tommyyboyy05

Yeah I will. I've been looking around craigslist for an old tractor with the average price around $2500. I guess I will just see if I can get a few more responses as I'm torn between getting a used atv and an old tractor or just getting the honda foreman and hoping for the best. The grounghog max seems to be hard on the hitch receiver, but haven't heard anything else that negative about wear and tear on the atv. Thanks again everyone for your responses.

mrbb

where are you located, maybe someone can help with finding a decent tractor for you and a good deal on an atv or??

I come across a lot of things in NE/SE PA all the time?

also something to think about with the grounghog max, is the simple fact it works off down force of your ATV< so that is why it adds so much wear and tear to the rear of the atv
it also has a very CHEAP and small set of disc blades on it, in soft ground its OK if a implement, but for MOST places, I honestly wouldn't spend a penny on it, be a waste of money IMO

there are WAY better disc out there that work a A TON better

the demo video's you see on it, there using SPEED and softer ground to show it working
we had one at my hunting camp, and it was JUNK<
think of it this way, in order to get DOWN force on that thing, you take weight off your rear of your atv, defeating things, but putting a lot more stress on your whole atv

if you really want to use a disc behind an atv, but a better implement something like one of these, and again, what makes these work better is there design and the WEIGHT of the implement, but that's a double edged sword, as the heavier the disc, the better it works, but the more power it zaps off the atv pulling it,
all auto trans atv's will want to UP shift as you get going, due to design, as again there NOT a tractor that will make power at a set speed based on gearing!
a Honda with a manual trans, will do a little better, but again, its not a BIG HP machine, or all that heavy

a GOOD ATV made disc, will weight about 250-350 lbs, a average atv will weight about 600 lbs in riding form!
so, that means you add a rider and the tool and then the resistance of the disc in action, and you can start to see your pulling a LOT of resistance and weight, ATV"S can have higher tow ratings, but there talking about trailers and things that roll easy, NOT the same deal in resistance of a disc that is like dragging a boat anchor behind the atv, this is where all the abuse and wear and tear factor in on an atv

at my hunting camp, we have again about 15+ atv's there of all brands and sizes
we have bought and have used about 7-8 different types of atv implement disc, from a groundhog max, to a plot master and things in between
I am NOT pushing any name brand, as NONE Impressed me enough to say GET THIS ONE
what I will tell you is, look at weights of disc, size of disc blades(taller blades seem WAY better, as they do NOT clog up as much and allow for better cutting thru crap on top of the soils(matting)
look for one's that are at least 250+ lbs, have adjustable cut angles, and have two rows of SLOTTED disc,
something like this is MY suggestion, on money better spent on a disc like implement!

30+ yrs of farming and doing food plots here, so, take my advice or not, your call, just trying to help you!

here is a good one, and you can see there NOT cheap
you can also buy again, a old drag disc for a tractor for about 500 bucks and turn over 8 ft at a time over about 30 inches?? again, a PRO towards owning a tractor?
tractor implements are always cheaper than atv, as they know atv and hunters are suckers and will spend more than farmers will LOL

http://www.cabelas.com/product/hunti...%3FN%3D1118687
or its bigger brother, but wouldn;'t use this behind anything under a 700 CC atv!


http://www.cabelas.com/product/hunti...%3FN%3D1118687

outdoorsmen

Valid points about the tractor. But you may be forgetting that not everyone has a place to store a tractor and an atv and a truck and a car and a mower...etc. plus not everyone has the means of transporting a super heavy tractor as compaired to an atv. There needs to be a balance here. Im not going to find a cheap old tractor then have to find a place to store it cause 99.9% of the time it will not be used. And then i need to buy a bigger trailer and store that somewhere. And upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck cause (just like the atv pulling a disc) my half ton truck will get used and abused pulling the tractor and big trailer to the farm and back.
Plus a tractor is not easy to take through the woods. So ill stick to using my atv and pulling my spring harrow.

mrbb

I agree, a tractor has its now side too, but if you can keep it at your hunting site, its a better investment
a cheap car port can be used to shelter it, and I doubt any small tractor will stress out a 1/2 ton truck, as most are under 4k, and thats not a lot for a 1/2 ton truck to haul behind it at all

its a LOT less wear and tear than dragging a plow like implement behind an atv, this I am positive of!
as they say there is NO such thing as a perfect tool that does it all
so its always best to pick the chore you need it for most and go that route

outdoorsmen

So now I'm buying and building a carport? Well again, if I were to do that, I still need the initial delivery of the tractor. Plus the bother of keeping a piece of equipment in the humid woods rusting away. Having to worry about mice eating my seat or hoses or lines in the tractor. Batteries.....now I will need a way to jump start it cause it will for sure be dead when I get there to use it. Carb issues form gas sitting to long...man the list sure gets long quick doesn't it. If I had a smaller piece of equipment that I could keep at home handy to maintain it sure does sound easier.

mrbb

OK< you can say what ever to justify your way, as I can

the difference here IMO, and that MY OPINION, is , I like you started off doing food plots with an atv, towing it to my sites every time and TRIED to use it to do as much as I could , thinking it was the way to go

NOW again, MY advice is based on the fact I have done things BOTH way, so I know the difference between the two
and I STILL use my atv at times for many things, NOT and never said an atv isn't a good food plot tool

what I said and been saying is, typically a Tractor is a better Investment
and that's the word here, plus its a better tool to have for food plots, both in money and time(which are kinda the same)

YOU can say what you want
but here are some facts

a GOOD used tractor will run you about 1500-2 grand, spend more get better!
if your DEAD set on towing it back and forth, a trailer will run you about 2500

a disc for a tractor will run you about 500 bucks
so add that up and your at about 5 grand
NOW if you WISH to keep it at the hunting grounds, a car port will run you about 800 bucks, a solar powered battery charger about 20 bucks
IF your smarter, you can just remove the battery and take it home, save it exposure to weather
as you plan to haul all your ATV and equipment so a battery will be a small thing to HAVE to carry!
so, let's add thjs costs up $5520.00?
HUMM

NOW let buy an atv
new they run about 6k-10k+
already passed the total of above

BUY a decent used one, OK, you at about 4500 , for a decent 4x4 atv here!
add in a trailer to tow it?
basic 5x8 will run about 900 in my area
NOW A decent REAL disc for behind an atv will run you about 800 bucks
so add that up on a USED atv, disc, trailer and well, you pasted the Tractor again in money

NOW< lets cover your idea about if you LEAVE a tractor at the site
critters eating your seat and or??
well, I have a remote hunting camp, I leave one of my tractors at and have for 20 yrs now, its in a 3 sides building, dirt floor, metal roof, NO power

never had a critter eat the seat or the wires or damage it
I have two other tractors at two other farms I food plot at and same deal, there outside under an open sided building< again NO issue's

NOW< as for fuel issue's
I have cleaned the carb on all three when I bought them, 20+ yrs ago
and never had to clean a carb on them since,
I ONLY run NON ethanol fuel in them, and add a stabilizer to the last tank

add good battery, turn choke on and push start button and they have NEVER NOT fired up, MINUS I had two of them need a starter at one time! (150 bucks for new starters)
some of these tractors sit some times for a yr ata time with NO use
two have slow leaks in rear tires, that I have to pump up before using, , portable 12 compressor does that just fine,!!


NOW as for upkeep and or PM's or repairs on tractors
on all 3 tractors, I replaced a starter, on 2 of them, all had new batteries, but to be honest I take ONE battery with me and use in all 3 at different times, so only have 1 battery for the 3!

I have changed oil and diff fluids, air filter and fuel filters, added tires to two of them and that's
and all got new wires and distributors when I got them and new spark plugs
and that's about all I can think of in 20 yrs with them??
a good $ 1800+ in PM's and tires and all the above


NOW the ATV's
mine ( 1999 yr , ding food plots since new)
has had to have both front axles replaces, one whole rear axle(a solid rear axle is on mine)
a rear end, tie rods , ball joints a lot of bearings, shocks tires, a few battery's, seat cover, grips all the oil changed, and diff fluids and air filters and basic's there
an easy
a good 1800+ on pm's and repairs here as well


I have done about 60+ acres in all of food plots over the 17 yrs with this atv guessing here, but sounds about right

and about 250+ acres with the tractors

so, several times the work, for a lot less repairs and up keep
PLUS< I can sell the tractors for about what I paid for them, cannot say the same about the atv at all


NEXT
ALL OLD farm implements are a fraction the price of ATV implements
so again MORE savings!


you can say it however you like to justify your way
have at it, I am NOT bashing on you at all

I just trying to show you, a tractor is a better investment, and its NOT as troubling as you might think
if your going to be hunting a long time, or doing food plots
its an INVESTMENT worth having!
an atv is a great tool, never said it wasn't

BUT you can do 5 times the work on a tractor of LIKE HP, of an atv
SO , your back to TIME IS MONEY

you can do in 2 hrs on a tractor a lot more than you can in a 8 hr day on an ATV
I know, as again I have both
and the amount of wear and tear is HUGELY different on both machine

ONE axle on a atv is about 125 bucks or MORE

cannot tell you how many atv's at my hunting camp, have needed work from doing food plots, and the tractors just keep on ticking>>

Hey your money do what you want
but the math is what the math is!!
been there done both?
so I speak from real experience here ??>