How to Brush Hog (or Bush Hog) for the First Time...10 Tips That Make it Easier and Safer

Most people buying a tractor get some form of three point cutter with it and are a little intimidated the first time they use it. Usually it is a brush hog (or Bush Hog, but that's a brand name), or a "topper" if you're in the U.K. or a "slasher" if you're in Australia, regardless of what it's called, it's a rough cut rotary cutter to clip pastures. Today I'll show you how to operate a brush hog, and give ten tips to make that first run across the field a pleasant experience.
Before we start, let's make sure out tractor and cutter are field ready. On the brush hog, check the gearbox oil, grease it, level it and check the blade area to make sure there's nothing wrapped up around there. On the tractor, check the inflation of the back tires (so the cut is even), and make sure the radiator is clean and free of debris, because we're going to give the tractor a little bit of a workout when cutting.
To brush hog, all you do is engage the PTO, which can be button or lever activated; if fully independent; or, on certain tractors you may have to push the clutch down and move a lever, then gradually let up on the clutch. You want to be between 1200 and 1600 RPM's when turning the PTO on. Then all you do is drive!
There are ten practices I'd recommend to make your first trip across the field uneventful. These can also apply if you're an experienced operator.
First, if you have a quick attach bucket, take it off. Those things stick out and can hit posts, trees, etc. Drop it in the weeds and you don't have to worry about it.
Second, drive slow until you get comfortable. Low gear in hydro, low range on a gear-drive tractor. Take it easy until you get a feel for what you're doing.
Third, watch for obstructions. That can include objects hidden in the weeds, but also watch where your roll bar goes. Low limbs or utility wires can encounter the ROPs structure and create an extremely dangerous situation.
Fourth, start in low grass if you can. I never like to engage the PTO where it starts out cutting, so if you can kick in the PTO in an area you've already mowed and drive into the weeds, it's easier on the tractor, cutter, and you.
Five, watch the tractor temperature gauge. When brush hogging mature weeds, the seeds can shatter and your fan may suck them right into the radiator. If the gauge is moving toward the red area, stop and clean the radiator out.
Sixth, get sun protection. You can cook yourself pretty quickly in the sun on an open station tractor brush hogging for hours on end. I recommend the Rhinohide canopy (available here: asktractormike.com/products-f...) because it's really tough and you can take it off when you go back into the woods to cut a trail.
Seventh, keep people and pets away from where you're brush hogging. Blades on a cutter run up to 18,000 feet per minute and when they encounter something in the field, they can throw it an amazing distance in all directions. Don't let anyone around you when you're running a rotary cutter.
Eight, start mowing back and forth in the center of the field. Bush hogs generally stick out on both sides of the tractor and until you get a feel for that, don't try to move up next to trees and fences.
Nine, avoid draws, or valleys. Going through a dip in the field can put your equipment in a bind and mess up a PTO shaft (if you're lucky). It could also damage the cutter gear box or the tractor PTO housing. Those are all expensive fixes that you don't need.
Finally, watch your butt or the back of your cutter. When turning the rear of the brush hog will swing around really fast and you have to be real careful it doesn't contact anything. It sticks out more than you think it does when you're a new operator.
When you're done brush hogging it's tremendously satisfying to look back and see the newly-groomed field. Once you've done it a few times and are comfortable with the equipment and the process, it will be a less daunting task.
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[@jesscrotzer7644]

A piece of advice I give people is do not walk up to someone operating a piece of equipment until you have made eye contact with them you may think they see you but they may not

[@2Ryled]

Yes good tip. I've seen rocks hurled from the mower 20ft away. Yikes

[@missys199]

I've known several kids killed from a bush hog. A couple slid under one and well it wasn't pretty. Then there was 3 or 4 can't remember but something flew out from under it and tht was all it took

[@johnbirman5840]

Would add a couple of “thangs” 1) Walk you area BEFORE you cut - hopefully before the weeds get too high. It’s amazing what “grows” up between one season to the next. This will avoid brush hogging over the stumps and branches that electric company “helpfully” left for YOU to clean up. 2) Measure twice, cut once. After your initial walk through, do it again. There is bound to be tree limbs you missed the “first” time. 3) Wood chuck burrows: After giving his forecast, “Bill” likes to set traps. Don’t let him dig a hole you don’t want to fall in. 4) Don’t get obsessed with sharpening blades. It’s a Brush Hog, not a finish mower. They are made to cut rough. Over sharpening will cause problems, and overthinking is not always good. Love this video. Thanks for your advice P.S. When worse comes to worse, read the Manual.

[@joannerath4779]

Ear protection is a must, especially when cutting brush. Muff type like used when shooting are ok for cool days, but when it gets hot I switch to foam ear plugs.

[@deanbarr5740]

Good stuff Mike. An open station tractor can be dangerous in itself. I'm 57 years old and I've very blessed. But we had a friend that got in a Yellow Jacket bee's nest and he was killed by the brush hog. I especially liked your advice to alway wear your seatbelts when operating equipment. We were told our friend jumped from the tractor to get away from the bee stings and the tractor and brush hog ran over him. He made it to the Hospital but died on the operating table. This man had been around equipment tractors, log skidders, bulldozers, and log trucks his whole life. His Family owned a Sawmill and operated this Mill for 3 generations, so it wasn't like he was new to operating a farm tractor. This can happen to the most experienced person at anytime. Thanks Mike and be careful out there.

[@DLTJR1959]

Good advice. I finally got a cabbed tractor last year just for the comfort and safety. It's worth the price if you can do it.

[@hughbo52]

You hate to hear such news, in the heat of the moment you really don't know what your reaction will be. Never thought i'd be afraid of water till I nearly drowned.

[@MCGDEC]

Just bought a Kioti nx4510 and purchased a brush hog, grapple, rototiller and forks. Total novice starting to farm 32 hilly acres in Southern Illinois. Videos like yours are a big help.

[@2Ryled]

I hit a stump with the bucket. My seat belt didn't work. I was mowing. I almost went over the top of the tractor. I got a seat belt right after that. Lucky I was in 1st gear. Scared the heck out of me. I was told you dont need a seat belt, your only in 1st gear. Famous last words. Safety first!

[@ssmith7163]

Had to share this tip. Build a cart to set the rotary cutter on when it is unhitched. Makes hitching and unhitching a breeze. 4 swivel casters, old lumber and some fasteners. Best advice I ever got.

[@denali9449]

And I thought I was the only one who does this. Every piece of equipment we have is on a custom rack on casters, even the finish mowers as the 5" casters are much easier to move than the hard rubber tires on the mowers. Also allows us to roll equipment around so we do not have to have 60 feet of open space to get the tractor lined up. One guy can roll whatever he needs to the tractor, hook up and go to work. The loaders do have specific parking areas that allows a straight shot for hooking up and keeps them from sliding when re-attaching.

[@ReZipped]

One thing that nailed me from above was running my ROPS into and old poison ivy vine, which then brushed off on me as it went by. I felt the vine, didn't think much of it, and then that evening the itching began and I was off to the races. All that to say your comment about look up too was spot on.

[@lloydpainter1701]

Thanks Mike, great advice. As a new tractor owner I appreciate your wisdom and willingness to share it.

[@jene2210]

This is a really helpful video. I just bought small property, little over an acre and half of it gone to meadow. While I'm an avid gardener and an aspiring arborist, I don't know anything about machinery. Watching your video and reading the comments (also very helpful) has convinced me that some tasks I can do (pruning and zero-turn mowing) and other tasks are much better left to professionals or those with experience (brush hogging). Lot of great safety advice here, so thanks for educating me. Also, as a high school public speaking teacher, I have to say, the organization/pace/enunciation/eye contact in your presentation was excellent! 😄Thanks again!

[@fox202X]

Thanks for the videos Mike, my father recently bought a kioti and watching your videos have helped me better understand how to safely use this peice of equipment.

[@1wolfpup]

Thanks so much for this! We just got our tractor and needed this. God bless.

[@fhuber7507]

Good hat to shade the face and neck and long sleeves to help prevent sunburn.

[@GrayManPrepping]

I really need the video on the add-ons for the old 9N tractors. That's what I have for my brush hog. Thanks to you I have added the slip clutch and over run clutch and the Pat's Easy Change. You have made my tractor life SO much easier and safer. Thank you very much and keep up the videos.

[@mikedalton9652]

Hey Mike, enjoy watching your videos. My Dad and I have always used a heavy chain as a top link on our rotary cutter to keep the cutter from binding up when crossing ditches etc.works great.

[@jimklein5285]

Awesome video Mike, thanks! New John Deere compact tractor owner here with about 2 hours of brush hogging under my belt. This info is very helpful.

[@Brett235]

Thank you for the video. I'm about to purchase my first tractor and cutter and your tips are really a great help to a new tractor owner. I have used a bush hog some but not enough to say I'm good at it. I have 15 acres that need cutting and about 5 acres that need some underbrush clearing before the grass will grow.

[@landcare-outdoorfun176]

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you. I have been watching your channel for years now. I have learned a lot of quick tips and tricks from you. Most importantly I have learned a lot of safety advice from you. That was some that was not tough to me. I can now pass down to my son and family. So in some ways you have helped saved me and others from getting hurt or killed by equipment. I have about 10 acre pasture. Then about 20 acres of land managed around some old grain bens. I was just Bush hogging everything. So I have been watching and learning from you and others about making hay. Next year our family is going to purchase hay equipment for our land. I do have a very large barn to store all of the hay in, only about a mile from my pasture. 75 %. Bermuda grass. I have 3 small tractors. A T30-T35 and a 135. All are. Massey Ferguson's 1950 through 1960 models. But now my 4 year old son is starting to learn from me as I have from my grandfather and others like yourself. So thank you, for taking the time to sharing your vast knowledge and experience with me and others. Your doing a wonderful job on your videos and helping others learn how to use and maintain their equipment in a safe manner. Time for me and my son to get to work this morning. So have a blessed day and thank you. Keep up the good work your doing.

[@hiperstang]

Great tips. I've been mowing for quite a few years now and you are spot on with the warnings. I do however leave the bucket on when mowing and it serves as a rock/stump finder.With the bucket curled the edge doesn't hit so it tends to ride up and over whatever it hits. It makes a heck of a racket but saves the blades. You are right though, it makes maneuvering in tight spots more difficult. Not only is there something sticking way out in the back, the mower, but the bucket sticks way out in the front too. It also helps counterbalance the mower deck.The draw back to having the ROPS up or a cab for that matter is you can't get under low hanging branches so the woods tends to creep into the fields over time. Speaking about projectiles, I was mowing a field one time and there were some people walking around in it, (buyers maybe?) I was going to take down some Sumac and as the mower came down on it a chunk of it came flying out and only fell about ten feet from them, they were probably about 40-50 feet away. I moved to the other end of the lot until they left. Great video as always.

[@OutdoorswithErik]

Great tips my friend, love the channel, picking one of these up this weekend.

[@dewaynemartin6437]

On yellow jackets....they usually get stirred up when you mow over them and then you get stung when you come back around....so learn to keep looking ahead to see if you stirred up a nest on your previous pass. On thick grass....remember, you don't have to mow with the full width of the deck...mow your first lap high if you have to. On emergencies/loud noises/rear ups.....hit the clutch ASAP...then you can decide what to do.

[@martyb3783]

I just bought a brush cutter today. Your experience is invaluable Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

[@nadronco9312]

God Bless all your helpful videos you do and the TIME you take to do them.

[@ellobo1326]

Good advice. I leave my bucket on. It’s great for moving any obstacles you come across to a mowed row. Then remove from field at your convenience. If I cross a draw on perpendicular, I simply raise the cutter whatever amount I need to stop any binding. On level fields, I like to make a continuous advancing loop the width of the tractors turning radius. Then there is very little, if any reversing needed.

[@danochiara8544]

Good info Mike. I bought a used rotary cutter from the previous owner of my property. The only slope on the property is to the main road. Sure enough when I got the cutter ready to go, I noticed the pto shaft was bent. He must have driven it up the slope to the road.

[@Larry342516]

Great tips Mike. Thank you.

[@simonrowley4913]

Nice tips Mike thanks for sharing these. 👍🏻

[@williamingle1684]

Excellent video, not my 1st time but still a beginner! Great advice and common sense recommendations!

[@travisricks3436]

Love that fine Massey Ferguson!!! I have a ‘98 MF 231 and love it. Bush Hog model BH215 rotary cutter.

[@cjboudreaux9543]

Sir I thank you for the tips before brush hogging , especially since I'm a beginner.

[@d.a.ballou9740]

Always love your videos Mike. Thanks for doing them.

[@Mallard5Farmhouse]

As always great video Mike! 👍🚜

[@peterellis4262]

Appreciate you sharing your wisdom and experience, Mike

[@patriots1needed]

Great job. Thanks for sharing.

[@maineiachomestead7550]

I mow with a hand on the lift lever so I can raise the cutter quickly when I hit something. Great stuff Mike, THANKS!

[@FerrickOxhide]

Yep and don't take it your hand off until you get off the tractor at night. I constantly move the mower height with changing terrain. When, not if, you hit that rock or stump the deck can be quickly lifted off the object.

[@Brookside975]

Good information, Mike!

[@chrisniner8772]

Paint your canopy white. You will stay much cooler

[@matthewsims359]

Good tips. Thanks for sharing. Stay well and stay safe 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@smokerschuggin475]

Great video! Been mowing with one of these mowers (Woods Brush Bull 720) for a few seasons at work. I’m glad I watched. I learned most of this stuff the hard way. Lucky for me I have a cab on my JD5075E, but I can’t tell you how much it freaks me out when people come right up to me when I’m mowing. It’s really bad now that all of our residents are home all the time fo Covid-19. Every week I have to wave someone off and shut down so I can get out and tell them how dangerous it is to be near my mower! Our boom mower is even worse because you pick it up. I’ve been told that thing threw a manhole cover 90 ft through somebody’s windshield!

[@miltonaliff3316]

Seat belts work, Most of my mowing is in two wheel drive, I use 4wd on hills really improved down hill cutting, Thanks for all the info

[@MLJenkins]

I leave my loader on and leave it low so I hit any stumps with it rather than them ripping out everything under my tractor. It's scary to mow when things get over your waist. Great tips Mike.

[@neeeil3909]

Great tip Matt!

[@maineiachomestead7550]

That was the advise I got from my LS Service Manager when he delivered.

[@finaloption...]

That was the best lesson I learned too.

[@gearreviewwithswampy5794]

I always do that at work it helps and if you see something you need to push something out of the way you can

[@kapperoutdoors]

Great video tractor Mike! Great tips! Thanks

[@trentonjennings9105]

In the south we say "bush hog" regardless. If I said "brush hog" I would get funny looks. Good advice. I've taken an angle grinder to a chipped blade to clean it up. Too many of those and your blades aren't balanced which wears the bearing. One old bush hog I have leaked oil out the gearbox. Needed a new oil seal, but I couldn't get the nut off, and I tried all the tricks. Finally I replaced the oil with 00 grease. Problem solved. You didn't stress the rollover hazard enough. I installed a simple inclinometer. Anything over 15 deg. I'm real nervous. Just a personal comfort threshold. I live in Georgia piedmont, so its hilly. I have roll bar on the Kubota but not the '69 JD. I keep low limbs trimmed. Low limbs are extreme hazard. Oh, and on the scoop issue if you leave it on (low but edge up) you lower the center of gravity wrt rollover hazard. Just my two cents worth. thanks

[@truckerray7533]

Awesome video Tractor Mike! Ive got alotuh brush hog time! "Tractor safe"

[@denali9449]

I might add that you should walk any areas with drain tiles using a probe prior to mowing every year. My wife grew up on the farm we own and I have been involved with the dirt for 40-some years. I know every square foot for whatever surface obstructions there may be but never gave any thought to the drains. And then I learned all about drain blowouts. I was lucky as a rear tire dropped down and the tractor frame rested on the edge of the hole. Others have lost a tractor or their lives in these blowouts, some of which are not exposed on the surface but can be just a few inches of sod hiding a 10 foot deep hole that will swallow a tractor. Another caution is the use of seat belts. Every technical paper I have read promotes the use of seat belts only when your tractor is equipped with ROPS. No ROPS, no seat belt. Reasoning is that with ROPS the belt will keep you attached to the tractor within the safety zone when the tractor rolls over. Without ROPS it is thought that a seat belt keeping you in the seat will put you directly under the tractor when it rolls over, they felt that no belt in this scenario you would either be thrown clear or be able to jump off the tractor. As for taking the bucket off, I mow both ways. I have no concerns about tree stumps appearing between mowings. Then again I only mow our farm and am not too worried about mattresses or bales of wire being somewhere I did not leave them. Although I did run over the top of a deer fawn several years back with a sickle bar mower. When I saw the freshly uncovered little guy he just gave me one of those WTH looks, got up and trotted off to find mom. That was in CRP land and I was mowing about a foot high just to get the tops of the thistles.

[@GrayManPrepping]

Love those old photos

[@earlyriser8998]

Excellent advice for a newbie. We have wire all over the new property.

[@CliffsideStables]

Thanks Mike, I needed that!

[@comlbbeau]

To amplify on a point you made, this is coming out in June when does are dropping their fawns. Exercise care not to run over a critter bedded down in the tall grass. Also, if you've never mowed a particular patch of land before, a walk-through might save you from running over stumps, holes, or debris that might cause damage to you or your equipment. Excellent material!

[@miltonaliff3316]

I go make a few exploratory trips around the field looking for fawns, then I cut the outer edge go to the middle of field and cut a pass lengthwise with a few cuts to edge , , these little buggers will hit that mowed path and get out of there, one thing I do is mow at a slow rate of speed to give them time to move. In the tall grass they can’t get away quickly, I have seen the grass moving and jumped off and caught them then put them in a safe place,

[@MrLindenaar]

thanks for the videos Mike, I really appreciate your experience and that you deliver your information in an easy to understand language!!! Curious if you or your subscribers can discuss the preference between flail mowers and rotary cutters? Maybe you've already done this so I apologize if I've missed it.

[@n.c.atlantic6305]

God bless people like you. Have a great year. And stay safe To everyone.

[@adventurerhoades]

Good stuff as always

[@ronniebeam4547]

Great video! One more thing to mention is bees! Yellow jackets are bad here in ga. Always look or scan the ground over your last row. I've avoided a very painful fate several times by doing this. Thanks and keep up the great videos!

[@geremychubbuck3730]

Great advice. Thanks.

[@timziegler9358]

Good advise, thank you.

[@mitchs323]

When I was working, we had more trouble on our boom mounted mowers with telephone wires that the repair men would just drop off the poles when they were replacing the wire. I've spent more time than I care to remember cutting the wire from around the spindle, and more often than not, replacing the spindle bearings and seals if the operator didn't see the wire. It gets expensive to replace bearings, seals, and sometimes spindles. Be sure to carry a good pair of wire pliers when you mow, it can save you a lot of frustration and money.

[@leehuff2330]

Caught that stuff with a weedeater more than once.

[@OldArtHenry]

Mike after using mowers for over 60 years I found removing the oil in the trans mission and adding solid grease , the water and seal problems were solved I used 4 machines over time also I do not recommend removing the bucket. Tight turns out it up. Here in the north rocks grow, frost pushes them up.

[@mikehagan4320]

Don't forget to mention that you will need to overlap the mower 6 to 10 inches over your last pass. If you are in wet grassy type material then overlap your hole tire track from your last pass going in the opposite direction. Do this so you won't have rows of material standing back up in two days. It takes just as long to go back and mow the little rows as it did to do the hole field. Mike eluded to this. "Slower is Faster."

[@johnelway4826]

I got my new 8n finally running strong and tried to mow with it Friday evening after work.. stalled it about 3 times in a minute and went in the house to familiarize myself with the manual before wearing out my ignition system or flooding the poor old girl. Apparently the cutter was getting bogged down in the grass before I could get everything in motion because of it being a live PTO was the problem.. my father in-law (a 67 yo black dude who grew up on of those 8ns) happened to be here on the following Saturday and before I could get it started asked if he could give it a whack... needless to say yards mowed real good now and he told me just about everything I needed to know about how to operate it. He was like a fish in water on that tractor though! He never hit the clutch and he had to stay on a swivel the whole time because of all the trees.

[@TractorMike]

Get an overrunning clutch for that 8N! The inertia from the blades can propel you places you don't want to go without it. By the way, as a Chiefs fan, I don't much care for you :).

[@reghunnicutt]

Good video and to the point.

[@jeffhardin8795]

I never heard the term brushhog until about 2012 at age 47. Our plant manager was raised in Virginia and transferred down here to Arkansas. I thought it was so funny when he used the term and that he didnt know it was bushogging. Then I found out I had been saying it wrong my whole life.

[@donalddfd3105]

Great video

[@sunjaybedi4389]

Thanks Mike, counting down 28 days till we take ownership of our first tractor and Bush Hogg.

[@TractorMike]

That will be an exciting day! Tractors and Bush Hoggs changed my life, and I am sure they will change yours. Only 26 days, now!

[@teamstucker624]

Great advice this is why your channel is one of the best for tractor tips and advice. I have an electronic PTO switch on my New Holland Boomer it's easy to engage I start out at a lower RPM 1200-1500 and push in the switch then turn it to engage and let off. Thanks for sharing.

[@zerpblerd5966]

40 years old with a new tractor with less than 30hrs on it, just brushogged for my first time ever today now I'll watch your brushogging videos (including the 'watch this first...' - hey I did great...)... feeling good reinforcement

[@mikerequa820]

Great video Mike as always!! I do hit stuff with my bucket from time to time have a Mahindra 1626 the bucket has little wings on sides of bucket that stick out I've gotten use to it now but have hit things. But I keep it on especially if I mow a place I've never been got in a really swampy area couple years ago luckily had bucket on pushed myself out. I hate mowin where someone fed hay and left the bail twine hit that stuff all hell brakes loose sometimes. I do have a Mahindra canopy on my tractor won't get on one without it lol. Had a rhino hide on my Branson last year they are tough. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun

[@niallmather]

Thanks mate good vid. Hello from Australia.

[@jayrosenberg3646]

Another great video Mike. I want to second the comment from below warning about stinging insects such as yellow jackets. Good idea to wear a long sleeve shirt and hat to protect those areas. My tractor will shut down automatically if I leave the seat with the pto running. Just be prepared and aware of your surroundings and assume that things happen quickly.

[@TractorMike]

I parked on top of a hornet's nest once at the edge of our woods not far from our back door. I need to do a video, it was scary and I ended up in the back yard in my underwear with my wife beating hornet's off with a towel. I'm very thankful we don't have close neighbors.

[@coypatton3160]

Mike, I respectfully disagree with removing the bucket when brush cutting! Especially for folks new to brush cutting and if cutting unfamiliar property. Yes it sticks out in front if the tractor but only about 2 feet at the most from the loader frame. Why I recommend leaving it on is it can help detect things you do not want to run through your cutter-stumps, balls of wire, rocks and all kinds of stuff. I like to run with my bucket curled up as far as it will go and run it about 6- 8 inches above the ground. I find that it pushes those seed heads down in front of the tractor and they are less prone to plug the radiator than the front of the tractor beating them down. Yes when turning it is another thing to watch, but we all know it is going to happen so just learn at the start.

[@brianlence459]

Running the bucket 6 to 8in off the ground, was one of the first things I was taught about bush hogging. Especially areas you not familiar with. I thought i was doing it wrong, thanks for the comment. My old man passed away a few weeks ago, so he will never answer another question.

[@circlepfarm9729]

Not to mention it’s a counter weight for the brush hog.

[@DLTJR1959]

I leave mine on also and run it low.

[@mattydread6618]

Coy Patton I agree with everyone here. Plus you can use your bucket if needed. Mine has aftermarket teeth on it that grips and pulls up bushes with no trouble. I had one yesterday too close to the round corral to mow down, so I just pulled it up with the bucket. Plus if you do find something big (or trash) in your field you can just put it in your bucket and keep going. Great advice from everyone - thanks!

[@YouTube_Professor]

I do the same, plus the first time I did the field every rock I hit I jumped off and put in the bucket (if small enough). A few years latter all the rocks are gone.

[@rooster3019]

Your opening pic with the young'n at the wheel could have been me. I was 10 years-old when Dad bought a brand new IH 424 and the biggest brush hog the dealer would allow. Ballasted tires, wheels extended to max, and every weight they could put on it. I had a blast slow tramming that machine around the horse farm. He cleared 22 acres of large brush and small trees that summer; "if you can get the tractor to ride it down, that hog will cut it up", said the dealer. He was right. The only flaw I had with that 424 was that it was NOT 4 wheel drive and it would run away on a slick down slope.

[@TractorMike]

Yeah I spent a lot of hours on that tractor. I learned to shift a manual transmission on that tractor. It eventually had to have a new clutch installed.

[@leehuff2330]

I only have a little walk behind brush hog (1974 Gravely L-8 with a 30 inch front mount), and this is still quite pertinent with some common sense adaptations.

[@chrischvz81]

Safety first, read your manual and look for good information like this. There sure is a lot more too it than meets the eye. Just purchased a new tractor and a few implements to help around my 5 acres.

[@hotrodmustangman]

I know not everbody can afford to do what i did, but start out with a small tractor and brush hog then work up to a larger machine. First i bought a 1025R John Deere subcompact with a 4 foot rotary cutter and learned how to drive and mow with it. Then later i bought a 3020 John Deere and a 7 ft cutter. It was learning how to operate the smaller machine first thst made transitioning to the bigger one much easier.

[@HamiltonvilleFarm]

Thanks for sharing for us rookies MIke. As always, a great video.

[@denisewildfortune4058]

Yep! I thought that the world was coming to an end alright when I encountered a huge rock. I was paralyzed by a fear response while my brain worked overtime when I remembered the stump jumper and just floored the tractor to get off the rock. It was one of the loudest noises I had ever heard. The blades were damaged and had to be replaced ultimately. I had been reclaiming a 100yr old orchard and was using the bucket to locate windfall of which there was plenty. I'll tell ya, I was slow as molasses in Jan on that job.

[@miltonaliff3316]

Mike, I just got a mew 2605 hd MF , and I love hogging with the bucket on keeps a lot of briers off me,. We are reclaiming all our pasture and fence lines

[@davidpennington9125]

I really like ur videos

[@hhazelhoff1363]

Leave the bucket on for counter weight. I put my grapple bucket on. Let’s you pull down lose branches and vines so you can mulch them also.

[@sukicruz7543]

Am bushhaging for 8years with a new Holland 8010.with a 15ft cutter.love to bushag

[@samuelcudjoe7987]

Nice one

[@semco72057]

Those are nice tips for anyone operating a tractor and bush hog. I try to be safe all the time and have had wire tangled up under my unit and had to cut it out and I have hit large stones and rocks as well and that isn't good for the unit or the operator.

[@meradu2]

Just got my JD tractor 🚜 I just can’t wait to get on the 4 ft + brush and cleaning the land Thank you for your advice 🙂 O and yes l wood keep my front bucket on 6 to 8” l have so many trees and logs you just never know Have a bless day

[@hughbo52]

Flying stinging bugs, especially yellow jackets (closer to fall). Keep water with you and also keep a sweat rag - salt in the eyes hurts after awhile. Good sound post.

[@douglaspost8480]

Hi Mike. I just bought a new Bush Hog BH216. That's a 6 footer. I have it behind a John Deere 4520 that has about 45-48 PTO hp, plenty of HP for this mower. I have the PTO running at 540 RPM and am traveling in 6th gear out of 12 speeds, that's second gear, mid range. on some fields I'm in third gear or sometimes even fourth gear mid range My problem is that it's leaving stalks and even bunches of goldenrod and other things in it's wake. I've been brush hogging for 30 years so it's not like I've never done this before, but I'm always ready to learn.I've tried mowing in both directions thinking that the cut stuff is covering the uncut stuff but it doesn't seem to help. The top link is set up for the appropriate terrain following. The only way to avoid this problem seems to be overlapping the mower by 2' or better. That quite effectively turns my 6 footer into a 4 footer. That's a real pain on my bigger fields and runs the hours (cost) up to the customer. I had a Bush Hog 286 years ago then had a Woods BB72 that I never liked so when I had a problem with that I saw that as a chance to get back to Bush Hog. To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement. Any ideas? I really enjoy your videos, keep 'em coming.

[@TractorMike]

Douglas, how long has it been doing this? Could it be this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoSXpYGEZr-cacU Like I say in the video, you might try lowering your RPM's and increasing your ground speed. If turbulence is the issue that may help. You might also switch to blades that lift more, which should be available at your Bush Hog dealer. If memory serves, the 286 would have had a much deeper deck than a BH216, so the air flow may have been better which might have helped get a better cut. Hope that helps!

[@douglaspost8480]

@@TractorMike Hi Mike, You are 100% right. It doesn't make sense to slow the blades down and increase the tractor speed per your video, but that's just what I'll do on the next couple of fields I have lined up. I'm cutting goldenrod and some small scrub brush not too much grass at all. The depth of the BH216 is 11 1/2" where the old 286 was more like 8" deep. I'm thinking of taking the rear guard off and replacing it with the chain guards because I read somewhere that, like you said, the air flow is a real issue and the chains help. I have a lot of respect for your advice, Thank you for getting back to me.

[@caputto1000]

Great Video your forgot the most important tip tho! Flail mowers for the win!

[@semco72057]

I like to mow my grass at about 3 inches high and do have to get some new sheer bolts since I put the last one on my tractor last year and they usually last me one season before having to replace them. I ran over some wire which was laying in my yard and had been moved to where I ran over it by a cat. It wasn't easy to get the wire out from under my brush hog so I am even more careful about where I mow and how I handle wire now.

[@dustyroads5753]

I mow with a pull behind (no 3 point) and the Bush hog lifted up all the way... probably 6-10 inches idk, never measured it tbh. I just want weeds, briars, tree seedlings, seed heads clipped and as much "good grass" left as possible. It also helps to keep rocks, wire, etc hits to a minimum. Jmo

[@allanbeck4634]

Save your hearing! Long term exposure to the running tractor can damage your hearing. I wear shooters earmuffs when bushoggin and lawn mowing, if I don't, temporary hearing loss is evident and it aggravates my tinitus. As to engine speed, most modern tractors have a symbol on the tach where ideal engine speed for the PTO should be set. My John Deere is 2500rpm for a PTO of 540 to the bush hog. Same for my old Ford 841d.

[@dustyroads5753]

WHAT???? I couldn't hear ya 😁.. seriously though ear protection is a good idea, I just never bother because.... well it wasn't a habit anybody had when I was a kid. Same for shooting guns 😑

[@_P0tat07_]

Speaking of canopies, I would use C clamps and clamp a piece of plywood to the rollbar of a mower to keep rain off me while I was mowing. I did get laughed at, but I was dryer then anyone else😂

[@Brett235]

That's a good idea and cheaper than buying an expensive canopy. Plus if you run into something you're out a piece of plywood not a high dollar piece of fiberglass or plastic.

[@mikehornsby599]

Great advice, thank you Mike!!!

[@DavidFlores-du3rm]

The big issue I have is my land has lots of uneven terrain so seems my tractor works best with the front cutter to be up higher than the back so the front cutter doesn't tear up the land. What do you suggest I do different with this type of terrain? I'm using a JD 3032E with quick hitch 60in cutter.

[@antennawilde]

Very knowledgable brush-hogger. I have no idea why I watched this video, I have never brush hogged, and have no plans to ever brush hog, but it was interesting nonetheless. Thanks KZbin random video suggestion!

[@TractorMike]

Maybe the algorithm doesn't always work :)! Thanks for watching anyway. It's gonna feel really weird someday if you move out to the country and buy a brush hog and Google knew you were going to do that before you did.

[@markproulx1472]

Watched this right before embarking on my first brush hogging session. I’ll report back.

[@markproulx1472]

The first outing lasted about five hours and was a complete success! One of the smartest things I’ve ever done was to invest in a weight bracket and four 100-pound suitcase weights. I removed the loader and installed the weight bracket and weights...INSTANT VISIBILITY! Great for cutting along fences and for scoping the terrain ahead. I owe this success in part to you, Mike. (Reading the manuals and doing everything they said ahead of time didn’t hurt either!)

[@justinrobertson1590]

My brakes have a bar that goes across both of them. Should that bar be across both pedals? What’s your suggestion?

[@richardbryant5773]

Mike how sharp should the blades be on a nd 510 brush hog thanks

[@stephencasper87]

I wish my local Kubota dealership had a Tractor Mike!

[@johnbirman5840]

Oh, and one more comment: I place a length of screening between the grill and the radiator to stop seeds, bugs and various junk. Make sure you got good air flow, but it’s amazing how many bugs and seeds don’t get sucked into the radiator

[@johnc7512]

You can also leave the bucket on and keep it a few inches off the ground so if there's a stump or rock you wont hit it with the mower.

[@ewoid64]

Thanks for the video, Mike. I have a question. i just put a Land Pride 1248 brush hog on a Kubota BX2230. This machine engages the PTO with a short-throw lever that doesn't feel like it can, in any way, engage gradually. It's basically a switch. No matter how fast or how slow I set the throttle, when I push the Engage lever, the cutter bangs and jumps like someone's hitting it with a big hammer. the dealer says this is normal, but i don't think he really gets how violent it is (or doesn't care). Do you have any suggestions? Also, how tight should I make the left/right turnbuckles? My instinct says to make them pretty rigid, with as little swinging as possible. Thanks again for the great vids!

[@TractorMike]

Yeah, some of the electric over hydraulic engagements are pretty abrupt and there's not much you can do about it, I'd say the dealer is telling you right. You might try changing the speed at which you engage. I usually kick in the PTO somewhere between 1200 and 1600 RPM, then rev up to PTO speed. I'll have maybe 1/4 inch play in the turnbuckles. I don't want them completely tight, just enough to keep the implement from swaying wildly. Don't know if that's right or not, that's just how I've always done it.

[@dwayneloftice2326]

I can't tell you how many times I mowed over a high spot in high grass in that gravely, SW Arkansas soil and my 10' mower with 40 pound bladed would propel gravel at the speed of a bullet in all directions. My immediate reaction was to bend over and hug the tractor steering wheel out of the trajectory of flying gravel. After the second time this happened, I fabricated a heavy steel screen behind the tractor seat to protect my entire backside.

[@johnbaker5199]

keep an eye out for telephone/dsl boxes that are green lol guy up the road ran over one of those phone line boxes wanna talk about a fuster cluck, they sent one repairman out to fix it he was there for 3 days lol