How To Mow Farther Toward Treeline

[Gary Fowler]

If I had that much overgrowth, (several acres) I think I would just hire a dozer (or FECON type machine) to just come in and clear it up. Pay once and be done. Fence lines can be controlled with a pole saw but still need to be done about every couple years. Tree limbs always grow toward the light so either get rid of the trees or just resign to the fact that they need to be trimmed regularly.
Around my fence lines I just keep them trimmer up high enough to drive my tractor under them without touching. For encroaching scrub brush, you need to clear it back to whatever line you want (fenceline, property line etc) and then keep the saplings mowed down or sprayed with 2-4D brush killer.

 

[ruffdog]

Yes, it takes a bunch of work to fight the encroaching brush.

The toolcat with the 4 wheel steering can crab mow so your cab stays away from branches.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/toolcat/274174-crab-steer-toolcat-series-f.html

 

[Hay Dude]

If I had that much overgrowth, (several acres) I think I would just hire a dozer (or FECON type machine) to just come in and clear it up. Pay once and be done. Fence lines can be controlled with a pole saw but still need to be done about every couple years. Tree limbs always grow toward the light so either get rid of the trees or just resign to the fact that they need to be trimmed regularly.
Around my fence lines I just keep them trimmer up high enough to drive my tractor under them without touching. For encroaching scrub brush, you need to clear it back to whatever line you want (fenceline, property line etc) and then keep the saplings mowed down or sprayed with 2-4D brush killer.

A dozer would be nice, but the brush was so tangled into the fence, that the fence would have been torn down. Owner didn't want to do that.
The property in my pictures was let-go for 10 years and the left side of the fence has no machine access, it's wetlands.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yes, it takes a bunch of work to fight the encroaching brush.

The toolcat with the 4 wheel steering can crab mow so your cab stays away from branches.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/toolcat/274174-crab-steer-toolcat-series-f.html

Someday I will have a toolcat!!!
You know the only downside to all these types of mowers is that they can't cut the long airial branches that tear up hay equipment. In my situation, You still have to use a pole saw.

 

[CobyRupert]

If I had that much overgrowth, (several acres) I think I would just hire a dozer (or FECON type machine) to just come in and clear it up. Pay once and be done. Fence lines can be controlled with a pole saw but still need to be done about every couple years. Tree limbs always grow toward the light so either get rid of the trees or just resign to the fact that they need to be trimmed regularly.
Around my fence lines I just keep them trimmer up high enough to drive my tractor under them without touching. For encroaching scrub brush, you need to clear it back to whatever line you want (fenceline, property line etc) and then keep the saplings mowed down or sprayed with 2-4D brush killer.

That is a problem (depending on tree type):
The first year you take a chainsaw & cut the branches that grow out of the trunk up to a height of ~10' , as these are the ones that hit your head/ROPS/exhaust stack.
The next year you find it's next higher set of branches that start 10'-16' high on the trunk and grow down and hit your head/ROPS/exhaust stack, so you get a pole saw and cut those too.
Then the next year it's the branches in the 16'-20' range that grow down....

 

[ruffdog]

It's a never-ending battle!unch:

 

[Hay Dude]

It's a never-ending battle!unch:

And as a farmer, I can say it's a money loser, too. But you have no choice.....'sides, it makes for some winter work.

 

[radios1]

somebody makes a mower on a boom for mowing embankments that are very steep, it must be at least 6' long. the tractor stays on a level surface..

 

[Hay Dude]

Best/cheapest thing are the Lane Shark mowers.
Pretty cool and affordable.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I like it, but does it have any provision for break-away? My Ditch bank mower comes out of a spring loaded catch if you hit something, and it does that fairly regularly. That's on the 3ph. Loader mount would be even more important.

 

[Hay Dude]

Doesn’t look like it....

 

[CobyRupert]

Best/cheapest thing are the Lane Shark mowers.
Pretty cool and affordable.

...if you don't count the price of glass? Or have good insurance?

How does that thing not throw chunks into the cab when tilted 90 degrees? Especially when taking out a hedgerow with 2" branches?

I wouldn't want an open cab either. Maybe a fine mesh screen? Or have the deck off to the side and closer to the operator station?

 

[Hay Dude]

...if you don't count the price of glass? Or have good insurance?

How does that thing not throw chunks into the cab when tilted 90 degrees? Especially when taking out a hedgerow with 2" branches?

I wouldn't want an open cab either. Maybe a fine mesh screen? Or have the deck off to the side and closer to the operator station?

looks like when it痴 in the sideways position, it痴 also to the right of the cab by a few feet, so I guess some chunks may go flying past the right side of the cab?

 

[tractorcrazy]

I bought a brushhog brushhog brand its called a squealer its seven foot wide offset about a foot to the right its only 5 foot long made for a 45 hp tractor it doesn't do well in tall thick grass or weeds leaves a lot of stragglers sticking up but if you use it every couple weeks before the stuff gets tall it does great

 

[flusher]

I like the suggestion of getting a sickle mower. Those aren't cheap either.

How far off to the side do you want to offset your 8' brush hog?

You can find pre-owned 9-foot sicklebar mowers readily.



Here's a used 9-ft Massey Ferguson sicklebar on my 2008 Mahindra 5525. Paid $250 for the mower and replaced the sickle sections and guards for about $150. I prefer a belt driven sicklebar over the other kind with the wooden drive bar.

Good luck

 

[Hay Dude]

I need something that reaches really high, like 10+ feet. That way I can keep my tractor cabs safe from branches and get rid of the shade canopies along the edges of my hay fields.
All the loader mounted contraptions look vulnerable to breaking.
As of now, I just drive my flatbed truck under the branches and cut them with my stihl Kombi pole saw.....