Carrying Around Lakes & Dams in Kentucky?

Is it legal to carry around the lakes and dams in Kentucky? The reason I ask is because I've been noticing those annoying brown signs with the image of a gun and the line drawn through them indicating that it's supposed to be a no carry area.

Are these signs backed up by some KRS or something or are they just "rule" signs only?

If it's Federal property, which I think most dams are, then most likely it's under the Corp or Engineers which is a no-go for firearms.

I have nothing to back this up except for what I know from Texas. Almost all the lakes in Texas are under the Corps of Engineers and firearms are not allowed on the property except during hunting seasons.

The Corps of Engineers does not fall under National Parks.

Well, most the dams in the Commonwealth are owned by the Army Corps of Engineers or the Tennessee Valley Authority. Both of which are federal agencies. Don't carry on or around the dam area. Most all other places are fine. I carry at Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow and Laurel Lake often with no problems.

Thanks guys. I guess I'm not going to be going to the class reunion then. *LOL*

I know that when on the lake you are not to use any solid ammo. You have to have some type of shot. I live on Lake Cumberland and I open carry at a couple of docks except for the Lake Cumberland State Dock. I am not sure how a state dock would be. Any insight on carry at a state run dock?

rescue743 said:

I know that when on the lake you are not to use any solid ammo. You have to have some type of shot. I live on Lake Cumberland and I open carry at a couple of docks except for the Lake Cumberland State Dock. I am not sure how a state dock would be. Any insight on carry at a state run dock?

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You can carry at the state dock. Only the buildings can be regulated and they are not posted. I carry at the state dock often. Like to eat at the restuarant. Buffet is usually good. Also, please site the carry only shot and no solid rounds. I have seen no law that restricts ammo.

It has been years since I have been to lake Cumberland, We use to take the boat down and go out and set up camp along one of the banks somewhere, we always had a couple of firearms in the boat and at the campsite

I ran across this on a lakecumberland.com at the link below about a year ago citing federal regulation 327.13 which bans loaded firearms on army corps property.

I don't think that the website is actually a state sponsored website, but posted by an individual.

Who ever set up the website believes that firearm are prohibited anywhere on the lake, however the regulation only states loaded

I think the real question would be where does the army corps property stop and State property start. (does the corps just own around the dam or do they own the whole lake?)


http://lakecumberland.com/userguide.php?weapons


NO FIREARMS OR WEAPONS ALLOWED
Per federal regulation, no weapons or firearms are allowed anywhere on the lake, with few exceptions (detailed below).

The wording of regulation 327.13:
The possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, loaded projectile firing devices, bows and arrows, crossbows, or other weapons is prohibited unless:
(1) In the possession of a Federal, state or local law enforcement officer;
(2) Being used for hunting or fishing as permitted under 327.8, with devices being unloaded when transported to, from or between hunting and fishing sites;
(3) Being used at authorized shooting ranges; or
(4) Written permission has been received from the District Commander.

The federal law prohibits you from possessing a firearm anywhere on the lake and no exceptions are made for having them inside the cabin of your boat. A boat IS NOT considered your home.

The only time you can legally possess a firearm anywhere on Lake Cumberland is during a bonified hunting season and only then while actually engauged in hunting activities. The gun must be un-loaded while being transported to and from your actual hunting location.

Federal law supercedes all state laws. Therefore a Concealed Carry license from any state is void on the lake. Being a concealed weapons permit holder makes no difference because they only give you legal authority to carry a firearm in places where firearms aren't otherwise prohibited (which beside the lake includes schools, post offices, court houses, police stations, and state parks). Getting caught with a concealed weapon in a place where it is prohibited by federal law can also result in loss of your CCDW permit altogether.

If you have a firearm in your possession on the lake and it isn't visible, then it is concealed, and that's a violation of state law.

State officers (including Fish & Wildlife game officers) have the authority to confiscate weapons as evidence until a Federal officer (COE Rangers) can arrive to investigate a possible federal offense. Citations would be handled in Federal, not local or state, courts.
NOTE: This info should be considered informational. It does not contain legal language, but rather is an intrepretation of laws and practices. For specifics, you are advised to contact legal authorities.

I am starting to understand how the poor souls in the U.S.S.R must have felt? To think that We spent untold amounts of money and countless years fighting the Cold War in an effort to quell tyranny in the World and then allow these various regulatory agencies in Our own country impose shite "laws" like these just boggles my mind.

What is this ?

[/QUOTE]NOTE: This info should be considered informational. It does not contain legal language, but rather is an intrepretation of laws and practices. For specifics, you are advised to contact legal authorities.[/QUOTE]

Interpretation (NOTE SPELLING ON ABOVE SAME WORD) of who's laws and practices?

Beware tmhrr private web site

Check out the 'contact us' area of the web site you posted above. The site is designed to look like a page from the authenic Kentucky State web site BUT it's obvious that with all the ads and ect. on there that it's just a for 'profit private site'. They can throw all the feed out that they want but this chicken ain't pickin'!!!!

It was my understanding that carry was legal now in both State & National Parks effective this year when it was signed into law. Am I right?

Now I'm aware that the COE issue is not the same thing as the above but for instance, when I start down into the spillway area of Dewey Lake Dam (Floyd Co.) there is a sign for no alconhol and one for no weapons, it's those annoying brown signs. Now if I'm traveling around Dewey Lake proper, there are no signs about firearms. This leads me to believe that carry is not forbidden around the lakes, just in the COE areas.