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.