Handguns on National Park Service Land?
- Thread starter Doug S
- Start date
Federally owned land and cannot carry a gun into a national park. However if I were you I would take it and not say anything. If you are a normal law abiding citizen (I am assumming you are) and don't go toting it around the park, you shouldn't have a problem. That way if you encounter some animal attacks or an intruder in the tent or something along those lines you can use it to defend yourself. Better to have it and suffer the concenquences since you are alive then to be dead and wish you had it. Keep in mind that it is illegal to bring a firearm into a national park.
brianidaho
New member
I second ravens comment. Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6. Depends where you are, I carry if in Glacier or Yellowstone. They have had hiker(s) killed in Glacier over the last few years. We have quite a problem with cougars around my place too. Obviously still have the problem with the 2 legged critters anywhere. Granted a CCW gun probably isn't going to do much to a griz', but it sure beats a stick.
FWIW
Bri
FWIW
Bri
suckersrus
New member
Wasn't it Bill Clinton that said:
Don't ask, don't tell.
Get caught, lie like hell.
?
------------------
Wear your PFD
Don't ask, don't tell.
Get caught, lie like hell.
?
------------------
Wear your PFD
oberkommando
New member
Far as I know you can carry legally on some federal property, as you can in National forests which are federal. This is where a lot of hunting is done. Especially out here in the west where the feds now own most of it.
Eric Blair
New member
This is covered by fed faqs.
The short answer.
Federal land is OKAY, generally.
Specifically, firearms must be dis assembled when carried accross national parks.(not forest)
There are exceptions for authorized hunting, and authorized shooting events.
That being said, why in gods name would you consent to a search? The only way there going to find out if your CCW'ing. (Unless something bad happens, then all bets are off)
Eric.
(I'm going to find a faq)(Faq found) http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/e-mail/weapons.htm
[This message has been edited by Eric Blair (edited September 21, 2000).]
The short answer.
Federal land is OKAY, generally.
Specifically, firearms must be dis assembled when carried accross national parks.(not forest)
There are exceptions for authorized hunting, and authorized shooting events.
That being said, why in gods name would you consent to a search? The only way there going to find out if your CCW'ing. (Unless something bad happens, then all bets are off)
Eric.
(I'm going to find a faq)(Faq found) http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/e-mail/weapons.htm
[This message has been edited by Eric Blair (edited September 21, 2000).]
At Banks Lake (the one used in Gator) in Lakeland, GA there is a sign that forbides you to carry a gun on that property; which is owned by the feds. Over the years, people have been bitten and killed by water mocusins (sp), attacked and killed by gators, bitten by rabid animals... while walking on the path around the lake. If you carry a gun and kill any of this "wildlife" in self defense, you go to prison. I carried because I care more for myself then I did for that dang gator/snake/animal. I just knew how to get back home through the woods 
.
Scre* the law if it goes against my number one rule of self: Self protection and survival is more important then some inane, tight a@@ed politicians emotions.
USP45usp
.Scre* the law if it goes against my number one rule of self: Self protection and survival is more important then some inane, tight a@@ed politicians emotions.
USP45usp
Clark Kent
New member
Raven - Actually you can carry firearms in national parks during hunting season, if you have a national park stamp. I hunt in George Washington National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This park comingles with the Appalachian Trail at some points. Several years ago our party met a hiking couple on the trail. The male had a .30-30 slung on his shoulder. We just greeted and passed. I'm wondering now if the guy had a hunting stamp, or was carrying illegally. Never occurred to me at the time.
National Parks AND National Monuments are off limits to carry and even transporting.
I found out the hard way, several years ago when Halleys Comet was coming close to earth, and I was an astronomy student at the U. of Arizona I took the wife and infant son to the Suguaro National Monument outside of Tucson. I had a telescope set up on the roof of my car, and cameras too. I also had my Mdl 29 S&W on,, as there are often some BGs hanging out there at night. About an hour into observation, the 2 Rangers pulled up for a general checking out, drove away and came back a few minutes later, one came up and asked if I had a gun, I said yes, next thing, the other ranger has a shotgun pointed at me, and tells me to put my hands on my head, they take the revolver and cite me for carrying. They also said they were in within their rights for citing for poaching. I was pretty POed, as it was obvious what I was doing, they could have just told me it was illegal to carry and to lock up the gun in the trunk, paid a $25. fine the next day and got the gun back.
But these rangers were pretty unprofessional, as my wife had a 20 round magazine loaded mini-14 with factory collapsable stock on her lap in the front seat, there was also a loaded Remington 870, with 20 inch barrel by her side, and she knows how to use both of them. They never bothered to check her out or the interior of the car. If we had really been up to no good, we had them outgunned by a long shot.
It is legal to carry on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land. It's always a good idea to check what the local restrictions may be and to have a valid hunting license with you so that you're not cited for poaching.
I found out the hard way, several years ago when Halleys Comet was coming close to earth, and I was an astronomy student at the U. of Arizona I took the wife and infant son to the Suguaro National Monument outside of Tucson. I had a telescope set up on the roof of my car, and cameras too. I also had my Mdl 29 S&W on,, as there are often some BGs hanging out there at night. About an hour into observation, the 2 Rangers pulled up for a general checking out, drove away and came back a few minutes later, one came up and asked if I had a gun, I said yes, next thing, the other ranger has a shotgun pointed at me, and tells me to put my hands on my head, they take the revolver and cite me for carrying. They also said they were in within their rights for citing for poaching. I was pretty POed, as it was obvious what I was doing, they could have just told me it was illegal to carry and to lock up the gun in the trunk, paid a $25. fine the next day and got the gun back.
But these rangers were pretty unprofessional, as my wife had a 20 round magazine loaded mini-14 with factory collapsable stock on her lap in the front seat, there was also a loaded Remington 870, with 20 inch barrel by her side, and she knows how to use both of them. They never bothered to check her out or the interior of the car. If we had really been up to no good, we had them outgunned by a long shot.
It is legal to carry on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land. It's always a good idea to check what the local restrictions may be and to have a valid hunting license with you so that you're not cited for poaching.
Clark Kent
New member
Tabing - Your mention of national "forest" jogged my memory. The George Washington National "Park" that I referred to earlier is in fact a national forest. My apologies for the misinformation.
Tabing---Being involved in Law Enforcement, those rangers where pretty unprofessional and shouldn't have done that to you. LEO's like that definitly give us LEO's a bad name by treating law abiding citizens that way. You were obviously involved in observing the sky with all that equipment on top of your car. They should have told you to lock them up. But I am curious why you had so many guns? Seems like an overkill to have a revolver, shotgun, and mini-14 just to observe the sky. I am NOT saying what they did or how they treated you was right by any means but being involved in LE I would be suspicious coming across someone like yourself in that situation. You have to remember their back up was either 20+ miles away or non-existent and they have to go home at night as well. Just some food for thought.
I guess I would seem overarmed, but the BG's that I mentioned are sort of outlaw type bikers who travel in groups of six or more. I just wanted to be able to show an "overwhelming" force to preclude any trouble, the .44mag. is just the backup to ordinary self defense type weapons, (shotgun and light assault rifle). When it comes to the possible defense of the family, better to be overprepared than underprepared.
(please, no offense meant to bikers, I'm occassionally one myself, though not the outlaw type)
(please, no offense meant to bikers, I'm occassionally one myself, though not the outlaw type)