That is an awesome implement. I'm pretty sure that it would pull my small pines. I thin my stands and remove trees - 1" to 6" on the butt. I don't know if it would reduce the work load any though.
My young stands of pines are thick as the hair on a hound dog. I use a small Stihl chainsaw to thin. The TOUGH part is dragging all these fallen trees out of the stand and to a pile. A stand that has been thinned looks like a giants game of Pick-Up-Sticks. Dragging - and me not falling - is the trick.
I've tried using the grapple on the M6040 to pick and remove the fallen trees. It takes more time than dragging by hand. The tractor just isn't nimble enough and the young pines tend to fall in ALL directions.
I still have to get rid of the tree - one way or another. Chipping or burning. I've chosen to chip.
I burn my pile in the winter. Wildfire concerns dictate doing it then.
I had my big pines selectively logged about fifteen years ago. I was going to eliminate the slash piles but saw they were being used by the wildlife. I left them to Mother Nature and the wildlife appreciate it.
I've noticed a significant increase of quail - in and around my property.
