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100-acres with ATV trails--best way to do on 3rd growth forest
A customer has asked me quote him on putting in ATV trails on his 100-acre plot here in southern Mississippi. Supposedly the land is considered 3rd growth which could mean trees usually Lob Lolly pines or long leaf (needle) ranging from seedlings to 24" caliper. Have not seen the plot yet. Before I do, I need input from those who have done even small-scale ATV trails. The owner suggested a dozer but that will make a mess I feel on either side of the trail and may not acceptable for safety reasons too. The existing equipment I have is a big, tracked skid steer loader with a grapple bucket, pallet forks and a regular dirt bucket, and a 20" Stihl chainsaw. Will likely have no helpers, so I'm on my own. Can rent any size excavator with a thumb, and dozer if I have to. Suggestions as what to with stumps--leave them? And trees--leave them or pile them or????? My machine is 7 feet wide. And what to charge would be helpful. 
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100-acres with ATV trails--best way to do on 3rd growth forest
My concern was stumps: These pine stumps look like huge carrots---sometimes 6-7' deep. If the stumps are dug ot there will be a void that will leave a rut even if filled. If I leave the stump them the ATV could o will get hung up on it. I'm wondering if it makes more sense to pick a trail around the trees versus through them.
Chipping makes a lot of sense only I have seen only one one and that was at a state park. These guys down here use the burn pile method even for huge tracts of land. Some of the counties are preventing it though.
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100-acres with ATV trails--best way to do on 3rd growth forest
Murf--good direction on the trails.
How'd it work taking down your christmas lights?
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100-acres with ATV trails--best way to do on 3rd growth forest
Iowa, all good points. The conversation went sort of like this:
"I know ypou're looking for work, you a hunter?"
"No. Why?" (read: uh-oh-- somethin' for nuthin')
"My buddy and I have 100 acres that needs ATV trails. Can you do it"
"Yup"
Dat's all I know at this time
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100-acres with ATV trails--best way to do on 3rd growth forest
dajustin: Sounds like you have experience, eh? So you wanna be the (volunteer) "chainsaw guy"?
$260 a day cost for my machine. I take it you own a machine too? Lemme do the math and see how that shakes out:
This is my third one. Mine's new and I've got $47,000 just in it. A set of special, genuine-OEM tires costs $2000 only from the dealer. I'm on my third set. A hydraulic filter is nearly $50, air filter set is about $70.
My cost to operate per hour is more than $43 per hour [based on old 1999 Caterpillar published data] inc. $9 an hour just for fuel so that's $344 a day---and that's not including MY pay. Plus my truck, trailer, $5000 a year insurance, $600 license plates per year, et al---and let's not talk about "Aunt IRS". Oh yeah, and the truck with 65,000 miles is on its 3rd set of $1000 tires. Before I even step foot on his property I will have invested over $100,000. (man, seeing this on print looks even WORSE than I thought  )
That said, my daily rate has to be $600-$1000 and up (depending on what or who it's for) for one machine and an operator---me. I have guys with their own equipment who want to work for me and they either want $100 an hour from me---or worse (read: greedy) they want HALF the gross proceeds from the job! (Ummm-they aren't working)
And a D8 with a 14' blade? errr? Have you SEEN a D8? It'd be a bull in a china shop. This is Mississippi---as in liquid chocolate-milk-mud below the 18" crust (and that's putting it nicely). One 90-degree turn and it will literally screw itself into the ground. I've seen it happen to 60,000lb. excavators. Anything heavy that can float and get traction across the crust can run---straight, no turns--across the crust once. Twice, you drop about 3-6 inches. The third time, you are a foot deep. There is no fourth trip.
This ain't land clearin' or strip minin' --I'm putting in an ATV trail, so 6'-8' wide is plenty. Even a D3 or 4 is too big.
So Justin when ya' available?? Saw's a runnin'
But I'm jis' sayin'
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