Allowing Firearms in National Parks

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This just in.... check out this link http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=3562

This year the Department of Interior will make changes to its rules to allow visitors to carry firearms into National Parks and Wildlife Refuges consitent with state laws that apply to each. As last!

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Racerman wrote:

This just in.... check out this link http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=3562

This year the Department of Interior will make changes to its rules to allow visitors to carry firearms into National Parks and Wildlife Refuges consitent with state laws that apply to each. As last!

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Well, according to the Anchorage daily news, they are having a draft of new regulations preparedthat will be open for public comment by April 30th. If the changes are made, that would be really cool, indeed.

Here is some info on our current park restrictions and what it may mean if the changes are made...

http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2007/12/us-senators-attempt-to-soften-park-gun.html

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I've spoken to several violoent opponents of this proposal and asked them a simple question...

If rampant violence and poaching is supposed to occur if carry is allowed in National Parks, why hasn't the same happened in National forests and State parks?

None of them even knew that the laws in State Parks (VA) and National Forests are already consistent with State Law. They were APALLED that such irresponsible behaviour would be allowed and were sure great harrm had been caused.

I then offered them each $100.00 if they could produce one incident of poaching or illegal shooting by a permit holder or LEGAL firearm carrier in either of these places.

That was several months ago and the last time I saw them I asked how the 'research' was going. One is a lawyer and his reply - 'his time is too valuable to waste doing research for a mere hundred dollars.'

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TheEggman wrote:

I then offered them each $100.00 if they could produce one incident of poaching or illegal shooting by a permit holder or LEGAL firearm carrier in either of these places.

That was several months ago and the last time I saw them I asked how the 'research' was going. One is a lawyer and his reply - 'his time is too valuable to waste doing research for a mere hundred dollars.'

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Nothing like a "gentleman" who can't honor a bet. Lawyers....

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TheEggman wrote:

That was several months ago and the last time I saw them I asked how the 'research' was going. One is a lawyer and his reply - 'his time is too valuable to waste doing research for a mere hundred dollars.'

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I don't blame him... When your in thewrong, wasting time on researching the inevitable results is embarassing.

$100 dollars isn't good enough for him? Shouldn't take that long to figure out if there are any...

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TheEggman wrote:

If rampant violence and poaching is supposed to occur if carry is allowed in National Parks, why hasn't the same happened in National forests and State parks?

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Not to mention that there are over 55 national Parks that already allow hunting in the United States. Also there are a few National Parks in Alaska that already "allow" the carriage of loaded firearms for bear protection, with the popular area of Denali not being one of them... :X

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Here is Congressman DonYoung's response to me concerning HR. 5434 for National Parks...

Thank you for contacting me about the National Park Service's ban on carrying weapons in National Parks. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue. As Alaska's Representative in Congress for thirty-five years, I have sponsored and cosponsored many bills and resolutions that ensure a law-abiding citizen's right to own firearms. I believe the original intent of the Second Amendment was to protect each individual's right to keep and bear arms and I will continue to defend that right.

As you know, the National Park Service (NPS) currently bans the carrying of any firearms within National Parks for safety reasons and to prevent poaching of animals. This rule, however, prevents even those who have firearm licenses from carrying their weapons. Those who are licensed to carry firearms for their safety should be able to do so. It is for this reason that I asked Representative Nick Rahall, the Chairmen of the Natural Resources Committee to join me in a letter asking the Secretary of the Interior to change this rule.

Due to this letter, pressure from the Senate and legislation introduced in Congress, including H.R. 5434, the Protecting Americans from Violent Crime Act, which I am a cosponsor of, and which would prohibit the NPS from creating and enforcing regulations that infringe on 2nd Amendment rights, Secretary Kempthorne has stated that the Department of the Interior will review and amend these regulations.

Rest assured that I will continue to aggressively monitor this situation to ensure that Americans' Second Amendment rights are not infringed upon. And should H.R. 5434 come to the House floor for a vote I will certainly support it.

Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue. If you haven't already, I would encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm and my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung.Doing sowill allow me to provide you with updates on this and other important issues. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

DON YOUNG

Congressman for All Alaska

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Doing some forum cleanup, just moving to the appropriate sub-forum.-LW

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For those reading this post, if you have not yet sent in your comments, please do.

I have been monitoring the comments, and they are starting to trend against law-abiding gun owners, probably due to a campaign by the anti-freedom folks.

Current number of submissions is 12, 281. You have until June 30 to let the DOI know how you feel about this important issue. Click this link to see the number and nature of comments.

http://www.regulations.gov/search/search_results.jsp?No=0&sid=119C3C432E19&Ne=2+8+11+8053+8054+8098+8074+8066+8084+8055+11&Ntt=FWS-R9-NSR-2008-0062&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchall&Ns=P_FRPublish_Date|1&N=8099+8060&css=0&rpp=50

To send a comment, click here: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=090000648062125b

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How do we view the comments? Your link is all messed up. Oh, and could you edit it so it doesn't make this thread three screens wide?

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Several years ago there was a visitor from Alaska I used to run into frequently. Her sidearm was a .454 Casul (she called it a Casual). I asked her about the 'park' situation up there (as we had a similar problem here). She said hardly anybody paid attention to the 'no carry thing' in practice 'long as your arms were holstered or cased (scabbarded). She lived in bear/moose country way out in the boonies.

I attempted to address Sarah Broadhead (Park honcho) on this 'bout a year ago when she was here at a community meeting. The 'dissassembly' part was ridiculous. (Ever tear down a Winchester lever gun? Any revolver that wasn't broke? No? 'Didn't think most people do either. 'Only way in or out of where I live is thru the park or bordering it. One side of the road being 'Park'. Everybody carries 'something'. NOBODY stops 'n tears down their sidearm or longgun just passin' thru the Park. Never have 'n never would. She avoided a direct answer... mumbled somethin' about 'People will shoot at the saguero's' 'n left. Well... people DON'T shoot at the saquero's or any other thing... includin' the critters. She's outta Oklahoma... 'n rarely even visits the Park she's in charge of.

There used to be a law someplace where 'on the approach of a horse team' a motor carriage operator was s'posed to pull off the road, 'disassemble the motor carriage' and cover it with brush until the horses passed." Yeah... like THAT was complied with.