Technical Detail and Observations:
The first prototype Stump Stoppers were built for two main purposes, alleviating back fatigue from the repeated bending associated with the use of chainsaws and applicator bottles, and the pursuit of greater efficiency in controlling exotic, invasive shrubs, specifically bush honeysuckle. And, although cut stem treatment did offer advantages in providing more reliable results than foliar treatment, particularly on larger shrubs, follow-up foliar treatments were still rather extensive, particularly when only mature shrubs had been treated during an initial cut-stem treatment.
Formerly, in this scenario, given the rapid growth rate exhibited by invasive shrubs and the necessity of growing season follow-ups, the operator or land manager was faced the subsequent growing season with fairly sizable targets to spray making the challenge of minimizing collateral damage to valuable native plants either extraordinarily time consuming, or compromised; some damage realistically was to be expected. This situation was often exacerbated by the aforementioned growth rate whereby a shrub that has been three feet tall during the initial cut-stem treatment has in the next season become a six foot tall shrub making drift control a much greater consideration and concern.
Treatments made with a bottle were very time consuming, particularly when addressing multiple stems (all of which need treatment), when higher cuts were performed or in post burn conditions where re-sprouting at the root collar has occurred (or following previous ineffective treatment attempts).
Still, the limitation persisted in that it was impractical to sever the smaller shrubs with a chainsaw, and difficult for a second individual to locate stems previously severed with a brush saw, this practice often resulting in missed stems and taller cutting, both of which resulted in less than ideal final results.
The Stump Stopper has been tested and has evolved to be a reliable and effective tool even in very remote areas with the durability to withstand daily commercial use. It has proven itself effective on many species of invasive woody plants and trees on extreme slopes, in sensitive areas with threatened and endangered species present, in prairies, forests, and wetlands in all seasons in temperatures from 14 degrees (F) to 110 degrees.
Observations from 6 years of testing:
-Herbicide use initially seemed to increase, however this was found to be directly correlated to the dramatically increased number of stems an operator was now capable of treating in a day’s time (IE. More stems treated equals more volume utilized). It should be noted that the Stump Stopper is built for speed and accuracy; the operator must use discretion as herbicide is applied using only as much as is required to appropriately treat the severed stem(s). Cuts should be made as close to the soil surface as practicable as often stem count is reduced when cuts are performed in this fashion and kill rate is also enhanced. See the leaf litter management section of the operations guide in your Owner’s Manual.
-There are virtually no stems cut that miss treatment. The only exceptions being those accidentally cut below the soil surface, those inaccessible from a log rolling on the cut, or the rare occasion of losing a cut stem in deep leaf litter (sharp blades help eliminate the latter). See the operations guide in your Owner’s Manual.
-Small shrubs (down to about one foot in height) can now be effectively and efficiently treated with cut stem treatment. Testing has revealed that the time required for cut stem treatment utilizing a Stump Stopper is actually less per target as compared to foliar treatment with a backpack sprayer when treating shrubs greater than one foot tall. This is especially true if any consideration is given to mitigating collateral damage to susceptible adjacent plants. The one foot height is approximately the point at which treatment time per shrub is equivalent for foliar versus Stump Stopper treatment. More on this subject…
-Collateral damage is virtually nonexistent as compared to foliar treatment. As the herbicide is applied very near the targeted stem and only inches from the soil surface, there is practically no influence of drift or overspray. Caution of course should always be exercised, especially if a herbicide is selected that exhibits known volatility (vapor drift) or soil activity.
-Fuel usage is reduced as compared with chainsaw operation. This is attributed to a couple of factors, one being the nature of a clearing saw (brush saw) in that with the additional reach afforded, it is not necessary to cut your pathway to the main stem(s) to the same degree as with a chainsaw; the second being reduced engine speed averages since when a Stump Stopper equipped saw is utilized properly, only a burst of higher rpm is usually required and on smaller stems wide open throttle positions are rarely needed. In light cutting conditions this lengthens operational time between fuel stops by about an hour. More…
-The relationship of tank pressure, nozzle adjustment, and application height can be varied and matched to your target characteristics.
-Sharp blades are a key to efficiency as the close proximity of the cutting head to the severed stem after the cut allows the operator to apply the herbicide within seconds if not milliseconds. Re-sharpenable blades take a really long time to bring back to 100% after a substantial rock strike; frequent sharpening is necessary and requires skill that not all possess. We recommend carbide blades.
-Initial invasive woody treatments approaching 100% are attainable, particularly when followed by a prescribed burn to reduce the seedbank in the leaf litter.
-Safety chaps are usually unnecessary, as thrown chains are not present, but may be desirable when dealing with thorny species and conditions.
-Greatly reduced inadvertent herbicide exposure to the operator’s gloves, hands, and legs.
-Greatly reduced number of nuisance injuries like cuts and scratches from twigs or bruises from material thrown by a chain.
-The Stump Stopper is also very effective when used in Timber Stand Improvement.
-No bar oil needed. “One less thing” to quote Mr. Forrest Gump, as well as no bar oil to clear from goggles.
-Much less sawdust in shirt, socks, pants, undergarments, beards, and mouth than with chainsaw use.
-Water bottle carriers attached to the brush saw harness don’t make your pants ride down.
-Saw blades are much more effective on woody material than rock.
-Sliding down talus slopes is generally undesirable and may result in broken shoelaces in two boots.
-Lunchtime sandwiches are more palatable when eaten with hands that are not stained from blue dye.
-Screnches are better when found in toolboxes and pockets than sticking out of ATV tires.
-These last observations were intended for your enjoyment, and I’m sure you will also enjoy your new Stump Stopper. Thanks
More on this subject: (from above)
Additionally, it was found that herbicide use (corrected for concentration differences) was virtually identical between the two methods, or at least within the variability of site conditions. Another advantage was discovered when working in remote areas away from any trails was the reduced volume of material that was needed for an operator to carry deep into the forest. Depending on plant density, and including the addition of fuel required (for the saw and sawyer), an operator can carry all supplies for an operational day, usually around six tanks of fuel and seven or eight man hours. Don’t try that with foliar backpack treatments! The time and energy spent retrieving additional herbicide solution from a trail side reserve tank in this scenario can be spent instead on increased invasive eradication.
More: (from above)
In these extended periods of operation in lightly infested areas it was found that the Stump Stopper was less strenuous to carry than multiple gallons of herbicide solution while seeking scattered woodies to treat. Although the previously mentioned reasons were the primary impetus for the design, in using them for numerous seasons now, other unanticipated advantages became apparent. The ease with which small targets could be treated encouraged increasingly smaller targets to be treated, basically down to where recognition of species became the determinant factor. *(Exception 1) Then, in following-up the subsequent growing season on project areas where initial Stump Stopper treatments had been utilized, it was found that except for the occasional escapee (the “How did we miss that one?” bush), it was not practical to pursue a next year growing season treatment, as the early growth shrubs are so small they cannot efficiently be located where herbaceous growth is present. It may be advisable to scout these areas when the target species are in bloom, effectively “flagging” larger bushes that have reproductive capability, in order to catch the escapee(s).
*(Exception 1): High degrees of variability are often exhibited from one site to another relative to the seedling populations present and although the Stump Stopper allows for very small shrubs to be treated, several factors must be considered, the plant identification skills of the operators, the management plans for the future on a given acreage, other native and invasive species present, and the total area of very high seedling populations present. In those circumstances in which very high seedling populations are localized, the Stump Stopper may be utilized efficiently and serve to expand the time frame between scheduled re-entry (allowing for an increased number of acres to receive initial treatments). When the greatest portion of the total area is infested with shrubs less than approximately the one foot level, a foliar treatment follow-up may be appropriate, in that although the Stump Stopper is very efficient, it does not permit the treatment of many shrubs simultaneously. The operator must also (as always) be mindful of observing not to exceed rates as listed on the herbicide specimen label.
The first prototype Stump Stoppers were built for two main purposes, alleviating back fatigue from the repeated bending associated with the use of chainsaws and applicator bottles, and the pursuit of greater efficiency in controlling exotic, invasive shrubs, specifically bush honeysuckle. And, although cut stem treatment did offer advantages in providing more reliable results than foliar treatment, particularly on larger shrubs, follow-up foliar treatments were still rather extensive, particularly when only mature shrubs had been treated during an initial cut-stem treatment.
Formerly, in this scenario, given the rapid growth rate exhibited by invasive shrubs and the necessity of growing season follow-ups, the operator or land manager was faced the subsequent growing season with fairly sizable targets to spray making the challenge of minimizing collateral damage to valuable native plants either extraordinarily time consuming, or compromised; some damage realistically was to be expected. This situation was often exacerbated by the aforementioned growth rate whereby a shrub that has been three feet tall during the initial cut-stem treatment has in the next season become a six foot tall shrub making drift control a much greater consideration and concern.
Treatments made with a bottle were very time consuming, particularly when addressing multiple stems (all of which need treatment), when higher cuts were performed or in post burn conditions where re-sprouting at the root collar has occurred (or following previous ineffective treatment attempts).
Still, the limitation persisted in that it was impractical to sever the smaller shrubs with a chainsaw, and difficult for a second individual to locate stems previously severed with a brush saw, this practice often resulting in missed stems and taller cutting, both of which resulted in less than ideal final results.
The Stump Stopper has been tested and has evolved to be a reliable and effective tool even in very remote areas with the durability to withstand daily commercial use. It has proven itself effective on many species of invasive woody plants and trees on extreme slopes, in sensitive areas with threatened and endangered species present, in prairies, forests, and wetlands in all seasons in temperatures from 14 degrees (F) to 110 degrees.
Observations from 6 years of testing:
-Herbicide use initially seemed to increase, however this was found to be directly correlated to the dramatically increased number of stems an operator was now capable of treating in a day’s time (IE. More stems treated equals more volume utilized). It should be noted that the Stump Stopper is built for speed and accuracy; the operator must use discretion as herbicide is applied using only as much as is required to appropriately treat the severed stem(s). Cuts should be made as close to the soil surface as practicable as often stem count is reduced when cuts are performed in this fashion and kill rate is also enhanced. See the leaf litter management section of the operations guide in your Owner’s Manual.
-There are virtually no stems cut that miss treatment. The only exceptions being those accidentally cut below the soil surface, those inaccessible from a log rolling on the cut, or the rare occasion of losing a cut stem in deep leaf litter (sharp blades help eliminate the latter). See the operations guide in your Owner’s Manual.
-Small shrubs (down to about one foot in height) can now be effectively and efficiently treated with cut stem treatment. Testing has revealed that the time required for cut stem treatment utilizing a Stump Stopper is actually less per target as compared to foliar treatment with a backpack sprayer when treating shrubs greater than one foot tall. This is especially true if any consideration is given to mitigating collateral damage to susceptible adjacent plants. The one foot height is approximately the point at which treatment time per shrub is equivalent for foliar versus Stump Stopper treatment. More on this subject…
-Collateral damage is virtually nonexistent as compared to foliar treatment. As the herbicide is applied very near the targeted stem and only inches from the soil surface, there is practically no influence of drift or overspray. Caution of course should always be exercised, especially if a herbicide is selected that exhibits known volatility (vapor drift) or soil activity.
-Fuel usage is reduced as compared with chainsaw operation. This is attributed to a couple of factors, one being the nature of a clearing saw (brush saw) in that with the additional reach afforded, it is not necessary to cut your pathway to the main stem(s) to the same degree as with a chainsaw; the second being reduced engine speed averages since when a Stump Stopper equipped saw is utilized properly, only a burst of higher rpm is usually required and on smaller stems wide open throttle positions are rarely needed. In light cutting conditions this lengthens operational time between fuel stops by about an hour. More…
-The relationship of tank pressure, nozzle adjustment, and application height can be varied and matched to your target characteristics.
-Sharp blades are a key to efficiency as the close proximity of the cutting head to the severed stem after the cut allows the operator to apply the herbicide within seconds if not milliseconds. Re-sharpenable blades take a really long time to bring back to 100% after a substantial rock strike; frequent sharpening is necessary and requires skill that not all possess. We recommend carbide blades.
-Initial invasive woody treatments approaching 100% are attainable, particularly when followed by a prescribed burn to reduce the seedbank in the leaf litter.
-Safety chaps are usually unnecessary, as thrown chains are not present, but may be desirable when dealing with thorny species and conditions.
-Greatly reduced inadvertent herbicide exposure to the operator’s gloves, hands, and legs.
-Greatly reduced number of nuisance injuries like cuts and scratches from twigs or bruises from material thrown by a chain.
-The Stump Stopper is also very effective when used in Timber Stand Improvement.
-No bar oil needed. “One less thing” to quote Mr. Forrest Gump, as well as no bar oil to clear from goggles.
-Much less sawdust in shirt, socks, pants, undergarments, beards, and mouth than with chainsaw use.
-Water bottle carriers attached to the brush saw harness don’t make your pants ride down.
-Saw blades are much more effective on woody material than rock.
-Sliding down talus slopes is generally undesirable and may result in broken shoelaces in two boots.
-Lunchtime sandwiches are more palatable when eaten with hands that are not stained from blue dye.
-Screnches are better when found in toolboxes and pockets than sticking out of ATV tires.
-These last observations were intended for your enjoyment, and I’m sure you will also enjoy your new Stump Stopper. Thanks
More on this subject: (from above)
Additionally, it was found that herbicide use (corrected for concentration differences) was virtually identical between the two methods, or at least within the variability of site conditions. Another advantage was discovered when working in remote areas away from any trails was the reduced volume of material that was needed for an operator to carry deep into the forest. Depending on plant density, and including the addition of fuel required (for the saw and sawyer), an operator can carry all supplies for an operational day, usually around six tanks of fuel and seven or eight man hours. Don’t try that with foliar backpack treatments! The time and energy spent retrieving additional herbicide solution from a trail side reserve tank in this scenario can be spent instead on increased invasive eradication.
More: (from above)
In these extended periods of operation in lightly infested areas it was found that the Stump Stopper was less strenuous to carry than multiple gallons of herbicide solution while seeking scattered woodies to treat. Although the previously mentioned reasons were the primary impetus for the design, in using them for numerous seasons now, other unanticipated advantages became apparent. The ease with which small targets could be treated encouraged increasingly smaller targets to be treated, basically down to where recognition of species became the determinant factor. *(Exception 1) Then, in following-up the subsequent growing season on project areas where initial Stump Stopper treatments had been utilized, it was found that except for the occasional escapee (the “How did we miss that one?” bush), it was not practical to pursue a next year growing season treatment, as the early growth shrubs are so small they cannot efficiently be located where herbaceous growth is present. It may be advisable to scout these areas when the target species are in bloom, effectively “flagging” larger bushes that have reproductive capability, in order to catch the escapee(s).
*(Exception 1): High degrees of variability are often exhibited from one site to another relative to the seedling populations present and although the Stump Stopper allows for very small shrubs to be treated, several factors must be considered, the plant identification skills of the operators, the management plans for the future on a given acreage, other native and invasive species present, and the total area of very high seedling populations present. In those circumstances in which very high seedling populations are localized, the Stump Stopper may be utilized efficiently and serve to expand the time frame between scheduled re-entry (allowing for an increased number of acres to receive initial treatments). When the greatest portion of the total area is infested with shrubs less than approximately the one foot level, a foliar treatment follow-up may be appropriate, in that although the Stump Stopper is very efficient, it does not permit the treatment of many shrubs simultaneously. The operator must also (as always) be mindful of observing not to exceed rates as listed on the herbicide specimen label.