Best way or tool to remove small pine saplings?

[TNhobbyfarmer]

The best technique I have found for pushing out small saplings with the loader it to put the bucket right at ground level. On a larger tree you start by pushing up high to get more leverage, but these little pine saplings are too springy. If you set your bucket flat and push right at ground level generally they push right out. If they get partially uprooted but don't come out, take the edge of the bucket under the exposed root ball and lift/push, they'll roll right out of the ground.

This technique works great. Using a piranha tooth bar on the bucket greatly improves the effectiveness.

 

[2458n]

My bush hog is rated at 2-3 inches. 12ft. 65 HP tractor.

 

[oosik]

I've done non-selective thinning of my small (3" or less) Ponderosa pines with the bucket on my FEL and now with the grapple on my FEL. Just grip & rip. Bigger than 3" - chain saw. Every spring I thin my young pine stands and chip them all - 750 to 900 small trees. Normally takes me about a month - I only work 3-4 hours each day. Otherwise I become over tired and dangerous with my chainsaw.

 

[robertm]

If you want to add to your arsenal of attachments, Jery Dunn's grapple can pull out saplings as small as a pencil in diameter. There are some videos on YouTube. I saw it in person. Really cool. Picks up 55 gallon drums if I recall, and down to a pencil.

Here it is:
NEW GRAPPLE UNCUT - YouTube

 

[BubbaJr]

Just don't do what I did. Back in 2001 right after we bought our property, I was clearing trees and saplings out to prepare the area for our new driveway. I cut down the big trees and pulled the saplings out of the ground.

The method I used was to wrap a chain 4-5 times around the sapling, and take the loose end of the chain and bring it under the loops then hooked it over my box blade to the drawbar. With the box blade a couple of inches from the sapling, I would raise the 3PH and the saplings would pop right out.

This worked great for a couple of dozen saplings. Then I got to one that almost caused my demise. I hooked it up as described, climbed on the tractor, raised the 3PH as I turned to look at my progress, here comes the chain and hook headed straight for my face at about 80 MPH. The only thing that saved my life was the chain and hook got to it's limit about 6" from my nose.

What happened was the bark came loose from the maple sapling and I literally skinned it. Then I got off the tractor picked up the chain, put the tractor back on my trailer, went home, and changed my drawers.

Joe - still getting shivers thinking about it.

 

[SandburRanch]

Just don't do what I did. Back in 2001 right after we bought our property, I was clearing trees and saplings out to prepare the area for our new driveway. I cut down the big trees and pulled the saplings out of the ground.

The method I used was to wrap a chain 4-5 times around the sapling, and take the loose end of the chain and bring it under the loops then hooked it over my box blade to the drawbar. With the box blade a couple of inches from the sapling, I would raise the 3PH and the saplings would pop right out.

This worked great for a couple of dozen saplings. Then I got to one that almost caused my demise. I hooked it up as described, climbed on the tractor, raised the 3PH as I turned to look at my progress, here comes the chain and hook headed straight for my face at about 80 MPH. The only thing that saved my life was the chain and hook got to it's limit about 6" from my nose.

What happened was the bark came loose from the maple sapling and I literally skinned it. Then I got off the tractor picked up the chain, put the tractor back on my trailer, went home, and changed my drawers.

Joe - still getting shivers thinking about it.

Now you have clean drawers, try a Clove Hitch knot around the sapling. It works, and a quick release Clove Hitch is about as simple to un-tie a a boot lace.

 

[BubbaJr]

Now you have clean drawers, try a Clove Hitch knot around the sapling. It works, and a quick release Clove Hitch is about as simple to un-tie a a boot lace.

That was back in 2001, my driveway is finished now.

Joe

 

[SandburRanch]

I find a use for that knot nearly every day pulling trees or not. Just yesterday I used the quick release knot on both ends of a rope to drag a tree limb to the brush pile. Much quicker than loading it on a truck or trailer.

For convenience on tree trunks, pulling fence posts etc. or anywhere there is an end to drop the loops over, loop A on top of loop B and drop it. A Native American sailor taught me that technique. RIP Bill

The rope example with the loop is the quick release Clove Hitch I taught myself. Only 1 end of it has holding power while both ends of the regular Clove Hitch has holding power.

 

[mark in portugal]

I found a picture of the thing I made to mount on the 3-point; as you can see, simplicity itself.
Pull, lift, drive.
Drop and revers to release the waste.
Fast!
Cheap!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If you want to add to your arsenal of attachments, Jery Dunn's grapple can pull out saplings as small as a pencil in diameter. There are some videos on YouTube. I saw it in person. Really cool. Picks up 55 gallon drums if I recall, and down to a pencil.

Here it is:
NEW GRAPPLE UNCUT - YouTube

WOW WOW WOW!!! i WANT ONE OF THESE!!!! Sent email requesting location and price. Where did you see it?