Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
#6168223
02/24/18 12:49 AM
02/24/18 12:49 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491 Adirondacks NY
Forest
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
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Just curious looking to get something that can mow the lawn and haul firewood out of the woods. Thinking about an ATV with trailer for wood and mower deck for the lawn. Or tractor with mower and trailer. Never used an ATV mower deck setup before, any thoughts and recommendations?
Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168246
02/24/18 01:21 AM
02/24/18 01:21 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 776 MN, USA
star flakes
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 776
MN, USA
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Get a tractor or you will regret it as an ATV is not built for the kind of pounding you intend in wood and mowing. If I can let me give you some expensive advice to save you money. My idiot brother in law would not listen when we told him to get a Farmall H or M when they were going for 300 dollars to open his road and mow things. Since then he has gone through 3 riding lawnmowers and deals with a hand snowblower or 7000 dollar waste of money as those old Farmalls would still be running. I bought a WD 45 Allis Chalmers as I really needed something, but had no experience with AC's. That was my mistake in those tractors are more garden tractors. That was a 3000 dollar mistake. I asked my neighbor who moves snow for us, what he thought of new tractors and he said, they were all pretty good. He has a Kubota, New Holland and a John Deere. The Deeres are expensive, but the others hold up good he said, just as my other neighbor runs Case and they are good too. The Kubota is the least expensive of the tractors. My uncle had a Belarus and he liked that.
The tractor you can get a wood splitter for, run a generator off of it if the power goes out, will do the lifting of wood for you, and are amazing for picking up deer too. The ATV is not versatile. If you are dripping money, get front wheel assist, a loader an a cab. You won't need all the bells and whistles of a Deere, but having a cab and a loader will not turn you into a petrified broken down geezer. One more thing, if you where it gets Arctic cold, get a tank heater as a warm engine starts easier and wears out less.
I hope that helps.
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: star flakes]
#6168254
02/24/18 01:29 AM
02/24/18 01:29 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,310 Montana
USMC47 🦫
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,310
Montana
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Get a tractor or you will regret it as an ATV is not built for the kind of pounding you intend in wood and mowing. If I can let me give you some expensive advice to save you money. My idiot brother in law would not listen when we told him to get a Farmall H or M when they were going for 300 dollars to open his road and mow things. Since then he has gone through 3 riding lawnmowers and deals with a hand snowblower or 7000 dollar waste of money as those old Farmalls would still be running. I bought a WD 45 Allis Chalmers as I really needed something, but had no experience with AC's. That was my mistake in those tractors are more garden tractors. That was a 3000 dollar mistake. I asked my neighbor who moves snow for us, what he thought of new tractors and he said, they were all pretty good. He has a Kubota, New Holland and a John Deere. The Deeres are expensive, but the others hold up good he said, just as my other neighbor runs Case and they are good too. The Kubota is the least expensive of the tractors. My uncle had a Belarus and he liked that.
The tractor you can get a wood splitter for, run a generator off of it if the power goes out, will do the lifting of wood for you, and are amazing for picking up deer too. The ATV is not versatile. If you are dripping money, get front wheel assist, a loader an a cab. You won't need all the bells and whistles of a Deere, but having a cab and a loader will not turn you into a petrified broken down geezer. One more thing, if you where it gets Arctic cold, get a tank heater as a warm engine starts easier and wears out less.
I hope that helps. I don't know enough about the subject to give advice but decided to read out of curiosity. But I've got to say....this guy sounds like he knows what he's talking about.
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168293
02/24/18 03:26 AM
02/24/18 03:26 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,923 Oakland, MS
Drifter
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,923
Oakland, MS
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I vote for the tractor as well. Most times a package deal with the bucket on it is less money then buy it after. Belly mowers can be a pain to take on and off so make sure the one you get has enough clearance to not have to for timber work.
Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic
Life member NTA , and GA Trappers assoc .
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168306
02/24/18 05:12 AM
02/24/18 05:12 AM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672 Ohio
Willy Firewood
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672
Ohio
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A tractor is a tractor. An atv is not a tractor. Asking an atv to do tractor work is asking for it to fail and you to be dissatisfied.
I have worked with both for decades. I have a wildlife services business and grew up out in the country working with this stuff. I replaced two tractors last year, bought a new commercial zero turn, a new brush hog, some other equipment, have two atvs, and a side by side. They all work hard and have different jobs. This stuff is expensive and you better learn how to operate it safely so you don’t hurt yourself or others, and get the work done.
Send me a private message if you have questions, . Best wishes.
FRAC LIVES MATTER
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168336
02/24/18 07:06 AM
02/24/18 07:06 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,212 Northern Minnesota
BernieB.
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,212
Northern Minnesota
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I have not used a mower deck to mow the lawn but I pull a rented brush mower around to mow trails, food plots, weeds, with my Polaris 500. Works great for me. I also use the ATV for so many other things including hauling a load of firewood out of the woods. I would never need a tractor and they cost a ton more than an ATV which has many other uses. I have several attachments for the 4-wheelers which I use for food plot, including disk, seed spreader, sprayer, drag, etc. While pulling the disk I wish I had a tractor, that's the only time. Pulling a lot of weight is hard on an ATV. A 4-wheeler gets around in the woods when cutting firewood better than a trailer. I only have a small property, but I suppose if I had a lot of land a tractor might be a better fit. But for me right now the 4-wheeler is the way to go for me. It has so many uses that a tractor can't do. Without knowing more about your situation, it's hard to say what would be best for you.
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168350
02/24/18 07:34 AM
02/24/18 07:34 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,043 SEPA
Lugnut
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,043
SEPA
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Like the others have said, get a tractor. It will hold up much better in the long run.
Eh...wot?
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168431
02/24/18 09:42 AM
02/24/18 09:42 AM
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 493 PA
RKG
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 493
PA
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I didn't "need" a tractor, until I inherited a 30hp Ferguson. After plowing my garden, hauling wood, plowing snow, dragging logs, brush hogging..... I couldn't live without one.
Then, I 'inherited" a 2010 JD 2520. I didn't "need" live hydraulics, power steering, a front end loader, diesel engine, 4 wheel drive... now, I don't know how I lived without it.
You will limit yourself by what you purchase. Don't think about the minimum threshold, think about the possibilities.
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168777
02/24/18 03:17 PM
02/24/18 03:17 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491 Adirondacks NY
Forest
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
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Thanks for the help. A lot of good advice and knowledge. Seems like tractor is the best option.
My parents just bought about 50 acres in up state NY. It has 3 acres of lawn, but mostly woods and is on a slope. My father told me to keep my eyes out for something we could mow the lawn and haul firewood out of the woods with on Craigslist or Ebay. A snow plow might be a good addition too. (I’d also like to haul deer out with it). My father is an experienced mechanic, so I'm looking for something older and easy to work on. I know he’s done work on an old Ford 9n and Deere before.
The reason I was considering the ATV option was because the woods are on a hill, and there are some marshy spots at the bottom. But it seems like the tractor option will be better based on the replies above.
Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168839
02/24/18 04:56 PM
02/24/18 04:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,218 MI
lebowski
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,218
MI
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for what you want to do, I vote for the tractor first.
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man."
--The Dude
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168841
02/24/18 05:02 PM
02/24/18 05:02 PM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672 Ohio
Willy Firewood
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672
Ohio
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If you want to do any serious work moving firewood out of the woods, consider a 4 wheel drive tractor with agricultural tires with chains on the rear tires. And look into a skidding winch. Wallenstein makes a great one in Canada. It is powered by the pto and mounts on the 3 point hitch.
FRAC LIVES MATTER
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6168869
02/24/18 05:37 PM
02/24/18 05:37 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491 Adirondacks NY
Forest
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
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A friend of ours has a Case 580E backhoe for big tree work that we can use.
Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: il.trapper]
#6168904
02/24/18 06:05 PM
02/24/18 06:05 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132 SWMo.
tjm
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
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Any machine that is really good in the woods won't be so good in lawn and vice versa, that said, a small tractor is a fair compromise. ATV? use your car or motor cycle they are just as well adapted to this kind of work. skid steer.....most versatile "tool" you can get. I haven't seen one adapted for lawn mowing, how does that work?
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6169018
02/24/18 08:08 PM
02/24/18 08:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,939 east central WI
Dirty D
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,939
east central WI
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I don't have an ATV but I really don't see any advantage of one over a Tractor. I've got 2 tractors, one a good sized compact Deere (43 hp) with a grapple, bucket, flail mower and tiller. and a small old wheel horse ( think old lawn tractor) with a 14hp Kohler engine. Contrary to what others say here I use my old wheel horse in the woods for getting wood. Its smaller, easier to get around. I pull a small trailer that I load with wood (it'll carry more wood than the big tractors bucket). The wheel horse has chains mounted on it at all times. I have never got stuck with it with only 2 wheel drive. I have got it to where the tires will spin. I then drop it in low range maybe 1st or 2nd, let out the clutch and while the tires are spinning I jump off and give it a push. once its moving on its own I get back on and away I go.
And far as pulling logs out with the tractor, I don't like the idea of loading a log up with dirt then running a chainsaw thru it. I drop the trees and saw them up to lengths right where they fall. I drive the small easily maneuverable tractor right up next to the wood and load up the trailer and I'm on my way back to the splitter and stacking.
I can't imagine mowing a yard with the Deere. I do mow a couple of acres of field that I am restoring to tallgrass prairie at times but its not a delicate thing. No way I'd use the big tractor for my yard. Too many ruts and tearing up the turf. On a side note if I had 3 acres of lawn I'd look at letting it go back wild and only mowing 1/4-1/2 acre of lawn at most. I think yards are a waste of potential wildlife habitat, nothing so foolish as living in the country and having a yard that is several acres big. Better it is wildlife habitat, a couple of acres of well managed good habitat will support lots of rabbits. More fun in having a rabbit hunt on winters day than spending many a summer afternoon on a mower. And you get a rabbit dinner out of it too.
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Dirty D]
#6169043
02/24/18 08:35 PM
02/24/18 08:35 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491 Adirondacks NY
Forest
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
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I agree, I think it is too big. But I think once we put a garden in and some berry bushes it will seem smaller.
Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
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Re: Tractor or ATV (mowing and firewood)
[Re: Forest]
#6169203
02/24/18 11:06 PM
02/24/18 11:06 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,530 Fingerlakes New York
robert.d12
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,530
Fingerlakes New York
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One of each... but I'd say tractor
The beauty of the second amendment is it wont be needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson
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