Post logging trail cleanup/ forest management

Our property (25acres) was selectively cut ~ 3 years ago. Terrain is very hilly. I want to keep some of the logging trails open. There is absolutely a TON of slash/ undergrowth.

I've been clearing the major trails with a blade on the weedeater and the bush-hog on the tractor.....I'm losing that battle quickly - I have to clear in the winter - it's just too thick when it's green.

- Is there another PTO driven implement (like a bush-hog on steroids mixed with a pulverizer (sp?)) that can clean up the wickedly overgrown trails?
- It would need to take some abuse like a 2-3" branch lying on the ground.

All I can find it specialized/ dedicated logging equipment that's major $.

Once trails are cleared I can maintain them with the regular bush-hog, but I'm going to quickly lose the battle (and trail access) if I don't get a handle on it soon.

Ideally the trails would be grassy and free of briars, saplings, etc. I know this is years down the road but;
- What do I do now to ensure this in the future?
- How do I properly manage the vegetation?
- I don't want to go spraying Utility Grade ROW mix and kill off everything on the trails, do I??
- If a spray is the best answer, to ensure minimal runoff do you simply spray in dry weather when it won't rain for 24-48 hrs?

I know this is alot of questions, but I figured this forum would have more experience with this kind of thing. I did search - couldn't find much except for mulching machines and "conhtact your local forester", which I fully intend on doing.

Any advice here is greatly appreciated.

From the DR mower website:

The ultimate in
maneuverability!

Hilly, rugged terrain is no problem with our lockable differential. Lock in for maximum traction...or lock out for maneuvering in tight quarters. Blast through the thickest growth including 3" saplings.

DR MOWER.

Oldtimer said:

Search Craigslist for one of these....

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I had a Swisher pull behind but it was nowhere close to being stout enough - my 6' bush-hog isn't the right tool IMO either - are the DR's really the right tool???

headleyj said:

I had a Swisher pull behind but it was nowhere close to being stout enough - my 6' bush-hog isn't the right tool IMO either - are the DR's really the right tool???

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It'll eat 3" green saplings....

Beyond the DR, you could hire in a hammer mill mower head on a skid-steer or on an excavator...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-hwC85IJVE

Quit screwing around with mowers, and get serious.

http://www.woodsequipment.com/flailshredders.aspx?id=10495&ekmensel=ff8c4a46_21_0_10495_3

Beg, buy, borrow, steal a flail chopper and be done.

If you're not heavy handed about it, they'll take a 16" stump down to powder in a minuite or two, and 8" limbs/saplings just dissapear into chips as ya mow over them. Do NOT fall off the tractor...

Once ya get the path clear, then you can use the Brush hog once in a while, or just sterilize things once a season with something like Velpar.

Flail choppers ain't cheap, so look for one in good shape used, or ask around for someone that would hire thiers out.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

I recommend a Seppi mower. They are not cheap but mine, mounted on a M5950 Kubota would mulch 2" material in one pass. Larger material if it was rotted or in more than one pass. The Seppi is adjustable so it can also mow green grass. Seppi is a hammer flail type mower. In Cali it is sold under the Gearmore brand.

You may need a ROW herbicide the first time. Most are rain fast under 24 hours.

Man!What a machine

Oldtimer said:

It'll eat 3" green saplings....

Beyond the DR, you could hire in a hammer mill mower head on a skid-steer or on an excavator...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-hwC85IJVE

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Holy crap talk about clear cuttin!That thing is a monster.WOW!
Lawrence

Brushcutter

I know this tool i have is not for 25 acres but it sure does kick some butt.I just put a Stihl circular blade on my Stihl KM90 powerhead man that thing really takes care of some serious brush,I took down a 3 inch wide tree with it all be it not in one pass.I bet withe bigger Stihl Kombi powerheads it would really rock!
Lawrence

My suggestion is a beat up old Jeep and drag of some sort until you get the trails groomed enough to maintain w/ a regular finishing mower...It only takes a couple of times a month to keep them under control...We used an old chain link fence at a friend of mines for about 2 years until the ground took back the smaller sapling stumps...Then he got the guys from Pheasants Forever to drill the lanes when they were out planting filter strips for him...

The worst part is he get mad at us now if the ground is soft and we wheel thru them...

This is from the AS classified , find someone with one of these or similar and hire them (or buy one) to do the initial clean up then you can keep on top of things with a bush hog .

Sounds like you need a good fire.

Why not use a chainsaw and cat then seed it down and maintain with a brushhog . Im sure hireing a guy with a cat wouldnt cost a ton of money to open some trails.

Some of the other more exotic options would be fun, but a weekend rental of a tracked bull dozer followed by a good seeding and hay spreading will do the trick for less money.

RandyMac said:

Sounds like you need a good fire.

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Yes. A drip torch is cheaper then a cat.

dancan said:

This is from the AS classified , find someone with one of these or similar and hire them (or buy one) to do the initial clean up then you can keep on top of things with a bush hog .

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that's exactly what I'm talking about! That flail chopper/ mower would be perfect! I will do some looking!!!!!

petesoldsaw said:

I know this tool i have is not for 25 acres but it sure does kick some butt.I just put a Stihl circular blade on my Stihl KM90 powerhead man that thing really takes care of some serious brush,I took down a 3 inch wide tree with it all be it not in one pass.I bet withe bigger Stihl Kombi powerheads it would really rock!
Lawrence

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got that now, it's just not fast enough. Now if I didn''t have a day job that'd be different, but time is very valuable. The search is on for a 6 or 7' flail shredder! WOW those things are pricey, but it's exactly what I need.

385XP said:

Why not use a chainsaw and cat then seed it down and maintain with a brushhog . Im sure hireing a guy with a cat wouldnt cost a ton of money to open some trails.

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I guess great minds must think alike !!!!:agree2:.

It just requires a little sweat ... .
. The Roto Mill that DanCan posted a pic of will do what you need real quik . But NOT IN ROCKS .. Changing ( TRIMMER) teeth isn,t bad , but you need to ease it into the hard stuff ... We use Trimmers , = Roto Mills in Prudhoe Bay alot ...

385XP said:

Why not use a chainsaw and cat then seed it down and maintain with a brushhog . Im sure hireing a guy with a cat wouldnt cost a ton of money to open some trails.

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when you say "cat" I assume you mean a dozer? just want to be sure

I would suggest that when you mark and make your trails try to keep them as straight as possible so that future logging/skidding can be done with minimal bumping of standing trees. Plan the roads a bit so they are on good solid dry ground. I use to use a straight line of site or a transit to keep the paths easy to skid logs on. Even if a path is looking really nice and straight through nice dry ground but there is one tree in the middle of it, then it can be well worth it in the long run to get rid of that tree and have a good road for later use. Just cut the stump down flush and drive over it for a few years.

Good paths make for less damage and easier logging in the future.

After my grandfather passed away, his pastures started going to hell. Junipers and choke-cherries took over the property.

What we did was run the tractor with the brush-hog (46 horse, with a hog rated for a 4" limb)

We dropped the bucket on the tractor to start to break up stuff in front of us and lifted the brushhog as high as possible. It took a few years of going over it (Grandfathers land about an hour south so we couldnt get there every weekend) but now its a clear pasture. This was about 10 years ago.

Now my father is putting a new road in above the fields, and I am cutting the fields back to the stone walls around them. There is a section that is all small trees and I am doing the same thing, just running down it with the bucket dropped and tearing it all out and pushing it into a pile.

Just an idea, it may take a while, but you wont have to go out and buy new equipment...although Im always up for new equipment