then work my way up that way it can't tear out more from above when hacking.Maybe you realized that too.I keep a farrier file by me too.

[randman]

I have a 1.5 lb hatchet with chisel cut blade

By "chisel cut blade" do you mean the blade has a bevel on one side only? In my opinion, that is the only type of hatchet
to use since the blade acts somewhat like a plane blade with a flat side for getting nice flat surfaces. I can hold the axe head in my hand on mine and push it with my hand to get nice shavings or chop with it to remove wood more agressively. I can't use a double beveled ground hatchet like some of you guys use because you have to use it at a much steeper angle to the wood sometimes causing the conditions Grun is describing.

[Dictionary]

I had the problem of using hatchet on maple and it would cut these gullies in the wood similar to what you mention. Where wood just pulls out and leaves a depression. I didnt have this problem with some harder woods though like oak or hickory .