Just some advice with the skidsteer. Don't try to dig up too much dirt and disturb too much of the soil. All that will do is make a scenerio of alot of mud and wash. Try to take up each tree at the base by digging the teeth of your bucket straight down as close to the tree as you can get, and then lifting the rootball and tree with the bucket just enough for the tree to fall. Then you can just push it to the side and go to the next tree or clump of trees from there. That way minimal settled soil will be disturbed. It may take you an hour or so to get used to it, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it the more you use it. Hope I didn't confuse you and good luck. Have fun.
Clearing Trails
- Thread starter bmac
- Start date
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
bmac,
Not sure when your getting the skid steer, but I'm sure exited to hear how it worked out. Since you're main goal is to experience running a skid steer, you can't go wrong. You should get plenty of time to do that. When your done, you can get a dozer in there to really clear your trails!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just kidding.
Most of my trails started from finding opening in the brush that I could get my CUT throught with the mower. Here is one trail that I did two years ago. I've gone over it a few times always trying to get it just a little wider.
Eddie
Not sure when your getting the skid steer, but I'm sure exited to hear how it worked out. Since you're main goal is to experience running a skid steer, you can't go wrong. You should get plenty of time to do that. When your done, you can get a dozer in there to really clear your trails!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just kidding.
Most of my trails started from finding opening in the brush that I could get my CUT throught with the mower. Here is one trail that I did two years ago. I've gone over it a few times always trying to get it just a little wider.
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Here's another trail that I was able to get wider sooner than the first one. As a result, more sun was able to get to the groud, and grass started to grow.
On the left hand side of the picture you can see the clear ground from my latest elargment of the area. Everytime I mow, I try to get a little more along the edges to open it up just a little more.
Eddie
On the left hand side of the picture you can see the clear ground from my latest elargment of the area. Everytime I mow, I try to get a little more along the edges to open it up just a little more.
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Those first two posts were of trails I did with just my CUT and mower through saplings and small stuff that I was able to run over and cut up.
This picture is of a new trail I just started with my dozer. This is two passes with the blade just at ground level through stuff too thick for my CUT.
Next I'll take out the bigger stumps with my backhoe and finish it off with my mower.
Eddie
This picture is of a new trail I just started with my dozer. This is two passes with the blade just at ground level through stuff too thick for my CUT.
Next I'll take out the bigger stumps with my backhoe and finish it off with my mower.
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
The thing about clearing brush with a dozer is the blade gets full of stuff and it will build up to the point you can't see over it. I usually run blind on the first pass just dodging between the trees trying to maintain the direction I have in mind.
The second cut is where I clean it up enough to walk on.
This is a picture of a bush pile I shoved off to the side of the trail. I'll leave this there for awhile. If I come back later with the dozer and the burn ban is lifted, I'll push it to the burn pile, otherwise, it might stay there until it decomposes on it's own.
Eddie
The second cut is where I clean it up enough to walk on.
This is a picture of a bush pile I shoved off to the side of the trail. I'll leave this there for awhile. If I come back later with the dozer and the burn ban is lifted, I'll push it to the burn pile, otherwise, it might stay there until it decomposes on it's own.
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
<font color="blue"> When your done, you can get a dozer in there to really clear your trails!! </font>
I hear ya, Eddie. Tell me again what day I can expect you and the dozer to arrive. I forgot to mark it on my calender. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Nice trails. Keep in mind, I only have 12 acres of woods. If I made my trails that wide, I'd have a 12 acre pasture (Not that there is anything wrong with that).
I appreciate the tips and photos. Looks real nice.
I hear ya, Eddie. Tell me again what day I can expect you and the dozer to arrive. I forgot to mark it on my calender. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Nice trails. Keep in mind, I only have 12 acres of woods. If I made my trails that wide, I'd have a 12 acre pasture (Not that there is anything wrong with that).
I appreciate the tips and photos. Looks real nice.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
bmac,
I was thinking about your trails and forgot to mention a few things.
Winter time is ALLOT better for clearing than any other time. No leaves or bugs. The bugs might be more important if you hit a hive or get stung. The back of my neck is usually tore up by bugs eating on me. For some reason that's were I get bit the most. Every tractor has a bottle of DEET in it that I use religously. When I hit a hive, I back off and start spraying myself all over to just create a cloud. So far it's worked. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
With the leaves down, you can see where your going. It's also easier to burn just branches without the leaves. Not that leaves don't burn, but they float off and start other fires.
The other advantage to winter clearing is the ground is usually saturated from the rains. When it's dry out, the ground acts like cement holding trees in. After a rain, even though it's dry enough to drive on, it's still wet just below the surface. This makes a HUGE difference in the size and ease of what you can take out.
Pines are the toughest for me to get out on my place. In winter, the size of tree is several inches wider that I can push over with my dozer. Trees I wouldn't even try in summer just pop right out in winter. I also don't break off as many in winter. Sometimes small trees just snap off at the base in my situation. But that's very rare when the ground is wet.
Hope this helps,
Eddie
I was thinking about your trails and forgot to mention a few things.
Winter time is ALLOT better for clearing than any other time. No leaves or bugs. The bugs might be more important if you hit a hive or get stung. The back of my neck is usually tore up by bugs eating on me. For some reason that's were I get bit the most. Every tractor has a bottle of DEET in it that I use religously. When I hit a hive, I back off and start spraying myself all over to just create a cloud. So far it's worked. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
With the leaves down, you can see where your going. It's also easier to burn just branches without the leaves. Not that leaves don't burn, but they float off and start other fires.
The other advantage to winter clearing is the ground is usually saturated from the rains. When it's dry out, the ground acts like cement holding trees in. After a rain, even though it's dry enough to drive on, it's still wet just below the surface. This makes a HUGE difference in the size and ease of what you can take out.
Pines are the toughest for me to get out on my place. In winter, the size of tree is several inches wider that I can push over with my dozer. Trees I wouldn't even try in summer just pop right out in winter. I also don't break off as many in winter. Sometimes small trees just snap off at the base in my situation. But that's very rare when the ground is wet.
Hope this helps,
Eddie
Good evening, Eddie.
You are dead on about getting the trail cleared before things green up. If I wait until spring, it will probably double the amount of work/time to get the job done.
Besides the burning issues you mentioned, around here we have a ban on outdoor burning that runs from April (I think) until October due to the smog problems of Atlanta (25 miles north of me).
As always, Eddie, thanks for the helpful tips.
BTW, I noticed that you didn't jump on my invitation (sush as it was) to load up the dozer and come over here for a little trail clearin'. Heck, Eddie, are you sure you are getting enough dozer work at home? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You are dead on about getting the trail cleared before things green up. If I wait until spring, it will probably double the amount of work/time to get the job done.
Besides the burning issues you mentioned, around here we have a ban on outdoor burning that runs from April (I think) until October due to the smog problems of Atlanta (25 miles north of me).
As always, Eddie, thanks for the helpful tips.
BTW, I noticed that you didn't jump on my invitation (sush as it was) to load up the dozer and come over here for a little trail clearin'. Heck, Eddie, are you sure you are getting enough dozer work at home? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
bmac,
My second mostest favoritest thing to do with my dozer is clear trails!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Nothing like it, but my dozer says it's happy here and doesn't want to leave. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
My number one favoritests thing to do is shape the ground to create what I'm wanting, wether a road, hill, pad or whatever. It's like an art project, just bigger and BETTER!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Enjoy,
Eddie
My second mostest favoritest thing to do with my dozer is clear trails!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Nothing like it, but my dozer says it's happy here and doesn't want to leave. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
My number one favoritests thing to do is shape the ground to create what I'm wanting, wether a road, hill, pad or whatever. It's like an art project, just bigger and BETTER!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Enjoy,
Eddie