"What have I hit while bush hogging?"

erich · Jun 15, 2005

\"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

Indydirtfarmer, that sounded like a good topic to me! Here in New England hitting rocks is so commonplace it is hardly worth mentioning. I grew up in Illinois so this was all new to a flatlander thirty years ago when I first came out here. Probably the worst was a stretch of wovenwire fence that was laid down in the brush. That took some time to unwrap. I hit a guywire anchor that had been left for dead that made a little racket. I hate to say how many hats I've shredded trying to get just a little closer to the tree line. The old Woods chopper I use has no stump jumper so I really have to pay attention to things.

Eric

have_blue · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

I got cheesed off at a cast iron barrel pump and flung it out into the field. Yep, I forgot about it, and ran over it. It grenaded, and I am still looking for shrapnel 3 years later.

I ran upon a kildeer sitting on her nest yesterday while mowing. She stood her ground, and puffed up and faced 4000 pounds of throbbing, angry steel. Get ready to meet your maker Ms. Plover! Hmmm... I stopped 2' short of her, and thought about it. She was determined to protect those 4 eggs, and would shower me with her own blood if I was foolish enough to run over her. Hmmmm... better not! Needless to say, there is a 2'x2' place left unmowed. Darned bird. Next time, I MOW YOU!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Lawnjocky · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

Erich, my personal best or worst depending on your view, was a gas line. I was mowing an empty trailer park when it happened. The grass and weeds hadn't been cut all year and this was summer. I had walked it and found all the water, electric and gas meters, all but one that is. It had been cut and capped to about 4-6 inches above the ground. When I hit it I cut the end clean off and bent the pipe forward in the direction I was traveling. After the mower was past the pipe you could hear, smell, and FEEL the natural gas comming out of that pipe. Untill that day I never new I could fly and when I touched down, you may not believe it, but a 250lb man set a new sprinting record. I can't help but think I had an angel looking after me.

Here is one more that is funny.
I was shredding the last 2 building lots in a sub. that no one wanted. Naturally the weeds were taller than the tractor, there was small trees, shrubs, marsh and even a small stream. I was almost done, just finishing the last pass when I hit it. A RAT NEST! Normally I don't mind rats when their not in my house and keep a respectfull distance. If fact with a 22 and a six pack they can be fun. But when there's dozens running around, jumping on the mower and running under the tractor it's a different story. My first response was to **** down both legs, my second was to sqeeze my cheeks so I wouldn't. The rats were gone in a minute or less. Talk about a long minute.

DmansPadge · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

(
I got cheesed off at a cast iron barrel pump and flung it out into the field. Yep, I forgot about it, and ran over it. It grenaded, and I am still looking for shrapnel 3 years later.)

That is about as good as it gets! Ha! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Donnyj · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

I got one for you. I can laugh now at it. Went out to bushog my field. I always hate those annoying limbs hanging out over the edge of the field. Soooo..... I decided to take the chainsaw {Stihl 028 Super}, put it in the bucket and out I go to mow. I stop a couple of times to cut limbs and then continue on to mow. Going down hill mowing, Ford 641 pulling 6 ft mower just having a blast and all of a sudden BAM!!!! You got it. Chainsaw fell out of the bucket, went under the tractor and mower and did not stand a chance. I looked back and seen orange and white pieces flying along with the entire engine unit and bar. All I could say was.... That was my saw! I tell everyone that story and they get a kick out of it. They say it is healthy to laugh at your self sometimes. I should live to be 100. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

dknarnd · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

One of the ones I remember was when my Dad ran over an old horse drawn plow, sliced the rear tire then stalled the tractor when the cutter hit it. He was on an old JD1010 gas which is about 36HP! And the kicker is he is the one that put the old plow along the edge of the field.

Then the other one is when my nephew was cutting one of our fields that is about 1/4 mile from the house and stalled the tractor on a large rock that I had standing up in the field so you were able to see it. We could hear that loud and clear sitting on the porch. That one busted the pto shaft!

BTW I don't have an FEL and the rock was to heavy for me to lift. After that event I chained it and pulled it over to the edge of the field then pushed it back against the stone row with a back blade. Even though I have been cutting these fields for 30 years and know where the big stones are I still seem to hit some each year.

_RaT_ · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

 Needless to say, there is a 2'x2' place left unmowed. Darned bird. Next time, I MOW YOU!!! 

Bravo,your the man! I do the same thing. That is fantastic, I love it!

FarmGeek · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

I've got one for ya.

Last summer I was happily buzzing around on Old Blue, a Ford 3000, cutting my Big Field for the first time that year. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Other priorities kept me from attacking it sooner so it was pretty well grown up. Hot summer day, no shirt, no breeze and HIGH humidity. Then it hit me, no, not the bush hog, MY NOSE! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I had just run over a SKUNK !

The hog didn't get 'em, it was the rear tire.... 5000 lbs of squishing force wringing out every ounce of stinkum this poor guy had. As is with my regular luck, it was the middle of the field so I had to keep going around and around that same spot. Did I mention it was hot? And no breeze? And HUMID?!? This memory lasted a loooong time.

I hated loosing one of my skunks. They eat yellow jacket nest like my wife chomps chocolate.

Hey Lawnjockey – field mouse chasing is one of my favorite pastimes /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Lawnjocky · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

I didn't know skunks ate yellow jackets. I hate those little suckers!

frank_f15 · Jun 15, 2005

Re: \"What have I hit while bush hogging?\"

Funny you should mention the Killdere, same thing happened to me today, normally they leave the nest and give you the Broken wing stunt( i showed pics in previous post) but not his old bird she just made a rackect and would not leave the nest ! So i just ran over her (just kidding) i also have a nice freshly mown field , except for the 2 ft sq. i allowed her /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Besides i think she could have taken me in a fight /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif