Skid Steer Mulchers Logging Equipment Dismantled Machines

About Skid-Steer Mulchers

Sometimes referred to as “brushcutters” or “masticators,” mulchers provide an alternative to using a feller buncher, skidder, forwarder, and/or other equipment to cut, bundle, and haul vegetation away. A mulcher instead returns the material to the ecosystem to biodegrade while greatly reducing personnel and equipment requirements.

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Bobcat T740 Skid-Steer Mulcher

There are several types of mulchers, but most of them fall into one of two basic categories: dedicated mulchers on tracks or wheels and utility vehicles such as excavators or skid-steer loaders that can use mulcher heads, or attachments, to clear trees, brush, and other vegetation. A skid-steer mulcher can exchange its mulcher head for a bucket, forks, a grapple, or one of a number of other attachments as needed. And while larger purpose-built mulchers are typically adept at handling large land-clearing jobs, the smaller size and greater manoeuvrability of a skid-steer mulcher makes it better-suited for selective tree-clearing tasks in tight spaces, such as clearing bike and hiking trails or clearing storm damage in residential and commercial settings.

Pros & Cons

Known for their flexibility around a jobsite, skid-steer mulchers often use mulching heads that can shred trees ranging from around 15 to 20 centimetres (6 to 8 inches) in diameter. By comparison, other mulcher types may be able to handle trees with diameters reaching 76 cm (30 in.) or more. A skid steer’s lift arms, however, can enable a skid-steer mulcher to mulch some standing trees. When matching a mulching head to a skid steer, experts say it’s important to keep lift capacity and an attachment’s required power in mind. Mulching heads are available for both standard-flow and high-flow skid steers.

Keep Safe

Unlike purpose-built mulchers, skid steers aren’t always built with all the protection an operator needs to do forestry work. However, forestry kits are available that may include a front door, side windows, screens, and other safety features to guard against flying debris and other possible hazards.

Find The Right Mulcher

Leading brands of used skid-steer mulchers for sale on ForestryTrader.ca include ASV, Bobcat, Caterpillar, Kubota, Terex, and others.