Animator.StringTohash question

Unity Engine
1

I’m trying to use a hash because I saw a video that the hash is faster. This code works but it doesn’t use a hash
A sound is played when my axe collides with a tree and my current animation state is “choppingTree”

AnimatorStateInfo info;
info = playerAnimator.GetCurrentAnimatorStateInfo(0);
if (info.IsName("choppingTree") == true)
     ads.Play();

this code doesn’t work

AnimatorStateInfo info;
int choppingTreeHash = Animator.StringToHash("choppingTree");
info = playerAnimator.GetCurrentAnimatorStateInfo(0);
if (info.fullPathHash == choppingTreeHash)
     ads.Play();
2

even when I include the name of the layer it sill doesn;t workint choppingTreeHash = Animator.StringToHash("Base Layer.choppingTree");

3

What happened to all the good people that used to be on this forum like Eric and HiggyB? They used to answer alot of questions. Is there another forum I am not aware of?