Weston lawmaker urges repeal of gun-case regulation
By Jocelyn Berkhahn
Wausau Daily Herald
jberkhah@wdhprint.com
State Sen. Russ Decker, D-Weston, says he will introduce a proposal to eliminate Wisconsin’s requirement that guns and bows be transported in enclosed cases.
Wisconsin law states, “In general, no one may place, possess or transport a firearm in a motor vehicle, motorboat or aircraft unless the firearm is unloaded and in a carrying case. Loading or discharging a firearm in or from a vehicle is also prohibited.”
This is the second time Decker has made such a proposal.
“I spoke to conservation wardens in states that don’t require hunters to case their guns and bows, and they feel as I do, that for years, hunters have proven to be safe and responsible,” Decker said in a press release.
Wisconsin wardens aren’t so sure.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not yet taken a stance on the issue, but the last time it came up, they opposed the rule change.
“Having a gun cased is one of the elements of helping assure safety,” said Tom Van Haren, a conservation warden and natural resources policy officer. “Having them unloaded is most important, but having them in a case as extra protection so they don’t accidentally hit the trigger and hurt someone is also important.”
Although Decker’s proposal would eliminate the need for a carrying case, it still would require guns be unloaded while being transported.
“Hunters frequently make short trips to get to a different hunting spot or take a deer back to camp. They should be given the choice to case their gun or bow,” he said.
But there would remain the danger that a gun owner may be unaware of a round in the chamber of what he thought was an unloaded gun, Van Haren said. In addition, the DNR promotes casing guns and bows to prevent illegal hunting from vehicles.
“That case acts as a deterrent from road hunting violations, where someone may be trying to hunt from their car,” Van Haren said. “If it has to be unloaded and in a case, it’s harder to get the weapon out to shoot an animal they may see from the vehicle.”
Decker, who was re-elected Nov. 7 for his fifth two-year term, represents Taylor, Price, Rusk and portions of Marathon, Shawano, Sawyer and Portage counties.
