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Foggy- great advice! I definitely want to hit the 1 acre per hour mark if possible or better. It appears I could step it up to the 40 hp model (4105 I think) and get a 6-7' tiller on it if you think 10+ acres is a little big for a 3038. I just will not be able to put the loader on it right away. Have you ever had rocks wedged between tines? How about fuel consumption per acre on yours?Specs show around 2.5 gallons per 1 hour of running???
A JD 4105 is a geared drive tractor. One of the last things I would give up would be a hydro tranny on a tractor. Also a loader......not gonna happen for me. If you don't do much HD pulling with a plow or a disk... and don't need HD loader specs.....then these lighter tractors (like the 3038) seem to be a fair choice for plotting needs.
(IMO......Don't go the route of adding a loader at a later date.....as it's gonna cost more and most guys never get it done. The loader is one of the best things you could have......and you need the weight on the front end....etc, etc. )
Conversely.....if you want / need the great loader specs and three point specs.....and lots of hydraulic capacity for other purposes.......and want to pull disks and plows......then these may not be the right tractor for you.
I'm not really sure if I'd go with a six or a five foot tiller on a 3038. I'd have to read a bit and ask lots of questions to know. But I'd bet I'd do similar work with either......just by altering the ground speed due to the load. Again, I don't know what kinda ground you have(?). Either a five or six would cover your wheel tracks....which is a big consideration.
Most guys doing food plot work won't put 100 hours a year on a tractor. Likely more like 50 hours. The fuel consumption is not a huge deal. I have three 5 gallon cans for diesel fuel.....and I get along just fine. A full days work is about six gallons of fuel. A gallon an hour under load is my best guess (With my 30 PTO HP unit.). I'd guess most of these little tractors are similar.
I can't recall having a rock wedged into my tiller tines.....but I suppose it could have happened. Mostly the tiller just rides up and over the bigger rocks. No big deal. I've had LOTS of stumps wedged tight in the tiller. I keep a 4' crow bar attached to my tiller for just such an occasion. Some are tough to get out. Also have wrapped lots of wire fence in the tiller and lots of sticks and vegetation. A bolt cutter takes care of wire......and a lopper or a sawzall take the wrapped vegetation out....along with a little cussing.
For me it's hard to "justify" spending more on a tractor for food plotting. I'm already over "budget".....lol.