“You see those big pumpkins?” Ray asked, referring to some large firs outside the line of our square. He thought we should take them. The bosses would be pleased—an extra bonus of prize trees. I pointed out that they were well away from the cutting-permit borders. Including them would be illegal. Not only were big elder trees an important seed source for the open ground, they were favorite perches for birds, and I’d seen bear dens under the necks of the roots.
