I don't plow with a skid steer, but I have a 3 point attachment - skid steer that I use to disc with. I have to run in reverse which is a minus. A plus is I am able to apply plenty of down pressure to the disc. A mistake I made was buying a quick attach 3 point which was about 3 x the cost of a simple skid steer to 3 point attachment. Hind sight I would have better off buying 2 or 3 of the simple type adapters. Another option would have been to just weld a skid plate to all my implements, but wanted to keep the 3 point option available. I don't do very many big food plots but have several that probably add up to 5 acres.
Buying Advice Need help deciding between skid steer or traditional tractor
- Thread starter bigtrough
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LD1
Epic Contributor
I would think driving over plowed ground with a SS would do as much harm as the disc does good. Not to mention probably pretty rough with the small tires.
Skidloaders are excellent construction and FEL tools. But IMO have no business being on or trying to work up farm ground. Wrong tool for the job.
Xfaxman
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paulharvey
Veteran Member
I would split the difference and get an industrial tractor, something like the yellow JD-210LE, New Holland, and Case also make "grade tractors". They are heavy for their size, and built primarily as a loader and grade machine, not as an after thought. Make sure it has a PTO, pretty sure you can get one on all of them, but it's far from the default option. They (I think all) are power shuttles, so that's the best of both gear and hydro world.
Couldn't agree with you more about the plowed ground, but I don't drive on plowed ground. I only disc under last years crop residue and replant. Some of us can't afford or justify a tractor for 5 acres of food plots when we already have a skid steer. So far the deer and other critters have not complained what I use to put in my food plots. Since I can not live without my skid steer, and can't justify a tractor, I believe I will keep on with my present wrong methods. Oh, by the way, I plant with a 2 row JD 71 planter pulled behind a ATV which is not traditional and therefore wrong also.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Have you ever spent the day in a skid steer? Of everything I've operated, nothing is more painful then hour and hour of running a skid steer. The thought of driving one over open country is so terrible that if I had a skid steer, I would probably just leave it parked and get something else.
I think that a good sized tractor will accomplish most of what you want to do. I also agree with the others in suggesting renting an excavator to get rid of the trees you don't want. If it is going to be a long term project and renting turns out to be too expensive, you might look into buying a full sized backhoe with a 4 in 1 bucket. I have an older New Holland 555E that I modified to accept Universal Quick Attach implements. The grapple is on there more then anything else. At 80 hp, the backhoe will take out any sized tree and the grapple is strong enough to pick up most of them and carry it to the burn pile.
It's one thing to get them out of the ground, it's another thing getting them to the burn pile.
I also have a 170 hp dozer that I've used to clear trees. It's kind of fun at first to push them over, but it doesn't take long to create a huge mess. And when the ground dries up, some of those same sized trees that pushed over easily start to snap off, leaving a stump to dig out. It will also take out any sized tree, but you have to do a lot of digging to cut the roots and build up a ramp to get those bigger ones out. The backhoe is much faster on bigger trees and when comparing the time it takes to clean up a days work on the dozer taking out trees to what you can do with just the backhoe, I've learned not to use the dozer for clearing trees.
Dozers are for pushing dirt.
Eddie
I think that a good sized tractor will accomplish most of what you want to do. I also agree with the others in suggesting renting an excavator to get rid of the trees you don't want. If it is going to be a long term project and renting turns out to be too expensive, you might look into buying a full sized backhoe with a 4 in 1 bucket. I have an older New Holland 555E that I modified to accept Universal Quick Attach implements. The grapple is on there more then anything else. At 80 hp, the backhoe will take out any sized tree and the grapple is strong enough to pick up most of them and carry it to the burn pile.
It's one thing to get them out of the ground, it's another thing getting them to the burn pile.
I also have a 170 hp dozer that I've used to clear trees. It's kind of fun at first to push them over, but it doesn't take long to create a huge mess. And when the ground dries up, some of those same sized trees that pushed over easily start to snap off, leaving a stump to dig out. It will also take out any sized tree, but you have to do a lot of digging to cut the roots and build up a ramp to get those bigger ones out. The backhoe is much faster on bigger trees and when comparing the time it takes to clean up a days work on the dozer taking out trees to what you can do with just the backhoe, I've learned not to use the dozer for clearing trees.
Dozers are for pushing dirt.
Eddie
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When I was using the dozer I'd angle the blade down and drive into the ceder with the corner which would dig up the root ball without tearing up the ground to much.
RedNeckRacin
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I'm pretty sure eddie is more versed in equipment knowledge than overlooking this idea. :thumbsup: If you have to build a ramp for a 170hp dozer to push a tree over, your talking a serious tree.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
That works good with smaller trees. Cedars either pop out easy, or they snap off. The bigger ones and the dryer the soil, the more effort it will take. Then the question comes up on getting them to the burn pile. Even with a rake, you end up pushing dirt. It's also painfully slow pushing trees to the pile. Nothing compares to picking them up and dropping them on top of the pile
Eddie
Eddie
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
That works good with smaller trees. Cedars either pop out easy, or they snap off. The bigger ones and the dryer the soil, the more effort it will take. Then the question comes up on getting them to the burn pile. Even with a rake, you end up pushing dirt. It's also painfully slow pushing trees to the pile. Nothing compares to picking them up and dropping them on top of the pile
Eddie
Eddie