New to OC

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I am new to all things open carry related. I have CC and OC on my residence for years though. I am very comfortable (if not more comfortable) with a firearm by my side (9 years military including a tour in Iraq). Sadly, I am somewhat apprehensive about beginning to OC in public areas.

That said, does anyone have a map already made of the GFSZ for West Allis?

Also, I know about carrying in public/municipal buildings, but does that no carry policy stand formunicipal grounds too....say, a county park?

Any help is appreciated!

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I say the park since that is our favorite place to walk the kids and the dog, and its only 2 blocks down the road.

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Welcome!

There is a thread stickied at the top of the WI page with the Milwaukee school zone map.

Here's a brochure you can carry with you while you OC.

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Found this in the Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances pertaining to Parks and Parkways.

47.05. Use of firearms, fireworks; hunting with bow and arrow and trapping; throwing of missiles; making of fires; deposit or breakage of tin cans, bottles and glassware; prohibitions.


(1)Use of firearms and fireworks; hunting with bow and arrow; trapping. No person shall carry, fire or discharge any gun, pistol or firearm, nor any rocket, torpedo or other fireworks of any description, nor shall any person engage in trapping within any park or parkway without a written permit of the department of parks, recreation and culture; nor shall any person hunt with bow and arrow within any park or parkway. No person shall carry, fire or discharge any gun, pistol or firearm, nor any rocket, torpedo or other fireworks of any description upon any premises owed or leased by Milwaukee County which is not part of the county parks and parkways. The word "gun" shall include airgun.

(2)Times for the setting off of fireworks displays on county-owned parks and parkways. No person shall cause or allow the setting off of fireworks on the county-owned parks, or on the parkways, after 12:00 midnight on any Friday or Saturday, or on any day that is, or precedes, a holiday, or unless prior approval is obtained from the county board. No fireworks shall be set off on any other day, after 10:00 p.m., unless prior approval is obtained from the county board.

(3)Throwing of stones or missiles. No person shall throw stones or missiles in or into any park or parkway.

(4)Making of fires. No person shall make or kindle a fire for any purpose except in places provided therefor, and then subject to such regulations as may be prescribed.

(5)Deposit of tin cans, bottles and glassware forbidden except in waste container; removal of broken tin cans, bottles or glassware.

(a)No person shall deposit any tin cans, bottles or other glassware after the same have been used in any place in a park or parkway, except in waste containers provided by the department of parks, recreation and culture, or except in containers carried by such person for the purpose of removing same from such park or parkway.

(b)Any person who breaks a bottle or other glassware in any park or parkway shall immediately pick up the broken pieces and remove same to a park waste container.
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ffemt1079 wrote:

I am new to all things open carry related.  I have CC and OC on my residence for years though.  I am very comfortable (if not more comfortable) with a firearm by my side (9 years military including a tour in Iraq).  Sadly, I am somewhat apprehensive about beginning to OC in public areas.

That said, does anyone have a map already made of the GFSZ for West Allis?

Also, I know about carrying in public/municipal buildings, but does that no carry policy stand for municipal grounds too....say, a county park?

Any help is appreciated!

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Its ok to be on the grounds of, say, the police department, city hall etc. You just CAN'T go in the buildings.

Parks are another story. You can definitely go in parks if there isn't a local ordinance.

We believe you can go in any parks except State Parks (which there is a state law prohibiting) We believe that the county parks ordinance is pre-empted by state law. We've asked for an opinion from the county exec and county legal counsel and the answer we were basically given was "they think the county park ban isn't pre-empted" but they aren't sure. So at the current time, it appears to be a 'grey-area'.

There are members who claim to OC in county parks all the time. I can't verify.

I grocery shop in West Allis every friday evening. If you ever want to show up at the same time, you can observe what happens when you OC in public (nothing will happen, most people won't notice)

In West Allis, I regularly (once a week) OC at:

-Home Depot
-Pick n Save (hwy 100 and cleveland)
-Kohls (hwy 100 and cleveland)
-Target
-Sams Club

Though not 'once a week' I've multiple times OC'd in West Allis at:

-Northern Tool
-Menards
-Michaels
-Pro-Tan
-Dunhams Sports
-Autozone
-McDonalds
-Blockbuster

PM's don't work for me on this site, but you can email me at nik@wisconsincarry.org if you'd like to follow me around Pick n Save while I grocery shop.

Also, I'll extend an invitation to you to (if you haven't already) join Wisconsin Carry. We just incorporated this fall and filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Wisconsin's Gun-free-school-zones. We started a membership drive just after that press release and have had fantastic participation.

Our website (membership form is on the website) www.wisconsincarry.org

There are tons of events and activities Wisconsin Carry will be planning and promoting.

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Wisconsin Stat. § 66.0409

Nullifies local restrictions pertaining to firearms. They can restrict discharge, but not ownership, possession, or carrying in anyway that is more stringent that state law.

State law says, (Cars, Bars, Government Buildings, State Parks, GFSZ).

Some counties/cities think that can restrict in county parks, I believe this to be more stringent than state law, but it has not been tested in court.

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bnhcomputing wrote:

Some counties/cities think that can restrict in county parks, I believe this to be more stringent than state law, but it has not been tested in court.

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...court.... where I believe those municipalities would lose because they won't be able to explain why the law designed to prevent a patchwork of gun ordinances across the state would provide for such a patchwork to still exist, i.e., park ordinances. Even under the worst (for us) of circumstances they would only be able to say guns must be unloaded and encased in a park (similar to a state park.)

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Thanks for the info and the welcomes.

I did OC today, though nothing big. Just took the kids and the dog for a walk. I'm glad i looked for the GFSZ yesterday. If I would have gone the usual route, I'd definately have been in a school zone, granted it would have been at the 800-1000 ft area. If I'd have taken the other usual route, I'd have been in a different GFSZ. I cant remember who said it on what posting, but the google earth ruler tool is a great idea.

I carry a Beretta Model 96 (cal .40) in a Blackhawk holtser with Serpa lock.