Buying Advice Bought 100 Acres. Upgrade my tractor or hire some work done?

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

If physical constraints are a factor for whatever reasons it definitely puts a different spin on the task at hand.

I don't care who you are, if your using a tractor or chainsaw you have a physical constraint, I know my out of shape self is not going out with a shovel to plow ground or lift a few hundred pounds from the ground and move it out of my way, let's not talk about cutting a tree down with a axe. I'm gonna grab the tractor or whatever and save my back.

 

[nosurprise]

I don't care who you are, if your using a tractor or chainsaw you have a physical constraint, I know my out of shape self is not going out with a shovel to plow ground or lift a few hundred pounds from the ground and move it out of my way, let's not talk about cutting a tree down with a axe. I'm gonna grab the tractor or whatever and save my back.

Agreed, the comment had more to do with injuries or health, asthma etc. Fitness level does factor in majorly.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, that's why I asked about age and physical condition.

I'm in very good condition for my age. I think I'm very productive until I work beside my almost 40ish Sons. Then my limitations show up.

 

[farmer2009]

I'm 33 and I'd rent a small dozer for the weekend and have at it...ok it might take a few weekends but you get the point. Depending on how dense the woods are id want to clear out an acre or so here and there for food plots anyway... I don't mind some manual labor but being asmatic and already having two hernia surgeries I'd rather rent the right equipment and make it a little easier on myself.

I'll be 33 next month and this is the approach I was going to recommend. Rent a dozer take a vacation and get it done. Will still have a need for a chain saw. Around here this time of year you can rent a dozer pretty cheap. Some places will give you a free week after every 3 or 4 weeks. If the loggers left a mess (like they did on my neighbors property) then you will need a dozer or excavator to deal with it. Chainsawing skidder piles are too dangerous.

 

[nosurprise]

I'll be 33 next month and this is the approach I was going to recommend. Rent a dozer take a vacation and get it done. Will still have a need for a chain saw. Around here this time of year you can rent a dozer pretty cheap. Some places will give you a free week after every 3 or 4 weeks. If the loggers left a mess (like they did on my neighbors property) then you will need a dozer or excavator to deal with it. Chainsawing skidder piles are too dangerous.

Yes depending on density a couple chainsaws and a small tractor may not be enough. Pictures would help, but either way it's hard to imagine a scenario that I could not cut ATV trails myself and not pay someone else 100 hrly to do it. The OP has some sound advice to cut a trail through now as well. Decisions decisions..........

 

[Citydude]

Blazing a trail for an ATV isn't the hard part, it's the debris left to clean up and places to put it and then burn it that I have issues with. I have plans of making trails and from time to time, I go to where I need to start and all I can think of is "this is going to be a massive pile of sticks". First, it will need to be wide enough to get my tractor and grapple down the trail and grab what I've cut down. I'd have to make wide spots for turning around as we have a very dense ponderosa pine forest on a steep incline that needs thinned anyway but that's another project down the road.... Second, take the debris up to the only clearing large enough for the slash pile then burn said pile to make room for more. Sounds easy on paper, not so much in real life.

I cleared an area for my 30x40 shop and I still haven't burned the slash piles due to constraints on when we can burn. The area I cleared was on too steep of a slope to get my tractor up it so we had to drag the tops down to where the tractor could grab them. The logs I winched down with my Farmi winch. Just the roughly 80x60 area I cleared was exhausting and I'm in relatively good shape.

I know many have done it and are good at this kind of thing and enjoy it. However I can relate to the OP in his inquiry to just hire it out. I won't because I'm too cheap. Plus, the trails are not that important to me to spend the money on. I will, at some point, start the trail building myself however judging from clearing out the area for my shop, I'm in no rush. I'm 64 years old. As the years pass by, the need for the trails diminish. If I wait long enough, I won't have to do it.

 

[nybirdman]

I would not use a dozer but a mulcher.With a dozer you would still have to contend with brush and dirt piles.
Plus a dozer takes of the top layer of good soil.Biggest mistake I made was hiring a dozer to clear my property.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I would not use a dozer but a mulcher.With a dozer you would still have to contend with brush and dirt piles.
Plus a dozer takes of the top layer of good soil.Biggest mistake I made was hiring a dozer to clear my property.

Two thoughts, one would be it was logged 6 years ago I believe he said in the original post so a bull dozer should clear existing trails of 6 year old saplings. Two he needs to cut breaks in the hilly area or the ground could wash out if they haven't already by the last logging crew who should have cut tops to lay flat and breaks cut in the hills on the old trails.

 

[farmer2009]

I would not use a dozer but a mulcher.With a dozer you would still have to contend with brush and dirt piles.
Plus a dozer takes of the top layer of good soil.Biggest mistake I made was hiring a dozer to clear my property.

If a dozer is taking all your topsoil and putting it into the brush piles. Then you need a new dozer operator.

Mulchers are nice and have their place but without knowing lay of the land you can't be sure a mulcher can get over it all. A wide track dozer will walk across swamps like an atv as long as it's a single trip. Start making several trips and you are headed for trouble. It can build a road into and out of creeks and streams. With a dozer you can terrace a hill side to stop it from sliding into the roads. Also remove rocks and stumps and back fill and grade smooth. A mulcher will just chew and spit.

When clearing trails through woods you just keep everything pushed to the side off the trail. This keeps you moving. Then you can leave the trees to rot or bring in a chainsaw and atv or SCUT and remove at your leisure. Just pay attention and don't leave trees under stress.

 

[newbury]

I say this with respect.
First thing you need to do is build a chainsaw scabbard for your ATV or tractor. Then get at it.
I first walk a proposed trail with a roll of orange ribbon. Mark trees that need cut. If I like the end result I then fire up the saw. About 50% of the time I'll change the route and have to relocate the marking ribbons.
Yep, it's kinda slow. But owning property requires a lot of time and work. I've cut at least 10 miles of trails in this manner. I'm 65.

And you learn more about your property.
If the OP NEEDS the trails NOW hiring is the only way to go.

Myself, I prefer to put the equipment needed in a bucket and go.

But then I like chainsaws and my tractors are my ATV's.

And remember it will REQUIRE maintenance.

My question also would be, who will maintain the trails? Some years clearing old trails are harder than making new ones, perks to an All Terrain Vehicle is you have the ability to go around things pretty easy, tree falls in the trail, it either gets cut and rolled out of the way or driven around and a new section to the trail is cut.

There's many a trail been cut with chainsaws and ATV's, no tractor required.

And I'd be SURE not to make it big enough for a 4WD truck unless I could ABSOLUTELY ensure no trespassing. I've about 150 acres with maybe a mile of what used to be passable trails where "partiers" have gotten into and had fun digging mud holes about 4 foot deep, some fllled with beer can empties. Now I can barely walk down the trails in places.