Tractor for Deer plots

Docsknotinn · Oct 28, 2003

Most of ther JD's are made from USA parts, trans axles etc. Only the Diesel engine itself is brought in from japan. You might have saved a few bones up front but I certainly dont think you can make too many quality comparisons between Jinma and JD. Jinma makes a fair machine for the money but they certainly are at the bottom of the quality range which is reflected in the price. The same goes for comparisons of that to other brands such as long, Kubota, Kioti, Century Branson etc. More cost and progressivelly more features and quality. Yanmar, Kubota etc have long standing reputations in the diesel market that Jinma wont likely ever match. Dave

Slamfire · Oct 28, 2003

I remember the first Yanmar I saw, tiny, noisy, clearly a toy. The chinese tractors have progress beyond that stage and will continue to improve. They'll have to if they want to increase their market share.

Docsknotinn · Oct 29, 2003

I agree. The jinma is a fair machine for the buck worthy of consideration to those are a limited budget. I too expect the quality if theese machines to rise in the future. I would not however make any analagys to quality in relation to other brands or percent of bulid in the USA simply because so much of that is actually a unknown. If built or made in the USA is a factor Jinma would certainly not be on my short list. Sadly their are not to my knowledge any compact tractors completely made in the USA. It is amuseing though to see a little poke at JD from a Jinma fan. I am seeing a LOT of theese on the highway getting towed around as I make my weekly trek north. Dave

aerospacefarmer · Oct 29, 2003

Spiker,

I am the Log Cabin guy who now wants to do some food plots for my deer hunting. Where in Jersey did you find your tractor as I work in NJ and live in PA with the cabin I have in the big woods country of Bradford County PA although my woods also has 30 acres of hay fields attached. I hope to take 5 or so and make the plots and will be coming back to these forums to best find out how to plow up those acres that have been hay for a long time and probably are filled with rocks underneath. Thanks again all for the info

Paul

DCN · Oct 29, 2003

I own a Landtrac 410DTC(41hp),I have 28 acres in Susquehanna County I use it to brushog 15 acres and finish mow about 2. I have a long 5340 loader on it. I am very pleased with the tractor I have an excellent dealer. I found the landtrac to have more standard features and to be heavier than the big names. The shuttle shift and dual remotes were standard as well as draft control. I used a 360 and found it to work real well I went with the 410 because at the time there was a promo and the cost was the same. I have the ag tires and they are loaded. What dealer are looking at I deal with Montross Machinery very fair and good to deal with. If you are interested I'll give you his number.

soarkrebel · Oct 29, 2003

I use a kubota L 3000dt for mine. i mow almost 40 acres with it and put out several food plots. for about $15000 you can get a tractor ,FEL, brush hog , disc's and probably a plow. i got a box blade and bought a plow at a auction.
The little kubota has plenty of power to do lots of things and a price tag thats not to bad.
I am going to put in another plot this weekend that is going to be about an acre. i can't wait to turn some earth! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

zuiko · Oct 29, 2003

The JD 990 is in your price and power range. Mine was $19250 with FEL, 4-in-1 bucket, 3rd SCV and MX-6 rotary cutter.

I'm curious. What do you plant in a deer food plot? Trees and shurbs?

aerospacefarmer · Oct 29, 2003

I am dealing with the same dealer and yes he seems to be fair and has quoted the 550 DTC without a loader for $18,500 and 0 % for 3 years or an additional $1,000 off of that price. I am still listening to all the advice here and am thinking I dont need as big a tractor as the 550 and can get along with something in the 40+ HP range which could give me enough dollars savings to add that FEL. thanks for the offer and maybe I can stop by sometime and see the plots you have worked. I dont know what I want to plant yet as I havent inquired as to what will attract the deer in Northeast PA so once I have done that I will decide on what to plant and maybe even take the bait and listen to one of these ads that boast big horns for deer hahahaha.....thats a southern ploy to steal the money of us Yanks!! Just kidding

Docsknotinn · Oct 29, 2003

Yeah the cost of some of that Bio logic and wild life mix will make wallet shrink in a hurry. Did you test drive the long ? The one I looked at was a STOUT beast for the $$$. Nice color too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Trees would be a long time food plot but I plan to put in a small apple orchard eventually, 5+- acres. Oaks are good too but a LONG time to get nuts depending on location. Dave

mgrick · Oct 29, 2003

Yeah you can spend the money and plant it,but that doesn't mean there going to like it.I planted some Whitetail clover from Whitetail Institutes a year and a half ago.I can see the plot from my house.I have yet to see the deer have anything to do with this stuff.I know next spring that I won't be wasting my time planting that again.I may just go with some buckwheat and alfala and try that.

aerospacefarmer · Oct 29, 2003

NO I havent test driven the Long yet as a matter of fact have never driven a tractor so I will probably be driving one for the first time when I get it based on the noble posts from all you great guys in here. I am also looking to keep the tractor in the basement of my garage that only has a double door and not a garage door so width is a consideration so it should be less than 72 inches. I will prob build an shelter eventually but it will keep my atv company in the basement until then.

SPIKER · Oct 29, 2003

areospacefarmer:

here is a link to steve puma's web site and also the ctoa site where there are lots of dealers in you're area more than jinmas but other things too century, DongFe AM, Futan and a few others. check the web sites drop a few e-mails and get some seat time in as many tractors as you can. The imports do require a bit more knolage to work on them but they are easy to fix , just need metric tools. lol

http://www.puma-machinery.com/pages/810877/index.htm

this is Johnm's site which is great resource for new perspective buiers he is not a dealer just a tractor user and likes to organize things well.

http://johnstractor.homestead.com/

here is CTOA (chinese tractors owners board) BB for the import croud nice resource, lots of posting to help out new people and with you will see the common problems you MAY have to deal with, good resource, but remember it is set up to help one a nuther out so some people read the posts and thing lots go wrong but in reality the board was set up to help troubleshoot problems from lots of different tractors.

http://wc1.worldcrossing.com/WebX?14@19.SD2ZanoHX4H.1@.eec20e0

here is CTOA home page with dealers links phone #'s ect.

http://www.homestead.com/ctoa/tractors.html

Hope that helps now how aobut some Log Cabin Photos!?

Mark M
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Slamfire · Oct 29, 2003

Deer really go for beans, but they are an annual. Red clovers, there are a couple of kinds, and buckwheat all work, and don't break the bank. A bit more expensive, and aimed a bit closer to turkey is chufa grass. You can get all this stuff at a regular ag supply, it won't cost as much as dealing with some outfit with outdoors in their name. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

leaddog · Oct 29, 2003

I planted 3 acres last year of whitetail clover and 3 more this year. The deer really like it but they mainly feed at nite in it. I planted 3 acres of rye and they like that as well as the clover and it is a lot cheaper. Only thing is the clover has more nutrition over all year than the rye. I live in farm country so the deer have lots of food so I am trying to maxamize the food to try and keep more of them here. When you figure how much I spend on food plots I could buy a lot of hamburger but cows just aren't as much fun to shoot as deer /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

aerospacefarmer · Oct 30, 2003

Spiker

Thanks for the links and as soon as I find a way to load the pics onto this website I will do so. the cabin has been my connection with sanity and the kit was about 62K with all but the finish work, plumbing, electrical, well and septic. With all that and a road into the property of $10K and the electric drop of $ 7 K and the septic of $12K and a foundation of 11K and the finish work around 5K and the furnishings about another $ 2k ended up with a palace in the woods including 2 baths a loft dishwasher, fridge, full poured concrete basement and views that would give you wood (if you know what I mean) for about $130K total and you feel like you are living in the lap of luxury. Its a great place and I will get some pics but if you get a chance to do a log home the smells and the mornings when you wake up are awesome

Thanks

Paul

aerospacefarmer · Oct 30, 2003

Thanks for the info leaddog and I know our 2 states are at the top of deer population so I will try to use your comments as a guide. We had a great football player from our area at the U of M ... Greg Skrepenak who was an all american and then a pro with Raiders and Panthers who was a big hunter... i will let you know what i plant. Keep in touch
Paul

Docsknotinn · Oct 30, 2003

Hey if you have any 10 point cull Bulls my frezer is getting LOW ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif In regards to the wildlife blends I think a lot of it looks very expensive on the surface and it is. BUT, if you buy the same types of clovers etc at the co ops etc here its about the same price. Annuals are only a couple bucks a pound but perennial clovers run $4.95# easily. Plus a lot of this stuff has other added plants that are more drought resistant. I had zero luck with Bio logic. The first year poor luck with the white Tail institute but my plots this year are in fine shape. I too use Rye grass. Especially to establish a new plot and get nitrogen into the soil. The biggest mistake I see others in my area makeing is turning a plot once, dropping a perrenial plot and thats it. No mowing, no fertlilizeing, no overseeding etc. Plus a lot of guys are doing food plots and not hunting plots or havelittle or no sanctuary on their land. Its definately a LOT of hard work to get it right. I have a brochure on my desk I got at the feed store this week. The company is called Bier Ridge. They are a Michigan company with seed from Michigan State University. I intend to try this in the future. My hope is that it will be a better blend for our climate that a lot of the stuff put togethjer in the south. I have also tried tecomate. VERY expensive, fair results. I do have a sandy soil but chemicly its darn good. I just neeed a consistant water supply. A pond is in my long term plans. When you get to test Driveing those tractors dont over look the big brands. Thest drives are free and you might be suprised to find the cost differences are not always that significant. Are you after 4wd ? Dont forget to drive a Hydro Vs the others. All the advice in the world is fairly small potatoes to what you like when you drive it and finding a good dealer is the real key. Dave

Laminarman · Oct 31, 2003

I'm posting this question within this topic since I'm planning on purchasing a tractor for deer plots as well. Here it is: I have 99% committed to a NH 40D, but am having second thoughts after driving a Deere 4510. Here's the rub: I like the Deere, not the price and longevity is a major concern, and I don't want to be underpowered. Although these are comparable machines, I have had many people tell me the Deere will "outwork and outlast" the blue machines. I'd look at Kubota but I don't like the dealer. Specifically I know I will have to get a BH some day and that's where the problem is as well. I'm having difficulty finding out if either the Deere or NH are better for this application. I will be maintaining approximately 35 out of 77 acres of my land with some in food plots, most of needing brush hoggin', will get a FEL and post hole digger. Any advice is appreciated.

aerospacefarmer · Nov 1, 2003

What else will you be doing with all those acres I will be turning up soil and planting so I want enough power to do that and am thinking I need between 40-45 pto and 50 engine hp. If there is someone who can comment on this I am having the same problem as you mister NH40 I am looking at a Long 45-55 4 WD.

EddieWalker · Nov 16, 2003

I have a 35 hp Century 4X4 that I used to make food plots this year. Things I learned was the need for 4X4. You must have it, especially if the area has never been tilled. I have a 5 foot disk. Bigger would have been much better! Look for a comfortable seat. After a few hours of going round and round you will get sore from just sitting. It took three times longer to disk my land than I expected.

I'm experimenting with different seeds. The imperial whitetail clover is way too expensive and doesn't seem to be much of a draw. Winter oats bring in the hogs and deer seem to like it alright. Winter rye is a pass through food. They nible as the pass through. Wal-Mart has a mix that is mostly rye grass and a few other things, not a great one either. My local feed store had a 50lb mix with peas, oats, clover and a dozen other seeds that really seems to be the winner. It was only $14 per bag, which is almost a cheap as Wal-Mart, but a better blend.

I planted the beginning of September and my fields are all about 8 to 12 inches tall. Clover is around 4 inches.

Good Luck,
Eddie