Land clearing · Decatur & central Wise County
Land Clearing in Decatur, TX
Pasture, homesite tracts and brushy draws around the Wise County seat. We come over from Jacksboro, walk your ground and tell you what it will take.
Call 940-567-8111 Get a free estimate
Free on-site estimates · About 40 minutes from Jacksboro on US 380
How much does land clearing cost in Decatur, TX?
Land clearing around Decatur generally runs $1,200 to $5,000 per acre, and a lot of pasture and homesite ground here lands between $1,200 and $3,000. Open prairie with scattered mesquite is at the low end. Timbered draws, big oaks, or brush that has to be hauled off move a job toward the top. Estimates are free and on-site.
The ground around Decatur
Decatur sits in the middle of Wise County, which splits between the Grand Prairie to the east and the Western Cross Timbers to the west. Around town the ground is flat to gently rolling, and the soils run to red clay under a lighter surface layer. East of town you find sandy loam over clay. Open ground grows mesquite and scattered cedar; the draws and creek bottoms carry hardwoods.
North of Decatur is the LBJ National Grassland, about 20,000 acres of federal land in Wise and Montague counties run by the U.S. Forest Service and used for grazing, hunting, riding and camping. Plenty of private land borders it, and that boundary matters when you clear. US 380 and US 81/287 both run through town.
Red clay changes the schedule
Clay holds water. After a good rain it gets soft and sticky, and running heavy equipment on it leaves ruts you then pay to fix. We would rather move a start date a few days than tear up your pasture, and we will tell you that up front.
What land clearing costs around Decatur
Per-acre ranges by how thick the growth is. The band your ground falls in matters more than anything else.
| Density | What it looks like here | Typical cost per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Scattered mesquite on open prairie pasture | $1,200 – $2,000 |
| Moderate | Continuous mesquite or cedar that has filled in an old field | $2,000 – $3,000 |
| Heavy | Thick brush and cedar in draws, or multi-stem mesquite regrowth | $3,000 – $4,000 |
| Wooded / rock / haul-off | Timbered creek bottoms, big oaks, or haul-off near neighbors | $4,000 – $5,000+ |
By method: forestry mulching generally $1,500–$4,500 per acre, dozer clearing or root plowing $1,200–$3,500, excavator grubbing of mesquite $2,000–$5,000 when rooted out entirely. 2026 ranges, not quotes. We give you a number only after we have walked the ground.
Typical clearing jobs around Decatur
- Homesite tracts. Clearing a building site and driveway corridor on acreage split off a larger place, then building the pad.
- Pasture reclamation. Opening grazing or hay ground back up by rooting or pushing mesquite.
- Fence lines and boundaries. Clearing a strip so a new fence can go in on a surveyed line.
- Brushy draws. Thinning cedar and brush along a draw while leaving the hardwoods.
Decatur is about 40 minutes from Jacksboro, straight east on US 380 through Bridgeport.
Services we bring to Decatur
Clearing and the dirt work that usually comes with it.
Forestry mulching
Grinds cedar and brush into mulch in place. Good for draws and lots with trees to keep.
Mesquite grubbing
Excavator roots mesquite out below the crown on pasture and homesites.
Dozer land clearing
Dozer with a root rake for open acreage and old fields, piling as it goes.
Tractor mowing
Shredding pasture, fence lines and road frontage after clearing.
House pads
Graded, compacted pads for homes and barns. Clay soils factor into the quote.
Driveways
Driveways from the road to the house, priced by length, soil and base.
Pond construction
Stock tanks and ponds. Clay that holds water helps; we check the site first.
Questions people ask us
My land borders the LBJ National Grassland. Can you clear up to the line?
We clear your land only. The grassland is federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, so know exactly where your boundary is before we start. If the fence is not on the line or there is no fence, a survey is worth the money.
Is there a burn ban in Wise County?
Burn bans in Texas are set county by county. The Wise County Commissioners Court can put one in place when conditions are dry, and it can change quickly. Check the county's current status before lighting a pile, and follow TCEQ outdoor burning rules even when there is no ban. If burning is off the table, we can mulch in place or haul off instead.
Can you clear when the ground is wet?
Sometimes, but on red clay it is often a bad idea. Heavy machines on wet clay rut the ground. We watch the weather and would rather wait a few days than leave a mess.
I bought a tract to build on. What should I clear first?
Usually the house site, the driveway route and room around both for equipment and utilities. Mark the trees you want kept. Clearing the rest can wait until you know how you will use the place.
Do I need a permit to clear land near Decatur?
Generally no. Texas does not require a state permit to clear your own private land. Work in or near a creek, draw or mapped floodplain can bring in county floodplain rules or federal permitting, so if water crosses the property, we flag it when we walk it and you check with the county before we start.
Should I mulch or root the mesquite?
Root it where the ground needs to stay clean, like a yard or hay meadow. Mulching or a dozer pass costs less up front and suits cedar or ground you only need opened up.
Get a number for your Decatur property
Call 940-567-8111 or send us the details. We will come walk it, free, and tell you what it will take.