The Tree Hunters...

One of the things I love most about traveling is the people I meet and the stories I hear.  Here is one of my favorites so far….

Roy and Rose 

The Tree Hunters

Yesterday, I had a couple come in, Roy and Rose, and they shared a story with me of one of the funniest Christmas traditions I’ve ever heard. 

Roy told me that one year, when he was in his early twenties, he and his father when out to cut a Christmas tree.  (They lived in North Dakota.)  They hiked around, found the perfect tree, and then realized that they had left their little hand ax back at the truck, over a mile away. (Each thought the other had grabbed it.) Well, as luck would have it, they were a big hunting family, so they both had their shotguns with them.  So they stood back, both taking aim at the base of the tree, and shot the trunk.  The tree fell over,... dead.  Needless to say the trunk was a bit ragged, but they laughed about the incident all the way back to the truck with their trophy. The laughter continued all season long,  each time the story of the ‘tree hunters’ was retold to a friend or family member.

Since then, the ‘tree hunting’ has continued every year.  When Roy had a family of his own, he took his 2 sons ‘tree hunting’ each Christmas.  

As Roy described it, “ We’d spot a good tree.  We’d sneeeak up on it,... hiding behind brush, and trees, and when we thought we had a good shot, we’d blast it!  Usually only took one shot to knock it over.  If it took more, there was a lot of razzing going on.”  

Roy said he is too old to go out tree hunting now, but his sons continue the tradition with their sons.  Now-a-days, you have to have a Christmas tree permit, but he said that just adds to the fun.  They still sneeeeak up on the tree,... shoot it, then tag it, and proudly take it home!