# Best way to remove fence posts **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923 "2008-04-11T18:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/21 "2008-04-13T06:39:07Z")
Though many of the ideas discussed have already been mentioned in this thread, [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=388590&highlight=fence+post) is an older thread on the subject of fence post removal. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/22 "2008-04-13T07:24:53Z")
Levers are all well and good, but the _best_ ways all involve diesel engines powering hydraulic rams. Although if the post is strong enough and tamped in tight enough (railway ties or power poles drilled 4’ into the ground to anchor the end of a stock chute, say) you can lift the back end of your tractor up without budging the post. That’s when you push it back and forth with the bucket a few times first. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/23 "2008-04-13T09:55:06Z")
[QUOTE=Gorsnak] Levers are all well and good, but the _best_ ways all involve diesel engines powering hydraulic rams. Although if the post is strong enough and tamped in tight enough (railway ties or power poles drilled 4’ into the ground to anchor the end of a stock chute, say) you can lift the back end of your tractor up without budging the post. That’s when you push it back and forth with the bucket a few times first. [/QUOTE] That is what I did at my neighbor’s house. He had 6x6’s he couldn’t get out of the ground, so we wrapped a chair around it and used the bucket on my tractor. Lifted the rear end of the tractor off the ground; at that point, I just drove forward on two wheels and nudged the 6x6 with the bucket. Viola. However, not everyone has a tractor at their disposal. Hence using the fulcrum method (not the rhythm method, that’s for _not_ pulling out). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/24 "2008-04-13T14:29:09Z")
You can do what we did…ignore them for many, many years. Then just go up and poke 'em with your finger and they’ll fall over. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/25 "2008-04-13T15:56:44Z")
:eek: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: ☹😕😕😕😕 :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/26 "2008-04-13T15:57:55Z")
Oops, sorry. I stepped away to make my four year old some breakfast, and apparently he found the reply button. :embarassed: ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/27 "2008-04-13T15:59:12Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] You can do what we did…ignore them for many, many years. Then just go up and poke 'em with your finger and they’ll fall over. [/QUOTE] For this method, it helps if one can arrange to have a dog use the post line for a scent marking trail. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/28 "2008-04-13T16:42:18Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] You can do what we did…ignore them for many, many years. Then just go up and poke 'em with your finger and they’ll fall over. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure what the half-life of a creosote-treated railroad tie is but I think that it may actually be longer than what I’d be willing to wait. Not that I’m ever adverse to using time as a substitute for work… ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/29 "2008-04-13T19:18:32Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] :eek: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: ☹😕😕😕😕 :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: [/QUOTE] Bwahahaha! Well, at least it isn’t sex with sheep. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923/30 "2008-04-19T11:40:30Z")
[QUOTE=Ol’Gaffer] I’m not sure what the half-life of a creosote-treated railroad tie is but I think that it may actually be longer than what I’d be willing to wait. Not that I’m ever adverse to using time as a substitute for work… [/QUOTE] Poor you. My fence was put up in olden times when whitewash was king and wood was…well…\*wood. \* My new-fangled deck will not be so lucky. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-fence-posts/444923.md?page=1)