Guns in National Parks

[JohnRich 4]

News:

Groups pushing to allow firearms in national parks

Gun rights groups are making a final push to get the gun ban in national parks lifted before control of the U.S. Congress officially passes into Democrats' hands in January.

Sen. George Allen, R-Va., introduced legislation that would allow citizens to bring firearms into all 390 national park sites in compliance with federal law and state regulations in which the parks are located.

Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, said the groups tried for two years to persuade the Interior Department to voluntarily repeal the ban, which was put in place in 1983 to stop poaching.

Pratt said citizens should be allowed to take guns into national parks to protect themselves from criminals and wild animals...

Full story

[ExAFO 0]

Sounds good. It's not like the parks are courthouses or city halls...Plus they have been crime scenes/dumping grounds for bodies in the past...

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[livendive 8]

Any idea what the original stated reason for the ban was? People shooting target practice and posing a hazard to others (or just disturbing the tranquility?

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[AggieDave 6]

From the original post:

"the ban, which was put in place in 1983 to stop poaching. "

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[livendive 8]

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From the original post:

"the ban, which was put in place in 1983 to stop poaching. "

Fuck! That's the third time I've done that in less than an hour!

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[Remster 30]

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From the original post:

"the ban, which was put in place in 1983 to stop poaching. "

Fuck! That's the third time I've done that in less than an hour!

Blues,
Dave

You've poached 3 times in the last hour? Man...

Remster

[Amazon 7]

I usually just put it in my pack out of sight when I backpack there...I guess I am one of those evil lawbreakers huh.

[livendive 8]

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From the original post:

"the ban, which was put in place in 1983 to stop poaching. "

Fuck! That's the third time I've done that in less than an hour!

You've poached 3 times in the last hour? Man...

I was hungry and wanted to try something other than scrambling, frying, or boiling.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[ExAFO 0]

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I was hungry and wanted to try something other than scrambling, frying, or boiling.

Blues,
Dave

The great chefs of the UK...now there's a thick book...

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[steve1 5]

I don't think I'd ever backpack in Denali Park without packing a large caliber pistol. There's just too many Grizzlies. I don't want to end up as bear food, and I don't trust bear spray.

I'd rather have a shotgun with slugs, but there would be no way to hide that.

I know a guy who markets Bear Spray. He credits the stuff for saving his life, but not until a Sow Grizzly chewed both he and his friend up good. He actually had his head in the bears mouth more than once. Whenever the bear clamped down he'd pass out. Maybe a six shooter wouldn't have helped much in that scenario, but I'll bet it would work better than his bear spray....Steve1

[shropshire 0]

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[JohnRich 4]

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Any idea what the original stated reason for the ban was?

It's in the third paragraph of the introductory message. Do your homework before asking questions.

[masterrig 1]

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I don't think I'd ever backpack in Denali Park without packing a large caliber pistol. There's just too many Grizzlies. I don't want to end up as bear food, and I don't trust bear spray.

I'd rather have a shotgun with slugs, but there would be no way to hide that.

I know a guy who markets Bear Spray. He credits the stuff for saving his life, but not until a Sow Grizzly chewed both he and his friend up good. He actually had his head in the bears mouth more than once. Whenever the bear clamped down he'd pass out. Maybe a six shooter wouldn't have helped much in that scenario, but I'll bet it would work better than his bear spray....Steve1

________________________________

I think, a lot of the problems with bears and other wildlife in our parks is from being stupid. There are signs all over the parks stating: "Do Not Feed The... Bears, Elk, Deer, skunks whatever. what do the tourists do? They feed them. Most tourists to our parks don't know shit from a good grade of apple butter about wildlife. The animals equate humans with food. As much as I like guns and carry a hand-gun, I just don't believe, our National Parks is the proper place for a firearm.


Chuck

[shropshire 0]

Is it a good idea to have armed people in the woods (for example) where there could be wildlife but also other people are out hiking.... That rustling bush could be a bear or it could be a kid.

Not saying that all gun owners are trigger happy, but it's not too hard to envisage painfull problems.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[JohnRich 4]

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I don't think I'd ever backpack in Denali Park without packing a large caliber pistol. There's just too many Grizzlies. I don't want to end up as bear food...

That's the decision that this law forces citizens to make. You can:

1) Break the law to protect your life, or;
2) Obey the law and put your life at risk.

No citizen in a free country should be forced to make that choice.

I spend a lot of time in parks near the Texas/Mexico border, subject to bears, mountain lions, desperate illegal aliens, drug smugglers, and gosh knows what else. Yet the government thinks that I'm safer without a gun for protection...

Since gun carry is legal for travelers in Texas, and legal in Texas State parks, it should also be legal in National Parks located within Texas.

[JohnRich 4]

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I just don't believe, our National Parks is the proper place for a firearm.

What are "proper places", in your opinion?

[Amazon 7]

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As much as I like guns and carry a hand-gun, I just don't believe, our National Parks is the proper place for a firearm.

The parks out here are the last vestige of wilderness.... and I have very good bear ettiqiutte when in the woods...but Still prefer to take the.44 mag with me.. I backpack alone quite a bit... and even though the chances of a bear encounter is fairly rare...It still a good thing to have. We have a few griz that you can run across in the parks or the other wilderness areas that I love to go into... not only for the 4 legged predators.. but the far worse two legged predators as well.

[Richards 0]

Undecided. I would feel more inclined to carry a gun in a big city than in a national park (and feel less remorse for having to use it). That said, mostly I have been in areas with just black bears and a few cougars (never saw a cougar in the wild), and I have only been in grizzly country a couple of times (never saw one) therefore my lack of desire to carry one may be skewed by my relatively mild backpacking experiences.

I would be concerned that many hunters would poach under the guise that "it tried to attack me". Maybe I would be OK with someone carrying a shotgun with an extremely short barrel and slugs, or a .44 magnum so as to ensure that people only shot at things that were dangerously close.

One thing I have heard and maybe you can confirm. I read somewhere that most people survive grizzly maulings (with considerable injury) and that shooting it just enrages it thus worsenning your predicament and increasing the severity of the attack. Has anyone else heard this?

Anyway I am curious to see where this debate goes.

My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within.

[freethefly 6]

I fully support the right to arm bears.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Andy9o8 2]

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Livendive: Any idea what the original stated reason for the ban was?

JR: It's in the third paragraph of the introductory message. Do your homework before asking questions.

Well. So much for an armed society being a polite society.

[Amazon 7]

When I travel to the far north...ie Yukon and NWT... I have NO problem with the border guards going across into Canada... when they ask I tell them I have a rifle with me because I wil be spending time backpacking and camping in the bush up north.. in the bush. I carry a very heavy caliber magnum on the off chance I have to use it.. I have seen and have had bear encounters there in the Ogilve Mts in the Yukon several times and on the Nahanni River in the NWT. I have seen big kitties in the woods and mountains and I think that very few people will EVER see one in the wild.. they are just too good at evading people... I carry the rifle with me no matter what I am doing up there day in and day out... because there... like some of our wilderness areas here in the west.. ... you aint necessarily the very top of the food chain.. better to be prepared.

[wuffo2 0]

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I usually just put it in my pack out of sight when I backpack there...I guess I am one of those evil lawbreakers huh.

A SMART EVIL LAWBREAKER

[ExAFO 0]

I'm waiting for guns in Church...Headlines reading "a disgruntled worshipper shot...."

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[masterrig 1]

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I just don't believe, our National Parks is the proper place for a firearm.

What are "proper places", in your opinion?

_______________________________

I'm not going to argue that point. Just voiced my opinion. I'm not trying to sound like an 'anti-gunner' or anything. Like I said, I like and own guns. I just don't think, guns should be in Natl. Parks. Think, about all the visitors and kids running around our parks. I can see all the arguments for or against. We have enough other places we can carry guns. We'll just have to see how this one plays-out.
edit to add: You did mention your travels along the Rio Grande. That area is well known for some of the things you mentioned like drug runners and the like. I know too, some folks on the other side of the river like to take pot-shots at river rafters, Border Patrol agents and the like. In further thought, I'm beginning to see your side. Maybe, it's not such a bad idea, after all to be able to carry a gun in the Natl. Parks.

Chuck

[masterrig 1]

Yeah, like the 'weed' growers in Yosemite! On second thought... carrying guns might not be a bad thing!


Chuck