Shooting Lanes/Trails

[MJBaldwin]

Just wondering how you guys typically trim trails to your stands or shooting lanes? I just typically go down our two main trails and then in front of the shack.

But I am wondering what equipment you use for this if you do the similar?

[MJ1657]

I use a Stihl brush trimmer. Its like an over sized weed whip with a saw blade.

[hockeybc69]

Swisher brush cutter.

[MJBaldwin]

MJ1657 - How long does this typically take? Where I hunt he has 80 acres so trails get to be long....

Hockey - Is this a pull behind model or a walk behind?

[hockeybc69]

Pull behind.

[MJBaldwin]

Got a picture of it? Also what HP do you have? is it a true bsuh mower or a finish mower?

[MJ1657]

MJ1657 - How long does this typically take? Where I hunt he has 80 acres so trails get to be long....

Hockey - Is this a pull behind model or a walk behind?

Tough to say depending on how thick the brush is. I take anything fairly large down with the chainsaw then come through with the brush cutter. Once a trail is established then its real easy each year. One quick pass and you're done.

I wont get it this year but one of the next things on my list is a Stihl power pole saw. I use an extendable manual saw now. Its work but it beats climbing up a ladder.

[hockeybc69]

Mine is the 12.5 hp brushcutter. They are amazing machines.

If you can take your ATV over/through the brush, the mower will cut it up. Up to 1 inch is a breeze to chop up. It has swing away blades, so any rigid obstacles wont destroy it.

I dont have a pic of it, but just do a search on Swisher trail cutter.

A couple passes through a thick wall of brush and you have a trail or shooting lane.

As MJ mentioned, maintaing the trails is a piece of cake.

[Dave]

Using a pull-behind Swisher 50" Brush Cutter. 13HP.

We do have the top pulley cover, just wasn't on at the time.

[MJBaldwin]

If you don't mind me asking how much would something like that cost? I only have a three wheeler and could have gotten a good deal on a pull mower but did a little research and found out it was a finish mower and the grass I mow is pretty tall at times..

I was thinking about renting this year due to funds are a little tight with just having a little guy. Problem is most places only want to rent out the walk behind models...

[MJ1657]

I bet it would be tough to find a pull behind to rent but I could be wrong. You can bang one up easy if you're not careful.

Not sure if you can rent a brush cutter like mine but I rented a pole saw a couple years ago. If I remember correctly it was $75 a day?

A chainsaw will do the trick to clearing trails but it kind of makes for a sore back by the end of the day.

[hockeybc69]

3 wheeler would be very tough to break new trails pulling a brush mower.

I have had to lock mine into 4wd in order to get through brush.

[smsmith]

You can do quite a bit with one of the Billy Goat type walk behind brush cutter/mowers too. I did a lot of trail work with one a number of years ago. You'll know you were working at the end of the day, but it definitely gets the job done.

[delcecchi]

This 12.5 hp is on sale for 2100 at ff.

I would imagine a towable would be in the same ballpark.

[hockeybc69]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Swisher-44-in...39?N=5yc1vZc7gx

$1599 for the pull behind trail cutter

I got mine about 5 years ago at Fleet Farm on sale for $1300.

[MJBaldwin]

Thanks for all your help guys.. I was looking at those pull ones but think might be a better choice to upgrade the three wheeler before I do that! Also

I think I might just rent one of those billy goat ones. I have been using an old push mower I front of our shack for the past years but it just takes forever. I called a place today and they would rent me the billy goat for the weekend for 75 bucks that's more in my price range currently!

Than again for all your help.

Sounds like you guys have some hunting shacks another questions I'm pondering is generator size?? 800, 1400, or 2000? My buddy's dad has had the land for sometime now and we just don't use it for anything else but deer hunting so he doesn't want to bring power to it which is understandable. We have always used lanterns and oil lights old school roughing it which I don't mind hit at 3-5 dollars for a 1 pound tank it adds up.. So we think we might venture to the generator world.. All we would have on it is a few

Lights at night maybe coffee maker in the

Morning and maybe radio at night with lights on would like to get a light that has a ceiling fan mounted on it.. That will be another question later on I'm sure once I figure out the size wi be the wiring to fixtures just planning on doing it down and dirty.. Was thinking

Maybe just extension cords?? Please let me know your thoughts..

[delcecchi]

You could convert to a larger propane bottle and run some gas lines around. For cooking and lights a 20 or 30 pound bottle would last quite a while, if you have the lights.

Sweet solution would be one of those 2000 watt honda generators.

[MJBaldwin]

delcecchi - I have thought about running gas lines problem is two things I would probably have just as much in copper as I would a generator.. Also I was going to try those humphrey lights but again would have just as much into those as a generator. The look and everything like that would be great only problem is would need a few more than I would like to buy.

We are currently using just the portable camp lights.... seems to work out fine but dealing with mantels and 1 lb tanks is getting old...

[delcecchi]

One of those nice honda generators is like $1000. You can buy a lot of that soft copper tubing for that. 60 feet of 3/8 od is 53 bucks at Menards. So you could run gas all over a good sized cabin for 150 bucks including some fittings.

I agree that electricity is more convenient and the lamps are cheaper and easier to move. But gas makes no noise and smell.

Lots of the water access properties on Vermilion are still off grid and using gas lamps and refrigerators.

Maybe a few deep cycle batteries and an inverter so you don't have to listen to the generator all the time.

[willyfahey]

MJ, I think renting the equipment to establish you lanes and trails is a good idea. We drag our trails with a 5-6' wide piece of heavy I-beam with some steel welded in for extra weight. Welded some 5/8" bolts for tearing too. It's definitely something you can drag with a 3-wheeler to maintain trails. It works really well and a lot cheaper than a couple grand on a mower. Put the mower money into the generator; you'll use it more and be more satisfied.

[MJBaldwin]

willyfahey - Do you have any pictures of your contraption? This hunting land is in more swamp land where the shack is is fairly high ground but then slopes down by a few stands...

We do have trails established as my buddys dad (land owner) had one of his employees with a bull dozer go to town on this.. This was a big expense for him but I think it will be worth it. My thing is I want to maintain these tails and not let the land get to what it was. The biggest issue a big part of it was timbered before he bought it and now all the tamaraks are growing up.

We have been talking about a generator for awhile not its just the cost has put us in the opposite direction.. The issue I have is cant really afford a Honda but would like one with that noise level I know thats not 100% possible but dont need a huge one either.. Im thinking maybe the 1000w in order to get the cost down? We would be running about 6 lights and a ceiling fan. Maybe coffee pot in the morning? not much as we currently dont have any of those things we probably can get by more than some people do.. We use the grill and coolers and that has worked being its in the fall we dont have to worry too much about cooling food and things like that..

Thanks you guys for all your help I will keep looking back to see if you add any ideas!

[rbs]

Coffee pots take a bunch of power to run. We have a 2000 honda and the breaker trips when we run the coffee pot and some lights so I am sure it would be worse for a 1000 watt

[bigbucks]

I have the 2000 Honda as well, I run a tv & 2-3 lights in the fish house. When the coffee maker kicks on it goes from Eco mode to full power. They do take quite a bit of juice. I think anything with a heating element, other that maybe the boot dryers do. That would be another great thing you could use in your cabin with electricity.

Back to the main topic, I mow all all of my trails & bigger shooting lanes with a 3 pt hitch 6' King Kutter rotary mower (brush hog). I think they're still under a grand if you have access to a tractor for a day or two. I bought mine 10-12 years ago for about $600. They handle some pretty big stuff, especially if it's softer wood.

[MJBaldwin]

rbs & bigbucks: Thanks for the info on the coffee pots I didn’t think they would be a big electricity consumption I did a little google search quick and looks like it takes about 200-800 which is different per one I am sure.. We only drink coffee in the morning and well it would have any load due to no lights would be on..

bigbucks: That is a very good option my buddy’s dad did just buy a tractor for the hell of it and I have been peaking at those type of mowers and they seem much cheaper than the ATV pull behind ones.. Only thing is then he needs to be there to do the job..

What does a FLAIL mower consist of? would one of those work or isn’t that what I’m looking for? I’m not a farmer nor did I really grow up with that so this "heavy machinery / tractors" are somewhat new to me so excuse my terminology...

[MJ1657]

The term flail mower gets used kind of loosely sometimes. A flail mower in a farming situation is designed to go out in a hay field and cut hay and directly throw it in a wagon in one pass. I've heard of guys using them on brush but I don't think they would stand much abuse.