We are trying to purchase 82 acres for a family get away place and small hunting tract. The plan is to leave most of the cover, but I will cut and maintain shooting lanes, plant small food plots/wheat, shred open areas and other general work. Would a compact tractor in the 25-35 HP range be sufficient, or would something in the 45-60hp range be more appropriate for that acreage?

Get at least a 50hp.

IMO more power is never a wrong answer. I have a 55hp JD with the heaviest 6' shredder JD makes (MX-6), a small chisel plow, and tandem, and I can't fathom trying to cut anything of substance or do any real plowing with less. Granted, 82 acres isn't that large and if you have the free time, you can always hire the big stuff cut down to a level you can then manage. But if you get behind, it can get really depressing when it takes you an hour to do 1-2 acres.

I have a 4WD John Deere. 2 or 4WD with a front end loader. About 35 HP and for about 25 years has done everything I’ve wanted to do. Bought it new and 99% of the time, it sits idle. No regrets

This^^^
Look at Kubota MX5200 4WD
Mine is a 2016 model I bought it in 2019 with 120 hours on it and have had no issues in 6 years.

John Deere 4040 is 90 HP. It needs diesel, air, and hot batteries to fire up.

NOT a Synchrorange transmission.

I bought a deere 5065e cab brand new in 2018. We bought a new ranch in Wills Point that came with a kubota 7060 cab tractor. Besides the ac vent locations (deere is superior imo) the kubota is a much better much stronger tractor. I say that to say this. We ended up buying a 91 horse kubota and then a 97 horse kubota skid steer. The skid steer is a much more valuable piece of equipment than a tractor to me. In any scenario, I would buy once and buy right. Kubota and Deere last I looked still have 0% financing. The 7060 kubota tractor could be bought for around 650 a month.

I started with a 8n, the went to a deere 3038, to a ford new holland forget the model number but it was a 50 horse, to the deere 5065, to the 7060, to the m591.

I'd also advise getting a third function put on the front for a grapple bucket. (huge back saver)

I use my skid steer on a weekly basis. My tractor usually sits parked under roof from November to March.

Amen on the grapple bucket for a skid steer! Chain saws and pole saws make a mess. The skid steer and grapple clean up that mess in no time, with zero strain on my body.

I would get something bigger than 35hp, the problem with newer small tractors is not engine power as much as it is the stability from the weight of it. A front end loader is useless on a small tractor unless you have added weight in the rear, the neighbor boy has a nice little Kubota 30hp tractor and he leaves the shredder hooked up to it all the time for counterweight. He wears me out watching him try to work the little thing. Eventually he will destroy the driveline in it.

What ever you get, fill them tires with ballast and run low tire pressure.

First tractor, an old Allis Chalmers, had 22 HP and no bucket. Very slow shredding in high grass. Second tractor was a Kubota 4400 4WD and bucket. It was great until the neighbor got a new tractor with detachable bucket and grapple. I realized then what I was missing. Today’s Kubota is an MX5400 4WD, with detachable bucket and grapple. Also hydraulic top link on the rear and hydraulic lower right link and required hydraulics. Man, I get some use out of that grapple. I got a 5’ rather than a 6’ grapple.

In a wild session of spending, I also had them add an air-soft seat (made by Grammer). Easier on my back.

I should mention that I didn’t feel the need for advanced and unnecessary instrumentation. The MX5400 has what I need and no more than that. Also, the rear tires are water filled and tubeless.

At a minimum you need a 50 but I’d say go to a 70 with a skid steer type attachment plate with a set of remotes up front and you can do pretty much anything you want to do on 80 acres. The difference between a 50 and 70 doesn’t look like much on paper but it reality it’s huge.

in agreement with others that buying larger than you think you need. I've had 8n, 9n, 651, 951 Fords plus a few others for years growing up before getting a little 25 hp 4wd Kubota that outworked all those prior except didn't have the weight/hydraulics for some of my larger attachments. I found a clean 30 hp New Holland 4wd with loader for cheap that I used one summer but quickly found the 25 hp Kubota would outwork/out perform the NH and neither were big enough. I sold the NH & 951 and bought a Kubota L5450 (~60 hp 4wd with loader, shuttle shift) and it has been a great tractor for the past 16 years without any issues.

I recently found a used MX4700 for my daughter/son in law that does everything they need to do.

buy bigger than you think you need ... I also would strongly encourage 50+hp, 4wd, FEL with quick disconnects, additional hydraulics front & rear (for grappler or plows etc.), the shuttle shift makes a big difference to me ... I am a big believer in Kubota but JD would also be something I would consider in the larger hp ratings.

I can’t argue that more tractor isn’t better. But I will suggest really finding out what you want/need and shopping accordingly. If price isn’t a factor then get whatever floats your boat. Need does not equal want. If you can find a deal on more than you need by all means go for it but don’t drive yourself into the poor house because someone on the THF said you need a 70 hp tractor to cut your sendero.

I have a 1980 61 hp JD with a front end loader. My only regret is its not 4 wheel drive. I have been able to maintain my 100 acre's for 28 years so far.

I had an uncle once tell me to buy twice the hp I thought I needed because you will out grow it. I didn't listen. First tractor was a 40hp. 6 years later I bought a 75ph and now wish it had been a 90hp.

Well that’s exciting and fun! Congrats!

^^^^^^^^

There’s zero point in any tractor under 50HP, even under 60 is debatable

You highly limit implements not only in size but build quality

Must Haves:

4 wheel Drive
Front Loader
Minimum of 40 hp (50-60 would be better).

Whether or not to get a 'compact' tractor or a larger framed (and heavier) AG type tractor would depend on what you need it for.

For strictly 'maintaining' property, a compact tractor might work fine for you. You will have limited lifting capacity with the FEL (likely 1500 lbs or less), but that handles most chores (with proper ballast in the rear).

For comparison sake (not promoting one brand over another) look at the difference between 'L' Series Kubota's compared to 'M' Series.

If you have questions about 'Kubota' Tractors, ask here:

https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/

When I was buying my first Kubota, I was looking at an L series. The sales guy was pushing an M series. He said an L was a “grandpa tractor”. Maybe he was right, but it worked fine for what I needed (L4400DT). After maybe 18 years I stepped up to the MX5400 4WD because I couldn’t get all I wanted from an L. The Grand L offered what I needed, but the MX5400 was essentially the same price, and the Grand L had the fancy electronics that I hoped to avoid. With the grapple, the MX5400 will surprise you with what you can lift.

4 wheel drive, FEL, rear hydraulics. If you can’t lift a round bale(1500 lbs) your resale value will suck.

Depends on your needs. Where is the property? How much and what kind of cover? Big oaks that you want to keep? Plan on clearing roads? Bigger is not always better. Have a little 4wd hydro 30hp at my dad’s place that is handier than a pocket on a shirt. Reason being, I can do alot of work back in the woods where things are tight. I’m not bringing in a mulcher and taking down good hardwoods, and a 50hp can’t get back to all the spots I need work done. I pull my tractor over there when discing plots just so I don’t have to swap implements so much and keep the heavier work on my tractor. However, it has disced and planted all my food plots a few years. While normally I would agree 50hp+ would be ideal, it may not be for your situation.

Mine is a John Deere 3038e. Awesome tractor. Wanted 50hp but this one found me.
Do you have the truck/trailer to get it to the repair shop? Bigger is heavier.
4wd a must with FEL. Hydrostat is a great feature.

How far is the dealer for the brand of tractor you want to buy?

The land is on Stonewall county, has a deep drainage with a lot of elevation change. Mostly Mesquite with some Willow, Cottonwood and Hackberry. Most of the large trees are old growth Mesquite trees. I’m an hour away from Abilene and have a half ton truck to tow with and I have a trailer that 6’ wide and two 4,000 pound axles.