What attachments should you use on a tractor to clear land.

[Reddogs]

I run my stump grinder on a gear drive tractor with creep gears, I've ground a lot of stumps with that combo and it works just fine.

I ground 32 stumps in one day, and made back half of what I paid for my grinder...

SR

Good deal.. I will look at the stump grinders and see what I find..

 

[jyoutz]

Also the most expensive probably. requiring some experience on one. There's a reason why skid steer mulchers aren't cheap and readily available for rentals.

That’s why the best and cheapest approach is to hire a professional forestry contractor and pay them by the acre, not by the hour.

 

[spruce Deere]

Best attachment I have found for clearing ground..... brush rake is not pictured with unfortunately.

This way you will have a tractor left for the clean up and future tractor work.

 

[WranglerX]

Obviously the comments about not clearing fire/fuel are a little on the naïve side..... Try living in California the new coastal desert.... We have fires of 300,000 acre's or more and some fires take out whole towns (Paradise Ca.) and most places within fire zone that have survived have had clear zone around residential and out buildings.... You can imaging the relief for some who have returned to find everything still standing, then there is the immerse sadness of having everything you owned burned to the ground and all you have is the clothes on your back.......

 

[spruce Deere]

I did fire mitigation work. Cleared many acres of brush and 'beautiful trees' from around structures

Nature is beautiful to live within, from a defensible distance.

 

[Fielding]

If its just a couple acres, this is the ticket.

Why bust up your own rig?

 

[JDZ735M]

I have looked at what the salesmen say will 'clear land' with a 30-40 hp tractor, but usually it seems to fall short of cutting heavy vegetation and large brush, to say nothing of trees. What can be used especially in the front of midsized tractor to knock down, mulch or grind to clear land.

The reason you need a 99 HP CTL to run a forestry mulcher head or serious brush cutter is that a 30-40 HP tractor is just incapable.

 

[jyoutz]

I have looked at what the salesmen say will 'clear land' with a 30-40 hp tractor, but usually it seems to fall short of cutting heavy vegetation and large brush, to say nothing of trees. What can be used especially in the front of midsized tractor to knock down, mulch or grind to clear land.

A tractor isn’t a land clearing machine, it’s a land maintenance machine. Many people have told you this in many different ways and offered solutions, yet you still keep asking the same question. A masticator on a skid steer is the tool for this job. This isn’t a DIY job with a small tractor.

 

[Reddogs]

A tractor isn’t a land clearing machine, it’s a land maintenance machine. Many people have told you this in many different ways and offered solutions, yet you still keep asking the same question. A masticator on a skid steer is the tool for this job. This isn’t a DIY job with a small tractor.

Well, Ive done it for over 20 years and rarely needed to rent the big stuff, so if it works.....

 

[jyoutz]

Well, Ive done it for over 20 years and rarely needed to rent the big stuff, so if it works.....

I would be interested in learning what you have “done” for 20 years. You have never fully described what exactly you’re clearing. Is it brush and saplings? Then a tractor will work. Is it pole timber or saw timber and downed logs? For the latter, a tractor can skid the material away to burn piles or log decks after you first saw the material into lengths. If you want to treat and dispose of material on-site, a masticator is needed, not a tractor.

 

[Fielding]

I had a large bobcat come out, was $200/hr cdn operator and fuel included. It covered 2ac/8hr day through 12” poplars and brush.

So $800 an acre or $1600 a day, it did not even leave stumps. Can’t cover the depreciation wrecking a mower even for that money. The hidden rocks he found, I am glad he found.

Raked up and burnt the bigger trash with the compact.

 

[Reddogs]

I would be interested in learning what you have “done” for 20 years. You have never fully described what exactly you’re clearing. Is it brush and saplings? Then a tractor will work. Is it pole timber or saw timber and downed logs? For the latter, a tractor can skid the material away to burn piles or log decks after you first saw the material into lengths. If you want to treat and dispose of material on-site, a masticator is needed, not a tractor.

Well, I kept renting after they built the house, but the heavy equipment was expensive to keep long, and so knocked down the big stuff and just cleared around the house. Thats why I got the 790 so I could take my time and cleared the land, but with the fires, the invasives came in and blossomed all over very heavy. So I got the new L3301 and using both to clear 40-50 foot invasives trees and massive brazillian peppers (over 40-50 feet wide) and heavy brush. (The county took one of the 10 acre lots claiming the invasives where spreading to the county property, go figure)

 

[Reddogs]

I had a large bobcat come out, was $200/hr cdn operator and fuel included. It covered 2ac/8hr day through 12” poplars and brush.

So $800 an acre or $1600 a day, it did not even leave stumps. Can’t cover the depreciation wrecking a mower even for that money. The hidden rocks he found, I am glad he found.

Raked up and burnt the bigger trash with the compact.

Ok, they wanted $15,000 to clear one of our 10 acre properies, and yes its highway robbery, but thats the going rate down here in south florida. So if you want to get rich, bring your heavy stuff during cold season and youll make boatloads..

 

[jjeff]

So you have multiple 10 acre lots? As Many have beat this poor horse to death you shouldn't use a tractor. If you want to do this on your own imho and experience, and your budget get a used skid steer with steel tracks over tires and 4/1 bucket preferably in the 75hp range min 50 hp. You can go from there after you get it what attachments you may want or need.

 

[Reddogs]

So you have multiple 10 acre lots? As Many have beat this poor horse to death you shouldn't use a tractor. If you want to do this on your own imho and experience, and your budget get a used skid steer with steel tracks over tires and 4/1 bucket preferably in the 75hp range min 50 hp. You can go from there after you get it what attachments you may want or need.

Well after 20 years I doubt I will waste money, when I can take my time and yank it out with my little tractor...

 

[jyoutz]

Ok, they wanted $15,000 to clear one of our 10 acre properies, and yes its highway robbery, but thats the going rate down here in south florida. So if you want to get rich, bring your heavy stuff during cold season and youll make boatloads..

I would talk to state forestry people and get referrals to real woods contractors, not landscapers or tree service people.

 

[Reddogs]

I would talk to state forestry people and get referrals to real woods contractors, not landscapers or tree service people.

That is the going rate down here, call and see...

 

[jjeff]

Personally I don't see how turning acres of 1st picture into acres of second picture and still being able to sell the skid steer at practically the price you purchased it for a waste of money?

 

[Reddogs]

Personally I don't see how turning acres of 1st picture into acres of second picture and still being able to sell the skid steer at practically the price you purchased it for a waste of money?

OK, you get a kubota SLV75 for $65, 000 and with implements $79,000 OTD, and you use it for 90 days at most. Then you go to sell it, and you get $67,000. Anybody see a problem...?

 

[jjeff]

Whoa, who said anything about a loaded ctl, mine was a low hr used open rops skid steer with minimal options for a fraction of a new ctl. I bought wheel spacers and tracks for it cause the sand was killing me. I bought a few U S manufactured attachments from a newer startup company for less of the cost what they will cost me now. If I lived in Florida I'd give you a hand if you wanted it, for a lot less than your quotes, or I'd sell you my entire setup, after a demo of course. Best of luck on your endeavors