Vhayne
New member
Hello all. This is my first post, and I'm just getting into this. The thing is, my wife and I purchased 150+ acres of undeveloped land for recreation and eventually to build a home on. About 70 acres of it was timbered 2 years ago, and it's a HUGE mess. It has great potential however, and will be beautiful once it's finished. The guys left behind enormous brush piles (I have pics if necessary), and of course stumps galore (cut pretty close to the ground), as well as massive amounts of logs everywhere (mostly in the "low areas" - it's quite hilly). Since it's been 2+ years since this was done, there is a ton of undergrowth now as well. Lots of pine saplings as well as incredible amounts of briars.
I've talked to a lot of people so far concerning how to deal with this and had a company come out to quote the clean up. The quote was insane, so I plan to do it myself. What I've been told so far are the classic steps:
1. Gather up the logs by hand or other means, and burn them or mulch them.
2. Burn the brush piles.
3. Use an excavator and dig up the stumps.
4. Fill in the stump holes.
5. Bush hog the growth.
Now, that all sounds fine, and if you could see it personally, it also sounds like it would take years of a lot of hard work. I'm not opposed to that, but I can't help but think there's an easier way, which is why I'm here to talk to you guys.
I've been researching all of this the best I can, and I keep being drawn to the foresty mulchers. Specifically, I am planning on purchasing a new Bobcat T870 with the mulcher head and other attachments. The thing is, I can't help but wonder if it would do the job I want it to do. I figure it would make short work of the brush piles, especially since they've been rotting for 2 years. And the logs on the ground, I don't see why it would have a problem eating those up as well. And the 2+ year old stumps should also be easy to grind down level with the ground, right?
I suppose my questions for you are, am I correct on my theories about this so far? I plan to start in the winter when all the growth has died and it's a lot thinner. But will the mulcher head have problems in the thick growth? What do you all recommend?
I don't have a lot of help. Just me and my best friend really, so going the slow route will be a lot slower than normal. Not that I'm in a big rush, I just don't want it to take us a week to clear one acre, and by the time we are 20 percent finished, that acre has already grown back.
I have no experience with skidsteers, or tractors, or bulldozers really. I did drive a Lull (big tractor/forklift) on jobsites when I worked construction many years ago though. I know the bobcat will take time to learn, but I'm sure I can.
Any advice you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I've talked to a lot of people so far concerning how to deal with this and had a company come out to quote the clean up. The quote was insane, so I plan to do it myself. What I've been told so far are the classic steps:
1. Gather up the logs by hand or other means, and burn them or mulch them.
2. Burn the brush piles.
3. Use an excavator and dig up the stumps.
4. Fill in the stump holes.
5. Bush hog the growth.
Now, that all sounds fine, and if you could see it personally, it also sounds like it would take years of a lot of hard work. I'm not opposed to that, but I can't help but think there's an easier way, which is why I'm here to talk to you guys.
I've been researching all of this the best I can, and I keep being drawn to the foresty mulchers. Specifically, I am planning on purchasing a new Bobcat T870 with the mulcher head and other attachments. The thing is, I can't help but wonder if it would do the job I want it to do. I figure it would make short work of the brush piles, especially since they've been rotting for 2 years. And the logs on the ground, I don't see why it would have a problem eating those up as well. And the 2+ year old stumps should also be easy to grind down level with the ground, right?
I suppose my questions for you are, am I correct on my theories about this so far? I plan to start in the winter when all the growth has died and it's a lot thinner. But will the mulcher head have problems in the thick growth? What do you all recommend?
I don't have a lot of help. Just me and my best friend really, so going the slow route will be a lot slower than normal. Not that I'm in a big rush, I just don't want it to take us a week to clear one acre, and by the time we are 20 percent finished, that acre has already grown back.
I have no experience with skidsteers, or tractors, or bulldozers really. I did drive a Lull (big tractor/forklift) on jobsites when I worked construction many years ago though. I know the bobcat will take time to learn, but I'm sure I can.
Any advice you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.