New Trails - Brush Hogged, Now How to Remove Small Stumps?

[YLee Kioti]

Did you utilize the scarifiers/teeth on the box blade or just the back edge?

Both, just depended on the stump and location. If it's a 3-4 inch stump I lined up the scarifier to convinced the stump to come with me....lol.....smaller one's slice them off with the blade.

 

[christiansok]

How many are we talking about and in how big of an area?

The section of trail cleared out is probably 6 feet wide and about 300 or so feet long.

 

[christiansok]

Adjust your box blade with the blade touching and the rippers slightly down. Clear from both directions.

Right now I only have a back blade. I don't know that the cutting edge is super sharp either I would have to take a look. That may be a good place to start since it seems from here the edge on the blade does a lot of the work.

 

[christiansok]

I'd get that skid steer back and use the bucket flat on the ground to sheer and pull out the mini stumps. That would be the quickest solution in my opinion, and then you can maintain it with your tractor.

I tried digging it out some more today with mostly my back blade and a bit of the bucket and I was thinking the same thing here, the skid steer is so much more powerful when moving dirt. My loader/bucket is really more suited to moving around loose piles.

 

[Hay Dude]

I mean if I wasnt in the mood to spend money on an attachment or a rental machine, I use the corner of my bucket where its stronger. Course I don’t know how big/heavy your tractor is.
I would start back 1-2 feet from stumps and dig down a few inches. Youll probably cut a few roots in the process and get under the trunk and they should just pop out.
I have cleared at least 50 acres of land covered with small trees with 2-3inch calipers and was very successful using bush hog to knock the vegetation down and grind it up, then used the weight of the tractor and the corner of the bucket to shallowly cut roots & scoop them out. I would then shake dirt off the stumplet and patch up the low spot.
I never rented anything. Just dont use middle 80% of the bucket edge or itll bend and youll be hopping mad.
I actually kinda rammed them with the corner and they tipped out pretty easy.

 

[airbiscuit]

Can you post a pic? You might be over thinking it.

My experience with a rough cut mower:

• First mowing - lots of little stumps/stubble
• Second mowing (a few months later) fewer little stumps/stubble
• Second year mowing - mostly just grass
• Next mowing - nice grass trail

 

[two_bit_score]

Can you post a pic? You might be over thinking it.

My experience with a rough cut mower:

• First mowing - lots of little stumps/stubble
• Second mowing (a few months later) fewer little stumps/stubble
• Second year mowing - mostly just grass
• Next mowing - nice grass trail

That is my thinking also.
Time heals.

 

[oosik]

I have two major "trails" on my property. Both cut thru thick stands of small pines. I cleared a path thru the pines with a chainsaw. I used the six tooth scarifier on the front of my LPGS to dig out the roots/stobs. It did well but only because I have a larger tractor( Kubota M6040 ). After all the roots/stobs were removed - raised the scarifiers and leveled it all back out with just the LPGS.

It took a pass in both directions to get everything jerked out and bunched up. Roots, stobs & wads of bunch grass. I worried that it might be torn up too bad. Not to fear - the LPGS with its shanks raised leveled it all back nicely. View attachment 675337 Yes, the weeds grow well here also.

 

[Doug62]

Stump bucket will also help dig in and pop them up. They are pretty inexpensive and fit in place of your bucket.

 

[deezler]

Cristians,

I would slow down a sec here. Unless you really want to plow and till up that entire section of trail, maybe just take a step back. Can you wait one more year to accept a perfectly smooth trail through here? Just keep mowing it, and it will be grassy soon.

If you have trees and bushes over 1" in diameter, you really ought to get the roots out in the first step. I like to clear trail by pushing the saplings and bushes over, often pulling the roots/stumps out with them, and then use my tooth bar on my loader bucket to pluck the rootballs out if necessary. If you brush-hog right through the 2-3" diameter stuff, then you should really just wait for it to die after repeated mowings. Otherwise you're talking about completely plowing up this length of trail.