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Small Tractor Vs. ATV

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IowaBuckMaster

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I have talked to several others who use tractors for food plots.

I have read all the hallabalu about ATVs and running a complete Food Plot program with a 500cc ATV, and newer implements like the Plotmaster, or single hitch implements.

But the question I have, is this.

Does anyone actually use an ATV for their entire Food Plot operation? Tried it, done it or is doing it?

I have till the first mowing to decide but I want to talk with someone from the ATV side.

Have 30 minute drive to ground.
Have nothing now.
(Have kids who would much rather have an ATV for fun stuff.)

I have done some homework.
Looking at $5,000 for an older tractor and Implements.
$10,000+ for ATV and Implements. Could be more if bigger ATV. (New)

Please advise!
 
Anxious to see what others say as I am looking at same options. I already have a good new 4 wheeler though with mower, sprayer and harrow. My big issue though- I would hands down say tractor is better BUT for $5k I wonder if you'll be fixing the thing all the time while hopefully finding parts.
I was considering a well maintained John Deere 4020 Diesel. Reliable and easy to buy parts/fix. Look forward to seeing what others say.
 
I can say our first food plot we used our 600cc Yamaha Grizzly 4 wheeler with a 300lb disc. The disc was too light so we took it to town and had 2 tractor weights attached to it. Needless to say we were trying to turn a field of sod and it wasn't meant to be for the setup. We luckily had a bulldozer working on our ground fixing blown out terraces so we had him knock off the top layer of sod. Took the 4 wheeler to it and it worked alright, we couldn't go up any hills with it, just couldn't pull the setup. I would like to get a small tractor some day instead of the 4 wheeler. They both have their place in food plots but for our situation with no hard locations to plant I would take a tractor over wheeler any day.
 
How many acres do you plan to do?
How much time do you have?
Are you going to store on site or trailer home?
Are you somewhat mechanical?

There are quite a few $5000 tractors out there that will be going strong when a new ATV will be junk if used hard for plots. Lots of old implements with lots of plot life in them yet are being sold for scrap price right now.

If I could only have one, it would be the tractor. I use ATV for spraying and once in a while to pull a single section of spike tooth harrow.
 
The biggest question before this can be answered is how many acres. If I could only have one I would pick the tractor every time if you are working more than a couple acres annually.
 
OK Around 4ish Acresin several locations. The plots are done already and Frost seeded in clover. I will not have to break any new ground. And if I do, (I have a couple spots in mind) I have access to a tractor through a friend at work who offered to let me use it for this year.

So a rephrase would be, I have 4ish acres of established food plots. I have no sheds at the farm. So I would have to trailer down. Could leave while working spring and fall plots.

Sounds like I could maintian them with a ATV. Yes.
 
You can trailer a small tractor nearly as easy as a ATV. With a tractor you'll always have more power. If you find one with a loader you will alway find ways to save your back with it. Your kids won't blow through your deer hunting spot on your tractor. They both roll easy, one will just be slower doing it. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

This doesn't answer your question but I couldn't help myself. Either way your going to have fun being out there.
 
If your friend has a tractor that you can use, maybe you can work a deal out for renting it for a few days every year and go ahead and get the ATV. In time you can try a few implaments for the ATV so see if you like them or not, while still having access to the tractor. If you find out that the ATV is to lite, you may enough saved up to go ahead and buy a tractor.

Sligh1, if you can find a John Deere 4020 that is well maintained for 5 grand, you better jump on it. That tractor in good shape will bring anywhere from 10-14 grand at any sale.
 
I have both, but I will say that it's a heck of a lot easier to load the quad in the truck than it is to hook up the trailer, load the tractor on, and chain it down. If the plots are already established, I'm guessing your main use will be to spray, mow and seed...........if that's the case I'd use the quad.JMO
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CRITRGITR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have both, but I will say that it's a heck of a lot easier to load the quad in the truck than it is to hook up the trailer, load the tractor on, and chain it down. If the plots are already established, I'm guessing your main use will be to spray, mow and seed...........if that's the case I'd use the quad.JMO </div></div>

Ya...especially when you have a farmer friend with a big arse John Deere with a 40 foot field cultivator! Ha /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free!?
/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

i have heard that if you are doing smallish, 1-3 acres of plots, a large 600 or bigger quad will do all you need. the bigger the better. but i can see the bonuses to having a small tractor as well!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">spray, mow and seed </div></div>
I would sure hate to have to be stuck using an ATV for my plots rather then a tractor. There just is no comparison and depending on the size of the tractor it's no big deal to load it on a trailer. My JD has a loader so I just pick up the front end and drive up on the trailer...strap it down an go!

Having said that...it sounds like you could easily get away with using an ATV as Criter suggests.

Heck I do a lot of work by hand, a backpack sprayer and a hand seeder will be all you need for clover plots. If you have someone to till up sod for you then an ATV dragging an old harrow would be all you would need.

I think I would consider something like a Mule rather then conventional "4 wheeler" for safety and versitility if you decide to go with an ATV rather then tractor.

Just remember you can't do this:

Step2.jpg


or this:

Tillingitdown.jpg


OnePassTillage2.jpg


with a wimpy little ATV! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Thanks everyone. I did some calculating and counting some strip plots. I am looking at only 2ish acres of plots. No new sod to break.

Leaning toward ATV now. But

My biggest job will be mowing clover, And then roughing up the Clover before turnips or Rape.

How rough up do I need to do the clover? I was hoping an ATV disc cultivator would give me enough seed to soil contact for the turnips. Yes?
 
If I remember right most people just broadcast their turnips/brassicas in, just have a seed bed clear enough to let the seed get to the dirt, I would think a clover plot might work.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have done some homework.
Looking at $5,000 for an older tractor and Implements.
$10,000+ for ATV and Implements. Could be more if bigger ATV. (New)
</div></div>

Why not do both? I agree with your assessment that you can get an older tractor & equipment for $5K (about what I have in my D-17,plow,disc & mower). You should be able to get a decent used ATV for the remaining $5K (agree too kids like the ATVs better!).
 
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