[Bokurkey]

So, I've decided I'm going to create 3 to 4 food plots this year.. My brother and I own 76 acres of mountain ground.. I have a 500cc fourwheeler, I'm looking to get an attachment for it that tears up the ground.. I've found 2 things that I'm pretty interested in. They're both around the same price ($400) Links below:

https://baddawgaccessories.com/shop/details/Ground-Hog-Max-With-Kit

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200414726_200414726

Just wanted to know if anyone had any better suggestions! I'm going to start using round up now to kill them briar bushes and other weeds!

 

[DDX]

How much do you like your fourwheeler? The groundhog max would tear up the ground better but its going to tear up your fourwheeler to. Its a rigid piece that hooks to your frame. Every rock is going to jar your frame. My buddy used one on a couple rocky plots and bent his frame and loosen just about every bolt on the bike. If its rocky ground I would go with the 2nd one.

 

[ANTLERKING]

We used the groundhog max last year in very rocky mountain ground. It worked well but as said it did bend my receiver. It didn't bend my frame but it is rough on the machine. We used a rzr 800. Now that we have done it once I do not see it being as rough as it was the first time. Our area was so rocky and rough im not sure the other option would of broke up the ground as the max did. maybe others will chime in on that one.

 

[Bokurkey]

Do you know of anything else I could use?..Besides a rake. I want to stay around the same price range.

 

[Bokurkey]

Do you know of anything else I could use?..Besides a rake. I want to stay around the same price range.

 

[Pointing Lab]

We use a pull behind disk. You need to add weight to it but I like it better than the groundhog. It takes longer but is easier on the machine and I felt that the tires compacted the dirt less.

 

[Bokurkey]

The spots are kinda difficult to get to, that's why I was thinking about the groundhog max.. But What if I beef up my receiver? do you think it would bend my frame?

 

[CritterBuster]

What are planting? Some plots do not need much dirt work for growth. You can get away with cutting the vegetation short and spraying with turnips. Clover and chicory doesn't take much either. They take more work after it grows than ground prep. I would research what you plan on planting before you buy the equipment to plant it...

 

[Bokurkey]

I've heard bowstand works really well, so I'm going to try and plant this:

https://www.whitetailinstitute.com/bowstand-annual/

 

[REDLAB]

sent you a PM !

 

[Buck Whisperer]

Winter wheat and oats will grow if you just rake them into the bare dirt with leaves over top. That being said, I have a groundhog max and it worked fine for me. You need a forward braced hitch receiver so it doesn't bend your machine. I did over 2 acres with it, 3 different plots, the one year with success. It works softer soils with ease but rocky ground will be more difficult. Make sure all vegetation is dead before you try digging it up. How big are the plots? Tighter plots are more difficult to maneuver. You need a little bit of speed to get it to dig in better. I use a drag harrow first to rip up dead vegetation and roots. Then i go over it with the max to dice every up. I found that even in the spots that i couldnt necessarily dig into the max tossed loose soil into the spots anyway and i still got good germination.

 

[CMitchell]

Here's what I did. Bought an ATV sprayer. Bought bulk Roundup. Sprayed the weeds. Comeback a week later and spray what's leftover. Comeback in a week and use a harrow drag. You can can them at Cabelas. It's a bunch of "spikes" on a chain that you hook to your ATV. Then spread clover seed. You don't need to disk the ground unless you're planting corn. Then pray for rain.

 

[Bokurkey]

Hmmm I'll give it a go! Already have the sprayer!

 

[Q2XL12]

I have a few food plots at our property in Forest County. Very rocky ground. I used to use a walk behind gravely to dig up the ground which works great until you hit a goony rock. Lots of bruises and soreness will follow.

So now I only use the gravely up there to mow or clear brush.

I have a sprayer that goes on my quad (700 grizzly).

A few years ago we bought a set of pull behind discs from tractor supply. They weren't as wide as the quad and the plate on top to add weight wasn't very deep so we did some modifications.

We bought longer bolts for the axels, another disc for each side and a spacer tube for in between the extra disc and the existing outside disc. Then I made the tongue longer to get it back away from the quad further and added a box made of 2x10s just wide enough for 2 concrete blocks.

After you spray and everything dies, you can run the discs over the ground a while and it will chew it up enough to create a seed bed.

One thing you can do is plant buckwheat first. Old farmers used to plant buckwheat in a new field or old pasture as the first crop because the roots will loosen the soil better.

Good luck.

 

[Bokurkey]

Hmm thanks for the buckwheat information! I didn't know that.. if you look at my "Food Plots.. Mountain Ground in PA (PART 2)" you can see some of the land is rocky and some isn't.. just depends on how high you go up on the mountain.

Thanks again!

 

[Hittingguru]

Kunz makes this one- Till-Eze 543. I have their pull behind rough cut mower. Their products are the highest quality I've found.
http://www.kunzeng.com/tillagevideo.htm

 

[Bokurkey]

ahh that's a little more pricey than what I was looking at!