What has everyone used to pull small brush/trees?

Steve-o

Steve-o

Participating member
Location
Central
I have a job to clear land that is overrun with Honeysuckle, bittersweet and small saplings. I don't relish the idea of slash and paint as it's near a brook. I'd like to efficiently pull out the small stuff (less than 2.5" or so) and cut up the rest.
I'v eseen the Extractigator and PullerBear online among others. They seem to do the trick...
What have you used?
 
I wish I had something like that. Was hoping to hire a teenager and give him a sort of hand tool like the Extractigator and let him loose. Customer just wants to clean up the understory in their 1-2 acre woods and it’s not that out of control yet. Plenty of walking room.
 
Steve-o said:
I wish I had something like that. Was hoping to hire a teenager and give him a sort of hand tool like the Extractigator and let him loose. Customer just wants to clean up the understory in their 1-2 acre woods and it’s not that out of control yet. Plenty of walking room.
Click to expand...
I feel you; I want one too. Lemme know what you figure out, cuz I have some similar work to do at home
 
Last edited:
I just tore out an acre yesterday with the mini skid and a tooth bucket, 2.5 hours, pushed into a burn pile. Mostly buckthorn, honey suckle, and boxelder. Biggest boxelder was 4”ish. If they don’t push out clean you can beaver away with a tooth on the bucket.
 
Steve-o said:
right up to it. It's a seasonal brook but runs into a valuable trout habitat that runs into Boston's water supply reservoir. I'd rather not pollute it more than it is...
Click to expand...
Better chech with the state EPD. In Georgia you have to leave a 25 foot undisturbed buffer on State waters. You can't remove any vegetation.
 
Let's back up for a minute and talk about your concerns for polluting the stream...with what? Herbicide? How much do you suppose you'd use? Have you considered the impact of erosion from loosened/exposed soil when you pull the stumps? How about the great seedbed you made for the next crop of Honeysuckle to get started?

AquaMaster (formerly called Roundup Custom) and Garlon 3 are both labeled for wetland/aquatic sites. Not that I want it in the water, and I do all I can to keep it out...but IMHO, in low dose its lower impact than sedimentation.
 
As for physical removal, I second: hydraulics! I pulled out some Boxwoods and Privet for one client on Monday, then yanked some dwarf Alberta spruce today. Branch Manager Monday today we used a chain and pallet forks. (Avant 528)

(PS: hydraulic leaks do happen...not often if the equipment is maintained, but they can...is that better or worse than aquatic labeled herbicide?)
 
I'm also voting hydraulics for this task, however id go with a grapple rake over the BMG for this task. Not only rips it out, but can grade the dirt back in the hole and use as a bulldozer blade to move a bunch of uprooted brush to the pile.
 
flushcut said:
My answer is a hydro leak is an ‘if’ but applying herbicide is a ‘sure thing’.
Click to expand...
Herbicide leaving the site is also an "if". Probably applied, with no rain for a couple days it won't make it to the stream. But, yes, it is on site.

I'm not suggesting that a leak should be a determining factor, just pointing out that there are always tradeoffs. As stated, my bigger concern is sedimentation.
 
Alternatively, if one doesn't clear the growth, could the honeysuckle and bittersweet get thick enough to choke out the flow of the brook? Especially since water isn't always flowing hard there...
 
Guys I appreciate your thoughts on this. Several things to consider and I didn’t know this topic would garner such a wide variety of opinions! Step 1 is to pull out what is a front and center of the view. Machinery rutting up the turf will not likely be well received by the customer. The seasonal brook of slow pace and minimal volume flows into a pond where sediment will collect and not make to the trout stream. The stream dries up in summer and fall. Step 2 will be to cut the larger saplings and thin out the canopy to enhance the view of the lovely oaks and hickory trees on the plot. I just figured this could all be done this spring while the ground is soft to pull out roots easily. Also want to hit it before everything goes to seed.
 
I've only used the weed-wrench-over 10 years ago but from what I remember it worked pretty well, but is exhausting work. Not quite manual post hole digging bad, but close.

Looking at the other ones you posted, they all look fine- I'd probably buy the pullerbear because their website is funnier

it's such shit work that I'd personally give the unlucky teen 100% of the money, and just be glad a customer got their job done
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom