Best equipment to open up / clear a trail

Brush saws are great but if a farm tractor with a bushhog can fit down the trails that saves a ton of work and can knock down some pretty thick brush. Lots of guys that got them are willing to work for some 100 cent dollars.
 
Several times i've hired a contractor with a skid steer and mulcher attachment . It clears a lot of land fast . I've used it for about 6 km of roads plus 3 fields . It'll mulch to about 1 inch below the top of the soil leaving a nice bed and can take a 5 to 6 inch tree down and mulch it . Throw some clover down and you're good and the sides of the road become a food plot to attract critters .
 
Something not mentioned yet, a mini excavator is cheap to rent for a day. Something in the 7000lb range will have a dozer blade and you can scrub back a surprising amount of brush. A km of road will take a day or two and a rental place will have one on a trailer for you for a couple hundred bucks a day.
 
Something to consider. It sounds like this road may be on crown land leading to your property. If it is on your property go with any of the above. If it is crown land you may come into conflict with the authorities for opening a trail and doing work on crown land. In addition once the road is complete you cannot keep others for accessing it.
 
Professional Stihl clearing saw ..... mine is around 10 years old .... I have to clear portions of my trails every year ...

And this thing just keeps running and running .... year after year ....
I have tried many other tools .... nothing else has survived this long ....

And with other brush cutters I couldn't feel my hands after an hour .... my hands were going numb from the vibrations ....



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I use mine mostly with a tri-blade ...

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Post 26 mentions the skidsteer. I happen to do a bit of clearing with my job. This is one of the most efficient ways to do it. You could rent the needed gear for around 700-1000 dollars. I would look to a local contractor with a large tracked skidsteer and a mulcher. He will have a cleanup bucket with him, and he will do a few passes and be able to clear up your road top after.
 
Depending on your budget , and who owns the land ; a contractor with a dozer might be the best option to push overgrowth back . Cutting brush is great for one year , but it will quickly grow back the following year . I go through the exact same situation every year , and use a tractor with a 7 foot sickle bar mower . A bush hog with an offset can do the same job , but every couple of years has to be repeated as the road will continue to grow in if not dozed back .
 
Spcamno said:
... it was a logging road for the truck to use it looks like it was 8 feet or wider before and it just need to brush back for a vehicle to go through.

... would like to clear it for car or truck access in the future.
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This is useful, but we need more info.

There are way too many variables so at this point we're all speculating whether it's a job for a weedwacker, brush saw, chainsaw, skid steer mulcher, excavator, or dozer.

Photos would be best!
 
45ACPKING said:
get a Stihl back pack brush saw.
It's like a weed wacker on steroids and has a large , I wanna say 6 inch saw blade. Has many safety features and the back pack/ rigid harness is fully adjustable and takes the load off the shoulders.
It's what a friend uses to clear kilometers of trail when he is creating cross country ski trails
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Thank you. I’ve been looking for something like this and you put me on the the right track. Going to look at one tomorrow.
 
Got this on amazon a while back, works great for clearing trails. Got the chainsaw style saw blade and between that and the hedge trimmer attachment, ive done tons of trail maintenance and new trails. I never really use the metal disks they include but thats mostly for woody grasses and stuff i dont really encounter. For the little stuff i use the hedge trimmer for it. Pole saw used a few times, and the weed trimmer lots

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Thank you gentlemen for all the responds all exc tips and advice.

The property was logged about 20 years ago and the logging road in on crown land the road was made by the crown for the truck to get lumbers out.

As far as I know it was a proper logging road all it need is to be brush back overgrown vegetation / weed and alders etc nothing big.

Neilm brought up a good point about doing work on crown land and I have specifically inquired about it and according to the Ontario Public Lands Act Subsection 3.1.1 section 6
land owner can do the followings to access his or her property without permit:

minor maintenance activities carried out on a trail, water crossing or road including:
  1. water crossing cleaning for the purpose of maintaining the flow of water
  2. grading of existing trails or roads
  3. clearing of existing ditches
  4. gravelling of existing trails or roads
  5. clearing or brushing of existing road or trail surface for roads that are open to the public and over which vehicles can safely travel OR are passable, but not those roads or trails that have been decommissioned or are planned for decommissioning (as documented in road use management strategy).
  6. snow plowing
  7. sanding or dust control
  8. repair or replacement of posted signage

Would love to hear more anybody has input or suggestions please keep them coming!

Thanks in advance!
 
Spcamno said:
...

The property was logged about 20 years ago and the logging road in on crown land the road was made by the crown for the truck to get lumbers out.

As far as I know it was a proper logging road all it need is to be brush back overgrown vegetation / weed and alders etc nothing big.

...
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In that case, you'll probably be well served by just a proper brush saw: H-harness mounted with the bike handle grips. Approx 40cc should do - All the orange brands have their own versions, and they're all serviceable. Choose based on whatever dealer you like to deal with.

It's an investment for maintaining your property, don't be afraid to spend a grand or two for a quality machine, harness, and extras.

There will probably be lots of flying debris - Recommend coveralls, chainsaw chaps, and a hard hat with a mesh visor.

Once it's mowed, consider using a light harrow to keep the driving surface clear (can tow behind a quad, utv, or truck).
 
Southcountryguy said:
If your going to do it do it once, right.

https://www.tigercat.com/product/m726g-mulcher/

SCG
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Nice, if you got the money.

If I had your (apparent) money, I'd burn all mine for heat! LOL!

For a KM of road that is already in pretty decent shape, I'd say that the Forestry Saws (Pro grade weedeaters) are the way to go.

If you really want to make time, find a buddy with a bulletproof truck, one that is not gonna show any new scratches, and work out of the back of it with the Forestry Saw.
I can recommend the use of a set of shoulder straps, as they keep the cutter far enough away from you to avoid leaving a shoe full of foot on the trail!

Go down the trail and get what you can with the triangular blade posted above. They work well on any tree smaller than about wrist or ankle size. Use a saw blade style to deal with anything too big to gronk through with the tri blade. Keep the saw blade units as far from rocks as you can manage!

If you are made of money, hire a guy with a brush mulcher. If you don't want a ton or three of waste wood on the road in, the Forestry Saw is a better tool, but will need a bit of cleanup after.

If you don't mind a few days of peace and quiet in the woods, I suggest a Silky style Japanese pruning saw, and a Swedish Axe, the thin bladed unit with a metal bow holding the blade. You can move a lot of material in a day, with those, and it won't leave your ears ringing!
 
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