The age old.."what's the best land clearing technique" question again

[Iguezz116]

Hey guys. Just signed up to the forum here. Live in South Louisiana where it's flat and HOT. Question is that I bought 5 acres not to long ago. It was a field right at 20 years ago that they just let grow up. Planning a house and pond around the middle of my property. Mostly oak trees. So far Iv found about 5 pine trees on the whole thing, and lots of brush and smaller things. Most of the trees are around 3-6" range with some nice bigger ones in the mix. All I want to do is thin it out so the bigger healthy ones can grow better and make all 5 acres look nice. Roots are not too deep at all from what I can see. Someone working in the area already which does excellent work and I trust quoted me $100/hr for clearing. Around $1000-1200/acre to clear and $1600-1800/acre to clear, burn, re level and make it look nice. I'm an avid do-it-yourself kind of guy. I have access to a 4WD 30HP Deere with front end loader and box blade. And also an older 2WD 410D backhoe. Or I can rent a Dozer and large backhoe for $1300-$1600 a week a piece and go that route. We won't be building for another year and a half to 2 years so time isn't really a concern. Would my best option be to rent a Dozer and plow it all down. Or rip em up with a backhoe. Or do you think a 2WD 410 could handle it all? Any big trees will surely be staying unless there on my house or pond site. Just trying to weigh my options before I dig in. Thanks guys. It won't let me add pics. I'll add some when I get home in a few hours

 

[topbuilder]

With your timeline I would look into hydro-mulching. You select the trees/saplings that stay. He wipes out everything else in your way of dropping selected larger trees to be felled yourself on your own schedule. If you keep your burn pile 10-12' in length it does not take long to get rid of trees. Limbs and brush vaporize as you add them to the burning log pile. Even being green. In two years most of the mulch will be gone.

 

[rustyshakelford]

His prices don't sound terrible for the turn key price. I rent a 15t excavator with a thumb and its 2300 per week including delivery. It will consume a bunch of diesel too. If your experienced with one you could go that route. JD has a nice one that size that also has a 6 way leveling blade. Otherwise, it's often cheaper, safer and looks better if the pros do it

Brett

 

[sixdogs]

We have done this a few times and tried all the ways you mention. By far the easiest, best, most efficient and satisfying use of resources is the bulldozer. They can do more before lunch than you could before Thanksgiving. Just my two cents here.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Only reason I didn't recommend a Dozer is his spoil is probably sandy loam like we have. Unless he's a good operator getting that light brush and 3-6" stuff will net him a huge amount of dirt in the pile and often time ends up being more trouble than worth when it won't burn. Also, a rake would be useful but seldom rented. With a track hoe, you can grab and shake what you want and build nice clean piles

Brett

 

[CalG]

Fence the area

Buy a 100 pounds of kernel corn and a four foot pinch bar.

Go around to all the small stuff you want out and jamb a bunch of holes in the ground and drop a hand full of corn in the holes.

Turn a couple hundred hogs on the land.

Keep the water tank full. You said it was hot there.

 

[dickfoster]

This is what I had done to my severely overgrown five wooded acres. Today it looks like a park. All the remaining trees are happy with the mulch and nothing was burned but was put to good use as food and mulch for the trees left standing. All the brush and small trees were ground up and mixed into the ground.

 

[kthompson]

Been a while since I priced renting any machine but here a month's rent was about same as three weeks were. Think a weeks rental was about same as three days.

Depending on the operator and the machine like topbuilder's recommendation very very much. Only issue there is the stumps are still there and they will re-sprout so you need to consider that. kt

 

[nybirdman]

Don't use a dozer ,takes all the top soil off and you still have piles to get rid of.Mulcher for sure.

 

[Catchad81]

Mulch it with a skid steer. Either rent one or hire someone. Probably 150-175 per hour but they can move pretty quick.