National Parks

I know the idiotic rules concerning firearms in National Parks make no sense and it is really aggravating to have to lock your gun up in the trunk if you are "passing through" while on a trip in order to stay legal. I was just wondering if any of the folks on this site have had any experiences with "carrying" in a National Park in which you were discovered, whether it was on your person or just in your vehicle. Maybe it was you or someone you know or just heard about.
I have heard that at some parks you will be asked on entering if you have a gun; although, I have been to a few National Parks and have never been asked myself. Have you ever been asked?

I have not been asked. I believe a number of the more "metropolitan" parks have metal detectors and security guards in addition to the law enforcement Rangers and Park Police. I would expect that if a concealed handgun would be discovered that an arrest would follow, unless one was very, very persuasive and the carriage of handguns was otherwise permitted, i.e. that it was an inadvertant accident and not done in an attempt to circumvent the law.

I don't quite understand those rules either... National Parks - no... National Forrests - yes (okay to carry).

Hmmmmmmmm.... isn't Yosemite National Park a... yeah, that's it, a National Park... ...I wonder if anyone remembers a guy named Carey Stayner. He might have committed two or three murders... or four in Yosemite...

-Jim

Okay, sorry for the slight topic drift... back to your regularly scheduled posts...:D

More federal arrogance in action.

I always thought National Forrests were National parks, and vice versa... Boy, now I'm really confused.

National Forests are units of the Department of Agriculture and are separate and distinct from National Parks, which are units of the Department of Interior and include about 10 other classifications such as National Recreation Area, National Monument and National Historic Site among others. See nps.gov and usfs.gov..... And then there are BLM lands, National Wildlife Refuges and on and on.

There have been murders and body dumpings at more than Yosemite. If one looked at the visitation numbers it might be reasonable to expect a higher crime rate than what there is. NPS Rangers have one of the highest rates of assaults on them of any Fed LE agency, far ahead of the FBI or DEA. They are one of the few federal agencies that are tasked with "normal" police duties such as patrol, handling calls and such in addition to firefighting , search and rescue, ems, resource management and public education. I've never noticed them to be particularly arrogant.

Hunting is illegal in National Parks therefore you cannot pack heat cause they think you'll poach a deer or bear or turkey.

That is why you cannot CCW your .357 magnum I suspect.

Might poach Bambi.

I guess I'll never visit a national park.

I guess I'll never visit a national park.

I wouldn't give up seeing National Parks because of the gun laws - you're just missing too much to justify it. I'm supposed to go Yosemite this weekend and have the Grand Canyon a few hours away. Pictures cannot give you an idea of how spectacular these places are! Plus I have a pass with which I get in all NP's for free, so it's really worth going. Now as to whether the gun laws will be followed.....:p

Just another instance where they deny you the right to defend yourself without taking any responsibility for your safety.

I can't understand how you can be perfectly legal ...and then step over some line on a map and be commiting a crime.

Ok...I understand it...I just think it is stupid:rolleyes: