Advice you would give someone getting into Bush Hogging?

[Thomas]

First are you married and do you already have full time job bush hogging will affect your home life also weather factor.
Try get a feel of the person attitude your bushing hogging for.
Air tank will come in handy keeping radiator clean and some case extra ad on screen.
If you tell costumer it will take 6 hours bush hog make 8 hours give yourself plenty of time.

 

[CobyRupert]

Depending on what your mowing, beware of sticks and branches that can wedge, grab, poke, and rip anything and everything on the bottom of your tractor. Additional guards or plates maybe beneficial.
Don’t back into growth you’re not 100% sure about. There will be a rock, stump, fence post, wire fence, car, etc..hidden there. But when you do (!), have mower raised high and set it down on brush, that way you’re only banging the blades and not smashing in the mower sides. Don’t ask me how I know.
Insurance...enough said.
You might want to keep the FEL on. As other mentioned, it’s good for using the Helen Keller method of finding objects.
Or at least add weight to front. I’ve got a tractor and cutter of similar weights, with the loader off I can pop wheelies taking off in a high gear. Not something I’d want to inadvertently do going uphill.
If you mow any hills set tires wide and fill rear tires with bear juice or equivalent. When you’re on a side hill with heavy attachment raised and a light front end, you’re basically balancing on one downhill rear tire.

 

[Citydude]

As a former contract mower, the advice given so far is very good.

Two things that are a must have. An LLC and commercial insurance.

As far as pricing, I was charging $120.00 an acre. That included picking up stray garbage.

Nothing looks worse after brush hogging than litter all over the area you mowed. People will notice that more than the nice job of hogging.

 

[flusher]

I used my Mahindra 5525 and 7-ft brush hog mower to cut 4-ft weeds on a neighbor's field. Hit a concealed irrigation ditch and nearly rolled the tractor. Brush hogging can be risky business on unfamiliar ground.

Good luck and be careful out there.

 

[goeduck]

If the overgrown field is near a public road lots of people pitch their garbage, old lawnmowers, etc. in it.

 

[Citydude]

If the overgrown field is near a public road lots of people pitch their garbage, old lawnmowers, etc. in it.

I mowed along side public roads. The people here are bud light drinkers judging by the cans I picked up.

When Wyoming passed the open container law, the beer cans along our roads increased.

 

[MossRoad]

If the overgrown field is near a public road lots of people pitch their garbage, old lawnmowers, etc. in it.

Yep. Besides hitting the concealed dead animal carcasses, there's tires, trash, tie-down straps and metal ratchets, metal bars, T-posts, chunks of concrete

 

[Hay Dude]

As a former contract mower, the advice given so far is very good.

Two things that are a must have. An LLC and commercial insurance.

As far as pricing, I was charging $120.00 an acre. That included picking up stray garbage.

Nothing looks worse after brush hogging than litter all over the area you mowed. People will notice that more than the nice job of hogging.

Look for insurance for “ Custom Mowing “

 

[Fuddy1952]

This may be useless information but I'll mention it anyway. When I bush hog my own place I first go around the perimeter with an RZT50 Cub Cadet mower. The reason is I can cut right up to the woven wire fence. Along the creek it's undercut, I can bet if I were to bush hog it the ground would give way and it's at least an eight foot drop!
I wouldn't want to damage a customers fence or worse flip my tractor. Price if I charged I'd add hazard pay if it's a rough area!
As others mentioned walk it first. With mower off, deck high you could go along looking for problem areas.
Once you get established, repeat customers it would be ok.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yep. It’s all about the first cut..... Thats where the stress and the drama happen. Subsequent mowings, just look for tire tracks indicating dumping and fallen trees.