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here is another way to move round bales if you dont have a tractor and a bale fork or bale spike.  get 2 metal rods about 4 feet long and 3/4" diameter, from the hardware store.   using a hammer, drive a metal rod into each side of the round bale, right in the center, leaving about 10-12" sticking out.  get some rope, make a loop in each end, put the loops over the metal rods, tie another loop in the center of the rope so that you can attach it to the hitch on your truck, tractor, or gator.  the bale will roll right along behind you.  you might have to adjust the rope, keep it short to make turns easier.  after you tow the bale to the desired location, the metal rods are easy to pull out of the bale. cowboy ed

 

ps.  i second the motion on heidi's tip about taking care not to park a round bale on a hill.  i did that last winter, trying to appease my wife, ("oh honey, i think the round bale would look better over there!")     i have a tractor and hay fork.  when i parked the bale, it took off down the hill!  i tried to get ahead of it with the tractor, but couldnt.  the runaway bale was headed straight for the crossfences between pastures.  luckily, the fences are aluminum hotwire, as it turns out, very flexible.  just before the bale got to the first fence, i bailed off the tractor(pun intended), and continued the chase on foot.  the errant bale rolled right across two sections of the aluminum fence, which didnt break, but snapped right back up into position!  being fleet of foot like i am, i pulled alongside the accelerating bale and managed to throw a shoulder into it, bringing it to a screeching halt, just before it cleared the next fence, where my dad's cows had gathered, watching and saying grace!    from here on out, i pick the spot.  sometimes a man has to take a stand.