Hay Cutting Attachment Saves Wildlife
By Ed McCrumb, Sr.

In the past while cutting my hay fields I have occasionally run over and killed deer fawns and turkey hens setting on their nests.  The fawns instinctively freeze and lie low and won’t move when frightened, and turkey hens will do the same trying to protect their nests. This was very alarming to me and I came up with an attachment for the front of my tractor that scares up the animals before I hit them.

I took a 2 inch pipe about 14 feet long (the width of my cutter) and drilled holes in it so that I could attach it to the bucket on the front end loader of my tractor. I then cut lengths of chain 15 inches long and welded them to the pipe, spacing them about 10 inches apart, for about 5 feet from each end of the pipe.  I then bolted the pipe to the bucket and secured it with bolts.  Holes had to be drilled in the bucket to match the ones on the pipe.

By attaching the pipe to the bucket you are able to quickly adjust the height of the drag chains above the ground. This arrangement allows enough time for the chains to hit a fawn, turkey, rabbit or other animal and make them jump up where they can be seen, and allows plenty of time to stop the cutter before it hits them.

If you use to small a pipe it will bend when the chains drag in the grass. Having the rig attached to the front end loader allows you to raise and lower it when going thru gates.

It’s very simple, but it works great, and saves the lives of Gods creatures.

Ed McCrumb Sr. is a member of the Lavaca County WMA and serves on TOWMA’s Advisory Committee