Fencing costs in challenged woody area?

[Talin]

I bought a neglected farm and one of the largest issues is how to fence in wooded areas? The land is 60% meadow but many of the fence lines are neglected and in sloped wooded areas.

Current thoughts
1) buy a used bulldozer and get a 10-15 foot path around perimeter and put in new fence
Husband loves this idea with a bulldozer going for 20K and the current bid is 10K seems reasonable?

2 forget the peripheral fence and just cross fence in the pastures?

3. What do current fencing crews charge?

Thanks

[gonzo]

doin the same gig here gotta have agood swath around it my wife won't even let me rent a doser your olman's stylin

[ohiosteve]

I have had very good luck fencing through woods by simply using trees for fenceposts. I use the screw in type insulators and don't screw them in all the way. I put up anywhere from 2 to 4 wires of high tensile wire (electrified of course) and this will buy you 2 years or more to put up a permanent fence. You won't have the straightest fenceline around but it serves the purpose and the price is low. Biggest problem I have is deer running through the wires but seldom will they take out all the wires. As someone has stated on here before (I believe Caustic Burno) the key is keeping your fences hotter than the hinges on the gates of he!!.

[1wlimo]

ohiosteve's idea is a good to start,

if you are going to use a dozer, other method of moving trees I would take out more than 15 feet. The wider the better, this reduces the number of trees that fall onto it.

[Talin]

Thanks I agree the temporary fence is good we have only one neighbor with animals Buffalo who apparently occasionally get in the fields. The husband probably needs lessons before the dozer idea I like him at least this week.

Beautiful land saw a Bobcat today 4 creeks run through it with
Multiple meadows in Eastern Oklahoma

[highgrit]

Fencing around trees takes twice as long. Push all the trees out of the way, and you will be better off. I like the idea of renting or hiring the job out. A bulldozer for 20g is going to be used alot, and they cost alot to fix. I just sold a d6 for scrap, tired of working on it all the time.

[agmantoo]

Hire the swath cleared around the perimeter. It will be money well spent and cheaper than owning the machinery. I had a swath 60 ft wide cleared around 100 plus acres. Tree sizes varied from saplings and chip and saw pines to 40 year old oaks(few). It took slightly less than 3 days and cost ~$2700.

[Caustic Burno]

Best thing to do is sell the timber if it is that quality and grind the stump's out.
If not hire the work out you will be money ahead. Forget owning a dozer unless you are in the dozer business.
Last remember the rule of trees when it falls it will fall where it can do the most damage.
When it falls if it can't hit the house the barn or car it will take out the fence.

[Aaron]

What size trees and what distance are we talking about? The cheap way is two guys and a chainsaw. Also, a skidsteer with tracks and a mulching head might work if it's smaller stuff. That being said, a dozer is quick, easy and has a lasting effect that can be maintained forever with spraying and brush cutting.

Whatever you do, don't tack onto trees. It's the lazy-man's way of doing things and it shows.

[Pineland]

I just put up about 10,000 feet in a similar area as you described. Chainsaw/Machete, but once we dry up a we will clear with a mulcher.

[Caustic Burno]

What size trees and what distance are we talking about? The cheap way is two guys and a chainsaw. Also, a skidsteer with tracks and a mulching head might work if it's smaller stuff. That being said, a dozer is quick, easy and has a lasting effect that can be maintained forever with spraying and brush cutting.

Whatever you do, don't tack onto trees. It's the lazy-man's way of doing things and it shows.

I wouldn't say that in my neck of the wood's as you might have to eat them word's.
I know a bunch of ole boy's back in these woods that would take great offence to your last statement.
If I was visting in this area that is one of them things that is best thought and not said.

[shaz]

Got the same problem. If the slope is bad enough you may never put in a new fence.
Cheap way out is to patch it with high tensile and t-posts. Tree falls on high tensile it's easy to work with.

[B&M Farms]

I cleared a fenceline through the woods several years ago. I bought an older D6 dozer for 24g in good condition, used it for 6 months and sold it for 24g 5 months later. If you don't pay too much for one and take care of it you can get your money back. It was a lot cheaper than hiring it done. Dug a new stock tank too. I have about 25 acres of good timber Im thinking of clear cutting and turning into pasture now. Its going to cost me about $600 an acre for the dozer work to get it stump cut and windrowed. Hopefully I will make enough off the timber.

[Aaron]

What size trees and what distance are we talking about? The cheap way is two guys and a chainsaw. Also, a skidsteer with tracks and a mulching head might work if it's smaller stuff. That being said, a dozer is quick, easy and has a lasting effect that can be maintained forever with spraying and brush cutting.

Whatever you do, don't tack onto trees. It's the lazy-man's way of doing things and it shows.

I wouldn't say that in my neck of the wood's as you might have to eat them word's.
I know a bunch of ole boy's back in these woods that would take great offence to your last statement.
If I was visting in this area that is one of them things that is best thought and not said.

That never works for me.

You'd have to show me some pictures that would make me think otherwise.

Somethings are impossible. Many just lack a person willing to put in the time and effort. Bush doesn't phase me. Swamp is the worst to fence. Pack everything in and everything out by hand.

When people tack wires to trees, tells me one thing...too many trees! Get the chainsaw out and start dropping them.

[Pineland]

I just ran a fence across the left hand side of this flooded timber bottom/duck pond and tied on to several cypress trees because it was the best option available at the time. Also it is pretty common to have some century old oak trees on fence lines in our area and often you may be faced with tacking onto a piece of history instead of whacking it down for no reason and teeing off a neighbor. CB is just south of us. Although I won't speak for him, I would bet the folks in his area encounter the same issues.