Stump Removal...Best Method?

[TMR]

Last summer I purchased 40 acres of land that has about 5-10 acres that was logged maybe 10-15 years ago. It has many Jackpine stumps left in the ground...maybe 12-18" tall with 6-8" diameters. I kicked a couple and they sure seem very "firm" still.

I was chatting with a friend that has done a lot of commercial road work and just about anything that takes heavy equipment...regarding getting someone in with a dozer to clean out the stumps. He advised to get a stump grinder from a rental place and grind them all down.

What are you thoughts/experiences? Quite a lot of stumps that I want out sooner rather than later before I work on replanting in the future...it is very nice part of the property on a ridge with a nice view (and good place for a deer stand).

I do not own a tractor at this point but will likely "someday". How could you attack this with a tractor and attachment...and what size/HP would you need? What method of "bulk" stump removal has worked "best" for you?

Thanks in advance...TMR

BTW...property has a built in "nursery" of red pine seedlings just ready to be thinned by transplanting...red and white pine are my "hobby". TMR

 

[Sublifer]

If you're going to plant the area then don't grind the stumps. You'll probably be best off paying someone with a big dozer and root rake to clear it for you. You could also use a backhoe but it will take a lot longer. Tractors really aren't built for stump removal but if its not too big you can use a stump bucket on a FEL

 

[Reg]

I think it depends very much on what you want to do with the land in the short/mid term.
If you intend to build, turn out high value animals on it, or put down hard roads - I would say excavate to get 'em outta there and avoid sink holes 5, 10, 15 years from now.

If you want the view, or intend crops - I would say grind 'em.
Let the remains rot, ignore shallow depressions over time, or re-level with regular tillage if you are growing crops.

I don't know what the decomposition rates are for your type of stumps in your soil, wetness, etc.
That may be the first thing to research, i.e. how long before rotting stumps below the surface become a problem ?

If you excavate you STILL have to get rid of 'em.
Burning takes a while and is rarely easy.

BTW, a few of us here have the Woods TSC-50 grinder behind 30, 40, 50 HP CUTS, it would probably be worth your while to search for those threads.

 

[TMR]

Thanks Reg...the ground is kind of a gravel/dirt...it does drain quickly when it rains and I fear that is why the stumps are still quite strong even though they were cut a number of years ago.

My intention is to first "save" as many of the naturally seeded Jackpine that are growing (5-8') and then transplant red and white pine and some spruce from other portions of the property that have an excess of 2-4 year natural seedlings. Also will have at least one UTV width trail through the area to the south property border. Mostly want it to be a nice looking ridge with a nice view (in some great deer country). Also will need to move and burn a fair amount of left over tree "junk" left over from the logging.

Probably would be nice to get the stumps out of the ground and have a number of major burning fires to get rid of them.

Thanks...TMR

I think it depends very much on what you want to do with the land in the short/mid term.
If you intend to build, turn out high value animals on it, or put down hard roads - I would say excavate to get 'em outta there and avoid sink holes 5, 10, 15 years from now.

If you want the view, or intend crops - I would say grind 'em.
Let the remains rot, ignore shallow depressions over time, or re-level with regular tillage if you are growing crops.

I don't know what the decomposition rates are for your type of stumps in your soil, wetness, etc.
That may be the first thing to research, i.e. how long before rotting stumps below the surface become a problem ?

If you excavate you STILL have to get rid of 'em.
Burning takes a while and is rarely easy.

 

[DelSc]

My experience with pine stumps that size that have been dead a few years is that they come out very easily, even with a relatively small backhoe and thumb. Not much dirt clings to them either because all the tiny roots are decomposed already.

 

[TMR]

BTW, a few of us here have the Woods TSC-50 grinder behind 30, 40, 50 HP CUTS, it would probably be worth your while to search for those threads.

Thanks Reg,,,found a major thread re; the TSG-50...really seems like a great solution...perhaps provides the "logic" for me to buy a tractor TMR

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Backhoes are pretty versatile and while maybe not the best tool for stumps they get that job and many others done fine. Rick

 

[davgreg]

Most jackpine stumps around here come out quite easy! Northern michigan has a lot of sand though. If they get big enough they will pluck themselves after a big storm. Roots rarely branch out. forks work the best to check the root structure so you dont have to hand dig. If you find a big enough root going horizontal take the axe to it. Then start pushing and lifting with forks on both sides of stump and they can usually be pursuaded out. Good luck!

 

[Highbeam]

The single hardest thing on a tractor is stumping, even small ones. 5-10 acres of forest will leave hundreds if not thousands of stumps. A tractor is not the proper tool. Grinding that many stumps will also prove to be tedious. An excavator with thumb will be far superior but still slow. A large bulldozer with a root rake will be the best thing since you are looking for something that will pluck the stumps as it goes. You will have a large pile of stumps but you seem to have a large parcel and I'm sure you can find a spot to stash that pile until you decide to hire a tub grinder, burn them, or just let them rot naturally.

Stump removal is a hired job. The equipment necessary is not worth buying for this one time project.

After removal I would come back with an excavator and shake the removed stumps free of dirt, stack them tall, and let them air dry for a year or two before starting the fire.

Why remove the stumps at all? If you plan to reforest this area then leave them in place to rot. Maybe only remove the stumps on your UTV trail. That changes the scale of the job to one that could be done with a grinder.

Can you flush cut the stumps? Low enough to drive over them?

 

[TMR]

Stump removal is a hired job. The equipment necessary is not worth buying for this one time project.

After removal I would come back with an excavator and shake the removed stumps free of dirt, stack them tall, and let them air dry for a year or two before starting the fire.

Why remove the stumps at all? If you plan to reforest this area then leave them in place to rot. Maybe only remove the stumps on your UTV trail. That changes the scale of the job to one that could be done with a grinder.

Can you flush cut the stumps? Low enough to drive over them?

Thanks Highbeam...maybe the idea of clearing the trail path and leave the rest is OK. It looks really messy but that may be partly/mostly due to the mess of partial trees left laying around. I also need to go back to the property and take a closer look at the task...I plan on using 5 grandkids to help move the tree remnants to various pile to burn. Need to take a better look at the slope also.

Thanks...TMR