Tractor size for wildlife mgmt???

[RedAllison]

I am looking at some land (250-500acres) to buy for myself (family farm for hunting/playing on) and I haven't ever done this by myself. Before when I was hunting with my "step-family" (aint pretty, my mother and I are in a lawsuit with my stepfathers kids and so I am "divorcing" myself from them after 20+ years!) I always put in foodplots with their existing big farming equipment but that's not an option for me anymore. I have to start from scratch.

What size tractor would be decent for pulling a 5'-6' disc and a 5'-6' bushhog? With my bad allergies I simply MUST have an enclosed cab with A/C. I am thinking something along the lines of 30-40hp, is this about right? What about 4x4 do I need it? I am basically talking about using the tractor for keeping 10acre or smaller sized fields mowed as well as planting year around foodplots of 1-5 acres. Some of that will be corn which would be left standing all winter and bush hogged as the season progresses. That is about the only time I can forsee the 4x4 maybe coming in handy? What about the gas vs diesel question??? My only concern about a diesel is it sitting in a barn for a month or more between uses. I guess if I get a diesel I'll just have to learn about fuel conditioners?

Price wise what can I expect to pay for a decent used unit (plus accessories) in this size range? I'm thinking $3500-$5000 on the low/average side and $7500-$10K for a like new (or new) "pimp daddy" edition. Am I close?

What does anyone in here use? Thanks
RA

 

[hack02]

I wouldn't even think about a gasoline engine in a piece of equipment. The only time I use fuel conditioner is if the temp drops below 10-15 degrees, to keep it from gelling. A funny story----
A cousin of mine was in the market for a new tractor so he said to himself "I'll buy a nice American made tractor" so he bought a new John Deere and the first time he went to check his oil there was a plate on the side of the engine that said Yanmar, made in Osaka Japan.
Invite us to the new spread Red.

 

[RedAllison]

hackimus your buddy found out what is sadly about the case for practically all the "domestic" tractor producers, most of them put small offshore diesels in their lightweight stuff. I guess that is cheaper than desiging and building a plant to produce small engines here stateside. Yanmar DOES build a hell of a diesel tho. You'd think that should make em cheaper, but that damn green paint must cost about $500 a quart and that yellow trim aint cheap either!!! :shock: :?

From what few small tractors (under 60hp) I've ever been around the gas ones didn't seem all that bad. There geared so low they don't work the motor and fueling them is alot easier (unless you drive a HD diesel truck and an auxilary tank in the back). I'm just wondering what I can get away with since it wont really be a true farming implement, just a "gentlemans farm/hunting property" toy. (lol maybe that's why I'm gettin property so I can call myself a "GENTLEMAN"!!! )

Tonight on the way home from Memphis I stopped and looked at a 300acre place that is about to go on the market and as I pulled into it 6 deer darted across the field. But I've got my eyes on something up near the TN River (Kentucky Lake) near the area that we run around in during the summer. I found a 250-300acre place on the internet with alot of woods (turkeys and deer) and it has a 3bdrm farm house already on it. It's about 15 minutes from the boat ramp I keep our deckboat at so it could double as a river cabin to! If I get it I'll make a dove field on it and we'll have to have the "First Annual Allison Owners Dovehunt, Fall Boatin and Redneckin Rally"!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: !-! !-! !-!

"... I just wanna be a cowwwboy baaaaaby..." $);
RA