Bucket grapple vs root rake How to decide?

[CalG]

If you go with a "standard" grapple - don't forget to modify your grill guard. Check out the thread - Grill guard - here on TBN.

The horses are out and the barn door closed on that one, I've already had to rebuild the front end sheet metal and grills due to roots playing havoc under the loader bucket/

Tree roots are the absolute DEVIL when trying to move or remove. And I've got a thousand or more.
'gonna die with 'em plugged into the ground where they stand!

 

[oosik]

I had my property selectively logged about 18 years ago. Very large ancient Ponderosa pines. No way I was going dig them out. Besides - they were all way out on the property.

I thin my young pine stands every couple years or so. 800 to 1000 young pines down the chipper chute. I just leave the stumps where they are. They are all rotten and have turned to dust within five years.

After eighteen years - the big stumps are all dust now.

 

[CalG]

I had my property selectively logged about 18 years ago. Very large ancient Ponderosa pines. No way I was going dig them out. Besides - they were all way out on the property.

I thin my young pine stands every couple years or so. 800 to 1000 young pines down the chipper chute. I just leave the stumps where they are. They are all rotten and have turned to dust within five years.

Five years is not enough for any of these Eastern Hardwood Forest species.
And if the tree is in the way, the stump surely is!

Just yesterday I cut the butt of a 2 foot hemlock off as close to the ground as I dared the saw.

The stump will go to feed the wood stove. But even that 2-3 inch left over in the ground is gonna upset the tractor more than I like.

 

[oosik]

The ONLY trees I have here - Ponderosa pines. I have tried drilling multiple, deep holes in the stumps and applying a granular material. This granular material was supposed to enhance stump rot.

Neither the plain holes or the holes with the granular material seemed to enhance stump rotting. Compared to the stumps that were just left alone.

All my stumpage is way out on the property. More than 400 feet from the house and yard.

It's good that I didn't have high hopes. After 18 years most of the stumps have been partially removed by the actions of, I would guess, coyotes and badgers. Digging under the stumps - trying to find smaller varmints to eat.

If I had to eliminate any stumps - LARGE backhoe or some type of stump grinder.