Tractor size.
 

hey guys. i am not new to food plots but i am new to tractors so here is my dilemma. there is a field on my property hidden way back in the woods that is perfect for a nice kill plot. no more than 1/2 acre in size. only problem is it would be nearly impossible to get to with any decent size tractor. now this field hasn't been plowed or maintained in 20 years. my thought is to get a small sears suburban 12hp tractor that i know i can get in there with and start maintaining this field. i just don't know if it will have the power needed to not only mow the overgrown weeds and plow roughly a half acre of pretty hard soil. what do you guys think? will a 12hp sears suburban be enough?

thanks,
matt

You should kill all vegetation well ahead of time, like a month plus. It will make it much easier.

Before you go out and spend $ on a traactor why dont you try just to kill the plot with roundup then overseed with brassica and ground hog radish and wheat oats rye combo. Im gonnagive it a try next year. Worked to keep my clover plot in shape but just didnt work out so well.

Probably a 30HP tractor would be best. Something to run a five foot brush hog and pull a small disc. I think this kind of work on a Sears 12HP Suburban would tear it up pretty quickly. A big ATV with attachments works well also. Big ATV's and the attachments for them are off the chart on prices.

Aint no belly mower yard tractor gonna cut head high weeds and/or an overgrown field in the woods!

I agree, spray it first & rent or pay a bud with a bush hog to go in & cut it all up good for you.

If it's been a dormant field/opening for years then whatever you can pull with a mower or even an ATC aint gonna be heavy enough to properly cut that ground under. If you arent going to rent/borrow the appropriate equipment then you might be $ & time ahead to consider some no-till plot mixtures.

The 1st food plot that I established was using a yamaha Terro pro atv that I bought used 10 years ago for $1800.

This ATV came with a brush hog and finish mower, that is a two point hitch with a pto.

Using the brush cutter I took down 1 1/2 inch sapplings.

Try googleing them to chck the atv out. You can find these on e-bay every now and then.

If you can get a compact tractor in there then maybe you should think about a used four wheeler. They make almost every implement for a four wheeler as they do for a real tractor. Look on craigslist for a four wheeler and find one within your budget. Do you think you could get a four wheeler back there, or is it too dense?

you shold be able to do pretty well by spraying a herbacide to kill the grass', then come back with a plug aerator and go to town. It will churn up the top 4'' of soil. Add lots of lime and fertilizer to get soil to growing potential, wait a few months and aerate again prior to slinging seed. this has worked on some remote plots I have got.

On a small plot of land
 

I've used roundup, weed killer and spread seed, all by hand.

Ugh, hunters becoming farmers. I think I'll take two aspirins and lay down for a half hour.

Weed Eater,Hand Pruners,ATV with small disc....plant seeds cover lightly wipe sweat off repeatively,Hunt when Season opens! :D