What is a flail mower?
A flail mower is a machine for heavy vegetation that cuts with freely suspended blades (flails) mounted on a horizontal rotor. Unlike a rotary mower, it doesn't just cut grass – it also handles brush, blackberries, reeds, and light growth. The result is finely chopped material that is evenly distributed across the area.
Not all clippers solve the same problem
Many hunters, farmers, and nature conservators use the terms “flail mower,” “brush cutter,” and “rotary mower” interchangeably – but they are three different machines for three different tasks. If you choose incorrectly, you will either wear out the machine unnecessarily or not achieve the desired result. This guide cuts through the confusion, whether you manage hunting grounds, run a hobby farm, or manage natural areas.
What is a flail mower, and what is it not?
A flail mower operates with freely hanging flails (hammer- or Y-shaped steel pieces) mounted on a rapidly rotating drum. When a flail hits something too hard, it can swing freely – this protects the machine and gives it the ability to power through tougher material. This mechanism gives the flail mower its core competencies:
- Dense thicket and blackberries – the grinders tear and shred instead of getting stuck
- Reeds, cattails, and tall herbs – effectively finds
- Watch out for the saplings and bushes – handled without stopping the machine
- Damp-laid material – clear, where a rotary mower will pack it in
The material was left shredded and spread, which promotes faster decomposition and is beneficial for wildlife.
What is a rotary mower?
A rotary mower has one or more fixed or slightly flexible blades that rotate rapidly in a horizontal plane. It is optimized for even, upright grass and clover, lawns, meadows, and roadsides with uniform growth – in areas without stones, branches, or thick vegetation. It typically provides a neater, more uniform cut, but if it encounters blackberry bushes or tall reeds, it will either stall, bend the blades, or be damaged.
What is a brush cutter?
“Brakpudser” is not a type of machine, but a job description – to mow fallow areas, road verges, buffer zones, and fields with coarser vegetation. A brakpudser is often either a rotary mower or a flail mower, depending on what you have. The key: For actual rough-cutting with coarser material, a flail mower is almost always the right choice. An inexpensive “brush cutter” on the market is often actually a rotary mower that is only suitable for lighter tasks.
Comparison: Flail mower vs. rotary mower
| Criterion | Rotary mower | Rotary mower |
|---|---|---|
| Suitability for Grass | God | Very good (finer cut on pure turf) |
| Tree and blackberry | Very good | Unsuitable |
| Material | Rough vegetation, shrubbery, reeds, light growth | Create grass, clover, uniform growth |
| Stone/foreign body | Robust – slack swings free | Vulnerable – fixed knives get damaged |
| Maintenance | Inspection of joysticks and suspension | Sharpening/replacement of blades |
| Finding | Found, spread across the area | Larger clippings can accumulate |
| Hunting and wildlife management | Ideal - opens thickets, makes game strips | Limited to open spaces |
Flail mowers for hunting and nature conservation in practice
Wildlife strips and forage fields
A flail mower creates wild strips by mowing paths in tall vegetation, giving birds and wildlife access to grain and cover simultaneously. A rotary mower cannot create these strips in dense vegetation.
Clearing of overgrown areas
Areas that have not been maintained for a few seasons quickly become overgrown with brambles, birch scrub, and willowherb. A flail mower is the only realistic answer – and can be operated from an ATV or UTV, so you don't need a tractor.
Maintenance of shelterbelts and buffer zones
The buffer zones along hedges, dikes, and watercourses are exactly where the flail mower shines. It shreds the material, promotes biodiversity, and reduces the risk of the buffer zone becoming overgrown.
FM130 Flail mower for ATV and UTV
The Faunamaster FM130 is an ATV/UTV-mounted flail mower designed specifically for the tasks described above. It is built for Danish nature and Danish wildlife management—compact enough to navigate narrow trails, yet powerful enough to handle even dense and tough vegetation. Unlike a tractor-mounted flail mower, the FM130 provides access to areas unsuitable for tractors: damp depressions, forest trails, and uneven terrain. This makes it a natural choice for hunters and wildlife managers who do not wish to invest in a full tractor operation.
If FM130 flail mower in the webshop.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a flail mower and a brush cutter?
Brushcutters describe the task, not the machine. For actual brush cutting with coarse vegetation, a flail mower is almost always the right machine. An inexpensive “brushcutter” is often a rotary mower that is not suitable for hard work.
Can I use a flail mower for a lawn?
Yes, technically – but it's overkill, and the result isn't nearly as nice as with a rotary mower. A flail mower is built for what other machines can't handle.
Is a flail mower difficult to maintain?
No – it's primarily about monitoring the condition of the flails and their suspension. Worn flails are replaced individually and are much cheaper than replacing bent rotor blades. Regular lubrication and cleaning keep the machine in good condition.
When should I choose a rotary mower over a flail mower?
If you are exclusively mowing even areas with shorter, upright grass – for example, a large meadow or a roadside without undergrowth – a rotary mower will give a neater and faster result. The two machines complement each other well on larger properties.
Can I then sow with a Faunamaster seed drill?
Yes – the combination of a flail mower and an ATV-mounted seeder like S105 is an obvious workflow: clear the area with FM130, and then directly afterwards. Effective for establishing cover crops and game strips.
Get started with Faunamaster
Faunamasters' range of ATV/UTV-mounted machines – FM130 flail mower, S105/S180 seeders and DH120 ATV Harvester – is built for the Danish landscape and for users who work without a tractor. Visit the webshop for full product overview.