A brush hog, otherwise known as a bush hog, is a heavy piece of machinery and, as such, is a piece of machinery which calls for a great amount of care while operating it. Our goal in this article is to provide you with a few safety steps to consider before you climb aboard a brush hog and tackle heavy vegetation for the first time.
We are Keith’s Tractor Mowing, serving the Greater Fort Worth area with affordable acreage mowing and brush hogging services. Call us today for current pricing and a free quote for your lot mowing job.
What is a brush hog?
A brush hog or “bush hog” is a type of rotary mower typically attached to the back of a farm tractor. The blades are not rigidly attached, like a lawnmower blade, but are on the hinges. The rotary blades are not sharpened and are instead usually quite dull, so they whack through dense plant growth.
Smaller brush hogs are mounted on the three-point hitches of tractors. Larger ones are attached to the drawbar of the tractor and the head is raised and lowered by the hydraulic system of the tractor. Yet even larger ones, known as “bat wing,” mowers, are like the tow behind mowers but have two sides in addition to a mower in the middle, and the sides are raised and lowered hydraulically. These mowers are typically up to fifteen feet in diameter and need relatively high horsepower tractors.
Safety steps to consider.
Before you purchase a brush hog . . . before you rent a bush hog . . . before you operate one, consider this list of safety steps to take:
- Take your time so you can become familiar with the equipment.
- Start in low grass and move into heavy areas that need clearing.
- Keep the machine clear of obstacles.
- Drive the brush hog slowly until you become more accomplished at running the tractor with a rough mower attached.
- Remove the bucket on your tractor before bush hogging.
- Keep an eye out for obstacles such as rocks or holes.
- Pay attention to how the roll bar is moving while brush hogging and pay attention to the temperature gauge while operating the hog.
Shortcuts and being in a hurry can be dangerous.
Are brush hogs a necessity? If you own a ranch or farm, at some point the use of a “hog” will be necessary? Clearing paths for fencing will oftentimes require eliminating heavy brush. Readying a pasture can require a brush hog. The question then is how often would you need one and would that justify spending tens-of-thousands-of-dollars to purchase one?
If the answer to that question is yes then we urge you, if you are untrained and a novice, to take your time, read all of the instructions, and start out on relatively short vegetation. You will gain confidence with experience. The tendency is to get the job done as quickly as possible, but that tendency also leads to serious injuries.
Not sure what to do? We then suggest you hire the job out to an experienced, commercial mowing service. The cost is affordable compared to the cost of purchase, the job will be done correctly, and in the meantime, you can save up for the day when you have the confidence and funds, to make that purchase.
A final word about Keith’s Tractor Mowing.
Keith’s Tractor Mowing is a trusted name in the Fort Worth Metro area. Call us for all of your lot mowing needs, from ranch mowing to pipeline mowing, from HOA services to baseball field mowing, we have the experience to do the job right.