Anyone use their PTO to power a front winch?

[Farmer 5500]

It would be a sort of fantasy project, but I see my PTO just sittin there unused. I’d like to have a winch bumper & winch. Bumper is available. Wondered about a winch running off the PTO? Would use the PTO to power a pump, then the pump pull hydraulic fluid from a reservoir to power the winch?

Electrics winch much easier, but I’m always up for a challenge.

 

[flan]

I think it’s definitely doable. Some old powerwagon guys used to do it because the original winches weren’t the safest things on planet earth. They were driven off the pto with a driveshaft direct to the winch. Modern winches wouldn’t line up with the driveshaft location so they went hydraulic.