Clearing trails help!!!

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Canadian Bush Wacker

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Well, I have to make some new hunting/atv trails, and clean up some old ones.

Now, keep in mind I have a budget!! I can not make up my mind what to do here, there is some many ways of doing this. The area I need to break new trails are thick with poplar, and red willows, with the oak here and there. I will not cut down oak, I will go around. Most of the poplar that I want to go thur is less than 6 inch or smaller, I would rather leave anything over 4 inch and just go around, the planned trails are about mile and a bit with bends and turns and stuff.

I have been looking at bush movers 3pt stuff, and backhoes, and thinking dozer at times. I could go nuts with a chainsaw, but what about the stumps, don't want any on the trails.

Please give your ideas or what you have done in the past
 
Just did this last year about a 1/2 mile though.Used a chainsaw and a bushwacker for the smaller stuff.Cut the trees as close to the ground as possible dulls the chains up pretty quick,time consuming,but probably the cheapest way to go.A dozer would have been nice $$$$.Where abouts are you cutting?In the interlake?
Or mark a trail contact all your friends that own chainsaws,invite them out for a day in the bush and enjoy a few cold ones when the work is done.Pitch a couple tents so no one has too drive.:)
 
Cutem off with chainsaw as mentioned. After using the trails a bit the ground will get beaten down and the stumps will come up again. As they come up cutem again, save old bars and chains for this as it is very abrasive.
 
I have heard from old prospectors that several strands of det cord ( the thick stuff, not B-line) and a safety fuse can cut a trail, fast.

Never tried it, never seen it done, not advising anyone else to try it.
 
Not cheap but I am thinking of getting one of those rough cut units you pull behind your ATV I think Yettmans sells them.

My family has a 1/4 section in the Intrelake and it is a huge chore keeping the trails open and opening new ones. Using a chainsaw is hard work and the small poplar and willow stumps are so sharp you have to cut them right low so they won't wreck your tires and then you get a bunch of grass in your bar.
The 3 point hitch idea is good on the high ground but it seems like the very best places on our property are always too close to the sloughs and getting a tractor unstuck sucks.

Has anyone had good luck with those blade systems on your weed trimmers.

Probably the best way to go would be to rent a guy with a D4 widetrack for a day or so.

Richie
 
Has anyone had good luck with those blade systems on your weed trimmers.

We used one last year to help with clearing trails broke it twice,it has a two year warranty though.Mtd came with a wierd shape blade,and the shaft is two piece and flexible.Apparantly the circular sawblades are a better choice for those situations.
 
I have a at bushhog (swisher) and don't recomend using one on softwood brush much over 2". They don't work that great on anything much bigger. Idealy you should rent a tracked Bobcat with a bushhog or special brushing attachment. With the brushing head you can actually go down to root level to cut the trees off, and does an excellent job mulching the rest of the tree. This won't be cheap though and will cost you pretty big for the weekend...but you would be amazed at what you can get done!
 
Timberwolfe said:
Has anyone had good luck with those blade systems on your weed trimmers.


Richie
Click to expand...

I've used a STILL weed wacker with a blade for trimming trees , and cutting trails for a good number of years. Very reliable machine. About the only thing I've had to do, is clean the exhaust port of carbon build up, and throw the spark arrester (Dinky little screen that carbons up) as far as possible.
Be sure to get the larger model though, straight shaft is best, it has a solid drive shaft. I think Mine is an FS81. It's a good twenty years old though.

Consider the bicycle handles if you have a lot of cutting to do, they can kick hard to the side. Keep well clear of others when working the machine with a blade.
 
Just use a chainsaw to cut them as close to the ground as you can, then burn what's left of the stumps, time consuming, but should end up with a nice smooth trail.
 
I have been doing this for two years now on my lot. I'm making a driveway and a yard site. I have used a chain saw, and a brush saw for the willows and small trees. The stumps i pulled out with mu truck and a tractor, but for trails i would just cut the stumps as low to the ground as possible. good luck its tonnes of fun.
 
If you've got access to decent tractor, backhoe even a good low range 4x4 you should be able to wrap a chain around that smaller stuff and pull it right out roots and all. Filling in the holes and leveling it out is abit of a pain, but over time those stumps you leave will come up as the ground get packed down with use.
 
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I have alot of fun and a good work out using a chain saw. But I am always looking for an easier way.
 
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Yeah we have a tractor. But it is no fun when you get it stuck. We have a back forty at our place seperated buy a slough/ beaver pond. That is where the hard work is located.
 
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