Fence Row & Fence Line Clearing in Clinton, Iowa
A fence row that has gone to brush costs you field edge, fence repairs and a lot of aggravation. Around Clinton, we clear them with a forestry mulcher and leave a row you can see, reach and keep open.
- Free estimates
- Owner-run by James
- Illinois Valley to the Quad Cities
Right-of-Way Clearing around Clinton
This page is about one job: overgrown fence rows and fence lines on farm ground, pasture and acreage. That means mulberry, box elder, multiflora rose, wild grape and saplings growing up through the wire. We take that growth down and grind it where it stands. There are no brush piles to burn and nothing to haul.
OPS works out of Ohio, Illinois, and the Iowa side of the Quad Cities is part of our regular area. Clinton is the county seat and the easternmost city in Iowa, right across the Mississippi from Fulton, Illinois. Work this far west is planned ahead and grouped with other jobs, so an early call helps.
If you have timber to open up or a bigger area to clear, our forestry mulching and land clearing page for that area covers that. For fence rows, read on, then call James at (815) 240-9065 or use the contact form.
What the job covers
- Mulching brush and saplings along one or both sides of the wire
- Working close to a fence you plan to keep
- Clearing the route ahead of a new fence
- Taking out trees that lean over or grow into the line
- Pushing field edges back so equipment can turn
- Opening field entrances and lanes that have closed in
- A plan for keeping the row open afterward
Right-of-Way Clearing in Clinton: what to know
What a cleared fence row looks like
When the mulcher leaves, the row is open to the width you asked for. The wire is visible again, the posts can be reached, and a layer of ground-up wood covers the soil. That cover keeps the ground from washing and breaks down over the next few seasons.
Roots stay in the ground, so soft regrowth comes back. A bush hog pass once or twice a year keeps it from closing in again. For more on the two machines, see bush hogging vs forestry mulching.
Keep the fence or start over?
Decide this before the machine shows up, because it changes how the job runs. If the fence stays, the operator works along it with care and leaves a narrow strip right at the wire. Vines twisted through the strands may need hand work afterward.
If the fence is coming out, clearing first makes the old wire and posts far easier to pull and the new line easier to build. Tell us about old wire lying on the ground, steel posts or junk buried in the brush. Mulcher teeth and loose wire do not mix.
Neighbors, property lines and Iowa fence law
Many fence rows sit on or near a property line. Talk with the neighbor before brush on their side comes down. If you are not sure where the line is, a land surveyor can find and mark it. Do not assume the old fence is on the line.
Iowa's rules on partition fences between neighbors are in Iowa Code chapter 359A. Under that chapter, the trustees of the township serve as fence viewers when neighbors cannot settle a fence question. Read the chapter, or ask an attorney, before relying on it. If new posts are going in, call Iowa One Call at 811 first so buried lines get marked.
Timing around crops and cattle in Clinton County
Rows beside crop ground are usually cleared after harvest and before planting, when the field can carry a tracked machine. Frozen ground can be a good window on soft rows. Pasture rows depend on where the cattle are and whether the fence has to hold the whole time.
Low fields, such as ground near the Wapsipinicon River along the Scott County line, may need to wait for dry or frozen conditions. Our fence row clearing guide covers timing and planning in more detail.
Right-of-Way Clearing on real jobs
Every photo here is from a real OPS job. See more recent work. Or read about our full right-of-way clearing service.
Clinton right-of-way clearing questions
Not seeing yours? Call or text (815) 240-9065 and ask James, or read the common questions.
How do I get a price on fence row clearing near Clinton?
Walk the row and note its length, how thick it is and whether the fence stays. Send photos and the location to (815) 240-9065 or through the form. James will tell you how the job would run and give you a real number.
Do you clear fence rows on the Illinois side, around Fulton and Albany?
Yes. Whiteside County is part of our regular area, so Fulton, Albany and Thomson are covered along with the Iowa side. Jobs on both sides of the river can often be grouped into one trip.
Will clearing damage the wire I want to keep?
The operator works carefully along a fence that stays and leaves a narrow strip at the wire. Old or rusted wire can still snap where brush has grown through it, so we talk through the condition of the fence before starting.
Who settles a fence disagreement between neighbors in Iowa?
Iowa Code chapter 359A makes the township trustees the fence viewers for partition fence disputes. Read the chapter or speak with an attorney about your situation. We clear where the owners have agreed the line is.
How do I keep a cleared fence row from growing back?
Mow it. A bush hog pass once or twice a season keeps regrowth soft and short. That is far less work than letting it go and mulching the row again in a few years.
Clinton & Clinton County
We cover Clinton and the communities around it, including:
Somewhere else? See our full service area or call (815) 240-9065.
What people say after
Word for word from the OPS Google Business Profile. Recent jobs are on Facebook.
“James has done a wonderful job for us. He is timely, efficient and willing to travel where needed. You will not be disappointed.”
“OPS does what they say they’ll do, and do it efficiently and at a fair price. You’ll be glad you hired them.”
“James is a good communicator… he has some super equipment and for sure endeavors to do a great job. He recently rototilled some property for me… then planted it with oats and grass seed. Now it can rain all it wants!!”
“OPS did an amazing job on our property. We hired them to install a drainage system for our pool area, level the ground…”
From First Call to Usable Ground
Call or Text
Call or text (815) 240-9065 or send the form. Roughly how many acres, what is growing and whether a truck and trailer can get in.
We Look at the Ground
James looks at the ground before he gives you a number, so the estimate fits the job in front of him.
The Work Gets Done
We agree on what comes out and what stays. Then the machines go to work, with James running them.
Ground You Can Use
You are left with ground you can walk, mow, build on or farm, and the topsoil stays where it belongs.
Need right-of-way clearing in Clinton?
Tell us roughly how many acres, how thick it is, and whether a truck and trailer can get to it. That’s usually enough for a real number.
Straight to James. No call center.
Got a piece of ground?
Tell us roughly how many acres, how thick it is, and whether a truck and trailer can get to it. That’s usually enough for a real number.