I have a Husqvarna 365, a brute of a saw, 20" blade, and tons of power. So far, it's been bulletproof.

 

I'm up to my eyeballs in deer - darn things draw in poachers every season. Not that I'm overly fond of deer, but I've about had it with the silly yahoos that sneak in, get boozed up, and start shooting at anything that moves. A fellow could take that rather personally...

That's my Husky 272XP in front of the quad. 32 inch bar - if you can keep the chain sharp, it'll rip through just about anything.

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: JohnO
I'm up to my eyeballs in deer - darn things draw in poachers every season. Not that I'm overly fond of deer, but I've about had it with the silly yahoos that sneak in, get boozed up, and start shooting at anything that moves. A fellow could take that rather personally...


Man, I wish MY problem was having a piece of property with too many deer. I think I could find a way to deal with them... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

 

I hear ya JohnO . Don't get me wrong I eat my share of them ( Bambis ). But it's like a war around here, 10 foot fence around garden deer fence everywhere. I had another security breach at the end of last year and the darn things about wiped me out. Got the apple trees ( again ) new berries of all kinds ( really mad about the Blueberries I was trying different kinds ) Thay are after the wifes bulb garden NOW !!! They also kick or head butt the bird feeders all the time ( Birds in Montana have it hard enough in the winter ) Some of them have no fear of me at all ( this is very embarrassing at times like the time I was giving a barbeque for about 20 and tried to chase them out of the flower garden a big doe just snorted and stomped at me she wasn't going anywhere. My friends loved this). I am willing to live and let live ( we do not shoot any deer on my property even during hunting season ) But I have been pushed about as far as I'm willing to go. This is war this year and I'm gonna win (trying new tactics this year).[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Hence the problem most likely. How big is your property? If it is fairly large you can often get the local DNR to come in and give you an idea about deer and habitat management. Not only can too many deer on your property cause problems with your orchards and garden they can also have a really detrimental effect on the actual “natural” land itself by over browsing. Also deer populations that are seriously out of whack can also become breeding grounds for disease that can not only endanger the deer herd at large (an other animals) but humans as well.

If you just have a small property and are surrounded by other deer habitat you may try to get your neighbors together and ask the DNR to help you formulate an effective deer and resource management plan for your entire area to bring the deer population down to a sustainable level. If you have any Bambi huggers in your area it may cause a problem. Their anthropomorphic sentimentality usually gets in the way of any sort of sound management of deer numbers or natural resources in general.

 

I use my ATV with a trailer my dad built that not only hauls
ATV but firewood as well and it will go anywhere the ATV will!

 

Get a big dog.... the deer won't stick around after they get chased a few times...

 

I ride the sportsman up in the woods and have my saw gas and oil and pack the Stihl MS 460 Magnum w/36" bar. Have fallen and cut up over a hundred hayracks (approx 4000 ton) of alder, maple & Fir. That saw is an animal go thru a couple chains a day on it and never touch the dirt. just cuts nicer and its safer with a fresh chain, I also Pack a Stihl O24 pro on my Raptor When out clearing trails. strap it to the nerfs and away ya go. You'd be surprised what kinda logs a raptor can skid out the trails.

 

my favorite trail cutting saw is an echo 3000 14 inch i can cut from dusk till dawn its so light. ive made dozen or so trails with it but when it comes to bigger stuff i like my stihl 026 its sick.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] i ride a prairie 650 but soon maybe an artic cat 650

 

Been logging professionally for 28 years. Stilh makes a good saw, have wore out many. Husky plastic is tougher and that it the saw I have used since stilh went to plastic. there fore having less break downs! As to size and chain speed- that needs to be custumized to indviuall needs.