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Post by sd51555 on Nov 26, 2018 11:01:18 GMT -6
You guys know I’m a perv for ROD. I’m always thinking about how to push the development on my place. It dawned on me today that the best bang is gonna be finding the ones I’ve got, cut ‘em back, clear around them, and cage them.
No planting No die off from transplanting No browse losses Root structure well established (no wait) $9/5’ cage just under 3’ diameter.
Beats the piss outta waiting 3-5 years and having browse and transplant loss.
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Post by terrifictom on Nov 26, 2018 11:28:43 GMT -6
You guys know I’m a perv for ROD. I’m always thinking about how to push the development on my place. It dawned on me today that the best bang is gonna be finding the ones I’ve got, cut ‘em back, clear around them, and cage them. No planting No die off from transplanting No browse losses Root structure well established (no wait) $9/5’ cage just under 3’ diameter. Beats the piss outta waiting 3-5 years and having browse and transplant loss. If you have low deer numbers and are planting food plots, you shouldn't need to cage your existing ROD Why take and make a natural deer browse off limits to your deer. By the deer browsing on ROD it creates new tender growth each year. If it would be me I would spend the money on other improvements.
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Post by batman on Nov 26, 2018 11:39:43 GMT -6
Get a part time job and use the cash for a dozer of forestry head. You be miles ahead.
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Post by benmnwi on Nov 26, 2018 11:42:36 GMT -6
ROD is good stuff. I think your plan is a good one, but I agree with Tom that you can probably skip the cage step. When you cut down the competing vegetation, just throw it in and around the ROD to partially block off the deer. That way you don't need to buy cages, the ROD is protected a little and the deer get to browse a little.
If you have low deer numbers that will definitely work.
I planted some ROD on my northern WI land a few years back and just planted it and walked away and it did well where it was kind of hidden by other shrubs. The ROD I planted in my cabin yard stuck out like a sore thumb and the deer browsed it pretty hard and I had to cage it a few years until it became large enough to take higher browsing pressure. It all looks good now.
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Post by honker on Nov 26, 2018 12:05:19 GMT -6
Get a part time job and use the cash for a dozer of forestry head. You be miles ahead. How common are the forestry heads in the contractor space? Easy to find a dozer, but not as versatile to all applications.
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Post by sd51555 on Nov 26, 2018 12:06:15 GMT -6
The heavy machinery is coming. And there is no ROD that isn’t browsed into submission anywhere near me.
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Post by batman on Nov 26, 2018 12:11:19 GMT -6
Get a part time job and use the cash for a dozer of forestry head. You be miles ahead. How common are the forestry heads in the contractor space? Easy to find a dozer, but not as versatile to all applications. Guy I used had a 7 foot width drum on a dozer type of machine. 6 acres in 6 hours give or take. Little bobcat ones are not what I am talking about.
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Post by Catscratch on Nov 26, 2018 12:11:45 GMT -6
Doesn't need a part time job to pay for the expense... being off grid will pay for it!
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Post by benmnwi on Nov 26, 2018 12:25:01 GMT -6
How common are the forestry heads in the contractor space? Easy to find a dozer, but not as versatile to all applications. Guy I used had a 7 foot width drum on a dozer type of machine. 6 acres in 6 hours give or take. Little bobcat ones are not what I am talking about. How much did he charge per hour for that machine? What size of trees could that thing chew up and could it grind up big stumps as well? I occasionally see a few cheap wooded properties that I believe could be turned into above average hunting properties by adding few 5 acre plots here and there with something like that. Around my WI place it seems like excavators and bulldozers are the land clearing tools used instead of the machine you describe.
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Post by batman on Nov 26, 2018 12:31:42 GMT -6
Guy I used had a 7 foot width drum on a dozer type of machine. 6 acres in 6 hours give or take. Little bobcat ones are not what I am talking about. How much did he charge per hour for that machine? What size of trees could that thing chew up and could it grind up big stumps as well? I occasionally see a few cheap wooded properties that I believe could be turned into above average hunting properties by adding few 5 acre plots here and there with something like that. Around my WI place it seems like excavators and bulldozers are the land clearing tools used instead of the machine you describe. Cost me $600 an acre and I wanted it to grind all the stumps from a 4 year old cut. Now I can plot with a disc. left a pretty decent mess but I really like the results.
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Post by benmnwi on Nov 26, 2018 12:43:58 GMT -6
How much did he charge per hour for that machine? What size of trees could that thing chew up and could it grind up big stumps as well? I occasionally see a few cheap wooded properties that I believe could be turned into above average hunting properties by adding few 5 acre plots here and there with something like that. Around my WI place it seems like excavators and bulldozers are the land clearing tools used instead of the machine you describe. Cost me $600 an acre and I wanted it to grind all the stumps from a 4 year old cut. Now I can plot with a disc. left a pretty decent mess but I really like the results. That's a decent price per acre. Could it grind up hardwood stumps or was your clearcut all aspen or other softwood?
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Post by honker on Nov 26, 2018 13:53:46 GMT -6
Would love to get something like that to do the perimeter of my property line as well as clearing out some plots. The rocks I have sticking up everywhere as well as the mixed terrain of the woods give me some concerns on cost. Might be worth getting an estimate though.
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Post by Foggy on Nov 26, 2018 14:28:02 GMT -6
I had a 300 hp forestry machine with a seven foot head work about six hours for me He was able to run the head in the dirt to clear stumps and debris to about 3” below the surface. He did a couple miles of trails and about 4 acres of new food plots. I did have considerable cleanup after but was satisfied with the result for the most part. I did agree to replace the carbide teeth if he chewed them up on rock......which he did. That cost was about $900.......bout worth it to me. I think I paid about 5 k for the work performed.......not cheap but neither are the alternatives......and it’s mostly done in one day.
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Post by biglakebass on Nov 26, 2018 14:36:10 GMT -6
You guys know I’m a perv for ROD. I’m always thinking about how to push the development on my place. It dawned on me today that the best bang is gonna be finding the ones I’ve got, cut ‘em back, clear around them, and cage them. No planting No die off from transplanting No browse losses Root structure well established (no wait) $9/5’ cage just under 3’ diameter. Beats the piss outta waiting 3-5 years and having browse and transplant loss. What fencing are you using for that price?
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Post by sd51555 on Nov 26, 2018 17:41:51 GMT -6
I’ve thought a lot about that muncher machine. I don’t know I’d gain much with one. I think all the good would get chopped with the tag and poplar. Then the tag and poplar will come back fastest and really kill off the desirable.
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