Best tractor size for the woods

[livemusic]

I built my trails narrow on purpose, basically they're hiking and ATV trails. If I were to buy a very small compact tractor, say, less than 35hp, I'd need to widen them a little. But I also have an 8-acre pasture that will need cutting couple times a year. It hasn't been cut in probably four or five years, I bought the land three years ago and it's thick with heavy grass and blackberry. I don't know if a little tractor and bush hog would even cut it this first time! But after that, surely a small one would do. But... for general woodlot work, harvesting dying trees for firewood plus those that fall down from wind... might also thin some trees. Who knows, might even get into selective cutting and have to skid stems out. Trails need maintaining, pond needs shoring up, etc. What size tractor is generally needed for the woods?

I am now looking at a Kubota, 2013 L5740, a 59hp tractor with front end loader. (EDIT: It is 4wd.) It has only 360 hrs on it and appears to be in terrific condition. It has a cab with a/c and I tell ya, one with a/c sure makes it more appealing down here in Sweatland! But I would need to double the size of my trails. It's 66" wide and 101" tall. I don't know if a cab is ok for the woods, I know I would have to be uber careful. For chores not in deep woods, it would be good. Buyer is asking $30k and I haven't gotten far enough along to dicker with him. I think this tractor only did some bushhogging, that's his story and it looks like it, it looks almost new.

Heck, if I were to get a tractor like this, I could also buy a small used compact tractor with bushhog for the trails for $4k or less, I have seen plenty for sale. But, they're much old tractors.

Any thoughts on this?

[btulloh]

That sounds like a good tractor. Good hp but not too big. I'd make the trails fit the tractor if it was me. A cab or a rops can be difficult in the woods but you just have to get rid of the limbs. (Just??). If you want to do bigger work it's not going to be with something that fits your atv trails.

[g_man]

I agree that 59 hp is a good size. But for that big a tractor I would set it up wider than 66". I have a 56 hp L5640 that is 78" and a 30 hp L3010 that is 60" both are used in the woods but the 78" L5640 is a much much safer machine to operate. You will want your trails wide. The wider the better.

gg

[livemusic]

I keep revisiting this setup... Woodsboss tractor and Brown Tree Cutter

I suspect that the Brown Tree Cutter would not do a very good job on grass as a bush hog. Don't know if it just do decent or horrible or what. But for trail clearing, this setup will work because I saw how it cleared a tract where a guy was building a house. The woods were grown thick and it did a good job. It doesn't mulch as good as a forestry mulcher but IMO, good enough. It will certainly take down the stuff and then it can rot.

One thing I have considered is the setup as above and then have a separate bush hog rotary cutter for the pasture.

I don't know how much the setup above costs but I'm sure it would be a shock. I will look into this, and even consider used if I could find one that isn't beat to death. I would also want to be able to put a front end loader on the tractor.

[thecfarm]

I have a 40hp tractor that have seen the woods a lot. I have mine set up at 7 feet wide.
The wife has a 30hp tractor. That have not seen the woods much. BUT that gets around in the woods much easier than the 40hp one,because it's much smaller,length and how wide it is in size. Just takes a few more trips to get the job done with the 30hp. I have put a trailer behind the 30 and brought wood out that way. The 40hp had a 3pt logging winch on it. So a 30 hp would do it,but not going to haul out many 2 feet across logs 16 feet long. That 59hp would do it easy.

[alan gage]

I sometimes use my dad's Kubota 7040 (70hp) with cab.

The cab is nice but it sure does catch branches (better than your face catching them I guess). If it was mine I'd take the mirrors off since they seem to get hung up the worst.

It's rated to lift something like 2400 pounds but it gets sketchy real fast. With any decent weight it wants to tip over once you start getting on uneven ground (especially when you crank the wheel hard). Best be ready with a hand on the lever to drop the loader when needed. More weight on the back (already has liquid in tires) or a 3-point attachment would help steady things. It's surprising how small of a log it takes to max out the lift capacity (I'm dealing with hardwoods here). If you put a grapple bucket on it it would put a pretty big bite into your lifting capacity.

I'm not saying it won't work for you. Just be careful and realistic with how much you plan to carry with the loader. I never really use it in the woods here (because there aren't any) but rather loading/unloading the trailer or around the sawmill.

I've got a skidloader with a tipping rating of 4500 pounds and it does so much better than the tractor for what I need but probably not what you're looking for to suit your purposes. I've moved a fair amount of dirt and gravel with both machines as well and, there again, the skidloader wins by a large margin, especially when digging and grading.

Alan

[samandothers]

I use a L4240, 42hp, with no cab.  It has served me well in the woods and bush hogging.  It does take a wider trail than the ATV but also cleans them a lot quicker using the  grapple.  With the ATV I can saw and then throw downed trees out of the way or use the winch when on the ATV.  With the tractor pull up and use the grapple and move it without having to saw most of the time.  Making trails fit the tractor is a good thing.  I use the bush hog or backhoe attached for ballast (along with filled rears).   As Alan mentioned I do sacrifice some lift to use the grapple, but is sure makes lifting and moving logs and brush much much easier.  
Getting a bush hog of the size that that tractor would run would help make short work of the field(s) you would need to mow.  I have a small 5' bush hog that my brother can run with his 8N so it does take me a few more rounds that it would with a larger one.  Last time I mowed the field I use the cruise control on the tractor, mine is a hydrostatic unit, so basically set it at comfortable balance of speed to the grass height/thickness and let the big dog eat! 

[thecfarm]

No rocks to mow around?  ???  ;D

[samandothers]

I have a few in the field marked by taller grass or 'bare' tops.  This was my second mowing so not as 'dangerous' as first when grass was taller.  

[Hans1]

I would go for a tractor in the 50-60 horse range but no cab for woods work. Another good suggestion was to remove the rear view mirror mine will snap against the cab making it impossible to open the door. Had to crawl out the back window many times.

[Raider Bill]

I use a L4240, 42hp, with no cab.  It has served me well in the woods and bush hogging.  It does take a wider trail than the ATV but also cleans them a lot quicker using the  grapple.  With the ATV I can saw and then throw downed trees out of the way or use the winch when on the ATV.  With the tractor pull up and use the grapple and move it without having to saw most of the time.  Making trails fit the tractor is a good thing.  I use the bush hog or backhoe attached for ballast (along with filled rears).   As Alan mentioned I do sacrifice some lift to use the grapple, but is sure makes lifting and moving logs and brush much much easier.  
Getting a bush hog of the size that that tractor would run would help make short work of the field(s) you would need to mow.  I have a small 5' bush hog that my brother can run with his 8N so it does take me a few more rounds that it would with a larger one.  Last time I mowed the field I use the cruise control on the tractor, mine is a hydrostatic unit, so basically set it at comfortable balance of speed to the grass height/thickness and let the big dog eat!

Same tractor as mine. I think it's a perfect size for my trails many of which are pretty steep.

[Riwaka]

Hornets and Killer Bees?  Either Bee suit or cab.
Might find a used orchard tractor out of california (used in Almond orchards etc?) with an airconditioned cab, exact orchard cab - 1/2 inch thick windows.
Always a risk with used tractors, John Deere likely to have parts to fix it. at a $$$
Low profile tractor if you don't want to cut branches too high to widen trails. 
Make close fitting duals if need to widen machine if necessary
JD - 60 to 125hp models?), front end loaders, power take off for mowers/ mulchers , sprayers, 3 point log winches.  
Orchard Cabs ? ExactCorp

Exact E- Cab
The Exact E-Cab Harvesting Cab for John Deere - YouTube

[Hilltop366]

I have a 35 hp tractor that i built a cab for, I usually take one of the doors off to go in the woods and in the summer but I really like the roof in the woods. Also in the field for shade.

 

I did break the windshield in the woods on an over grown wood road when an broke off tree jumped out at me.

I use this tractor to bush hog (5') too but you may find something this size kind of slow for 8 acres if it is overgrown.

[thecfarm]

Nice job on that cab!!  Looks like you used a gasket seal around the glass too. Yes On the shade part. On the wife's tractor,there is just a roof on it. And a low hanging limb,on the apple tree.jumped out at her too.

[Blackcanyon]

I have a 40 horse mahindra ( full size frame) and personally I wouldn't go smaller. Think about a tractor in the woods. As nice as they are getting around, etc they are no skidder ( I own both). Some will howl in protest about how their small tractor will do blah, blah, blah. And they will but not without a struggle. Sure they will drag a 12' 16" maple log but then your going to want to pile them with the loader. A 12' anything with weight on a loader is plenty of torque on everything. I personally have a few times wished my tractor was bigger but not once wished it was smaller.

[thecfarm]

A skidder is much safer too in the woods. I don't have a skidder,just a 40hp tractor. And yes that thing will struggle on the logs too. Now it lives a life of ease with just firewood. Not too often I have a 16 inch log behind it,unless it's a dead one.

[Hilltop366]

Nice job on that cab!!  Looks like you used a gasket seal around the glass too. Yes On the shade part. On the wife's tractor,there is just a roof on it. And a low hanging limb,on the apple tree.jumped out at her too.

Thanks,
Yes the glass was installed the proper way by a glass shop, one thing I did was to inset the glass frame on the front and rear in the 2" tubing a bit so the branches would not rub on the window rubbers as much, the corner post will push the branches away from the glass.

[vahighlander]

I have a 62hp Kubota M5700.  Here is a pic of my set up.  Heavy pallet forks on front.  Wallenstein 6,500# skidding winch on back.  A skidding winch is a must for me, it makes the tractor a lot safer in the woodlot.  I'm managing about 200 acre of timber and milling as well.  Look into a skidding winch to go with whatever you choose.

>

[livemusic]

I have a 62hp Kubota M5700.  Here is a pic of my set up.  Heavy pallet forks on front.  Wallenstein 6,500# skidding winch on back.  A skidding winch is a must for me, it makes the tractor a lot safer in the woodlot.  I'm managing about 200 acre of timber and milling as well.  Look into a skidding winch to go with whatever you choose.

>

Yes, a winch like that is definitely something I have considered. Also, your forks on front, I heard a well-respected 'expert' say that with forks like that, you could do just about anything you need to do versus buying a grapple attachment. Does that sound reasonable or would a grapple do more, contrary to his opinion?

[alan gage]

I heard a well-respected 'expert' say that with forks like that, you could do just about anything you need to do versus buying a grapple attachment. Does that sound reasonable or would a grapple do more, contrary to his opinion?

I'm far from an expert but I think they've both got their strengths. I borrowed a friends grapple to help clear out a grove. He was knocking down with an excavator and I was using a skidloader to haul out what I wanted to save and help him pile the debris. The grapple was great because you could clamp onto the end of a 30 foot tree and drag it out of a big tangled pile of brush. A grapple also lets you clamp a log in place so you don't have to be perfectly centered and it won't shake off on rough ground. Grapples let you pluck a log off the top of a pile where forks would have a problem slipping in. They can chomp a lot of brush and hold it while you drive somewhere to dump.

Sometimes forks make it easier to carry multiple logs at once. With 48" wide forks you just keep sliding under logs until they're all filled up. If you can get one or more of those logs to squirt up so they're double-decked then all the better. Forks weigh less and don't cut into your lifting capacity as much. You can throw logs with forks (as the log is rolling down flip them up at is nears the tips). This can help with piling logs. Forks can be used to carry pallets or lots of other things you can make pallet fork friendly (lumber pallets, firewood pallets, etc). Forks can be great for carrying brush. And sometimes they don't work for squat. Depends on the nature of the brush you're trying to carry.

I own a set of standard forks as well as a set of grapple forks (48" long forks with grapple). The grapple forks give many of the same benefits of a standard grapple and still give most of the same benefits of standard forks. Biggest benefits are: stabilizing log while carrying, grabbing brush, ability to gently place log on mill rather than having to roll it off, as with standard forks. I chose them because around the mill I'm doing a lot more than just carrying logs and it saves me from switching attachments back and forth. If I was working in the woods most of the time I might take the grapple bucket instead as it would probably have other uses (clearing roots and debris).

I still do a lot of work with just standard forks too and got by fine for a few months when I had a leaking hydraulic line and couldn't use the grapple forks.

Alan

[vahighlander]

I've never owned a grapple, so I don't know what I'm missing I guess. Between the forks and using choke chains with my winch and also carrying a couple of chains with hooks on the front fork assembly- I'm able to drag, lift, tote just about anything.  And I use the forks all the time for other farm chores and also lift lots of stickered lumber piles.  I would like to try a grapple sometime.  For loading logs onto my mill- it seems the grapple may be more tedious to get the right balance point.  But thats probably just me, and my comfort level with forks.  Now owning all 3 may be the way to go!  One more toy!

[Blackcanyon]

One word of advise with forks is don't be cheap and buy a good set! I paid a grand for mine because nothing is more frustrating than trying to slip under something with your one bent fork two inches different than the other side

[samandothers]

We all use what we have and get pretty good at it.  Carrying something in the grapple can be a problem in tight quarters since it is 'across. the front of the tractor versus in line behind it.  The grapple is handy to 'place' the log on the saw deck and not roll it thus less impact on deck.  The grapple was also my man lift, till I got the forks and built a deck for them.  

The idea of another toy tool sounds good!

[ForestFriend]

I sometimes use my dad's Kubota 7040 (70hp) with cab.

The cab is nice but it sure does catch branches (better than your face catching them I guess). If it was mine I'd take the mirrors off since they seem to get hung up the worst.

It's rated to lift something like 2400 pounds but it gets sketchy real fast. With any decent weight it wants to tip over once you start getting on uneven ground (especially when you crank the wheel hard). Best be ready with a hand on the lever to drop the loader when needed. More weight on the back (already has liquid in tires) or a 3-point attachment would help steady things. It's surprising how small of a log it takes to max out the lift capacity (I'm dealing with hardwoods here). If you put a grapple bucket on it it would put a pretty big bite into your lifting capacity.

I'm not saying it won't work for you. Just be careful and realistic with how much you plan to carry with the loader. I never really use it in the woods here (because there aren't any) but rather loading/unloading the trailer or around the sawmill.

I've got a skidloader with a tipping rating of 4500 pounds and it does so much better than the tractor for what I need but probably not what you're looking for to suit your purposes. I've moved a fair amount of dirt and gravel with both machines as well and, there again, the skidloader wins by a large margin, especially when digging and grading.

Alan

Hi Alan,
I just joined the forum.  I'm looking for some advice from you or anyone else who cares to chime in.  I've got about 25 acres, which are about 7 in 10 year old trees, 3 in a firebreak around my home and 15 in seedlings.  I've been looking at acquiring a cabbed 73hp Kioti tractor to manage the firebreak, keep other brush down, maintain road, build trails, and handle any other things like downed trees or thinning projects.  It's possible I might get involved with the neighbor's woodlots where there is older timber, too.  I do have experience with a CAT 977 which I used to clear 15 acres of brush and slash before planting, so I don't mind heavy equipment.  But I was debating whether I could use the Kioti for all my needs ... was even thinking of the bigger frame 100hp model.  But then I read in this Penn State University paper (https://extension.psu.edu/tractors-in-the-woods) about use of farm tractors as being ill-advised for forestry work.  They say it's dangerous and cite reasons and statistics.  It kind of makes sense, but wondered what you thought about it.  Should I not touch forestry type work without proper/extensive setup or should I go for a smaller tractor for brush handling and a small dozer for skidding?  What do you think of the Kioti RX7320 to begin with?  Thanks!
ForestFriend

[Tin Horse]

I sometimes use my dad's Kubota 7040 (70hp) with cab.

The cab is nice but it sure does catch branches (better than your face catching them I guess). If it was mine I'd take the mirrors off since they seem to get hung up the worst.

It's rated to lift something like 2400 pounds but it gets sketchy real fast. With any decent weight it wants to tip over once you start getting on uneven ground (especially when you crank the wheel hard). Best be ready with a hand on the lever to drop the loader when needed. More weight on the back (already has liquid in tires) or a 3-point attachment would help steady things. It's surprising how small of a log it takes to max out the lift capacity (I'm dealing with hardwoods here). If you put a grapple bucket on it it would put a pretty big bite into your lifting capacity.

I'm not saying it won't work for you. Just be careful and realistic with how much you plan to carry with the loader. I never really use it in the woods here (because there aren't any) but rather loading/unloading the trailer or around the sawmill.

I've got a skidloader with a tipping rating of 4500 pounds and it does so much better than the tractor for what I need but probably not what you're looking for to suit your purposes. I've moved a fair amount of dirt and gravel with both machines as well and, there again, the skidloader wins by a large margin, especially when digging and grading.

Alan

Hi Alan,
I just joined the forum.  I'm looking for some advice from you or anyone else who cares to chime in.  I've got about 25 acres, which are about 7 in 10 year old trees, 3 in a firebreak around my home and 15 in seedlings.  I've been looking at acquiring a cabbed 73hp Kioti tractor to manage the firebreak, keep other brush down, maintain road, build trails, and handle any other things like downed trees or thinning projects.  It's possible I might get involved with the neighbor's woodlots where there is older timber, too.  I do have experience with a CAT 977 which I used to clear 15 acres of brush and slash before planting, so I don't mind heavy equipment.  But I was debating whether I could use the Kioti for all my needs ... was even thinking of the bigger frame 100hp model.  But then I read in this Penn State University paper (https://extension.psu.edu/tractors-in-the-woods) about use of farm tractors as being ill-advised for forestry work.  They say it's dangerous and cite reasons and statistics.  It kind of makes sense, but wondered what you thought about it.  Should I not touch forestry type work without proper/extensive setup or should I go for a smaller tractor for brush handling and a small dozer for skidding?  What do you think of the Kioti RX7320 to begin with?  Thanks!
ForestFriend

I've had the 7320 for the past 2 years as do 2 other neighbors. All open station for ease in the bush. Mine currently has tires loaded, chains and the timber winch for dragging trees. FEL with frost bite grapple. So far so good. No problems. Don't care for the tier 4 stuff but not a big deal. I've found it to be great in my area which is rough terrain. Just gotta know their limits.

[thecfarm]

73 hp would be nice, but do you really need it? I do a lot with my 40hp. Yes I may have to make a few more trips than a 72hp,won't be having a forwarding trailer with 2 cords of wood coming out of the woods, going down that steep hill I have. Now if money was not a factor I would have a 73 hp and that forwarder trailer.  ;D And that grapple on the front too. 

[Nebraska]

I use my 73 horse tractor 4 to 1 over my 50 hp tractor when it comes to moving logs. Just that much more weight.  I occasionally haul my smaller tractor to pick up a load. If it can handle loading the log I have no issues at home.  Unless you are trying to do logging on a  commercial scale of some sort I doubt you need specialized equipment, except maybe a nice winch. If the skid steer fairy or Santa wanted drop a 75 hp tracked unit with an optional grapple bucket under my pillow I would have no problems with it. I was pretty good this year.   :D 

[A-z farmer]

Welcome to the forestry forum forestfreind 
We always used cat d6 dozers to flat drag all logs out of the woods because my dad was afraid someone would get hurt.But Last year we bought a new holland t6 and a wallenstein winch and I cannot believe how nice it works.But it is still a farm tractor and not an industrial tractor loader and I am careful with it in the woods and loading logs on trailers .
Zeke

[ForestFriend]

I sometimes use my dad's Kubota 7040 (70hp) with cab.

The cab is nice but it sure does catch branches (better than your face catching them I guess). If it was mine I'd take the mirrors off since they seem to get hung up the worst.

It's rated to lift something like 2400 pounds but it gets sketchy real fast. With any decent weight it wants to tip over once you start getting on uneven ground (especially when you crank the wheel hard). Best be ready with a hand on the lever to drop the loader when needed. More weight on the back (already has liquid in tires) or a 3-point attachment would help steady things. It's surprising how small of a log it takes to max out the lift capacity (I'm dealing with hardwoods here). If you put a grapple bucket on it it would put a pretty big bite into your lifting capacity.

I'm not saying it won't work for you. Just be careful and realistic with how much you plan to carry with the loader. I never really use it in the woods here (because there aren't any) but rather loading/unloading the trailer or around the sawmill.

I've got a skidloader with a tipping rating of 4500 pounds and it does so much better than the tractor for what I need but probably not what you're looking for to suit your purposes. I've moved a fair amount of dirt and gravel with both machines as well and, there again, the skidloader wins by a large margin, especially when digging and grading.

Alan

Hi Alan,
I just joined the forum.  I'm looking for some advice from you or anyone else who cares to chime in.  I've got about 25 acres, which are about 7 in 10 year old trees, 3 in a firebreak around my home and 15 in seedlings.  I've been looking at acquiring a cabbed 73hp Kioti tractor to manage the firebreak, keep other brush down, maintain road, build trails, and handle any other things like downed trees or thinning projects.  It's possible I might get involved with the neighbor's woodlots where there is older timber, too.  I do have experience with a CAT 977 which I used to clear 15 acres of brush and slash before planting, so I don't mind heavy equipment.  But I was debating whether I could use the Kioti for all my needs ... was even thinking of the bigger frame 100hp model.  But then I read in this Penn State University paper (https://extension.psu.edu/tractors-in-the-woods) about use of farm tractors as being ill-advised for forestry work.  They say it's dangerous and cite reasons and statistics.  It kind of makes sense, but wondered what you thought about it.  Should I not touch forestry type work without proper/extensive setup or should I go for a smaller tractor for brush handling and a small dozer for skidding?  What do you think of the Kioti RX7320 to begin with?  Thanks!
ForestFriend

I've had the 7320 for the past 2 years as do 2 other neighbors. All open station for ease in the bush. Mine currently has tires loaded, chains and the timber winch for dragging trees. FEL with frost bite grapple. So far so good. No problems. Don't care for the tier 4 stuff but not a big deal. I've found it to be great in my area which is rough terrain. Just gotta know their limits.

Thanks!  And good to know that you're having success with the same tractor!  That's reassuring.  Seems like a great set up then.  I appreciate your answer!
Thanks,
ForestFriend

[ForestFriend]

73 hp would be nice, but do you really need it? I do a lot with my 40hp. Yes I may have to make a few more trips than a 72hp,won't be having a forwarding trailer with 2 cords of wood coming out of the woods, going down that steep hill I have. Now if money was not a factor I would have a 73 hp and that forwarder trailer.  ;D And that grapple on the front too.

Ya, I figured that it might not require 70 horses.... I just wanted to be sure to have enough power in most circumstances.  That Cat I used to run could move anything I pointed it at so I guess having full power available is something I wanted to consider.  Sounds like not totally necessary though and 40hp is working fine.

[ForestFriend]

I use my 73 horse tractor 4 to 1 over my 50 hp tractor when it comes to moving logs. Just that much more weight.  I occasionally haul my smaller tractor to pick up a load. If it can handle loading the log I have no issues at home.  Unless you are trying to do logging on a  commercial scale of some sort I doubt you need specialized equipment, except maybe a nice winch. If the skid steer fairy or Santa wanted drop a 75 hp tracked unit with an optional grapple bucket under my pillow I would have no problems with it. I was pretty good this year.   :D

Haha!!  What a great outlook!  Ya, anyway weight & frame are the other two factors.  I'm so glad I found a forum where people are using machines for the same purpose I'm interested in!

[ForestFriend]

Welcome to the forestry forum forestfreind
We always used cat d6 dozers to flat drag all logs out of the woods because my dad was afraid someone would get hurt.But Last year we bought a new holland t6 and a wallenstein winch and I cannot believe how nice it works.But it is still a farm tractor and not an industrial tractor loader and I am careful with it in the woods and loading logs on trailers .
Zeke

Yes, this is what I was thinking, that a dozer could safely do the job (no big logging operation in my case), but with careful approach and forethought, a farm tractor can do a lot of these tasks.  Good to know you've got success with the T6.
Thanks!
ForestFriend

[EOTE]

Some thoughts about tractors for the woods.  I would not get a tractor with a cab unless you want to repair dings, dents, broken glass, etc. because of inherent perils in the woods.  I've had branches fall out of trees and other unexpected issues that would make me rethink whether having a cab is a good idea.  Keep in mind too, the more horsepower, the bigger the problems you can get yourself into.  If you have sloping land, wet lands, or dips,  the size of the tractor becomes an important factor.  When we had lots of rain this spring, ground that was once solid found me sinking into it after the second or third pass over it.  If you are bucking logs, make sure your tractor has a reinforced guard on the front to prevent logs or branches from smashing into the hood (and radiator, battery, etc.).  Consider the tires too as working in the woods can puncture tires.

I have a Kubota Grand L4060 (40 hp) tractor, 4wd with a quick attach plate on the loader where I swap between a 60" bucket, 60" Armstrong Ag grapple, forks and man cage, and a stump bucket.  On the back side, I have a 60" box blade with a "Taco box" mounted above it which holds my chainsaws, chains, etc. 

All of my trails on my forested land I've cleared myself but made them so I can carry 12' wide logs with the grapple.  I can carry a 20" diameter log that is 12' long with the grapple.  Anything larger and I use a choke chain and drag the log behind the box blade.  The blade will lift one end of the log enough that I am not destroying my trails with the log dragging.

While I have mostly lightly sloping lands and hills, my neighbor has some seriously steep hills which he navigates with an old 25hp Kubota.  So, it ultimately boils down to what you will feel would meet your needs best.  While cost is certainly a serious consideration, practicality and functionality for your specific needs will prove to be the most important.

[gspren]

You do need to be careful with what the tractor cab will hit but if given a choice between a big dent in the cab or my face smacked and an eye out I'll take the damaged cab. Branches and/or saplings can spring at you fast.

[krusty]

I think anything with a cab is on the path to destruction. For my trails I use a little Kubota 15 hp and a tiny bush hog that is a mere 42" wide. 2 passes and I have a nice hiking path for the dog. The bush hog is durable enough for brush and saplings without issue. If I need to get a tree out for firewood I pull a small trailer I built with it that can hold a half cord of wood. The goal with this setup is minimal impact to the soil as the bigger the machine, the bigger ruts it will make when things are soft. I also use this to cut a couple acres of grass when 2' tall without issue.

[thecfarm]

I would like to maintain my trails with a bush hog!! I have rocks that I go over. Some are kinda on the high side, but I have 18 inches that I can go over the rocks.
But saying that some of my land I can do that. But seems that land around the house is not too bad, but get across the bog and everything changes. There is one spot of land I can jump from rock to rock and the land is so uneven, I don't even try to get through it.

[chevytaHOE5674]

I use my cab tractors in the woods all the time and havent busted out any windows, dented anything, or busted the fiberglass roof caps. Do some planning and remove a few extra branches/ saplings here and there and remember its NOT a skidder it's a farm tractor and you should be fine.

And that cab sure it nice when it's hot, cold, rainy, snowy, buggy, etc.

As for bigger being harder on the ground you have to look at tire size and footprint on the ground for any given machine. A bigger machine with bigger/wider tires often has less ground pressure than a smaller machine. My 18,000lbs 170hp tractor has a lower weight per square inch on the ground than my 70hp 9,000lbs tractor because the tires have a much larger footprint, and it is really noticable in soft ground. 

[ForestFriend]

Thanks all you guys for the great advice and perspectives.  When I think about what you wrote it makes me think that if I'm not doing too much forestry work on a bigger tractor and I'm careful, I might be alright, but may still need grill guard and skid plate, etc.  If I get into more work than I anticipated I ought to look at either a small, dedicated tractor or look at a dozer or skidder.  I think I want the cab on the new tractor for the long haul so I can have more protection, including for those sprung saplings or yellow jackets or whatever.  I do remember one time on my Cat 977 that I was looking at some poles in some slash I was moving and it wasn't right next to me, but one was rubbing across another and soon they were scissoring and moving towards my head at an increasing rate of speed.  I stopped in time to avoid that bad haircut but yeah, it does make me think about having some kind of protection, even if it's going to cost me some new glass!
Thanks again for all the great advice guys!
ForestFriend

[John Mc]

Personally, I'd take limb risers and FOPS (falling object protection system) over a cab for working in the woods. I would beat a cab to death within a few trips into the woods. But then I live in Vermont, not the deep south, so having an air conditioned cab is not something I have much use for. 

Unless you are staying almost exclusively on prepared trails, a belly pan is also a good addition.