A tractor with a wide front would be a must. Preferably a model with robust spindles, for heavy loads. The additional advantage of a wide front end is that it better displaces the weight should you drive over soft soils with a load in the bucket.
When skidding a three point hitch is great because you can lift the but of the log, transfering the wieght to the drive wheels. A three point hitch will allow you to buy new implements almost anywhere.
If your going to use the tractor for prolong hard work a diesel would be great. But a gas tractor will be less expensive to purchase and will typically start better in cold weather.
You may want to take a look at these articles from mother earth news.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/2002_April_May/A_Perfect_Homestead_Tractor http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/2002_April_May/How_To_Select_A_Compact_Tractor http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/1981_March_April/A_Tractor_for_the_Small_Farm Hope this helps. Pat
