See I never even considered this option which may be the best first purchase to get my feet (or actually hands) dirty. I will have to research to see if the little 80cc 4-wheeler can pull the mower. Plus am I correct if I get a tractor down the road, whether it be a SCUT or other type would the ATV mower attachment then also attach to the tractor?
Mowing City Slicker needs eduction on taking care of land
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See I never even considered this option which may be the best first purchase to get my feet (or actually hands) dirty. I will have to research to see if the little 80cc 4-wheeler can pull the mower. Plus am I correct if I get a tractor down the road, whether it be a SCUT or other type would the ATV mower attachment then also attach to the tractor?
jeff9366
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Research the transmission on potential ATV or Utility Vehicle purchases.
While a pulled ATV mower with it own engine will not be too much load, few ATVs nor Utility Vehicles are designed to PULL a load, with belt drive being the worst.
A few Utility Vehicles have HST transmissions, like tractors, which are designed to PULL.
LINK: http://www.kubota.com/product/UtilityVehicles/RTV500/RTV500.aspx
While a pulled ATV mower with it own engine will not be too much load, few ATVs nor Utility Vehicles are designed to PULL a load, with belt drive being the worst.
A few Utility Vehicles have HST transmissions, like tractors, which are designed to PULL.
LINK: http://www.kubota.com/product/UtilityVehicles/RTV500/RTV500.aspx
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newbury
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That second pic looks to rough for anything short of a bush hog.
At this point you should focus on secure storage and get the neighbor to bush hog.
Did you mean The property is 45 inches away from my house
or
The property is 45 minutes away from my house
or
The property is 45 miles away from my house?
A scut could pull the mower attachment but I doubt an 80cc ATV could.
I still recommend planting trees and watching them grow, it's easier than to mow..
I have about 100 acres of free rent, old pasture, that has grown up in locust and hedge that a friend let's me use as my own for hunting and playing. I've been slowly putting in food plots and clearing out areas for trees, NSWGs, clover patches, etc., and have cut trails through the brambles and thickets. It's my hobby so I don't want to get too much money invested in something that doesn't belong to me. Most of the equipment I've picked up after advertising on Craigslist what I was looking for and how much I wanted to pay. I had a MF 231 tractor and it was a good machine and the offer of $7000 seems fair to me for that tractor. It had a loader, which was handy. I now have an older Ford 2000 3 cyl diesel without a loader ($3000), it does a good job pulling 5 foot equipment ..a blade, a cultipacker, a tiller, a field cultivator, and a lightweight brush hog. It sounds like you'll be starting out slow with just a few acres and then maybe get more involved. I picked up a cheap $1500 gas golf cart to get around in lieu of an ATV and it works for me to putter around the place. I put receiver hitches front and rear of the cart with a rear hauler and a front electric spreader. I can load seed on the pack and spread it in the front. Plastic buckets where the golf bags go can hold a lot of tools. I've gathered up acorns every year and some persimmon seeds this year and planted those for fun. Food plots and burning off old fescue (pasture burning was pretty scary at first and I was afraid I'd burn up the whole section, but its fun now) to let the weeds grow for the wildlife, rounds out the year. The trees I cut to open up areas are split for my son's fire place. The neighbors keep an eye out for thieves who'd be foolish to risk taking my stuff when there's lots better out there for the taking. I'd hate to lose what I have accumulated, but I have bought wisely and while it all works it isn't new by far. I've been opportunistic when something quite used pops up for sale that I need at a good price I'll buy it rather than buy new or slightly used. Part of the fun is fixing stuff on a rainy day. I have a good shed.
There are too many deer, turkey, and racoons to have any sort of vegetable garden, but if a person was so inclined that would keep you busy.
There are too many deer, turkey, and racoons to have any sort of vegetable garden, but if a person was so inclined that would keep you busy.
I can tell by your post you really care about your hobby and while I don't hunt I love that I have acquired this land and want to work with it, care for it. My experience is house plants & small veggie garden and no idea what to do with a large parcel and literally starting at the bottom with my learning. You have mechanical knowledge to tinker on toys. I get to frustrated but now with you tube people post how to videos I might be willing to give it a try haha. Thanks for the tips & your reply.
Thank you all for the suggestions. I researched every one and summed it all up here in case it helps someone in the future.
Pay someone to bush-hog and then use ZTM to stay on top of mowing or maybe a cheaper 15hp rider mower and run it hard till it dies.
Pro: less work for me initially, very low financial investment if continue to have renter do grass. Giving someone a job.
Con: does not have a finished, manicured look, I want to get MY hands dirty and be involved. Renter may feel obligated to do it, since he is getting great deal on rental.
ZTM $2-7,000
Pro: fast, nice clean finish
Con: $$, frequency of mowing 3-4x's/month bc can't get tall, leaves lumpy grass, need to finish
Throw away 15HP rider mower for 500.00
Pro: cheaper
Con: longer to mow time, only used mowers @ this price, new 15+HP >$1000.00
Oldie but goodie Tractor with 12 ground clearance with a medium duty rotary cutter 25-35hp $5-15,000
Pro: less expensive, multiple uses, holds value.
Con: are these reliable, need tweaking each use, or start up easy?
Grow something on the property so I don't have to cut it.
Pro: improve environment, pretty, depending on choices all done.
Con: can be costly, may need maintenance, don't know what to put in.
Flail mower with duck foot flails: wow I learned another new tool after looking at a videos on this site. I like how it cuts low and mulches grass, then grass starts to regrow and it looks like lawn (or the fields the cows have been grazing in.) easy to walk through, we can set up a game of soccer or football.
Pro: it's perfect, will cut brush, tall weeds, safer than rotary cutter for debris launch
Con: need to have a tractor, about 500 or more than cutter, more maintenance.
ATV mower $1000-2500
Pro: make use of current inventory, works like a zero turn
Con: may be hard for me to pull start.
New SCUT/CUT 24-35hp $10-20k plus implements
Pro: versatility, ease of use, reliable
Con: most expensive, more than I need for now.
member posted suggestions:
MF 231 for $7k: I sent him email but no reply. Massey Ferguson 231 tractor
Kubota BX70 tractor: used one on CL $9800 has 9" clearance & 23HP, another poster suggested 12" clearance, & >25HP.
Ford 1520 or 1720: heres one on CL 1993 F-1520 w/60 MMM+ implements, 23HP, 1265 hrs $5500 Ford 152 HST Tractor and Mower, plus Equipment
Ford 1210, Only 16hp but with attachments great price. 725hrs
Compact Tractor
I can't believe my husband said why do you want to mow it, just leave it like has been for the last 10 years. I'm sure because it's new to me I want to get in there and clean it up, make it a gem. Since I don't live there full time I get it. However if I keep my costs down he won't object. I think I'm leaning towards a used oldie/goodie tractor with a flail mower. My main concern will be maintenance of these older tractors but that's a different thread.
Best of luck & health to you all.
Darlene
Pay someone to bush-hog and then use ZTM to stay on top of mowing or maybe a cheaper 15hp rider mower and run it hard till it dies.
Pro: less work for me initially, very low financial investment if continue to have renter do grass. Giving someone a job.
Con: does not have a finished, manicured look, I want to get MY hands dirty and be involved. Renter may feel obligated to do it, since he is getting great deal on rental.
ZTM $2-7,000
Pro: fast, nice clean finish
Con: $$, frequency of mowing 3-4x's/month bc can't get tall, leaves lumpy grass, need to finish
Throw away 15HP rider mower for 500.00
Pro: cheaper
Con: longer to mow time, only used mowers @ this price, new 15+HP >$1000.00
Oldie but goodie Tractor with 12 ground clearance with a medium duty rotary cutter 25-35hp $5-15,000
Pro: less expensive, multiple uses, holds value.
Con: are these reliable, need tweaking each use, or start up easy?
Grow something on the property so I don't have to cut it.
Pro: improve environment, pretty, depending on choices all done.
Con: can be costly, may need maintenance, don't know what to put in.
Flail mower with duck foot flails: wow I learned another new tool after looking at a videos on this site. I like how it cuts low and mulches grass, then grass starts to regrow and it looks like lawn (or the fields the cows have been grazing in.) easy to walk through, we can set up a game of soccer or football.
Pro: it's perfect, will cut brush, tall weeds, safer than rotary cutter for debris launch
Con: need to have a tractor, about 500 or more than cutter, more maintenance.
ATV mower $1000-2500
Pro: make use of current inventory, works like a zero turn
Con: may be hard for me to pull start.
New SCUT/CUT 24-35hp $10-20k plus implements
Pro: versatility, ease of use, reliable
Con: most expensive, more than I need for now.
member posted suggestions:
MF 231 for $7k: I sent him email but no reply. Massey Ferguson 231 tractor
Kubota BX70 tractor: used one on CL $9800 has 9" clearance & 23HP, another poster suggested 12" clearance, & >25HP.
Ford 1520 or 1720: heres one on CL 1993 F-1520 w/60 MMM+ implements, 23HP, 1265 hrs $5500 Ford 152 HST Tractor and Mower, plus Equipment
Ford 1210, Only 16hp but with attachments great price. 725hrs
Compact Tractor
I can't believe my husband said why do you want to mow it, just leave it like has been for the last 10 years. I'm sure because it's new to me I want to get in there and clean it up, make it a gem. Since I don't live there full time I get it. However if I keep my costs down he won't object. I think I'm leaning towards a used oldie/goodie tractor with a flail mower. My main concern will be maintenance of these older tractors but that's a different thread.
Best of luck & health to you all.
Darlene
countrybumpkin
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You could always hire someone to come in and " Bush hog " the areas you want cut now and then, that would give you a idea of what that process does. This would also give you time to look around a bit and get more understanding as to what is a alive and what you might want to purchase.
jeff9366
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Most ATV mower engines have battery start.
JK22
Gold Member
I'm worried that if you don't like working on/tinkering with machines, you're not going to be happy. A used tractor will need TLC. I'm afraid anything used will just end up being a money pit for you. Buy a new riding lawn mower. It's all you need. Keep Stabil in the fuel... at all times. I used to mow my 4 acres of meadow with a John Deere D170 before moving to a small tractor. It sounds like this machine will be sitting for long periods of time and you haven't expressed a need for a tractor. The first time you try hooking up that flail mower to the 3point, I would bet you're ready to set it on fire or send it back wherever it came from. You have to want the capabilities of a tractor to tolerate the difficulties. If you just want to mow.... buy a machine that is just meant to mow, rather than a machine that can be adapted to mow.
