# Best way to clear woods?



## Craftybigdog (Jan 25, 2008)

Hey guys Im buying a house that has 5 acres and I was wondering what is the best way to clear the woods its alot of 1-2 in cal small trees. I want to keep the big ones. I have a Kubota KX-161 and a Bobcat A300 I was just curious what is the best way to take them out with the roots so I can till it up and harley rake it and get the yard to come in. Thanks alot I just thought I would look to the pros for some help!


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## alan mesmer (Jan 25, 2008)

Are you saying the trees are 1" to 2" in dia.? Please clarify the size and type of the "trees" you are going to remove. In any case I would push over the ones that you can and the ones that are too big should be dug on 3 sides then pushed over. 
After pushing over then cut off stumps first and dispose and grind everything else you can grind through a chipper. If you push them over you will get more roots out than by digging them out.

Alan


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## Craftybigdog (Jan 25, 2008)

Thanks that is what I need to hear, thank you.


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## LNG24 (Jan 25, 2008)

If your looking at 5 acres to clear, I would look at bringing in a tub grinder for all the stumps. Since you have your own machine you really can do it yourself.

How we use to do it was to have one guy in the excavator and one with a chain saw and another on the backhoe. Excavator would push them over and pull out the roots so the stump was free of the ground. The guy with the chain saw would cut the stups off and leave the brush. The backhoe (had a 4 way bucket) would come in behind him (that was me) and pick up the tree and make brush piles and stump piles. We ran everything we could through a 12" chipper. Anything larger was stacked for firewood. Once we had everything cleared we had a Tub Grinder come in and I would haul all the stumps to the grinder. He was never there for more than two days. 

That would take us about 2-3 days to clear.


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## woodfarmer (Jan 25, 2008)

look for a root rake, they attach on the front of a loader and pull everything right out of the ground


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## Craftybigdog (Jan 25, 2008)

Yeah I have an 82" root grapple for the front of my Bobcat. I just have never used it in that application so I will have to try it out. Thanks for the help guys


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## treejunkie13 (Jan 26, 2008)

Be careful of damage and compaction to the trees roots that you want to save.


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## ak4195 (Jan 28, 2008)

If they're mostly pecker poles like you suggest,then heck get a CAT 320 with a thumb,rip the whole shebang.A D-5 is nice for feeding the excavator feeding the tub grinder,and smoothing to grade,backing up your chipper(we have a good sized Morbark eats 16-18 "s i believe)
If its say < 4" ,FAr quicker to have one guy hand falling,let the excavator focus on pulling root wads and stacking a deck/feeding the chipper.Depending on the lay of the trees,terrain,wind,encrouchments etc., start falling from the back of the property move towards the chipper.Lay as much as possible the same way,put the oddball leans last and on top as much as is possible without causing alot of work,escape path issues.Leave problem trees for the excavator.


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## NYCHA FORESTER (Jan 28, 2008)

Craftybigdog said:


> Hey guys Im buying a house that has 5 acres and I was wondering what is the best way to clear the woods its alot of 1-2 in cal small trees. I want to keep the big ones. I have a Kubota KX-161 and a Bobcat A300 I was just curious what is the best way to take them out with the roots so I can till it up and harley rake it and get the yard to come in. Thanks alot I just thought I would look to the pros for some help!



http://images.google.com/images?q=daisy+cutter&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title


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## LNG24 (Jan 28, 2008)

NYCHA FORESTER said:


> http://images.google.com/images?q=daisy+cutter&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title



At least you won't have to worry about the neighbors after that.


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## mayor (Jan 28, 2008)

Rent a Cat excavator for a day or two......320 would be my choice for 5 acres.....have them add a huge grubbing bucket and make sure it has a thumb.......move the machine too one area and start ripping....wont take long too get the hand of it....you can actually shake the dirt from the trees and roots......then swing them around and pile them up.....move on!.

Once done.....you can use your bobcat with a front grapple brush bucket too move the piles too a grinder or burn them!.

Contact your local Caterpillar dealer too see what's available in your area and costs.....they might have something even better!.


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