Clearing land options

[wixthedog]

How would you folks go about it? I know there are a million ways but I want to know if there is general agreement to my plan. I need to clear some wooded area, about 3 acres, and be selective about it. I don't want to damage any trees I want to keep. I have a mix of oak, mesquite, spruce, cedar, Burch, make, and other scrub stuff. I would sat the largest diameter is 12" with the average around 4"-6".

My plan is to go through a cut down and drag away anything my 4400 can't pull out easily. Once cut and removed from the area I will rent either a track hoe or a dozer and remove the stumps.

With this way of doing things, how much trunk should I leave sticking up when I am cutting them down? I am not really interested in the stump grinder route at this moment but it could be a consideration.

 

[brin]

Have you thought about hiring a mulcher to come in ? They can selectively mulch up trees and stumps to below ground level and that leaves you with the wood chips as mulch..makes a nice forest bottom.

 

[amaxwell]

Have you thought about hiring a mulcher to come in ? They can selectively mulch up trees and stumps to below ground level and that leaves you with the wood chips as mulch..makes a nice forest bottom.

1+:thumbsup:

 

[rasimmo]

I am not sure about the mulcher, never seen that done. Cutting them down and removing the stumps is the way I have done it on my place. I would rent a track hoe to remove the stumps. To me it is easier that way.

 

[Combustix]

When I cleared my around my pond and woods I used a Hitachi 135 track hoe.
It's got a small foot print and at 18,000 lbs it's got some muscle. For the really large trees I ditched in front to about 6 feet then did the same in the back. get on the opposite side you want the tree to fall and reach up as High as you can with the bucket and lean into it. The tree will come down in a nice slow controlled fall. The smaller I didn't even cut just lean on the tree and everything will roll right out. Simple and easy

 

[wixthedog]

Have you thought about hiring a mulcher to come in ? They can selectively mulch up trees and stumps to below ground level and that leaves you with the wood chips as mulch..makes a nice forest bottom.

I have talked to a couple mulching companies and they want a good chunk of change to do what they do. That would leave me with a lot of good mulch and a way to get rid of the waste but I would also be left with hundreds of rotting stumps underground. How many years until there are depressions formed?

If there is one thing I have is time. I work offshore so my time off is open for whatever I want really.

 

[rasimmo]

I hear you on the time. I work offshore too. It is nice to have time to play with toys at home. I still feel like I don't have enough time though.

 

[MarkV]

Just my two cents, but if everything is 12" and below, plus you want to be selective, I would use a small track hoe or backhoe and remove the trees as a whole. I find it much easier to let the tree's weight remove the stump than to dig them out after I have already spent the time to cut and haul the tree away. Depending on species and soil conditions in your area you might just push over 4-6" trees. I do that often with a 39 hp tractor in my clay soil.

MarkV

 

[sfloggie]

All stated thoughts are good. I decided to rent a Bobcat Forestry Cutter and do it myself after hiring a mulcher.

I rent one as budget alllows and it does a great job plus fun. A Fecon would be better, but too expensive for me. We have 113 acres of which 80 or so is thick woods/saplings. After the mulcher, I maintain through the year with JD 3320 pulling an MX5 mower. I do not even see the stumps and the ground gets better each cut (MX5) due to the mulch.

Here are (hopefully) three photos.

Jim

 

[wixthedog]

All stated thoughts are good. I decided to rent a Bobcat Forestry Cutter and do it myself after hiring a mulcher.

I rent one as budget alllows and it does a great job plus fun. A Fecon would be better, but too expensive for me. We have 113 acres of which 80 or so is thick woods/saplings. After the mulcher, I maintain through the year with JD 3320 pulling an MX5 mower. I do not even see the stumps and the ground gets better each cut (MX5) due to the mulch.

Here are (hopefully) three photos.

Jim

I realize you are not in Texas but what kind of rates are you getting for your forestry cutter rental? Seems like a solid option for some areas of my land but everything I have been seeing around SE Texas is high.

Looks like you are making good progress!