"No Firearms Allowed" Question

[JakeMate]

Let's say I have my Concealed Carry Permit and I'm driving along and come across a sign that states that no fireams are allowed in a national park or wilderness region, what are my options? Is locking the gun in my trunk or in a safe good enough to enter? Or do I have to turn around?

I'll probably run across this during year when I go do some outdoor activities with my family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. And these are just the times I'd really want to have a concealed weapon. I'm always worried about coming across some weirdo in the woods or what if we got attacked by a bear (highly unlikely).

 

[Herself]

I am not a lawyer; do not act on my opinion. Check out the applicable laws, seek expert advice and make up your own mind.

National Parks are quite strict, though carrying in accordance with McClure-Volkmer is supposed to be enough to shield you from trouble in many instances. (This can be translated to "Keep it unloaded, secured and out of sight in the trunk," the usual rules of caution for unfriendly areas). It appears to me, however, that the only way to be in actual compliance with the regs is to not bring any guns into a National Park, period.

National Forests are usually governed, firearms-wise, by the laws of the state the forest is in.

State Parks vary hugely from state to state and there's not a clear correlation between a state being gun-friendly and firearms carry in the State Parks.

If (a big if) you do not give park officers any reason to search your vehicle and your weapon is unloaded, in a case and out of sight, you can probably get by -- but be mindful that this is a matter of "getting by" rather than complyng with the law. It's a gamble.

The website http://www.packing.org and the book "Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States" ( http://www.gunlawguide.com) are good sources of information.

--Herself

 

[Meplat]

Let's say I have my Concealed Carry Permit and I'm driving along and come across a sign that states that no fireams are allowed in a national park or wilderness region, what are my options? Is locking the gun in my trunk or in a safe good enough to enter? Or do I have to turn around?

I'll probably run across this during year when I go do some outdoor activities with my family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. And these are just the times I'd really want to have a concealed weapon. I'm always worried about coming across some weirdo in the woods or what if we got attacked by a bear (highly unlikely).

It's been a few years back, but my family and I were driving through Vicksburg, Mississippi after a squirrel hunting trip in the Delta region, and my son's, daughter's, and my shotguns were in their cases in the backseat of the car. We decided we wanted to drive through Battlefield park, which is a federally maintained park, and posted for firearms. I told the man at the guardshack that we had the shotguns with us, and asked him if we needed to turn around and leave. He was very nice about the whole thing, asked us to pull aside for the cars behind us to move, walked over, asked to check and make sure all weapons were unloaded, told me to lock them in my trunk, and enjoy the park. I don't know that you'll get the same response in every park you enter - in fact, I seriously doubt it. The Natchez Trace Parkway (another Federally maintained entity) does allow for transport of unloaded long arms up and down it (it has hunting clubs all along it's path) but DOES NOT recognize CCW rights, nor Mississippi's 1990 law declaring your vehicle to be an extension of your home. They SERIOUSLY frown on handguns - or any other firearm - being transported in the passenger compartment. As to carry for protection from either two legged or four legged predators, I know of NO national park where this right can be exercised.

 

[wdlsguy]

NPS Regulations

36 CFR Section 2.4 Weapons, traps and nets.

(a)
...
(3) Traps, nets and unloaded weapons may be possessed within a temporary lodging or mechanical mode of conveyance when such implements are rendered temporarily inoperable or are packed, cased or stored in a manner that will prevent their ready use.

(b) Carrying or possessing a loaded weapon in a motor vehicle, vessel or other mode of transportation is prohibited, ...
...

 

[cidirkona]

I've called UAPD* and TPD** on this and they both gave me the same round-about answer...

Carry in a CITY park and you'll be very lucky to walk away with a paper arrest and no handcuffs.

Carry in a National or State park and you fall under 'peacable journey' ideology.

With all the mountains around Tucson, you pretty much have to drive through national parks to get to Winterhaven, ThreePoints* or most places west of the Tucson Mountains.

I'm paraphrasing and so were they, so take it with a grain of salt.

-Colin

*University of Arizona Police Department
**Tucson Police Department

 

[JakeMate]

Thanks.