Need advice on a machine to manage timberland

[Longleaf man]

Hello all, I am new to this forum. I manage 4000 acres of timberland in middle Georgia for my family. We have miles of dirt roads that need attention and I need advice on the most versatile piece of machinery to do the forest tasks we have at hand. The machine needs to be able to do road maintenance and create firebreaks for prescribed burns. The third party contractors that we hire use primarily small bulldozers to create fire breaks and replant seedlings. My past experience is primarily with ag tractors so a bulldozer would be a steep learning curve for me. The other problem with a small bulldozer is that it would require an expensive upgrade for a capable trailer and truck to move the dozer for maintenance and repair. I am retired so I have plenty of time. We can hire a bulldozer to do road repairs but that can quickly become cost prohibitive hence my questions here. I have looked at the New Holland Woods Boss but they are $80,000 new and used ones have been beat to hell and back by right of way companies. The dozer could work roads and pull implements to create fire breaks but they are also expensive, ($70-$80K) and would require the truck and trailer upgrades. Are used dozers a good option? Ideas on where to look?

Thanks in advance for your help and insight.

 

[airbiscuit]

I would get a 60hp compact tractor and a used road grader

or this

 

[airbiscuit]

Some pictures of the "roads", steepness of the hills, size of the trees, other tasks to be done... would help

 

[edgarrian]

If its steep. I would look into some sort of track machine. Especially with timber. You can learn how to operate. Watch videos, take ur time. Tractor is going to be the easiest to operate but in my opinion with how much you have to keep up with. Track is the way to go.

 

[oldnslo]

You might require more than one machine for those tasks since not sure a farm tractor would doze trees for a fire breaks. Maybe a twin track ag tractor would depending on tree size. These potentially would require significant branch guards to protect hood, windows, underside, etc

Probably be in 250 HP to get weight to do work and not sure if there are smaller production machines available.

Not sure how well rubber tracks would work if driving in brush or over roots and stumps.

 

[M59]

Hello all, I am new to this forum. I manage 4000 acres of timberland in middle Georgia for my family. We have miles of dirt roads that need attention and I need advice on the most versatile piece of machinery to do the forest tasks we have at hand. The machine needs to be able to do road maintenance and create firebreaks for prescribed burns.

Longleaf man,
Please elaborate on what is involved with creating a firebreak on your property of 4000 acres. Firebreak width, length and do trees ( what dia and height) have to be pushed over and away?

A TLB tractor ( Tractor-Loader-Backhoe), of sufficient weight and hp, would be suitable for maintaining existing roads BUT is probably not suitable for creating firebreaks as I understand them.

 

[airbiscuit]

Please describe what you mean by create fire breaks. Is it just discing a perimeter, or is it pushing over trees and removing stumps? My friend couldn't wait to get a bulldozer. After difficult and expensive maintenance, he was very happy when he sold it.

 

[2manyrocks]

I know two different men who thought bulldozers were fantastic machines for clearing brush off farms until a piece of brush came through the operator's station putting each one of them in the hospital.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

I know two different men who thought bulldozers were fantastic machines for clearing brush off farms until a piece of brush came through the operator's station putting each one of them in the hospital.

They still are good for that. Just need to equip them for the job. I would drive through anything in my d6. It was an open cab with a nice cage around it.

 

[airbiscuit]

We need more information about what the timberland managment you will be doing.

Are the roads in good shape, or a work in process?
Are there more roads to be built?
Do you have fire lanes that need to be mowed?
Are there more fire lanes to be built?
Do you have timber harvesters do any of this as part of their contract?
How long have you been doing this?
What kind of vegetation burning in a prescribed burn?
How many acres in a prescribed burn?
Pictures?