winter skidding

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Even though I did this kind of stuff for a living, I get a great deal of satisfaction with the challenges of skidding out with a compact tractor. The finesse aspect is certainly tweaked with a small tractor as opposed to a full size skidder.

In the second picture, I wrapped the stem first before the cut in case one of the sections wanted to drop making it a bit more difficult to get a chain under it. This way the chain is already attached.

[jake98]

And it kills the cabin fever just as dead with half the fuel.

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Here are more coming home. I'm about 300 yards from the deck. I'd rather have tractor fever and never be cured. With 3-6" of snow, its as if the landscape was sprayed with PAM. Chains are extremely helpful. When these were taken, it was 14*. I love it when nothing is wet because its too cold. The tires are bone dry and so were my boots.

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I had these forks built primarily to scoop splits into the bucket without getting dirt. They work like a charm for that. They also come in handy for stem lifting making it easier to stack with. They're built on a 6x1/4" metal plate and attached to the bucket with the same holes I use for my Markham toothbar.

[Willl]

Do you go around in circles with just one rear tire chained ?

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Good eyes WillI. I leave my chains on year round. On this trip into the woods, I slipped one off somehow and was wondering if I'd make it in with any load attached at all as it happened before the hook up. First time in two years having the chains on. Made it back ok and reattached the chain. It was one of those days where I couldn't get into a rhythm because of one mishap over another such as a saw chain flying off the saw and then it wouldn't start back up of course. I hung up a tree as well and my dog broke off his lead and found me a quarter mile into the woods and I had to walk him back.The day was just not coppicestetic ( pun intended)

[smfcpacfp]

My wife, a friend and I cleared the land that we built our house on during the winter 32 years ago. We did our skidding with snowshoes and a chainsaw. Dragging the trees on the snow made thing very easy and they weren't too big. The snow was about 3 feet deep.

The snow would have been too deep for a tractor and at that time I didn't have the money to own one in any event. It was a lot of exercise and a lot of fun.

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My wife, a friend and I cleared the land that we built our house on during the winter 32 years ago. We did our skidding with snowshoes and a chainsaw. Dragging the trees on the snow made thing very easy and they weren't too big. The snow was about 3 feet deep.

The snow would have been too deep for a tractor and at that time I didn't have the money to own one in any event. It was a lot of exercise and a lot of fun.

I know what you mean. 40 years ago and about one year before I made my logger connection, we also cleared our lot by hand. I would cut everything to 4' and literally cradle the logs in my arms and carry it to the wood pile. You're even tougher than I am if you dragged yours through the snow with snow shoes yet.

[Adiredneck]

Good eyes WillI. I leave my chains on year round. On this trip into the woods, I slipped one off somehow and was wondering if I'd make it in with any load attached at all as it happened before the hook up. First time in two years having the chains on. Made it back ok and reattached the chain. It was one of those days where I couldn't get into a rhythm because of one mishap over another such as a saw chain flying off the saw and then it wouldn't start back up of course. I hung up a tree as well and my dog broke off his lead and found me a quarter mile into the woods and I had to walk him back.The day was just not coppicestetic ( pun intended)

I hear you there. I had a similar day in late November. I was pushing to get all of my wood cut, working alone (everyone else was hunting). About 1/2 way into the first trailer load, I was trying to raise the butt of a 12" Maple that had blown over. I was using the FEL to get it over the root ball, and when I was lifting, I heard a hissing sound. Whenever I hit the joystick, more hissing. So I was thinking I had a Hydraulic leak or something. Nope, just the front tire coming off the rim. I walked down the mountain, grabbed a socket set & the Four Wheeler, took tire off, had to go to a service station to dismount the tire due to the amount of frozen mud that had wedged its way in. 1 1/2 hours later, I can continue cutting wood. On the way down, the trailer tire breaks through the frost & is sitting on the axle with 2 face cords loaded in it. Not moving an inch. I was not about to unload the entire load of wood to get the trailer out.

So, I chained the 3PH to a tree & used the FEL to winch the trailer out of the mud hole. I did end up getting one more load that day, coming down the mountain in the dark. The 4 wheeler spent the night up there & the trailer didn't get unloaded until the next day. Maybe I should have gone X-Mas shopping with the wife & MIL? NOT!!!

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I hear you there. I had a similar day in late November. I was pushing to get all of my wood cut, working alone (everyone else was hunting). About 1/2 way into the first trailer load, I was trying to raise the butt of a 12" Maple that had blown over. I was using the FEL to get it over the root ball, and when I was lifting, I heard a hissing sound. Whenever I hit the joystick, more hissing. So I was thinking I had a Hydraulic leak or something. Nope, just the front tire coming off the rim. I walked down the mountain, grabbed a socket set & the Four Wheeler, took tire off, had to go to a service station to dismount the tire due to the amount of frozen mud that had wedged its way in. 1 1/2 hours later, I can continue cutting wood. On the way down, the trailer tire breaks through the frost & is sitting on the axle with 2 face cords loaded in it. Not moving an inch. I was not about to unload the entire load of wood to get the trailer out.

So, I chained the 3PH to a tree & used the FEL to winch the trailer out of the mud hole. I did end up getting one more load that day, coming down the mountain in the dark. The 4 wheeler spent the night up there & the trailer didn't get unloaded until the next day. Maybe I should have gone X-Mas shopping with the wife & MIL? NOT!!!

Adi

How is your 3400 in the woods. I almost pulled the trigger on one but one thing kept knawing at me and the arrogance of the dealer pushed it over to a non purchase. If you bring your cut into the woods, how have the exposed tie rods held up. I was really concerned about bending them up real good in my woods and the deaker did little to reassure me of a feasible solution. At any rate I didn't purchase one then but the tractor is on my short list. You've got way more patience than me. A flat and a trailer stuck would have put me back in the house until the next day or when the karma was better.