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Beavers Bend State Park (Broken Bow, OK)

djdavis75

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
62
Location
Oklahoma, USA
I go to Beavers Bend State Park, located at Broken Bow lake, quite a bit. They have "No Firearms" signs posted, along with other park regulations, at the entrances. It's my understanding with a handgun license you can carry in a state park, but I think it might be a Army Corp of Engineers owned lake. Does anyone have any idea if and where it is legal to carry in this park?

Thanks,
David
 

okiebryan

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Messages
447
Location
Director, Oklahoma Open Carry Association
I go to Beavers Bend State Park, located at Broken Bow lake, quite a bit. They have "No Firearms" signs posted, along with other park regulations, at the entrances. It's my understanding with a handgun license you can carry in a state park, but I think it might be a Army Corp of Engineers owned lake. Does anyone have any idea if and where it is legal to carry in this park?

Thanks,
David

We know that parks are specifically excluded as prohibited places in Oklahoma's Self Defense Act. I don't know whether any specific state park is on leased land belonging to the Corps of Engineers, and I'm not sure whether that would even make a difference as to the legality of prohibiting lawful carry.

I attempted to call Kris Merrick, the Director of Parks with Oklahoma Department of Tourism. She is on vacation. I talked to her assistant, and he told me they are aware of the state law, but he wasn't aware that there were still signs posted. He took my contact information and promised to get back to me.
 

djdavis75

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
62
Location
Oklahoma, USA
We know that parks are specifically excluded as prohibited places in Oklahoma's Self Defense Act. I don't know whether any specific state park is on leased land belonging to the Corps of Engineers, and I'm not sure whether that would even make a difference as to the legality of prohibiting lawful carry.

I attempted to call Kris Merrick, the Director of Parks with Oklahoma Department of Tourism. She is on vacation. I talked to her assistant, and he told me they are aware of the state law, but he wasn't aware that there were still signs posted. He took my contact information and promised to get back to me.

I haven't been down there in a few months, but I'm pretty certain the signs were still up after November 1, 2012. I'm not sure how long state parks have been allowed, if that was part of the SDA update last year, or was part of the SDA even before open carry. The "No Firearms" is on a sign with other park regulations as I remember it.

Thank you very much for your help.
 

hrdware

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
740
Location
Moore, OK
We know that parks are specifically excluded as prohibited places in Oklahoma's Self Defense Act. I don't know whether any specific state park is on leased land belonging to the Corps of Engineers, and I'm not sure whether that would even make a difference as to the legality of prohibiting lawful carry.

I attempted to call Kris Merrick, the Director of Parks with Oklahoma Department of Tourism. She is on vacation. I talked to her assistant, and he told me they are aware of the state law, but he wasn't aware that there were still signs posted. He took my contact information and promised to get back to me.

You need to be talking to the chief ranger, any of the ranger stations at any of the parks can get you his name and number. I spoke with him about a year ago about Thunderbird being posted. The rangers are aware that someone with an SDA can carry in the park. The "No Firearms" signs at state parks are for those persons who are not licensed. The big crowd of these folks are the party crowd...the ones that like to bring the liquor store to the lake with them.

At the time I spoke with him, he told me you had to be careful of land that was inside park boundaries but belonged to the Department of Wildlife. Since different money paid to maintain the land, it fell under different rules. The same would probably apply to CoE land/projects. Only that portion of the land that belonged to CoE would be regulated.

Just for fun I contacted CoE to ask about how this works at state parks...unfortunately the person I spoke with at CoE was clueless and since I used Lake Arcadia as an example, they directed me to call Lake Arcadia, so I attempted to call the number they gave me and got a fax number. I called the lake and after arguing the state law with a seasonal worker, I was put on hold and then she came back and said she spoke with a supervisor and I was told that all of Lake Arcadia Park is on federal land.

I also called Beavers Bend State Park and was transferred to a fellow by the name of Jim. Jim told me that they lease the land from CoE so they are considered a state park and carry is allowed at their particular park.

I guess the bottom line is if the park is on any kind of CoE property, call the park and find out first.
 

Glock 1st fan

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
310
Location
United States
You need to be talking to the chief ranger, any of the ranger stations at any of the parks can get you his name and number. I spoke with him about a year ago about Thunderbird being posted. The rangers are aware that someone with an SDA can carry in the park. The "No Firearms" signs at state parks are for those persons who are not licensed. The big crowd of these folks are the party crowd...the ones that like to bring the liquor store to the lake with them.

At the time I spoke with him, he told me you had to be careful of land that was inside park boundaries but belonged to the Department of Wildlife. Since different money paid to maintain the land, it fell under different rules. The same would probably apply to CoE land/projects. Only that portion of the land that belonged to CoE would be regulated.

Just for fun I contacted CoE to ask about how this works at state parks...unfortunately the person I spoke with at CoE was clueless and since I used Lake Arcadia as an example, they directed me to call Lake Arcadia, so I attempted to call the number they gave me and got a fax number. I called the lake and after arguing the state law with a seasonal worker, I was put on hold and then she came back and said she spoke with a supervisor and I was told that all of Lake Arcadia Park is on federal land.

I also called Beavers Bend State Park and was transferred to a fellow by the name of Jim. Jim told me that they lease the land from CoE so they are considered a state park and carry is allowed at their particular park.

I guess the bottom line is if the park is on any kind of CoE property, call the park and find out first.

Well even in the SDA book there are exemptions for prohibited places. Most cases require the head administrator to sign off on it. For example firearms in schools can be allowed for hunter safety programs, sports shooting and other people specifically authorized such as security officers (And this leaves room too for teachers should it ever be legalized).

Colleges can be permited with the head person signing off on it (Though this is highly unlikely will ever happen)

The law states you can not take them alot of places but does leave room for the authority of the location to authorize and allow firearms at their own judgement.
 

djdavis75

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
62
Location
Oklahoma, USA
I also called Beavers Bend State Park and was transferred to a fellow by the name of Jim. Jim told me that they lease the land from CoE so they are considered a state park and carry is allowed at their particular park.

I guess the bottom line is if the park is on any kind of CoE property, call the park and find out first.

WOW! You really went above and beyond. I really appreciate the information and all your help. Now I won't worry every time I travel into the park.

Thanks,
David
 
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