Tractors

[Tymurrey]

I've dug out a far number of rocks with a set of pallet forks! I think on a tractor, a ripper on the 3 point is likely to be a bit more stout though. The loaders aren't as heavy or tough as a skid-steer loader so you probably want to be a little careful of you use a set of forks on one to pop out rocks.

The only thing that i think would save the loader arms on the compact tractors would be you could center the forks and hopefully not side load. I do think the ripper would be the best for small tractors though. I always wanted to put a snow blade on the little bobcat tractor we had but read some bad things about twisting arms because the loader arms weren't strong enough if the snow blade caught anything off center.

 

[SLE]

The only thing that i think would save the loader arms on the compact tractors would be you could center the forks and hopefully not side load. I do think the ripper would be the best for small tractors though. I always wanted to put a snow blade on the little bobcat tractor we had but read some bad things about twisting arms because the loader arms weren't strong enough if the snow blade caught anything off center.

I actually run a 100" snow pusher on my bobcat 9TL loader. Consider however that my Bobcat CT445 is the largest frame size of the compact tractors. With fluid in the rear tires and the loader it's a 6000+ lb tractor.

 

[1lessdog]

I have a Polaris 6x6 that I use to push snow. It has a 7 ft blade on it. This is what happens when you hit the corner of the driveway at 15 mph. And you get thrown off the front of the machine. I changed the way I push snow now. It happened 3 times.

 

[3Roosters]

When I was a kid, there was a B John Deere that pulled a LOT of large boulders out. All I needed was a chain. Use the bucket to expose a point on the rock so one could wrap a chain around it, then give'r the onion. My bucket was an old rockpicker with a toothed lift like this one:

You would bend or break the teeth messing with the rock, but they worked to get the dirt away from the edges.

As an 11 to 13 yr old...I rocked at removing what I thought were big rocks. Some probably weighed near a ton or two.

Looks sweet but I would be wary of CHAINS! Know of a couple ppl that it didnt end so well.

 

[wslayer]

Wouldn't think a utility tractor would have enough giddy-up to snap a high tensile chain, but I've been wrong before.

 

[3Roosters]

Wouldn't think a utility tractor would have enough giddy-up to snap a high tensile chain, but I've been wrong before.

I am not going to argue with you on the results of a chain snapping. I am just saying I will never use a chain.

 

[NDbowman]

The few rocks we have in my area have taught me that when you see a bit of rock sticking out of the ground, its usually 10 times bigger than what you think. Have seen a few small rocks peeking out in hay fields, thinking I'll take a spade and dig it out. After probing around you forget about the spade and get the loader tractor, small ones like 1000lbs or less come out some easy some not so easy. The last three I needed gone I had a guy with an excavator pull out. First two weren't bad but bigger than I expected. Last one the operator guessed at 4 to 5000lbs as he carried it out of the field he could feel it lighten up the back of his excavator. Glad I didn't try and dig that one out with a loader tractor.

 

[5575]

Went out to do some longer range shooting today and caught my brother out playing with one of his tractors.

 

[tikkalover]

Well at least he knows what’s good to buy.

I say that because my son sells the red stuff

 

[Lycanthrope]

Did some ripping where i plan to plant trees next spring… So far i like this little 40hp tractor

 

[Allen]

Did some ripping where i plan to plant trees next spring… So far i like this little 40hp tractor

Are you going to leave any of the parcel for food plots, or are you primarily seeking cover?

 

[Lycanthrope]

Are you going to leave any of the parcel for food plots, or are you primarily seeking cover?

These specific rows are to create a 10 acre lot at the south end of my land that I might consider selling at some point down the road, or maybe letting one of my kids build on, if they ever want to. Theres a lot of room out there still, but I probably wont create any food plots any time soon because I would prefer deer stay away from my land, untill most of my trees are too big for them to kill or damage significantly. Do you plant food plots at your place?

 

[Tymurrey]

I just picked up a used skid steer for moving snow on the farm and other yard work. I'm already envisioning some small water holes. I think i've been underestimating the need for close to habitat water sources for wildlife. I am also looking at a few small alfalfa plots for young pheasant chicks to be able to find insects hopefully. This is my plan for the 23 acres or so of cropland on the home place. Sucks missing out on the rent check but should be a nice place to walk out my door and shoot birds whenever i want. 9 rows should provide thick enough cover during snow and i tried not to do anything that is raptor friendly. Its almost all cropland around this so food isn't an issue.

 

[Tymurrey]

Anyone ever transplanted larger trees with a tree spade and not babied them with water and such and had much luck. With the skid steer now and tree spade attachments available i'm tempted to try building and established tree area instead of waiting 20 years.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I just picked up a used skid steer for moving snow on the farm and other yard work. I'm already envisioning some small water holes. I think i've been underestimating the need for close to habitat water sources for wildlife. I am also looking at a few small alfalfa plots for young pheasant chicks to be able to find insects hopefully. This is my plan for the 23 acres or so of cropland on the home place. Sucks missing out on the rent check but should be a nice place to walk out my door and shoot birds whenever i want. 9 rows should provide thick enough cover during snow and i tried not to do anything that is raptor friendly. Its almost all cropland around this so food isn't an issue.

Id like to figure out how to attract raptors TO my land, to keep the birds from eating all my fruit when its ripe. I put up a nesting box for kestrel but Im thinking I need to get some old utility poles and put them in the ground in strategic locations to give hawks places to sit.

 

[Tymurrey]

Id like to figure out how to attract raptors TO my land, to keep the birds from eating all my fruit when its ripe. I put up a nesting box for kestrel but Im thinking I need to get some old utility poles and put them in the ground in strategic locations to give hawks places to sit.

I went the route of planting more berry trees but i only got enough juneberries for two pies this year before the birds picked them clean and usually my nanking cherries are gone overnight it seems. the only thing they don't east is the aronia berries and cranberries but neither do i. A girl from work put up the reflective streamers and had some luck but it seems like a hassle to me.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Yeah, once they find the berries, they will clear them out VERY fast. A friend of mine that grows fruit has had a pair of merlins nesting near his plants for a couple years and his berries go untouched when they are there. I just need to figure out how to get some raptors to stay in the area... Also ive heard that laser bird chasers work pretty well, but they arent cheap.

 

[Allen]

Do you plant food plots at your place?

I have in the past, but not the past couple of years. This sandy soil isn't good for germination and establishment of most food plots with a July planting date, things just dry out and die.

 

[Tymurrey]

I have in the past, but not the past couple of years. This sandy soil isn't good for germination and establishment of most food plots with a July planting date, things just dry out and die.

I’ve never had good luck with late planted or fall planted food plots due to no rain and heat as well. I’ve been doing some of the game and fish mix but the broadleaf weeds are getting really bad so next year it will be corn or something roundup ready. I struggle with mowing between my tree rows. The trees do better but the habitat that grows between them is where I get a lot of my birds.

 

[SLE]

Anyone ever transplanted larger trees with a tree spade and not babied them with water and such and had much luck. With the skid steer now and tree spade attachments available i'm tempted to try building and established tree area instead of waiting 20 years.

I have and the key is making sure the trees aren't too big for the spade. Honestly, a typical skid steer spade is only going to be 4' diameter at max which is going to limit you to a max of maybe a 5' tree depending on species. The machines will pick bigger trees but you don't get enough rootball for a good survival rate. If you want bigger trees and instant habitat, you really need to go truck mounted 90" or 100" which will be on a semi chassis. I've used skid steer spades, tow behind spades, and hired large truck mounted spades to move trees. At the end of the day, with the investment of time and money you make in the trees and moving them, a little TLC watering and fertilizing them is pretty easy to justify.