Tractor for woods and trail use?

WindyHill6561

New member

Equipment
Very old Kubota
Oct 18, 2024
1
0
1
Finger Lakes, NY
Hello to all. New to the forum. I am a one tractor owner. I have an OLD Kubota L295DT that is at least 40+ years old. It was gifted to me about 15yrs ago. It is a bit tired and underpowered for my needs. Looking for a used diesel Kubota that predates emissions stuff if possible. I will need quick disconnect front bucket w/ 3rd function and a rear remote. I want to use this for road grading, bush hogging, possible DIY logging. I have 73 acres mostly wooded with some steep hills. Any advice or thoughts please to get me started in right direction. If this in wrong location please feel free to move. Thanks in advance
 

nbryan

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,240
773
113
Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
Other than not needing 3rd function or rear remote here, my kit does really well with bush/forest work.
 
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fruitcakesa

Well-known member

Equipment
M 6040
Oct 26, 2010
856
270
63
Cavendish Vermont
I own 50 acres of mostly woodland that I log on a regular basis and also plow my long driveway as well as my neighbors. My first tractor was an L4630 and it served me well but I decided that the scale of the work that I planned on doing for years to come was large enough that it justified a bigger tractor. I now have an M6040 and am glad I moved up to a M series machine.
Only one remote but for my uses it’s sufficient. Also I have cabbed tractors for a lot of reasons and accept the limitations it has when working in the woods.
As has been said many times on this forum
“Always go bigger”
 
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chris_the_wrench

Member

Equipment
L3902
Oct 31, 2023
64
21
8
Chinook Pass
As has been said many times on this forum
“Always go bigger”
I have 73 acres mostly wooded with some steep hills.
Steep hills and big tractors? Can you maneuver straight up and down those steep hills, or will you be side hilling? My property is STEEP and requires alot of side hilling, there is NO way I’d want a cab with that extra weight up high.

Really think about where and how you will be dragging logs or whatever jobs you need to do?
 
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PoTreeBoy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,828
1,544
113
WestTn/NoMs
50 hp is the sweet spot for a utility tractor to me. An MX5000 would be pre-DPF in that range. Some of the older M's, such as the M4900, were smaller than the current M's.
 
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BAP

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Dec 31, 2012
2,787
898
113
New Hampshire
If your hills are really steep and you are going to be doing a lot of logging, buy yourself an older, smaller bulldozer with a winch. They will go almost anywhere safely and you can grade and make roads with them. We had a JD450 dozer with winch and logging arch. It was great in the woods. Pull like crazy, very maneuverable, fit in tight places and very safe in rugged terrain. Then have a small tractor to do your bush hogging.
 
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GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,644
5,039
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
'side hilling' may be last thing you'll ever do.
Have a steep hill to access other areas? You've got a tractor.... carve it down to a GENTLE grade.
Agree with BAP, get a 'trim' dozer (small). Use it to grade the land for SAFE access, then you can resell if you want to.
 
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Burrdog

New member

Equipment
l3650, L5450, M59, Dresser 518, IH 8400 SA dump, FrtshakeFL120, Trail king TK24
Hello to all. New to the forum. I am a one tractor owner. I have an OLD Kubota L295DT that is at least 40+ years old. It was gifted to me about 15yrs ago. It is a bit tired and underpowered for my needs. Looking for a used diesel Kubota that predates emissions stuff if possible. I will need quick disconnect front bucket w/ 3rd function and a rear remote. I want to use this for road grading, bush hogging, possible DIY logging. I have 73 acres mostly wooded with some steep hills. Any advice or thoughts please to get me started in right direction. If this in wrong location please feel free to move. Thanks in advance
Great question you have posted but it could read "best two Kubota Tractors to own" !
These things are like boats similar but have differing missions. With that said get the biggest you can fit under cover and transport and afford. The largest "L" being the minimum. I maintain heavily wooded acreage in a low impact principle with an accessorized L5450. My forest portals are modest 7' to 8' in width were as they would need to be 12 feet with the smallest skidder like JD440. Quick attach front with aux Hyd. for brush grapple or log grapple, 3-pt rear with 3-spool Hyd. for box scraper, log grapple tongs & 10,000lb winch. My wife calls this my "Swiss Army Knife" machine. I have two "Implemax" hydraulic grapples and the thing does look funny with one on each end but what versatility!
The thing to do is just jump in and learn on the fly check out what others are using and you will figure how to maximize your efforts.
Cheers and thanks to all for the great tractor site
Burrdog
 

Grandad4

Active member

Equipment
1949 Farmall M, previously owned: L 4610, BX 2230
Apr 5, 2016
329
85
28
Greensboro, NC
If a dozer or skidder is beyond reach for your needs or resources, check out a pto-driven logging winch. Allows you to keep the tractor on safe terrain while gathering logs and is easier, quicker and safer than dragging them from the drawbar. Not cheap, but you can get pretty much what you paid for it when it's time to sell it.