The best way (least expensive) to clean land for pasture

[uscott]

we just purchased a small tract of land the was heir land and was clear cut for timber about 12 years ago. The heirs never replanted the property and it has grown voluntarily since then. It has some young pine, hardwood and just a lot of stuff. It is very thick. I am wanting some suggestions on the best way to clean it up. We had a dozier guy out last week and he suggested a prescribed burn first and then dozier work. When I called the local guy with the forestry commission( hasnt seen the property) he said that even a prescribed burn may not clear up the undergrowth enough to make it worth it. I am looking for ideas???

 

[Deepsouth]

Spraying it before you burn will help prevent the regrowth. It can be done from the air, (hehelicopter) or from the ground. Arsenal is used mostly for this.

 

[highgrit]

You need to learn how to burn, fire is you friend when it comes to cleaning up land cheaply. You need a good fire break first of all. Then you need to back burn 30-40 feet, and then go around a start a head fire. A head fire is a really hot fire and will kill pines and oaks.

 

[skyhightree1]

I personally don't think there is a cheap effective way to truly clear land other than you renting a dozer and you and your buddies take turns running it and clearing the land personally. I know many will disagree but thats just my thoughts because even after burning you have no clue of the earths condition under all that brush whether loggers rutted it out etc and you will still need some equip work. I fortunately have the means to clear any lands I need cleared and have not had to find alternate methods but feel as though thats the best way.

 

[Tim/South]

If the tract is small I would look into hiring a forester mulcher. They are expensive but boy howdy can they clear some land.

 

[Jogeephus]

It would help a lot if you posted a picture and would take some time to put your location in your profile. Lots of difference in clearing land on the side of the Himalayan mountains and here in the Peruvian Alps.

 

[skyhightree1]

If the tract is small I would look into hiring a forester mulcher. They are expensive but boy howdy can they clear some land.

This is very true any land I own or buy I get a friend to bring hers out and cut roads all the way around the property instead of dozing unless I truly need to.

It would help a lot if you posted a picture and would take some time to put your location in your profile. Lots of difference in clearing land on the side of the Himalayan mountains and here in the Peruvian Alps.

:lol2: very true

 

[Aaron]

If the tract is small I would look into hiring a forester mulcher. They are expensive but boy howdy can they clear some land.

I agree.

 

[highgrit]

The problem with a mulcher is that you can't hardly grow grass for a couple of years. And the mulcher does not get the stumps, so you can't hardly disc or plow it either. Mulchers are good for clearing up land, but not if you want to grow grass. IMO

 

[uscott]

It would help a lot if you posted a picture and would take some time to put your location in your profile. Lots of difference in clearing land on the side of the Himalayan mountains and here in the Peruvian Alps.

ok I am i east central Mississippi about 10 minutes from alabama i dont have pics but it is almost too thick in there to walk through ie briars vines,and some volunteer pines /flat ground

 

[jedstivers]

How fast are you wanting to do it? If now a dozer, if over time spraying and burning.

 

[uscott]

You need to learn how to burn, fire is you friend when it comes to cleaning up land cheaply. You need a good fire break first of all. Then you need to back burn 30-40 feet, and then go around a start a head fire. A head fire is a really hot fire and will kill pines and oaks.

What is involved in a head fire and what time of the year for this

 

[greybeard]

The problem with a mulcher is that you can't hardly grow grass for a couple of years. And the mulcher does not get the stumps, so you can't hardly disc or plow it either. Mulchers are good for clearing up land, but not if you want to grow grass. IMO

12 year old pine stumps and most hardwood should be pretty much rotted out by now. (he indicated it was last cut for timber about 12 years ago)
I'd mulch it, then burn the mulch in place. Why? Soil is probably pretty acidic now (pine loves acidic soil). Burned wood is bout 5% potash--The ashes will help sweeten that soil.

 

[greybeard]

How many acres in this tract?

 

[uscott]

18 on one 70 on the other just cleaning 18 first

 

[Jogeephus]

It would help a lot if you posted a picture and would take some time to put your location in your profile. Lots of difference in clearing land on the side of the Himalayan mountains and here in the Peruvian Alps.

ok I am i east central Mississippi about 10 minutes from alabama i dont have pics but it is almost too thick in there to walk through ie briars vines,and some volunteer pines /flat ground

Sounds like its a lot of fine fluff to me. A drum chopper followed by a match followed by an offset harrow should get things off to a good start. Soil sample, lime then followed by plantings of summer and winter annuals is all I'd do. Stumps should be nearly rotted as mentioned and the small stumps from the new growth can be handled with the offset and left to rot on site during the period you plant annuals.

 

[snake67]

we just purchased a small tract of land the was heir land and was clear cut for timber about 12 years ago. The heirs never replanted the property and it has grown voluntarily since then. It has some young pine, hardwood and just a lot of stuff. It is very thick. I am wanting some suggestions on the best way to clean it up. We had a dozier guy out last week and he suggested a prescribed burn first and then dozier work. When I called the local guy with the forestry commission( hasnt seen the property) he said that even a prescribed burn may not clear up the undergrowth enough to make it worth it. I am looking for ideas???

How big is "small"?

What will you actually do with this land?

The best way I have found to get a clear idea of cost is to decide exactly what I want to do and then put it up for tender. Depending upon the size of the job you may have to release some funds as the job progresses. Be sure to hold back money until job is complete to your satisfaction.

Yeah, yeah - I know - lots of good and bad contractors out there and lots of risk - but unless you are prepared to do the job or have your own equipment - this will at least give you a price.

Bez

 

[Jlane]

Since you said its already been logged, you might be money ahead if you can find a used d4 or d5 to clear out the under brush yourself then sell the machine when your done. If you don't have to many large trees to take down its not too bad to spend the time on the ones you do have exposing the root ball to push over with a smaller dozer. A drum chopper would be good too.

 

[Tim/South]

If it is just grown up in briars, vines and small brush less than3 or 4 inches in diameter then a skid steer with a brush cutter would be the first thing I used. Could probably rent the unit and do the work yourself if you did not want to hire it done.
Get it chopped down so you can see what you have.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

If it gives you a baseline I just had some logging waste (lots of large green stumps plus brush) cleaned up with a trakhoe and it came out to $1,000 an acre. The money from the logs offset some of this, but clearing land still is not cheap. For the amount of land you are talking about I would probally buy a used dozer or buy a forestry mulcher head for a skid steer (you cannot find one to rent around here) and either buy or rent a skid steer and spend some time on it. Thinking serously about going the skid steer route myself in a couple of years.