dreingineer

My opinion is a trailer with a long tongue is mych easier to maneuver in reverse. I'd leave the tongue at length and move the winch post. You do need to make sure you have enough tongue weight though.

Technically you get two sets of teeth.

1. I'll camp in the left lane on older roads that have heavy truck traffic in the right lane causing a rough ride when I'm hauling horses.
2. I'm not sure anyone knows how to use cruise control anymore bc vehicles pass me very quickly and then slow down for no reason a few seconds after they pass.
3. I hope drivers of cars that pass me and then slow down when they get along another vehicle going slower in the right lane die a very slow and painful death. The sooner the better.
4. I get irrationally angry when pulling a trailer on the interstate because of the above reasons. People suck.

I built one a few years ago and used deer view windows. Have been very pleased with them.

Sticks out like a dick on a fish.

My thoughts for a camp/food plot tractor...

4WD is very nice for compact as it helps make up for the lack of weight for keeping traction while using ground-engaging tools (discs, box, rake, etc.). Do not think 4WD will allow you to get into places you shouldn't take a tractor. It just allows you to get further in the crap before you get stuck. 4WD also helps traction when overloading the front-end loader without a counter weight.

FEL has been the most useful implement on my tractor and I highly recommend. Look for one that is easy to remove because it does add a good bit of length. I typically leave the FEL on during early season clippiing roads/trails, then remove for prepping food plots. Just make sure you remove on a flat/level area that won't shift or you will need another tractor with a FEL to get it positioned perfectly...Learned that the hard way.

I would also recommend looking at "standard" size open station utility tractors. They can be found at reasonable prices, and you don't necessarlily need 4WD as the tractor size and weight will give you basically the same ground-engaging power as a 4WD compact. You may be able to find one for roughly the same budget as a 25-40 HP compact 4WD. I would not hesitate to have a 45-60 HP utility tractor as a dedicated camp tractor.

For the record I have a 30 HP L-series Kubota (4WD with FEL) that does great with ground work, but wish it had a little more PTO power for clipping.

I don't take automotive advice from anyone that can't be trusted to pump their own gas...I've been to NJ and had my rights read to me for the sin of touching the gas nozzle at the pump.

Definitely get a small tractor. Small Kubota with front-end loader with pallet forks and front bucket is perfect. Get a bush-hog, auger, box grader, and bionic blade. You will be surprised with how many uses you will find. driving T-posts with the bucket, dragging limbs out the yard, filling low spots in the yard, grading gravel driveway, picking up anything that's too heavy to manually lift, the uses are endless!

For the building layout, I would put finished storage as second story with stair access (with landing) from inside shop. Make it as wide as the shop. Headroom can be whatever your original building height allows since it will be lower along the side walls (where the items are stored) but get higher in the center. Put in a set of double doors in the middle that open into the shop so you can use the tractor bucket to lift/lower heavy or bulky stuff. Or you can put in a dumbwaiter that lowers through the floor.

Leave the bathroom downstairs, but move to the corner by the house (closer sewer/water).

Put the small garage door for mowers/small equipment in the left side wall (under the awning on the left) below the finished storage.

I would put two single large doors (12' wide preferred, 10' min) on the house side instead of a single and double. The doubles are expensive and will not be symmetrical. I would put both towards the left side of the building. Make sure you have a walk-thru door near the big doors and areas you plan to access frequently.

The awning along the side for trailers is a great idea. You could also put awning along the back to park tractor and implements and general outdoor storage if needed.

As far as the land/hobbies, I would fence off an acre or so in the corner to raise a couple head of calves to slaughter. You could raise 2 head a year and sell one that would probably cover the expenses for feed/processing. We also get property tax cuts in LA for "ag" use. Buy in Feb. and slaughter in Nov. so you don't have to worry about wintering. Then you can work on the Bronco and Tonka toys inside during the winter!

Congrats on the retirement! This sounds like exactly what I would enjoy when I reture in 15-20 years!

I own one (Weatherby Mark V Accumark shooting 180 grain Fusion) and use it to hunt a pipeline ROW in South LA. Mainly because it has a better scope, but it also carries around 50% more energy at 300 yards than my 308 (Tikka CTR shooting 165 Federal SGK), and I'm not a fan of tracking deer. I have only shot one buck with it, and I got a bang-flop at 340 yards on a shot slightly quartering towards me. The shot entered high shoulder and exited in front of opposite hip, so there was really no damage to the meat (and somehow didn't bust the guts).

I do agree with others that say it is not necessary for whitetail as it is looooong and not very easy to maneuver in a box stand, heavy, and has pretty stout recoil.

But the downrange energy is nice. It 's pretty convenient when you take those late shots near the end of shooting hours and get blinded by the muzzle flash to get back in the scope and see your trophy laying right where he stood.

Single shot trust, submitted form Jan. 9 2024 and picked it up today.

Had a similar situation in a horse trailer...Check the fuses on the back of the converter itself. This solved my problem. That converter sends power to the batteries for charging while you are connected to shore power so they may have shorted to ground and blown the fuses.