Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting

I used to run a plow on my Polaris 325, no chains worked good for my driveway. Quit doing it because I ran out of room to put snow one year.

Is anyone using a lawn tractor with a plow blade? My son has an Ariens 17.5 Hp lawn tractor.

I sold lawn tractors for a long time and never suggested a blade on one. A snow blower will work 10 times as good. Lawn tractors don't have enough traction, power, or clearance to do even half as good as a 4 wheeler. If the tractor has 4 wheel drive it would do fine though.

I think my ATV blade is a Cycle Country or something.

A neighbor uses as blade on his John Deere to push the snow to the perimeter of the drive way, then makes one loop around with the snow blower. He uses chains.

I've never used chains on the ATV.

I run a 1999 foreman 400 with a 6ft moose plow.
This year I'm running chains on the rear that i got for free.

Thanks LabGuy for the insight. How does a smaller/midsize skid steer compare to a 4 wheeler for snow removal?

Bill Gilbertson wrote:Thanks LabGuy for the insight. How does a smaller/midsize skid steer compare to a 4 wheeler for snow removal?

Way better for piling snow up. If using wheels and have any slope can be a royal pain unless you're tracked.

In my experience, ATV is more fun than skid steer for snow. Skid steer is likely more efficient and can get a better surface scrape. No downward pressure with ATV blade other than gravity.

lanyard wrote:

Bill Gilbertson wrote:Thanks LabGuy for the insight. How does a smaller/midsize skid steer compare to a 4 wheeler for snow removal?

Way better for piling snow up. If using wheels and have any slope can be a royal pain unless you're tracked.

In my experience, ATV is more fun than skid steer for snow. Skid steer is likely more efficient and can get a better surface scrape. No downward pressure with ATV blade other than gravity.

If a guy bought a skidsteer is it easy to get hired out enough to pay for the machine?

You can and will have more fun In a skiddy, no ifs ands or but about it. Plus it has many more uses than just snow. Out here in the country anyways


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D.T. Hammer wrote:

lanyard wrote:

Bill Gilbertson wrote:Thanks LabGuy for the insight. How does a smaller/midsize skid steer compare to a 4 wheeler for snow removal?

Way better for piling snow up. If using wheels and have any slope can be a royal pain unless you're tracked.

In my experience, ATV is more fun than skid steer for snow. Skid steer is likely more efficient and can get a better surface scrape. No downward pressure with ATV blade other than gravity.

If a guy bought a skidsteer is it easy to get hired out enough to pay for the machine?

If you are talking getting hired by actual snow removal companies as a sub absolutely if you get snow. My buddies that do that full time in the Winter get about $80/hr for their skid steers and $100/hr for their trucks with plows. They just bought another skid steer this year.

I ran for them in bad years when they got tired, paid me $20 bucks an hour cash...so you'd still put plenty in your pocket. I don't do it anymore now that I'm on call all the time.


As far as the ramp...just push til you hit the end of the driveway then slowly raise the winch. After a snowfall or two and it settles it will be hard packed. Then you can push subsequent snow falls all the way over the top without breaking through.

I plow my office out with a skid steer but yeah any incline sucks. I've had to jerk it out of spots with my truck a few times. Most of the time you can just use the bucket to get out but in our dumpster pit I've gotten into some pretty bad spots.