Road and Trail Overgrowth Maintenance

[deere5105]

Over the past several years most of our woods roads and trails have experienced narrowing due to bushes and limbs growing over into the trail. In an effort to keep from scratching up and tearing stuff off of my tractor, I keep getting further away from the woods edge. Not to be confused with laziness, there are enough miles of roads and trails and fields that it is VERY time consuming to attempt this by hand with a saw. I have used a Bobcat with 6' grapple to push back and dig up some of it. This too takes quite a bit of time and if not completely dry tears up the roads with the twisting and turning. It seems like the best solution is one of the side mounted cutters on the hydraulic arm. I have seen some listed on older tractor units with a cage, looks like old county type unit, for around $15,000 and some newer units on used tractors for way higher prices. Not sure where this would be best posted, but am curious how others deal with this. This is not something that would have to be done annually, but every two to three years is probable. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

 

[TMR]

Over the past several years most of our woods roads and trails have experienced narrowing due to bushes and limbs growing over into the trail. In an effort to keep from scratching up and tearing stuff off of my tractor, I keep getting further away from the woods edge. Not to be confused with laziness, there are enough miles of roads and trails and fields that it is VERY time consuming to attempt this by hand with a saw. I have used a Bobcat with 6' grapple to push back and dig up some of it. This too takes quite a bit of time and if not completely dry tears up the roads with the twisting and turning. It seems like the best solution is one of the side mounted cutters on the hydraulic arm. I have seen some listed on older tractor units with a cage, looks like old county type unit, for around $15,000 and some newer units on used tractors for way higher prices. Not sure where this would be best posted, but am curious how others deal with this. This is not something that would have to be done annually, but every two to three years is probable. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

I can relate to your problem...I just did about a 1/4 mile of a trail with a chain saw and it was not pleasant. I told my wife I like "seat time" not chainsaw time

I just picked up my brush saw (circle blade on a stick) from another location and am going to try that. Not sure what I would do if I had a great distance to deal with...my total is about one mile and well under 1/2 of it has the side growth issue (at least currently)...I will watch for "solutions"...TMR

 

[forgeblast]

Pole saw might make it easier, if you found a way to attach it. Find a way to hook up an old david bradley buzz saw that would mow it right down.
David Bradley tractor cord wood saw - YouTube
this is the cordwood, but they had an attachment to run it out in front.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If you find an affordable answer let us know. We also have miles of woods roads and trails we use for logging, hunting, access for work, walking, and skiing. I keep them bush hogged and every year I open a section with chain saw, pole saw, and pruner/lopers. Like you said it is alot of work but I don't know any other affordable way. Pretty often when I just go out for a cruise I carry a pole saw.
Once I get the road width cut I can keep it with the bush hog. I just need to cut all the stuff coming in from the sides and top.

 

[crbr]

Pretty straight forward device...

Boom Mowers


.

 

[bcp]

Sickle bar mower that works in a vertical position.

Bruce

 

[crbr]

That too...

A few years back I was lucky enough to find a county road crew working, toward the end of the day. I knew one of the guys and ask for a free pass up and down a roadbed. He cut that roadbed back very nicely with their vertical bush hog machine. Those things will do the trick...

 

[PAGUY]

Deere - I use a Sthil weed wacker that uses a circular saw blade to replace string feeder. It is meant for brush cleaning and can be used vertical w/o any problem. You just have to respect the machine and be careful as there is no guard for that spinning blade.

 

[Taylortractornut]

A few years ago I had a customer come bythe shop for som work. He had part of a sickle mower head he had. We built a frame and made a mount that fit the skid steer coupler on my skidsteer and onhis tractor. We put a hydraulic motor on the wobble box and made it work vertically. I need to build one to maintain my neighbors fencelines and paths.

 

[deere5105]

Pretty straight forward device...

Boom Mowers


.

This looks very handy. Crosses my mind if I could pick up something like this and possibly contract out this type of work to help justify the cost. Curious what kind of price they are asking. Looks like the flail mower head doesn't require the operator protection that the rotary type unit requires. Would be an even bigger plus to be able to use it on multiple machines versus having one dedicated machine set up that way.