clearing former timberland

[lewishope]

I want to clear some land that previously logged. It is "clear" already for the most part. The trees are gone, it's got lots of heavy grass and briars. But it's heavily rutted (lots of deep ruts) from being logged. It also has lots of buried stumps, branches and logs, just under the surface.

I'm a tractor newbie. I have a 39hp 4x4 Farmtrac with FEL. I have a box blade, Bushhog, rear blade, and a tiller. I would like to till the area first to make it easy to smmoth outthe ruts with the BB. But I'm afraid I'll damage the tiller on a stump. You can't see the stumps, logs etc. at all because of the grass and briars. But I'm not real keen on just bushhogging right now either.

What would you recommend? Could I use a middle buster or something to pop up the logs that are just under/over the surface? Then come back with the BH and then tiller. Finish with the BB.

I don't mind buying a middle buster if I need it. But I don't want to find out the hard way that I don't.

Any advice and ideas are greatly appreciated.

 

[Egon]

Depending on the size of stumps and debri you may want to consider a dozer with a root rake on the blade as being the fastest and most convienient way to get your land ready for working.

 

[MarkV]

I think Egon has it right about the dozer. If it was logged the stumps are going to be too big to “pop” out with a tractor and without them out it will be years before tilling, plowing or disking will be possible from my experience.

MarkV

 

[johnk]

Get the dozer to do the heavy work and save your tractor for the finishing touches. Why beat up on your tractor. What a dozer will do in days it will take you months.

 

[frank_f15]

will agree with the others , get a dozer or rent one for a few days.

 

[redlevel]

How much land? Where? How long since it has been logged? What do you want to do with it?

If you are talking about less than an acre, you might be able to do it without trashing your tractor and every piece of equipment you have.

If you are in an area of the country where you can burn the land off to get rid of the heavy grass and briars it will make things a lot easier.

If it has been several years (3 or more) since it was logged, much of the stumps and debris may be rotted. I just harrowed over a small plot that had pines cut off it 3 years ago. The stumps were 90% rotten. If the debris isn't rotten, then much of it would probably burn if you burned it off.

If you want pasture, it won't take nearly as much to get it ready. If you want a lawn or a golf course, it will take a lot to get it ready.

The 'dozer the other posters have mentioned is probably going to be your best bet.

Mark

 

[lewishope]

It is two separate pieces, about an acre each. I just want pasture. I know I can't do anything with the stumps. I will go around them. I don't think they are so thick that I can't go around them. I know there are branches and logs that are just at the surface. I bought the land two years ago. It was logged about 6 years ago. I was hoping to leave the stumps and get the other stuff up. The stumps are hardwood stumps and seem to still be too tough to deal with right now.

 

[Kendall69]

I just got off a dozer an hour ago, it was a Cat Track loader. I needed to clear some Mesquite, some of the toughest wood on the planet. With my Kubota, I have been nipping away at it for over a year. The wood, and roots were so tough they would literally toss the tractor around.

Why I never thought of a dozer before I will never know. Rented the Cat and it was $400.00 for 8 hours, $85.00 delivery.

I cleared 4 acres in that 8 hours, when in the years prior picking at it with the Kubota I only manages a pathway.

Hand down the dozer is the tool to use, it brought op roots that were 3ft. in the ground ( I'm in sand) and it never ever could not do what I wanted it to do. That thing is my new best friend.

Funny side note, my 10 year old daughter jumped on my lap and drove it like a veteran - give a kid a joy stick and they can run anything.

 

[Kubotasrking]

Sounds like you're in a quandry. Were I you, I would then consider calling someone who specializes in clearing brush/limbs/etc.. w/ a bullhog or timberax type attachment on an ASV. They can go through limbs and brush at a very fast clip leaving nothing but mulch behind. They go for $125/hour in my neck of the woods. You can search for posts by Robbie Hedgewood and learn a whole bunch about these folks. Their machines are amazing.

My guess is that if your stumps aren't too dense, they could do 2 acres in a day or so.

Best of luck.

 

[Coyote]

will agree with the others , get a dozer or rent one for a few days.

I had the exact same scenario in NC. A dozer & track hoe cleared it enough for me to disk it in two days...would have taken me a month!