Christmas Tree Cutting

Broncobeast

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Charlotte, NC
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Where I’m from you can cut your own Christmas tree after purchasing a permit from the forestry fire department. I recently moved to NC and would like to cut my own tree. I googled it and found a number of farms but I wanted to cut it from the wild.
Any place I can do that near Charlotte? Willing to drive up to 3 hours if necessary. What about Uwharrie NF?
 
Are you from somewhere out west? BLM land?
 
Are you from somewhere out west? BLM land?
Northern California. I always cut on Lassen or Plumas National Forest Land. Permits were $5 each bought from CDF stations. I’m sure I could have on BLM but never lived close enough to go to BLM land.
 
I think you may be out of luck unless you find an individual who will let you cut a tree from their property. I may be wrong, and it won't be the first time, but I don't believe you are allowed to cut an living tree on the National Forest land nor state game land. Plenty of places to check out the regulations online.
 
I think you may be out of luck unless you find an individual who will let you cut a tree from their property. I may be wrong, and it won't be the first time, but I don't believe you are allowed to cut an living tree on the National Forest land nor state game land. Plenty of places to check out the regulations online.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/...orestproducts/?cid=stelprdb5107318&width=full

I seems like it is dependent on the National Forest your in?
 
I'm sure that is the case, however, since you were asking about something near you, I was referring just the the forests in NC that I am aware of. I"m sure the one you are referencing is a little over 3 hrs from Charlotte. I'm just an old guy trying to answer your question, not looking for an argument from someone who needs to understand that this isn't California.
 
Not looking for an argument either. Just information. Every state is different and I’m trying to learn more about NC rules and opportunities.

You'll probably have an answer or be pointed in the right direction shortly. Unfortunately, you might have to wade through a little BS first.

Haha.

And for my education, which species of tree would you be hunting? Just one that looks like it would make a nice tree, or...?
 
I’m not too picky. Just really looking to take my wife out on a good tree hunt. She has never cut her own tree and we haven’t been able to have a tree for the 5 years we have been married due to housing arrangements.

wanting to really start a good tradition for my growing family.
 
your right that a search engine is a neat tool. Thanks for the link.

As mentioned in my original post I was looking for something other than an farm. Public land with the option to cut a tree of my liking.

I don't think you're going to find what you're looking for in NC on public land. Best bet would be to look for a farmer or large landowner with red cedars growing on fence lines or the edges of fields. I know there are very prevalent just south of you and they grow all over NC. They make a nice tree if not quite as aesthetic as a fir.

I don't mean a Christmas tree farmer either, just for clarification.
 
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You're welcome to come limb and cut down all of my loblolly pines.

Seriously, for wild trees, your option is going to be cedar trees. Maybe find somebody that is clearing a lot to build houses and ask if you can cut out a tree before they push it all over. Hell, I mark lots full of cedars and hardwoods to be cleared daily, and bushaxe a few per week.

I know I got my tail reamed by a bunny sheriff for digging up a pawpaw tree in Pisgah, so I'm thinking you're going to have a hard time getting one out here.

If you decide you want to hit up a farm, Cedar Lake is probably less than an hour from you, and Helm's a little over.
 
One year we had a stump for a Christmas tree.

Dad cut a tree off a piece of land one of his co-worker had. The cedar tree looked ok until you got a really close look. It seems that someone years ago had cut the tree. The tree then grew and recovered from the stump that was left.

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It may not be just what you are looking for but here goes. I too am in the Charlotte area. Every year me, the wife, kids if they want to go, and some of my family drive to a choose your own farm in the mountains. Their is plenty to choose from just google it. You cant cut your own, they have to it for obvious reasons. But you are free to roam acres and acres of mountainous terrain and choose "the perfect" tree. We have been doing it every year the Friday after Thanksgiving for over 5 years now. Maybe not exactly what you are looking for, but it's close.
 
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Most of the trees that you’re looking for don’t exist in the wilds of NC. Our trees are tree farm trees. While you can find pines and hemlock in the wild, very few of them are shaped like a Christmas tree. Your best bet would be a farmer who has cedars that he wants to be rid of.
 
I hope you are able to find something; too bad you are not closer. When I was young, my dad and I would pick a cedar off the fence line, saw it down, throw it in the back of the pickup, take it home, mount it in the stand, water it (keeping it watered), and decorate. When my sister got old enough, she would come along too. In the Piedmont section of SC, we only really had cedars. If anyone in the community had something else (spruce, etc) we knew they had bought it from somewhere.

When I went off to college, they got an artificial tree during an after-Christmas sale, and my sister puts it up in the house now.
 
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