# Cultipacker Questions



## NATTY BUMPO

Several "senior" members here, Ed Spin,FL,SG, and others, have testified to the superior planting results achieved by the use of cultipackers. The price of these things have gone thru the roof recently. I came across an approx eight foot, crowsfoot Brillion (pull type) recently but have a couple of questions:
1. Is the "crows foot" type as good as the more popular solid,ribbed models?? We have sandy loam soils.
2. What might be "fair market value" for such an implement which is not new. has some surface rust, but otherwise seems to be "field ready"??
Any experience/advice with this type 'packer would be appreciated.

Natty B.


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## Swamp Ghost

Best thing to do is to get one at auction. I see them routinely go for $150-300, while on an impliment lot they fetch $600-800.

I have no experience using the crow's foot type, but have seen them and they should do a comparable job.


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## bishs

That is the price range I see. They are not hard to find in mid-Michigan. They pop up for sale, and are common in farm auctions. There are quite a few old models laying behind barns in my area in Saginaw county. As a matter of fact, I am going to buy one today, the guy has an 8 foot cultipacker for $25. Still can't believe its that cheap.


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## johnhunter

NB, it is my understanding that crowfoot packers are best on lighter soil. Hence, you tend to find more of them in areas with that kind of soil type.

Good cultipackers in decent shape have largely vanished from the landscape in my travels. Used implement dealers that used to have a half dozen of them laying around now have none, and have buyers waiting.

I know of a little implement lot in Washtenaw County that has a few packers in it, all but one of them look to be in rough shape, with several busted wheels. There is one decent looking packer there, an 8 or 9 foot Brillion (the coveted 4" axle model), which I looked at Thursday. No idea on price. If anyone's interested, PM me for location. I don't have a phone # on it.


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## Luv2hunteup

I usually go the NE Michigan a few times every year. I'm always looking at the farm equipment lots. My last visit through I'm bet I saw a half dozen or more.

They are still available in the thumb and northern AG areas, don't give up, keep looking and buy what fits your needs the best.

With the demand I see on this site I'm seriously thinking about buying a bunch them up and modifying them for 3pt and ATV use. Until then I'll keep posting on where I see them for sale.

BTW Brillion is a good make and the crows foot model will work in your light soil. You can always add weight on top by chaining a log in place. As for $ there is still a wide range in prices. Not all cultipacker sellers read Ed's food plot articles. :lol: Without a doubt a dealer will be much higher.


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## NATTY BUMPO

Thanks for the replys guys. Yep, the one I'm looking at was at an implement dealer but they were closed when I came thru Sat nite. I'm gonna find out what they want for it on Monday. 

bishs, I keep lookin' for those $25 'packers but all I ever see is the $500 and UP kind.
SG, I went to a huge farm equipment auction in Buckley about a month ago. There were two Brillion cultipackers there; one was a cute little 4 footer (perfect for an ATV) and the other was 12 or 14 foot. Both were in nice shape and had recently been repainted. The little one went for $275 and the larger one for close to $900 dollars. So I'm gonna keep lookin'g and hoping to find one wo/ 10 other bidders there. :bouncy: The auctions are just getting started up here.

Natty B.


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## Grouse Hunter

Tell me about it. I am beginning to wonder if there is a way to create a cheap replacement. I'm beginning to wonder if some chain link fence and cinder blocks will work. What about harrows? Anyone try one?


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## Guest

Anything that is done to disturb, settle and pack the soil right after broadcasting seed is a plus. 

I designed and built a 6 row, disk bed till, fertilize, herbicide spray, and plant seeds like corn and soybeans that included a crowfoot cultipacker as one of five differant soil working tools on this rig. It took all, the eight tire JD 300 hp tractor could do, to pull it.

I like the crowfoot cultipacker and it served a special application for me. My rig created a raised bed with opposed disk blade assemblies by moving soil into a loose hill, then a three inch wide wave coulter running four inches deep was set in the center of this hill, which will be the intended plant row. The crowfoot packer was next, which packed and flattend the hill and conditioned the seed bed for planting. The crowfoot packer worked great. 

I believe it can work for many applications. It's soil working face (crowfoot design) mixes the soil and seed in addition to packing the soil. It dosen't leave a nice V groove like the traditional packer, but it works and it breaks down clods of soil found in your heavier type soils.

I broadcasted a brassica mix on April 2nd. on four acres of public land that was planted with rye grain last fall. I broadcasted 150 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre and ran the field over with a 10 foot V packer. All with an ATV that sure was a lot of fun. Sure enough the seeds, fertlizer and soil sled down the V groove and created the illusion that the seeds were planted in a row, for last weekend it looked like a young wheat field planted with a drill. This is hard to beat as far as insuring germination and emergence for small seeds.

For the above and other reasons I prefer a traditional V packer for food plots.

Keep the fun in hunting!


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## bucklessyooper

What exactly does a "crowfoot" cultipacker look like? I just picked up a 4 foot
"sod buster", at least that was what the guy I bought it from called it. It is 4
foot long, abuot 3 feet in diameter and has a bunch of spokes that come out
with flats on the end facing opposite directions. It weighs about 300 pounds
or so. I got it for $25.00 and figured I would use it as a cultipacker. Now I wonder if it really is some sort of a cultipacker.


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## sargent

crowsfoot packers are best for sandy soils as they don't "bulldoze" the soil as your pulling them through the soft soil. I got an 8' for $125 and it has wheels for transport too. I put an add in the local shopping guide and the farmer callled me. He even loaded it into the back of my truck. Dealers are much more expensive.


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## Grouse Hunter

This is beginning to make me crazy. I must be looking in all the wrong places. 25-125, all I have seen is 350 and up. Some of you guys have really hit the jackpot. I have been in contact with many of the auctioneers and they have some but they anticipate them going for 500 and up. If anyone gets any leads please drop a line here.


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## SalmonSlayer

Grouse Hunter said:


> This is beginning to make me crazy. I must be looking in all the wrong places. 25-125, all I have seen is 350 and up. Some of you guys have really hit the jackpot. I have been in contact with many of the auctioneers and they have some but they anticipate them going for 500 and up. If anyone gets any leads please drop a line here.


We must be looking in the same places! I'm seeing high prices too...That statement of finding leads applies to me too! If anyone knows of one, let me know asap! Thanks!


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## Jeff Sturgis

It's one thing to keep an eye open for one for a few years and finally run across one on an errant travel somewher, and other to find one at a "good" price when you need one! There is also a big difference between a 3-point hitch style, and a "drag-behind". I've found the 3-points for around $1500 new, and around 700-800 new, with a good supply, but none less and I'm a long way away from any ag area.

Also, an 8' would just about be too big for me, and a 10' would certainly be. If you guys know of a good 6-8' one in the 3-point style so I can pick it off the ground....let me know. I can't drag one around the property for several reasons, so I need the 3-point and would be happy to pay in the $700-$800 range for a decant one I could pick up with my trailor in lower MI, instead of having one shipped from that place down in KY, or someplace similar.


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## Luv2hunteup

Do a search I've posted where I've seen cultipackers by Marlette and in the Long Rapid/Lachine areas.


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## Alan Rygiel

If you want a inexpensive packers you probally need to purchase from a farmer. I use a large log, yes log.. I have it chained at both ends connected to a single chain at the middle. Works great.. You may want to try Yoder and Frey in Archbold,Ohio.. Just south of the Adrian,Mi. area. They are a clearing house/auction house for farm equipment. They have a huge selection of used/new equipment that a dealer couldn't sell. They even have a website..YoderandFrey...search it..You name it they have it.. Probally a 80acre lot of well organized/tagged equipment.. Worth the short drive. Prices are very good.My opinion..I'm not try to sell them, but it has such a huge selection.2nd., Try the farmer advance paper magazine. Farmers paper for farmers.. aides my research on equipment new/used/dealers/articles/fertilizers/etc..


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## Lew

Not knowing much about cultipackers and their use, let me ask a dumb question. Could a steel lawn roller be used as a cultipacker??? I have seen several places selling them far a few hundred dollars in various lengths. You fill them with water to get weight and then emptied when ready to store. I am thinking this may be a low cost solution to the cultipacker issue. Comments?? Thanks. Lew


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## bishs

I have always used a lawn roller, for packing my clover seeds ect. My lawn roller is plastic, and it took on a peculiar shape, after leaving it outside. I decided to buy a cultipacker instead. You can also pack your seed with your quad or tractor tires.


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## NATTY BUMPO

I called the dealer this AM re the 'packer I'd posted on above. Its in decent shape but not great, but it was a Brillion crowsfoot type. The price is $875 firm. NJ, its a pull type too. I'm gonna pass on this one and keep looking. If anybody's intersted in this one, its at Voelker Implement in Big Rapids. :banghead3 
Thanks for the tips, one of them will pan out someday.

Natty B.


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## Grouse Hunter

I found an 8' today. They want 300.00. Its in decent shape. Is this a reasonable price for an 8" cultipacker?


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## bucklessyooper

I am feeling real good about my purchase now! I found a picture of a crowfoot cultipacker and that is exactly what I just picked up for $25.00.

The site I found it on: http://www.sweettractors.com/used_equip_pg3.html#misc5
has the same one for $395.00 :lol:


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