How to attack this fence line ?

[StuartDK45SE]

I have maybe 350 yards of fence line that looks like this. I should have taken a picture with the mule in the foreground, but I will say this mess is at least 12 feet tall. The folks that own the other side used to run a few cows, but they don't anymore and over the years my elderly dad just couldn't stay on top of it. I have a 45 horse Kioti with a FEL and I'm not afraid of work. The best thing would be to rent a dozer, clear it out and burn it, but that probably won't happen. I back the brush hog in the mess and try to keep as much as I can from advancing but the problem is it is overhanging and a lot of it has thorns, big thorns. I've thought about bending it down where I can with the FEL and cutting it with a pole saw. Other than that, I don't have any other ideas.

Thanks

 

[geneP]

Is there a fence in there that you want to save? If so I think your pole saw is about your only option, Or spray it with a commercial sprayer and let it rot.

If there is no fence in there I would push it over with the FEL and drag it up by the roots with a box blade.

 

[tcartwri]

Looks like there's a lot of Ivy mixed in there... I would be **** careful.

 

[StuartDK45SE]

Yeah, there's a fence of sorts in there somewhere. It's gotten so thick I don't think a cow could get through there. Lol. Don't ever let your fence get like this !

 

[kebo]

I would be tempted to hire a forestry mulcher to come in and level it, then it should be maintainable with the bush hog. With all those thorns, you might be fixing a LOT of flat tires if you try and tackle it entirely with the tractor. However, it sounds like the actual tree's/bushes are growing on the neighbors property? If so, that complicates things. Good luck.

 

[joecdeere]

goats or round-up

 

[rekees4300]

I have a 45 horse Kioti with a FEL and I'm not afraid of work.

Get yourself a Ratchet Rake. With FEL and 45 HP you can make short work of that mess.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Rip and Dig, All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attac

 

[Coyote machine]

I've seen a tool mounted to a Bobcat skidsteer that could chew that into nothing, and if on rubber tracks the thorns would not cause problems. IF, as stated, in addition to thorns, there is Poison Ivy present, I'd hire out to the tool needed for this job, then maintain the fence going forward. If Ivy is present, do NOT under any circumstances burn the debris! The smoke inhaled can do serious harm to you, downwind neighbors, and could render you DEAD.
BTW, there is no fence in there, it left years ago, with Elvis.:laughing:

A random example of a mulcher at work: Slide down to videos of machines in destruction mode! Skid Steer Mulcher 60" Width High Flow | Universal Quick Tach Adaptors

 

[amaxwell]

If there is a fence in there a forestry mulcher probably is not a good idea. Mulchers and fence wire don't work well together. A mulcher could get the edges so you could find the fence.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I've spent a lot of time cleaning up barb wire fence that was just shoved into the woods with a blade. It is inexcusable. I don't care how much work it is - If you take down fence, roll it up and dispose of it properly.

If there is fence buried in that shrubbery that needs to come down, I would spray/kill it - burn it - remove the fence by hand.