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Gun Rules for The National Parks: Will They Really Make It Easier To Pack in the Parks?

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The impending change of rules that would allow national park visitors to arm themselves stands a good chance of being placed in limbo, if not overturned, by legal challenges in the coming weeks and months. But if that doesn't happen, it'll be interesting to see how many gun owners actually follow the rules.

There already have been more than a few concealed weapons permit owners admit on the Traveler that they've carried in the parks before this rule change, so some apparently don't mind bending, if not outright breaking, rules and regulations when it fits them. But what makes that seem even more likely to occur in the not-too-distant future are the guidelines those who arm themselves in the parks will have to follow if the rule change stands.

For instance, here's how the folks at Voyageurs National Park outlined the impending rule change in a release:

Firearms are prohibited on tour boats and within all federal buildings including visitor centers, park headquarters, and the Kettle Falls hotel.

Now, I long ago wondered how lodging concession operators would deal with this rule change, and this release from Voyageurs certainly seems to spell it out: Basically, if you decide to carry a handgun into a national park, you may not carry it into a hotel, a tent cabin (in Yosemite, for example), a restaurant, a visitor center, a gift shop, a warming hut (for those who head to Yellowstone National Park on their snowmobile, skis or snowshoes), or, believe it or not, not even a restroom. And most likely packing on any concessionaire-operated tour bus (ie. the Red Jammers in Glacier or the Yellow Jammers in Yellowstone) will be off-limits, as well.

So, under these prohibitions, will those who carry in the parks be conscientious about running back to the parking lot to store their handgun in their rig when it's time to buy or mail a postcard, time to get a backcountry permit, time to ask directions, time to take a cruise on a park tour boat, time for breakfast, lunch or dinner, time to call it a night, or simply time to answer the call of nature, or will they figure no one will know if they're packing and simply ignore these rules?

Whether you support this rule change or adamantly oppose it, I think everyone can agree, in light of these rules, that going down the rule-making road can be a perilous thing.

Comments

Ted, I agree and I read the law that way also. I read it even if the building is posted I can still carry there if I have a permit/license that makes it legal for me to carry in the state the National park is located in. The law also states they must post the buildings. If they post them and they say it applies to those with a legal permit/license to carry is what we have to find out. This will take a court case to decide since I believe the feds say that this means everyone and that section does not pertain to those who can legally carry. But getting back to the law that to me is very black and white they must post the building if they don't want anyone carrying. Every entrance must be posted and it must be very visible.


Gary Slider said:

[The law (18 USC 93) says] they must post the building if they don't want anyone carrying.

You're right, unambiguously.

Certainly, I see these postings when I go to 'real' Federal Builds & Courts, in the big city ... but I don't see them on many Park-buildings.

Could we be looking at some kind of "Don't ask, don't tell" situation, in the Parks? ;-)


You know, I wonder if this rule change really wasn't intended to be an economic stimuli of its own. Think of all the signage that will have to be changed throughout the national parks: gun ban signs at entrances, at trailheads, etc, etc.;-)


Kurt wonders:

... if this rule change really wasn't intended to be an economic stimuli of its own.

In English & Spanish, right?

Don't we have regulations for the mounting of signage? What do we do about buildings that don't offer proper mounting surfaces/structures? Rebuild them!

And structures like trail-signage that are smaller than the gun-signs - oh no!

This should keep half the country busy for years ... must be a genius of economics behind it. ;-)


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