Firearms in National Parks

[renodesertfox]

A change in federal law goes into effect Monday (February 22, 2010) that will allow firearms to be carried in many national parks and wildlife refuges.
The legislation, enacted by Congress and signed by President Obama in May, allows individuals with "carry" permits who can legally possess guns under federal, state and local laws to tote the weapons in national parks and wildlife refuges. Every state except Illinois and the District of Columbia have concealed and or open carry laws of some kind.
"For nearly 100 years, the mission of the National Park Service has been to protect and preserve the parks and to help all visitors enjoy them," National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said in a news release. "We will administer this law as we do all others -- fairly and consistently."
Firearms have been prohibited in most national parks and wildlife refuges, with the exception of some parks in Alaska and those that allow hunting.


The new law will not change hunting regulations, nor the use of firearms in these areas. Guns will also continue to be prohibited in designated federal facilities within national parks and wildlife refuges, such as visitor centers, ranger stations and offices.



Firearms will be allowed in 373 of the 392 national parks. Since more than 30 of these parks are located in more than one state, visitors need to know where they are when in these parks and which state's law applies, as state and local firearms laws vary.

To help visitors understand the laws and plan accordingly, park websites have been updated to include links to state firearms laws.


Many will probably decry this change, stating it could lead to more accidental shootings and/or crimes in our national parks and wildlife refuges.

[renodesertfox]

Protecting visitors -- Visitors to the parks should be able to enjoy the beauty of the scenery and the animals, as well as stay in the campgrounds and lodges without fear of the many dangerous scenarios of being near someone with a loaded gun who is unfamiliar with the area, the wildlife, or in the middle of a domestic dispute.

From a letter from the Ranger Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police to Secretary of Interior Kempthorn:

"...crime statistics show that the presence of a loaded weapon greatly increases the chance that it might be used in the heat of a domestic dispute. Unfortunately, we respond to an alarming number of such disputes in our campgrounds, in holdings and commercial lodging each year. Even without loaded guns available to the people involved, responding to and diffusing such situations is extremely dangerous to both the families camping in the area and the responding rangers." Protecting park animals -- Already there is increased poaching of animals in national parks and refuges -- the very reason for the original ban on firearms in the parks. Park Rangers are trained to know when and how to protect visitors from potentially dangerous wildlife ... and vice versa. Allowing others, unfamiliar with both the parks and the wildlife, to carry loaded firearms could be lethal to visitors and wildlife alike.

[renodesertfox]

Hand guns and The Law

Here is a great website that has all the info anyone might need to see what is required to carry a weapon into a campground. It was brought to my attention last week and in haste I avoided the topic, now it's time to get busy and help to inform others concerning the laws of the lands and camping.

http://www.handgunlaws.us

[immortal_ben]

I would be very hesitant directing someone to a non-governmental website for firearms laws. I do believe they can be a good place to START looking for answers, but as a person who carries daily (and was a cop for 8 years), I would recommend going to the website of the particular state/park/city/county/national forest into which one wishes to carry.

No cop/ranger/judge will give a hoot about what www.(insertrandomwebsitehere).com has to say about their firearms regulations. I like to print out relevant information directly from the proper site and carry it around with me in a zippy.

As an example, if one were to be curious about the laws concerning carrying a gun in Colorado, I would google "Colorado Revised Statutes, firearms"

This search would get you extremely close to your needed information.

Hope this helps someone out.

[richardvg03]

Glad you opened this back up...

This is what I do...





There is a place where I camp right next to the border and I am always carrying a sidearm. The first time I went out there the border patrol stopped me and asked if I was carrying a weapon... I said no... they said go home! haha! I then confessed that I had a 1911 45 and they told me where to camp. hahaha!

[renodesertfox]

Thanks guys...your input can and will make a difference!

[tplife]

California is a right-to-carry state where in incorporated areas you can legally carry in plain sight. Weapon must be unloaded and no round in the chamber. A peace officer can request, or demand to see the weapon and check that it's unloaded. Then they are required to hand it back, that's the law. Before the new ruling, we carried in National Parks the same way we do in the car - unloaded in a locking box under the seat.
You can take the boy out of the country, but...