Best way to clear small trees from pasture

[Robert walker]

SHORT VERSION: A skid steer with mulcher would be the fastest way to clear an acre or so of 20' to 25' sweetgum saplings. But maybe not the cheapest. Other than using a chainsaw to fell and stack into piles for burning, do you know of another way using a 50hp tractor with FEL? For instance, do you think you should be able to push them over with the FEL? (That didn't work so well but I'm new to FEL on a tractor.)

=

I have a Woods HC72 6ft rotary cutter on a Mahindra 5010 tractor with FEL which I bought used this year. Several years old but in good shape. I bought 57 acres of land (8 acre pasture) and failed to maintain the pasture. It grew up in brush and weeds and I got all that mowed down (and it was THICK) and it looks good except that I have a boatload of sweetgum trees and other species, but probably 80% sweetgum. They are a hardwood but the wood is pretty soft in the saplings. I don't know about their root structure. They are 1" to about 5" diameter. Amazing how fast that tree can grow in five years! The biggest are 20-25 ft tall already.

I also have some water locust and they have horrific thorns on them. I do not want to use a cutter or mulcher over them because I am scared it would scatter the thorns and I do not want flats on my tractor! I prefer to take them down and pile them to burn, for sure. (Rather than hire a mulcher.) But there are not many of those left, maybe 20-30. Probably hundreds of sweetgum left! Maybe all total, an acre or so left to clear, the rest is cleared and the grass is coming back fast. Fescue and bahia.

I have been taking trees down by hand with chainsaw and dragging them into a pile and will burn them later. But, heck, I have a tractor, so, do you know of a faster way than with a chainsaw? I tried to push them over with FEL but it didn't work so good but I am new to using a FEL. My cutter is not robust enough to just mow them down as it is rated for only 1" stems. Actually, that surprised me and when I first started, I was probably mowing over 2" stems or even a little larger but I stopped that! I read the manual!

I thought I might could push them over with the FEL, dig them, or chain them and pull them out. Or buy another attachment! But that would be too expensive seems to me.

I have been using chainsaw and also a pole saw. They work fine but it's laborious. Sometimes, I use a weedwhacker and clear the grass out from the tree before I cut it down so I can see clear to cut it as flush with the ground as I can. So I can mow over the stumps.

I have a helper sometimes. But I also work alone alot and prefer to have a technique that I can do alone but I'm open to either.

Another option is to hire a mulcher operator. He could do it great, as I did hire a guy two years ago in the woodlot 40 acres in a 3-hr test and he cleared quite a trail in 3 hours. But... mulcher rental isn't cheap. Actually, I thought his $90/hr was a bargain but I have no idea how much his rate is now. As for my helper, he asks for $10/hr and he's a good, steady worker. He and I can whack and pile with a chainsaw each if that is the fastest (or best bang for the buck) method. I mean, of course, the mulcher could do it great but it won't be cheap and my guy could it, alone, just takes longer. But, only$10/hr. Just wondering what you guys think.

I’m in East Texas. Seems like I have cut and have a thousand more to cut, honey locust. The best way I have done it is to cut them about a foot off the ground, then I pile them with tractor. I go back and cut them off at the ground and throw the small pieces on the pile. After cutting them I spray the flush cut stumps with 1quart Remedy 3 quarts diesel fuel. This will kill the root system. I have read if you cut them, persimmon and sweet gum 5 new shoots will come up off the root system. I have seen this up close and personal. If the honey locust are 4“ or bigger I will put pressure on them with front end loader up high. Once I get them piled I set them on fire with a torch. I also wear a hard hat, yes I have had a thorn or two stick me in the head. If I could hire a helper for $10 an hour I would wear them out. Might use two to help me.

 

[livemusic]

I’m in East Texas. Seems like I have cut and have a thousand more to cut, honey locust. The best way I have done it is to cut them about a foot off the ground, then I pile them with tractor. I go back and cut them off at the ground and throw the small pieces on the pile. After cutting them I spray the flush cut stumps with 1quart Remedy 3 quarts diesel fuel. This will kill the root system. I have read if you cut them, persimmon and sweet gum 5 new shoots will come up off the root system. I have seen this up close and personal. If the honey locust are 4“ or bigger I will put pressure on them with front end loader up high. Once I get them piled I set them on fire with a torch. I also wear a hard hat, yes I have had a thorn or two stick me in the head. If I could hire a helper for $10 an hour I would wear them out. Might use two to help me.

@Robert walker ... you first said you cut them about a foot off ground.

- Why? Why not cut them ground flush? Why leave a foot of stump?

You mentioned 3/4 diesel in your mix.

- What does the diesel do, does the mix instructions call for that or have you just found it works?

You mentioned if HL is 4"DBH or larger, you put pressure on with FEL uh high.

- Then what? Are you describing 2 different techniques in addition to felling them with a 1' stump?

thanks!

I wonder if all of these stumps are going to be a perpetual problem without herbicide. I had planned on clipping the pasture 2x to 3x a year after I get it in shape.

Those who mention other attachments, those are interesting for sure. The stump bucket can be had less than $1,000, so, that is most appealing, lol.

 

[Jchonline]

SHORT VERSION: A skid steer with mulcher would be the fastest way to clear an acre or so of 20' to 25' sweetgum saplings. But maybe not the cheapest. Other than using a chainsaw to fell and stack into piles for burning, do you know of another way using a 50hp tractor with FEL? For instance, do you think you should be able to push them over with the FEL? (That didn't work so well but I'm new to FEL on a tractor.)

=

I have a Woods HC72 6ft rotary cutter on a Mahindra 5010 tractor with FEL which I bought used this year. Several years old but in good shape. I bought 57 acres of land (8 acre pasture) and failed to maintain the pasture. It grew up in brush and weeds and I got all that mowed down (and it was THICK) and it looks good except that I have a boatload of sweetgum trees and other species, but probably 80% sweetgum. They are a hardwood but the wood is pretty soft in the saplings. I don't know about their root structure. They are 1" to about 5" diameter. Amazing how fast that tree can grow in five years! The biggest are 20-25 ft tall already.

I also have some water locust and they have horrific thorns on them. I do not want to use a cutter or mulcher over them because I am scared it would scatter the thorns and I do not want flats on my tractor! I prefer to take them down and pile them to burn, for sure. (Rather than hire a mulcher.) But there are not many of those left, maybe 20-30. Probably hundreds of sweetgum left! Maybe all total, an acre or so left to clear, the rest is cleared and the grass is coming back fast. Fescue and bahia.

I have been taking trees down by hand with chainsaw and dragging them into a pile and will burn them later. But, heck, I have a tractor, so, do you know of a faster way than with a chainsaw? I tried to push them over with FEL but it didn't work so good but I am new to using a FEL. My cutter is not robust enough to just mow them down as it is rated for only 1" stems. Actually, that surprised me and when I first started, I was probably mowing over 2" stems or even a little larger but I stopped that! I read the manual!

I thought I might could push them over with the FEL, dig them, or chain them and pull them out. Or buy another attachment! But that would be too expensive seems to me.

I have been using chainsaw and also a pole saw. They work fine but it's laborious. Sometimes, I use a weedwhacker and clear the grass out from the tree before I cut it down so I can see clear to cut it as flush with the ground as I can. So I can mow over the stumps.

I have a helper sometimes. But I also work alone alot and prefer to have a technique that I can do alone but I'm open to either.

Another option is to hire a mulcher operator. He could do it great, as I did hire a guy two years ago in the woodlot 40 acres in a 3-hr test and he cleared quite a trail in 3 hours. But... mulcher rental isn't cheap. Actually, I thought his $90/hr was a bargain but I have no idea how much his rate is now. As for my helper, he asks for $10/hr and he's a good, steady worker. He and I can whack and pile with a chainsaw each if that is the fastest (or best bang for the buck) method. I mean, of course, the mulcher could do it great but it won't be cheap and my guy could it, alone, just takes longer. But, only$10/hr. Just wondering what you guys think.

You sure those saplings wont grow again after they are mulched? I dont know about sweetgum, but there are some that will sprout right back in a few years. Might be better to strip the top few inches off the entire place with a bulldozer or large excavator and start fresh.

 

[Smokeydog]

I have a hard time hiring help for $25/hr. Slow and steady wins the race. Treat any tree removal as high hazard work.

I feel your pain. Always having to deal with tree encroachment. Piranha bar, Intimdator, grapples, chainsaws, HD rotary cutter and rehabilitating an old brown tree cutter to help beat back the green horde.

Trees pull out easier in spring. Always have a few planned to push out.

Have changed to pushing trees into piles back into the woods or gullies to rot down instead of burning. Main gully can eat one or two house size piles per year. More environmentally, wildlife, and agricultural friendly.

 

[Surshot]

Southern Land clearing; put a hog wire fence around it all, put about 60-80 hogs in, do not fed them. Stand back and look every two weeks, in 6-8 weeks the hog owner can come get them, load them up. Land will be cleared, leveled, plowed and disked. The brush and grass will all be gone, all trees will be dead and roots will be rooted up. You should have folks around there that rent hogs, that is what they do, those little piggies to rent, they clear land. It is a southern tradition, big hogs make goats look like a joke. Do not fall inside the fence.

 

[beenthere]

SHORT VERSION: A skid steer with mulcher would be the fastest way to clear an acre or so of 20' to 25' sweetgum saplings. But maybe not the cheapest. Other than using a chainsaw to fell and stack into piles for burning, do you know of another way using a 50hp tractor with FEL? For instance, do you think you should be able to push them over with the FEL? (That didn't work so well but I'm new to FEL on a tractor.)

=

I have a Woods HC72 6ft rotary cutter on a Mahindra 5010 tractor with FEL which I bought used this year. Several years old but in good shape. I bought 57 acres of land (8 acre pasture) and failed to maintain the pasture. It grew up in brush and weeds and I got all that mowed down (and it was THICK) and it looks good except that I have a boatload of sweetgum trees and other species, but probably 80% sweetgum. They are a hardwood but the wood is pretty soft in the saplings. I don't know about their root structure. They are 1" to about 5" diameter. Amazing how fast that tree can grow in five years! The biggest are 20-25 ft tall already.

I also have some water locust and they have horrific thorns on them. I do not want to use a cutter or mulcher over them because I am scared it would scatter the thorns and I do not want flats on my tractor! I prefer to take them down and pile them to burn, for sure. (Rather than hire a mulcher.) But there are not many of those left, maybe 20-30. Probably hundreds of sweetgum left! Maybe all total, an acre or so left to clear, the rest is cleared and the grass is coming back fast. Fescue and bahia.

I have been taking trees down by hand with chainsaw and dragging them into a pile and will burn them later. But, heck, I have a tractor, so, do you know of a faster way than with a chainsaw? I tried to push them over with FEL but it didn't work so good but I am new to using a FEL. My cutter is not robust enough to just mow them down as it is rated for only 1" stems. Actually, that surprised me and when I first started, I was probably mowing over 2" stems or even a little larger but I stopped that! I read the manual!

I thought I might could push them over with the FEL, dig them, or chain them and pull them out. Or buy another attachment! But that would be too expensive seems to me.

I have been using chainsaw and also a pole saw. They work fine but it's laborious. Sometimes, I use a weedwhacker and clear the grass out from the tree before I cut it down so I can see clear to cut it as flush with the ground as I can. So I can mow over the stumps.

I have a helper sometimes. But I also work alone alot and prefer to have a technique that I can do alone but I'm open to either.

Another option is to hire a mulcher operator. He could do it great, as I did hire a guy two years ago in the woodlot 40 acres in a 3-hr test and he cleared quite a trail in 3 hours. But... mulcher rental isn't cheap. Actually, I thought his $90/hr was a bargain but I have no idea how much his rate is now. As for my helper, he asks for $10/hr and he's a good, steady worker. He and I can whack and pile with a chainsaw each if that is the fastest (or best bang for the buck) method. I mean, of course, the mulcher could do it great but it won't be cheap and my guy could it, alone, just takes longer. But, only$10/hr. Just wondering what you guys think.

Going to either be hard work or expensive. The mistake was made to just let them go. No better time than NOW to get caught up and keep everything under your control. They will be bigger and more labor as well as more expensive next year as the trees and brush will keep growing.
You are not alone in learning that lesson. Ask me how I know...

Now get to work.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

This is exactly what a local friend said to me regarding the way he uses his bushhog. What is confusing to me is... there ARE different sizes and capabilities of bushhogs. And, secondly, mine sure makes one hechuva racked when I mow over a downed sapling of any size! It's concerning, I sure don't want to tear it up, lol.

I don't have an adequate fence for goats. I think it would take too much effort to restore the fence. More than I want to expend anyway. I don't have any desire to run cows or any livestock. I could lease if I wished, people call me all the time but I really don't have any desire to do that.

Get some ear plugs. If it's still too noisy, get some ear covers to put on too. Get after it.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I think that is how I would do it but i would back off any tree bigger than your forearm. Just cut the big ones and push in a pile and burn them.

He's got a big enough tractor. Just bounce on them a couple times with a chain, pull them up. Sweet gums will come back forever, I'd pull them. Pull thorn trees too. I've pulled big trees over with a 4x4 truck.

 

[RancherGuy]

I have a Woods HC72 6ft rotary cutter on a Mahindra 5010 tractor with FEL

Personally, I would not be concerned about the robustness of your cutter. The duty factor that I have witnessed seems to be associated to the thickness of the deck and the gearbox. If the gearbox has a clutch, then you are good to go. The deck will not be harmed by anything except rust. I have much experience hitting lots of saplings with my 6 footer. As suggested earlier, cut all you can and address the rest with something else. FYI, if you are aggressive enough with your cutter, the point of failure will be a broken blade - broken at the retaining bolt head. What happens is the steel blade flexes at the head when the blade is forced upward from big (3" or more) wood or heavy accumulations of debris that you are expecting it to mulch up. Avoid that big stuff and allow it time to chop and clear debris. This flexing eventually causes fatigue and breakage. I have a spare pair of blades in my barn - currently $120/pr shipped to my door. Also, if I want to cut something larger, like 3", I always back into it, directing the tree towards the rear opening, and moving slowly so the blade tips have a chance to sever the tree as the deck causes it to bend (flex). You could even use this to cut, then the FEL to move the tree elsewhere.

Another tip with saplings is to cut as close to dirt as possible. If a sapling is left to be more than 2" high with a sharpened top, each can become a spear that can penetrate a tire. Ask me know I know, or what I have seen with my neighbor.

As for the Remedy/diesel mix, the diesel is simply a carrying liquid for the Remedy. You change the cost from $80/gallon to $25. It is still very potent, in fact I knock mine down to 20% and use it as a basal treatment, covering 2x to 3x the trunk diameter. Spraying leaves is a waste of product. Cut stumps can be knocked out as well, but don't wait for the stump to dry before treating.

 

[jyoutz]

Have the area masticated, then spray the stumps with a herbicide such as Garlon, Velpar, or other products listed for woody vegetation. Use a dye in the sprayer so you can tell which stumps have been treated. Then maintain the area with your tractor and rotary cutter.