Gun laws in Arkansas?

R

randomvalleyguy

New member
I'm taking a trip to see my uncle in Ozark Arkansas, and am fuzzy on the gun laws there. I see that it is not an open carry state. Where can I legally carry a gun there? I plan on camping, maybe buy a 5 day hunting license so I can shoot/eat some small game. Is it legal to have a gun in the woods while hunting/camping in certain areas (like a forest, or some other place where hunting is allowed)? What would the restrictions be? I'm from California so would the laws be similar in nature to the one's I'm used to?
 
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/#?st=AR

Huntin fer Bigfoot huh? Well she's out there, and she's BIG all over too!

Two Arkansans are walking down different ends of a street toward each other, and one is carrying a sack. When they meet, one says, "Hey Tommy Ray, what'cha got in th' bag?"
"Jus' some chickens."
"If I guesses how many they are, can I have one?"
"Shoot, ya guesses right and I'll give you both of them."

What do a divorce in Arkansas, a tornado in Kansas, and a hurricane in Florida have in common?
Somebody's fixin' to lose them a trailer.

A Arkansan came home and found his house on fire, rushed next door, telephoned the fire department and shouted, "Hurry over here. My house is on fire!"
"OK," replied the fireman, "how do we get there?"
"Say, don't you still have those big red trucks?"
 
Travel; state gun laws...

As posted, www.Handgunlaw.us is a great free resource.
I'd also check out www.Gunlawguide.com or buy a copy of atty David Wong's legal guide to US gun & knife laws.

To look over the AK State Police site or AG's office homepage may help too.

Stay safe & stay legal! ;)

ClydeFrog
ps; Note, I'm not a editor, employee or related to any of the authors.
I just want forum members to get the best legal resources available.
Remember; talk is cheap, until you hire a lawyer! :)
 
You must have a carry permit to carry concealed. Or one from your state if it is a reciprocity state.
For carrying in the woods, generally there must be a hunting season in progress. And, you must not have a gun useful for other than the game in season. e.g. don't carry a 30-06 during squirrel season.
For reference on seasons and laws check out:
http://www.agfc.com/Pages/default.aspx

However, on the whole, Arkansas is very tolerant of honest citizens using firearms responsibly.
You will find Arkansans very friendly and helpful.
Those who choose to insult our state are several rungs down the ladder on the evolutionary scale from the average Arkansan. I feel sorry for them.
If you want advice about where to go and what to do in Arkansas, PM me.
 
Rifleman1776 wrote: "You must have a carry permit to carry concealed."

Now THERE'S a revealation the OP will certainly jump on!!:p


".....you must not have a gun useful for other than the game in season. e.g. don't carry a 30-06 during squirrel season."


Evidently you folks in Arkansas have smaller squirrels than they do in Texas!!;)
 
RIFLEMAN 1776 is absolutely correct. Arkansas visitors most common problem is assuming they are in some kind of lawless wilderness where anything goes.

Arkansas has very relaxed firearms laws compared to many places, but there are laws & you need to follow them or get into some serious legal hassles. As an example I've been camping in the Ozark National Forest for years with firearms & I've followed the rules, even the ones about having the gun away from roads by a specific distance, yes, even in the Ozarks, & the road doesn't need to be blacktop, just a road. I've personally seen a visitor who was tearing up a creek bed with an ATV while carrying get multiple tickets.
 
I got zapped for saying:
"You must have a carry permit to carry concealed."
Click to expand...

That is not quite as redundant as it appears. I am one of those hard case 2nd Amendment guys who believes we (honest citizens) really should not have to have a permit to do almost anything with firearms.
To me, I read that as meaning you are (unconstitutionaly) restricted to carrying concealed by being required to have a permit to do so.
 
Places to target practice near the Ozarks?

Are there many places to shoot in the Ozarks by the Mulberry River (that's where I'm going)? I love to shoot, doesn't matter what I'm shooting at (paper targets, pests, small or large game). I see not much is in season right now, but would I be asking for trouble if I were to bring my rifles and go out into the sticks and shoot targets? I have a few .308's I like to get surgical with, two .22's, a mosin nagant, and a scattergun. Rifleman1776, I totally agree that the second amendment should be reason enough to carry a pistol, concealed or not. Kinda thought Arkansas would at least be an open carry state.
 
Yup, we's all backerds hillbilies. It just ain't to safe to come'ear, so you'uns is fer better off a stayin' where you is.........................

thank ye
 
Some fairly recent regs...

During a traffic stop, you must inform a LEO that you have a concealed handgun if asked to present your "identification".

You can carry, but not hunt with, a concealed handgun if you have a CHL in the woods if not in an area restricted by law or by the landowner/lessee. You must inform a Wildlife Officer you have a concealed handgun when complying with an inspection regarding wildlife resources.
 
Just got back, I was impressed

Arkansas is a really nice place. Nice people, nice food, nice bars, nice fishing, nice views, I really liked it. Everyone over there made me feel very welcome. A man I met at a bar let me shoot with him on his property and do some dirtbike riding, and fishing, so I didn't have to worry much about finding a spot to shoot. There's also GIANT catfish in the Arkansas River. A couple of locals even told me about a few secret fishing spots. It was all loads of fun! I don't see why anyone would talk trash on Arkansas.
 
Thanks RandomValley. I have lived here since 1994 and it is a great place to live. Tons of outdoor activities and the cost of living is very reasonable. As far as Chucky222, you can stay in AL, tell me what is so great about your state that you would go to the trouble of posting crude jokes about Arkansans? And ClydeFrog, why is it a good idea to check with the Alaskan police about AR laws? Amazing that an Arkansan would be able to know the difference isn't it Horace..
 
There is one law which thou shall not violate. Hunting leases are sacred. If you violate one you will end up in jail on a criminal trespass charge. Judges are very strict and often with hold bail hearings for several days if it happens to be on a long weekend.

I know of one fellow who spent the opening week of squirrel season in jail because the judge was on vacation for opening week of squirrel season.
 
Thanks, randomvalleyguy. I would have gotten into this thread earlier, but it looked like everyone else had your questions covered. Well, that and I'm not familiar enough with the area that you were visiting to know where you could have gone shooting. We Arkansans catch a lot of flak, and I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay.
 
Law enforcement in Arkansas is more into prevention that prosecution. They have to be. Once a crime has been committed, it's almost impossible to solve, as all the DNA is the same and there are no dental records.
 
Brass, you nailed it....I worked there for 1 year and when I got back home I asked my sister out on a date! Somthin in th'water i guess.
 
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