another land clearing question

[kjonfc]

I have what used to be a pasture and before that, it was an orchard of some sort. There are a few sand plum trees there, but it's mostly cedar and locust trees. Some of the latter two are up 12". Most trees are around 6-8". The cedars I can deal with, but my question is, What do you do with those thorn covered locust trees? Just getting them out they leave thorns everywhere and I could get a new tractor if I have a nickle for every one I've pulled out of a tire. The green slime has worked pretty well so far, between tractors, atvs, etc. I should buy stock in that company. I have literally hundreds of locust trees and they shed limbs all over the place while they're standing so getting close is even a challenge sometimes. Just wondering how some of you handle this menace.

TIA
-Kyle

 

[roadhunter]

You might be a good candidate for foaming tires. It's very popular in construction as flats cost a lot of $ when work stops. And it gives you some more weight without putting stress on your drivetrain.

 

[ENC]

Why not hire a tracked dozer to clear all you want? Problem solved or at least a lot more manageable.

 

[jeff9366]

Second on hiring a tracked bulldozer. Or possibly a 10,000 pound tracked skid steer.

Call your local Tree Service for a bid.

 

[blucoondawg]

I wouldn't foam tractor tires it makes them ride horribly I've also heard it will void warranties

 

[kjonfc]

Second on hiring a tracked bulldozer. Or possibly a 10,000 pound tracked skid steer.

Call your local Tree Service for a bid.

The place has been left alone for years and I'm not in a huge hurry to try to get it back to open pasture. Basically, I have more time than I have money. I dont have time as in nothing else to do, I dont even live on the place, just that there's really no ROI to justify hiring a dozer or a big skidsteer to come do it. I'm not going to be running livestock on it (besides the deer that are already there) or planting anything more than a possible food plot. I just wanted some open area to maybe set up a 500yd shooting range for my own personal enjoyment and to get it back a little bit closer to how I remember it as a kid.

I was just wondering if others have this kind of problem and how they handle it. I will look into the foam tires, but if it makes for a terrible ride and voids warranties, then it won't be an option.

 

[Skyfish25]

If you doze a locust, you will have saplings everywhere. Very hardy, will grow well from roots. If you short on budget, buy some torredon, girdle tree, spray. Those thorns will puncture a tire min 2 years after dead. Years ago, my broth n I cleared 4 acres of those honey locust by hand. We kept logs after skinning with machete. Burned branches and thorns, raked and burned again, lots of labor.

I walk my land very regularly. Noting any locust tree or sapling. Always return with hachet/saw and torredon. Done have to cut down, just kill. Btw, use torredon sparingly, will sour ground for any broadleaf, aka clovers..good.

 

[ENC]

Probably have it dozed for less than the cost of one ruined tractor tire. Then the saplings can be managed with poison and a good brush hog. But do it however you wish. It is your time and $$

 

[kjonfc]

I have probably 35 acres I want to reclaim, part cedar and part thorn covered honey locust. The cedars, while I can probably only get a couple of boards each as they taper quickly, I will mill into lumber (no sense letting them go to waste), the locust was my concern with all the flats. I guess for now I'll just try something like ultraseal bullet proof. I know this topic has been beaten to death here so I won't labor it much here. I've used slime in my tires already and it has done an ok job and seems to be ok for the atvs and such, but I wonder if I need to take the tires off and clean them up before putting the ultraseal. Or if ultraseal is that much more superior to slime that I should even worry about it. Slime is holding for now, I have to put air in 2 tractor tires about once every two weeks and not even that much then.