Brush clearing down steep hill, need advice!

[goeduck]

Let me think.... steep slope..... brush....... GOATS!

West Side Goat Girl - Greater Seattle & Portland Areas

 

[rangerfredbob]

I'm over in Dayton and understand... the string mowers don't work well for black berries, but if you rent or find someone to borrow a self propelled blade brush mower (outback or DR, VERY FEW graveleys over on this side of the country). I happened upon a Outback mower for cheap on craigslist about a year ago and it is a beast but a serious workout since it's too narrow to have an open differential and mine is older so it has the narrow AG tread tires...

A blade on a weedeater does do a number on blackberries but is also a workout...

 

[ddbackhoe]

Let me think.... steep slope..... brush....... GOATS!

West Side Goat Girl - Greater Seattle & Portland Areas

Thats the best eco-friendly move of the moment. Some places even have rental units.
Goats For Land Clearing
https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-9604.pdf

 

[Ortimber]

Without knowing all of the details, I'd say it's a job for a dozer. Clear a nice path and shape things so you can access it with your 2501.

 

[JerryK]

Like your first answer, brush cutter. You need a good Husqvarna trimmer harness, an Oregon chainsaw helmet, and one of those Amazon 52cc brush cutters. I bought one this year and it quickly destroys anything under 1" with little or no effort. The three blade cutter will chew thru bigger stuff, too. You can put a carbide tip'd saw blade on it if you want, but the three blade works great. I use is for small cherry trees and raspberries. Starts, idles, and runs well, and works GREAT... Another thing is using C4. Had a bunch of that in Vietnam and it will do wonders if you use enough of it.

 

[RalphVa]

New to the forum, just acquired 10 acres and a new L2501- love it all so far!

Anyway, I have a steep hillside along one side of the property that is covered in blackberries and runs down to a nice creek that I'd like to access. So far I've only found one potential path down for machinery and it is THICK with blackberries and other brush. I tried backing the tractor down the hill and mowing it down only to make it 10 ft before the slope changed a bit and got too risky. Even then, I had trouble getting back up the hill with tractor due to traction issues.

What kind of equipment is out there that can be used on steep terrain to decimate brush and blackberries? I'd really like to start with just cutting a path into it so I can get a sense of what's even down there, doesn't have to be super wide at this point. Also, I'm leery of spraying much due to proximity to the creek so herbicides are out for the moment.

What would you recommend in my situation? TIA

The neighbor hired an outfit that had a tracked Cat with a flail mower mounted out front. I cut down all the brush/shrubs/vines between the big trees that were saved. Left a lot of mulch.

Later on, since it does not remove the roots, get some herbicide and carefully spray the invasive stuff leaves that come back or buy a Blackthorn dauber and daub the herbicide onto the leaves. Leave any good stuff you want.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Let me think.... steep slope..... brush....... GOATS!

West Side Goat Girl - Greater Seattle & Portland Areas

Goats still leave the roots. You'll have to later come back and carefully spray new leaves of bad stuff or paint with a Blackthorn dauber.

Ralph

 

[CobyRupert]

View attachment 626665

Bruce

Like your first answer, brush cutter. You need a good Husqvarna trimmer harness, an Oregon chainsaw helmet, and one of those Amazon 52cc brush cutters. I bought one this year and it quickly destroys anything under 1" with little or no effort. The three blade cutter will chew thru bigger stuff, too. You can put a carbide tip'd saw blade on it if you want, but the three blade works great. I use is for small cherry trees and raspberries. Starts, idles, and runs well, and works GREAT... Another thing is using C4. Had a bunch of that in Vietnam and it will do wonders if you use enough of it.

Straight shaft, bike handle, blade type trimmer with shoulder harness. I never know what to call these, so at my house we just call it "The Blade of Death"
These tools can really put a hurting on an area.

I've always used the "4 point" blade. And I've used it on stuff bigger than 1", probably up to 2"+, like sumac trees, but it takes a few whacks.
IMHO, the 4 point blade is the most versatile, handling grass ok, excels in eating vines, prickers, berry bushes and stalks of all types, and ok in saplings up to a couple inches.

IMHO, while some other blades are better for grass, others are better in stalks and bigger saplings, those blades aren't as good once you try to cut something outside their "specialty".

 

[Egon]

You want a trail for tractor access. So, build a side hill trail for your tractor with your tractor.

 

[9973720wb19]

spray it