Your tricks for hauling and moving brush/limbs??

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DodgyNomad

DodgyNomad

Minister of Fire
Dec 19, 2009
704
West Michigan
Taking down many maples for the neighbors and wondering what kind of tricks people have used to haul lots of limbs and brush.

In this case, I'm hauling them about a 1/4 mile into the woods, just wondering what procedure people use to make it quick when they have a lot to move, and a distance to move it. I usually put it all one way and trailer it, as I have a few bigger trailers, but even this gets time consuming.

I've been laying a long tie strap on the ground and then stacking up the debris, then tighten the strap. Then I drag it into the woods behind my front end loader.

What do you guys do?
 
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suprz said:
I use an old tarp that i tie behind the yard tractor, and drag it behind the tractor. Easy to load and unload.
Click to expand...

That's the trick I use with leaves in the fall. a 12 X 20 ft tarp, rake them onto the tarp. Some times it's so heavy I can hardly move it. 5 seconds to gather the end of the tarp with the lasso rope tied to my ATV. Tow the leaves into the woods. I go thru a tarp every year doing this, wears holes thru the tarp, but it takes a lot of work out of the job.

This may work limbs and branches. I not the trailer, or mulch them.

T
 
My preference is burning brush piles but NY has mandated a burning moritorium. Since their enactment I have rented commercial duty chippers and chipped brush piles. I also perform the same dragging to the woods technique as you describe. The strap on the ground.
There is one thing Ive altered over the years to help try to reduce trips to the woods and that is cutting as much wood from the limbs as I can. To reduce weight and trips.
 
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I like the tractor. You're couple of ways seem pretty good. I'll actually use the tie strap method.;)
 
Grapple bucket >>.

If you don't have one of those, lay out the branches all the same way on the trailer, with the butt end toward the back. Back to to where you want to unload them, tie off several branch ends to a tree or other immovable object and slowly pull forward. If the braches are all facing the same way, with the leafy end of the branches pointing in the direction of travel they'll slide right off the trailer. Then push them up in to their final resting place with your FEL.
 
I lay the branches with the but ends of limbs bundled on the back rack of my quad, or drag from the but end if larger. I use a simple clove hitch on a stout rope or truck tie-down, , drag to powerline slash piles, and repeat. Clove hitch lets me tie up and dump quick.( Third knot down ) http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/knots.htm
 
I use the pallet forks on my tractor
 
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osagebow said:
I lay the branches with the but ends of limbs bundled on the back rack of my quad, or drag from the but end if larger. I use a simple clove hitch on a stout rope or truck tie-down, , drag to powerline slash piles, and repeat. Clove hitch lets me tie up and dump quick.( Third knot down ) http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/knots.htm
Click to expand...
Same here, but I put the butt ends of the branch on the edge of my little utility trailer. Keeps ends from dragging, turns well with the pivot of the trailer, quick unload.

Sounds like the op's way was good too, maybe no need to change anything.
 
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BillinTX said:
View attachment 112109 View attachment 112110 View attachment 112111
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That trailer is the "ticket" for brush like that. Very cool Bill.

I have only had my new to me machine for a few weeks and have had little time to work with it and too much rain! ;hm Ground is too wet for a 9200 lb machine to drive anywhere you want to keep nice. Time for a few trails in the woods for use. Anywho, I did have to trim up a wild apple tree that the branches were breaking off. I was able to lay the branches across the pallet forks and just keep piling them up. Worked great. Then just dump them into the woods for cover for the animals.
 
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Yup. I am going to have a LOT of brush as I trim up trails and thin trees out of the woods. I am thinking I will be piling next to the trails I want to put the chips on and then rent a chipper for a weekend. Lots of places where the chips would help to provide a better base for walking and driving on. Lots of low lands on some of the trails. I need to do some drainage work and put some chips down. Anyone see any down sides to chipping and putting the chips on the trails?
 
Hey Gas, they'll wash pretty easy on a hill.
 
711mhw said:
Hey Gas, they'll wash pretty easy on a hill.
Click to expand...
Thanks 711. What about sitting in the low spots to help make a better surface to walk,run, drive on? Ground gets awful soft there.
 
TreePointer said:
Same here.

I'll use my brush grapple as soon as it moves off my wish list and into my barn. :)
Click to expand...

;lol Ya. Some day I'm going to have one of them as well.
 
I normally stack it in man size stacks that I can drag to the burn pile.

I've also used tops/limbs/stumps/rock/otherdebris for riprap on badly eroded streambank areas here on the property.
 
DodgyNomad said:
Taking down many maples for the neighbors and wondering what kind of tricks people have used to haul lots of limbs and brush.

In this case, I'm hauling them about a 1/4 mile into the woods, just wondering what procedure people use to make it quick when they have a lot to move, and a distance to move it. I usually put it all one way and trailer it, as I have a few bigger trailers, but even this gets time consuming.

I've been laying a long tie strap on the ground and then stacking up the debris, then tighten the strap. Then I drag it into the woods behind my front end loader.

What do you guys do?
Click to expand...

Any time I'm taking a tree down for someone or cutting up a tree downed by the wind I leave the branches where they lay. My generosity does not extend to branch removal.
 
If you have a tractor loader, a brush rake or grapple is a versatile attachment for many jobs.
 

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If you have a tractor loader, a brush rake or grapple is a versatile attachment for many jobs.


That is nice 711. Very nice. If you happen to come buy my place anytime let me know. You can drop it off at my place and I will rent it from you for a nice chunk of change. And then on your way back home you can pick it back up. I see the price on those, _g I think it will be a while before I get one.
 
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