New Prospective buyer small-mid size tractor for the woods

[Rustyiron]

Fuelrod
I don't know much about the (recent) smaller tractors to be any help, but one thing to have in the back of your considerations is how are the "tender" components, like oil/hyd filters, hyd. lines, wires, etc. hidden or shielded on the belly of the tractor for woods work. There might be a difference between brands or models. I know you won't haul ash into the woods like you're on a skidder, but I've read of many guy's that have had close calls here, "down there"

 

[bspeedy]

The price of admission is why they aren't more popular.

Very true. I have about 30 grand, total, in my L3710 with loader and my Kubota mini ex - both machines purchased used with around 700 hours. And the mini ex will dig circles around a tractor mounted hoe.

And, as someone else mentioned, two are better than one. I certainly don't miss disconnecting and re-connecting the tractor mounted bh. Or scrambling from the bh seat to the tractor seat and back to the bh seat to move the machine a few feet.