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. :cowboy:

 

[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. :cowboy:

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. :cowboy:

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. :cowboy:

 

[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.

 

[gonzo]

I' m glad there's trees to tack to where I 'm puttn in a summer pasture. Some places bed rock aint 6 inches down.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It is not too many trees as a lot of people in this area view that big hickory as a free fence post or corner post, they don't throw money away. What you consider tacky and lazy is consider smart and resourceful here, that is a regional difference. This might be a Southern thing when you walk on or talk about a man's place, wife or dog down here if you don't have something good to say better say nothing. Thousand's of acres around me was community pasture for years and it was hard to find a fence post or gate in the "pasture" gates were gaps.
Some trees are illegal to cut in Texas. You can't cut a witness tree in the survey or a tree on the property line.
A tree on the property line belongs to both parties and you can be charged with timber theft.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I think your best bet is to hire someone to clear the fence row . I own a dozer and timber mulcher . I spend at least 2 days a week working on one of them just so we can work them for 4 days . It's not a problem for me because I have been working on equipment all my life . And even with repairs I'll be money ahead . I cleared 40 acres of 5 year old cut over in 4 days cost me 500 bucks in fuel . But if you don't have the time or means to work on equipment don't buy it .

 

[kciD]

Why would you even waste your time and money fencing in timber?

The cattle aren't getting anything from it- other than odds and end nuts, and a place to be-- if it's truly timber and dense enough that their is no under story growth. If it's thin enough to have understory growth-- then it's not 'timber'- and shouldn't be a problem running a straight fence through-- minus taking out a tree here and there.

IMO, you're wasting your time fencing in the trees--- either take all the trees out and sow down some decent pasture-- or fence the trees off--- you're still getting the same ammount of pasture-- without the worry of fencing up and down hills-- over creeks-- or having to go out after every storm to make sure the fence is still standing..

Trust me, you'll make more money off that stand of trees with hunters-- then you'll ever reap benefits by running cattle in it.

If it's wooded draws sticking up into a pasture-- then I'd still highly suggest fencing them off-- they are some of the worst things to have to fence through.

 

[ohiosteve]

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

Aaron, I'm sure you're a heck of a guy but this statement instantly pisssed me off. I am the first to admit I ain't the smartest guy out there but I sure ain't a lazy-man. I've already taken out a 6 digit loan and tried my hand at dairying and did ok at it just decided there was more to life than milking cows, when I sold out I was able to get a nice chunk of land and from there on out all my cattle ventures are paid for out of pocket. I have run miles of fence through the woods with little more expense than wire and insulators and the occasional t-post. I am a busy man and when I get time i clear a path along the fence and run permanent fencing. As far as fencing with trees taking twice as long, this is hog-wash. I prefer for my cattle to access to the woods, I still log my woods out but there is no better place for cattle in times of heat or cold than in the trees. If all I have is perfectly rectangular treeless pastures and a barn with cattle wading hock deep in manure then I will sell out and move into the city.