People use "brush hogging" and "forestry mulching" like they mean the same thing. They don't. Picking the right one saves you money and gets the job actually done.
- Brush hog: a rotary mower for tall grass, weeds and light saplings on open ground. Great for upkeep.
- Forestry mulcher: a heavy drum with carbide teeth for thick brush, honeysuckle and small trees.
- If it's a field that got away from you, brush hog. If it's turning into woods, mulcher.
What a brush hog does
A brush hog (rotary cutter) is basically a big, tough mower. It knocks down tall grass, weeds, goldenrod and small saplings on fairly open ground. It's fast and it's the right tool for keeping fields, pastures, lot edges and big open areas cut.
Where it struggles: thick, woody brush and anything that's grown into real stems. Run a brush hog through mature honeysuckle and you get shredded, splintered stumps and a lot of stuff left standing.
What a forestry mulcher does
A forestry mulcher is a tracked machine with a spinning drum full of carbide teeth. It grinds brush, honeysuckle, saplings and small trees into chips right where they stand and leaves a mulch layer behind. It can work in the woods, around trees you want to keep and through stuff a brush hog would bounce off.
How to tell which one you need
A brush hog is probably enough if:
- It's mostly grass and weeds, with saplings no thicker than a broom handle
- The ground is open, with no woods or big brush thickets
- It was mowed within the last few years
You need a mulcher if:
- There's honeysuckle, autumn olive or multiflora rose thick enough you can't walk through it
- Saplings have turned into small trees
- You're clearing in the woods, under trees or along fence lines
- It hasn't been touched in years
The common combo
A lot of properties need both. We mulch the overgrown edges and brushy sections once, then the open ground gets brush hogged or mowed to keep it that way. Once the woody stuff is gone, upkeep is cheap and easy.
We do both
We run forestry mulchers and do brush hogging and mowing, plus Ventrac work on slopes. Tell us what you've got, or send a photo, and we'll tell you which one it actually needs.
Common questions
Can a brush hog cut honeysuckle?
Light, young honeysuckle, yes. Mature honeysuckle thickets are too woody. A brush hog leaves shredded stems standing, so a forestry mulcher is the better tool.
What size trees can a forestry mulcher handle?
Brush, saplings and small trees easily. Bigger trees take longer, and we usually recommend keeping the big ones anyway. We'll tell you at the walkthrough.
Is forestry mulching more expensive than brush hogging?
Per hour, yes, because it's heavier equipment. But on thick brush it does what a brush hog can't, and once the woody stuff is gone, brush hogging keeps it cheap to maintain.
Do you do brush hogging?
Yes. We do brush hogging and mowing for fields, lots and pastures, plus Ventrac mowing on steep ground.
Get a free quote
Bulk Co is a forestry mulching and land clearing contractor based in Harrison, Ohio, serving properties within 50 miles of Greater Cincinnati. Tell us what you've got and we'll come walk it.