I’m sure Armed Intelligentsia members have seen gun-related Christmas decorations. Shot shell lights, pistol ornaments, and of course a Red Ryder under the tree. But actually using your shotgun to gather decorations is a tad unusual. Not to mention disconcerting to some people. Especially when you use your shotgun down at the local mall…
From cbsatlanta.com:
Bill Robinson, 66, didn’t get a kiss after standing under mistletoe at North DeKalb Mall, he got cuffed and transported to the DeKalb County Jail.
Robinson used a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun to shoot mistletoe out of a tree on mall property.
“Every year I go somewhere to get some mistletoe to decorate the house,” said Robinson. I get some for my friends that can’t get mistletoe. The best way to get it is with a shotgun.”
“I decided to go around the house to the mall there is a tree around there with a lot of it, it’s not at the mall it is actually on the fence line. I went over there with the shotgun, took one shot, shot the mistletoe down and put the gun back in the car and gathered up the mistletoe,” said Robinson.
Bill’s paid his fines and will be spending the holidays at home with his family. And fortunately, he didn’t shoot anyone’s eye out, either. But there’s a good chance Santa will be leaving nothing more than a lump of powder residue in his stocking this year.
So here’s to you Mr. Robinson. Instead of what you really wanted for Christmas, it looks like you’ll have to content yourself with your newly minted IGOTD award instead.
This guy takes hunting for mistletoe way too seriously.
I laughed and laughed and laughed. Hilarious. But of course irresponsible what he did.
Well…he is creative in gathering mistletoe.
I just googled “order mistletoe online” and guess what? No shotgun required!
Other than the fact that the “evil gun” scared the witless wonders at the mall, how exactly did he do anything wrong?
He didn’t shoot at anyone, point the gun at anyone, make any threats, etc.
Really?
Shooting within city limits on private property without permission. And not just private property, but property where hundreds – maybe thousands this time of year – of gun Muggles roam every day.
Seeing someone shooting in Macy’s parking lot generally raises alarm bells with non-gunfolk.
That which goes up must come down. Tree branches are not an appropriate backstop.
Unless he was shooting slugs at mistletoe the coming down is a problem with shot pellets? Is there a “You’ll put your eye out”-style admonition coming?
Actually your own article stated that he was NEAR the mall, not on mall property. Given the fact that he was responsible with everything else, it’s implied that he wasn’t shooting in the direction of any people either.
So again, we come back to a bunch of pansies crying over a scary noise.
Many years ago I lived in southwest Virginia. Harvesting mistletoe with a shotgun was a time-honored local tradition. However, we generally did it out in the woods, well away from shopping malls. . .
That is AWESOME. I grew up a few miles west of there, and my parents ran a trailer park. My sister and I were out climbing trees for mistletoe, and one of the tenants came out with his shotgun and did the work for us. In Vila Rica in the ’70’s, even in downtown, nobody batted an eyebrow.
So you’re actually confirming the merits of shotgun use during mistletoe gathering activities?
I can confirm that it’s been standard practice (at least in the south) for a very long time.
My family and I do it every year around Thanksgiving. But as was said before, we choose to gather it in places a little more remote than the local mall.
His choice of location is definitely questionable, but, yeah, it happens.
By far the easiest way to gather it. Just, you know. Not in cities.
Nothing irresponsible about it. Period.
To paraphrase that great philosopher Al Capone, it’s easier to get kissed with a sprig of mistletoe and a shotgun than with mistletoe alone.
I’m actually surprised they didn’t make him come off as a total crackpot in the linked news story.
I agree with avid reader. I’ve harvested Mistletoe in exactly the same way; but always at the local YMCA never the mall….
Okay just kidding. Deep in the woods never the YMCA or the mall.
OT:
Ruger just released a new SP101 .357 version with a 4.2″ barrel. Front site is fiber optic and rear site is adjustable. Damn, I wish I had held off buying my SP101 3″ barrel version for six months since I would prefer the new one.
You think? I figure for 4″ of barrel I’d rather have the extra shot as well. 3″ 5 shot revolvers are just too damn perfect and sexy to ever regret buying!
Thanks Don. That made me feel a bit better about my 3″ barrel. I must be trying to compensate for something with wanting a bigger barrel 🙂
Ignoring the part about shooting in town… while his method seems to work… there’s got to be a cheaper way of doing it. Like throw a stick at it or something…
The shooting in town part… he must be really really stupid.
My friends who were really good shots could do it with a .22 rifle, but you had to be able to see just the right branches-and hit them.
Someones desperate for a little christmas love
Dan, My compliments to you for posting even these ridiculous stories, just look at the guy’s face. Of course somebody like me might come by and try to say a certain percentage of you guys is just like him.
“…just look at the guy’s face.”
Please allow me to compliment you on another quantifiable, fact-based conclusion. Clearly, anyone who looks like that must be a lunatic with a gun.
This is the ignorance that ruins our society.
Hey mikey, at least we know what Robinson’s face looks like, unlike yours which remains hidden. Come out, come out, whoever you are.
I promised Robert a picture in front of the Coliseum as soon as I get my T-shirt. So, you won’t have too long to wait, but will I get to see your mug?
Speaking of ignorance, you should check out mike’s blog. Just click on his name. Apparently a janitor left a gun in preschool classroom. Mike’s solution: make schools gun free zones, to “guarantee this doesn’t happen”.
Schools already *are* gun free zones, mike, and that didn’t guarantee nuthin’.
will I get to see your mug
Ixnay on the ugmay. It’s called “concealed carry” for a reason.
What’s your reason?
Shyness, but I’m coming out of my shell.
Huh, my usual worry is that the cats will knock over the menorah and burn the house down. It is, however, a lot easier to setup.
my usual worry is that the cats will knock over the menorah
I had mine circumsized. Now they’re very respectful.
Bill Robinson’s trophy mistletoe hangs in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Buford Hwy. Merry Christmas & Thanks Bill!!