Going to Big Bend to camp

[CC Italian]

Rex B and PB walker.

Ok hold on! Maybe I am wrong but lets see.

I was basing this on the assumption that you can't carry a long gun in a national park located in Texas because you can not carry a long gun openly in a Texas state park unless:


Quoted straight from TPWD website

(d) Arms and Firearms. It is an offense for any person to display or discharge an arm or firearm in a state park, unless:

the person is participating in a public hunting activity within the state park that has been authorized by written order of the director so long as the person is in compliance with the applicable public hunting rules and regulations; or
the person has been authorized by written order of the director.

You said this REX B:

This has no bearing on National parks.

This is why I think it does but like I said I might be wrong. http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload ... 2-2010.pdf

Here is the piece I am most interested in.

If you can possess firearms legally according to
the laws of the state in which a park is located,
you can generally carry them in that park.

Also when I went to Yellowstone I saw several open carrying rifles. I was told by the park ranger that they where allowed because that part of the park was in Wyoming and Wyoming state law allows open carry of long guns in state parks. The national park allows what the state allows according to him. Here is the Yellow Stone website once again. http://www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm

The park ranger also told me the gun laws change as soon as you walk across into another state but still in the Yellow Stone National park. Then they allow what that state allows in that section of Yellowstone, say Montana.

So I guess the real question is does Big Bend National follow Texas state park laws which don't allow open carry unless

Quoted straight from TPWD website

(d) Arms and Firearms. It is an offense for any person to display or discharge an arm or firearm in a state park, unless:

the person is participating in a public hunting activity within the state park that has been authorized by written order of the director so long as the person is in compliance with the applicable public hunting rules and regulations; or
the person has been authorized by written order of the director.

or do they follow Texas law that says I can basically walk up and down the street with a long gun and it is legal. I think this is the question that is confusing me but when I went to Big Bend National I did not see any open carry of rifles. I know just because I didn't see it doesn't mean I can't do it. I am just once again sharing my experience.

[CC Italian]

I guess the easiest way to fix this problem would be to call the park headquarters in Big Bend National. That's what I did before I went to all the other national parks in other states.

[speedsix]

http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ...click on management...click on laws and policies...click on firearms regulations...http://www.nps.gov/bibe/parkmgmt/firear ... ations.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...also found on that site FAQ about dogs in the search mode: http://www.nps.gov/search/index.htm?que ... aCode=bibe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/pets.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/f ... UMP_151364" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CC Italian]

Alex-As for the dog thing and swimming. Like I said I have only been to one state park in Texas with my lab and they said the dog couldn't swim where people where swimming.
So I needed to clarify that I guess but I am not really going to walk into a lake in a random part of the lake and just start swimming with my dog on a leash. Most people are by pools or fishing spots in knee deep water. Plus I have seen to many moccasians to go jumping in most lakes.

[Rex B]

CC Italian - The laws governing Texas State Parks have zero relevance for National parks.
Two sets of laws, state and federal, just like anything else.

[steveincowtown]

CC Italian - The laws governing Texas State Parks have zero relevance for National parks.
Two sets of laws, state and federal, just like anything else.

Exactly. There seem to some confusion about about what Section 512, P.L. 111-24 made legal. It has nothing to do with what is legal in that State's Parks being allowed in National Parks in that state. It has to do with what is legal in the state itself becoming legal in the park in which the state sits.

http://www.nps.gov/legal/ActivationMemo ... ession.PDF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As long as you are not prohibited from by law from possessing the firearm, and you are acting within the laws of the state in which National Park resides, you should be fine carrying in any manner which is allowed by that state.

BUT, I don't this would be the case if approached by a Ranger. I am sure they are going to be thinking more in terms of concealed carry.

YMMV, INAL, DYOR, etc. etc.

[CC Italian]

Tell you what guys, next time I go to Big Bend National I will bring my lever action and if the rangers give me an all clear I will carry over my shoulder even though I really don't think that I will run into a problem that my Glock 20 couldn't solve.

Interesting though, so we are at the assumption that you can't carry a long gun unless hunting etc etc in a Texas state park but you can in a national park in Texas. We need to change that in Texas state parks!

[PeteCamp]

The only thing I know for sure is they don't have all these legal issues about guns in Mexico. They just carry anyway!

And if you wade across into Texas with a FA AK-47, well "we don't need no steenking gun laws."

[Rex B]

The only thing I know for sure is they don't have all these legal issues about guns in Mexico. They just carry anyway!

Yeah, but they aren't gringo$

[philip964]

Have pretty much decided on a state park in East Texas.

Saw this today. http://www.chron.com/news/article/Boy-6 ... 082231.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This was sort of why I asked about open carry.

But I will miss this,

http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2012/02/a- ... the-world/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[saltydog452]

Big Bend and Santa Elena Canyon was a hoot. We won't be going back. The force of law, whatever that is, exists only on one side of the river, or on a piece of Falcon Lake.

Local custom, common sense, and hopeful access to tourist trade was about the only defense needed a couple decades ago.

salty

[saltydog452]

See this." onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Terlingueno]

I live and work in the Big Bend. Several things you may want to ponder...

Alex...Yes sir. It is much more dangerous today than it was when I lived there. I love the area, but the problems in Mexico have made it, in my opinion, not worth the risk. Maybe some day we'll be able to visit there in relative safety again and let our kids and grandkids see one of the most amazing places on the planet.

Please Pete, show me the documented dangers. There have been no violent incidents here in quite some time. There have been some gnarly things on the south side of the river, but not here. That being said, do I carry? Yes, just like I do everywhere else in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and anywhere else my CHL is valid.

The last shooting incident down here was shortly after the Colorado Canyon shooting in 1988 when some Bubba's went on the river near San Vicente, armed in violation of park regs and shot at some Mexican Nationals that were south of the river. Oh, and the US Marine that shot and killed an 18 year old US citizen near Redford.

No one has been kidnapped/abducted from here in recent memory

You may carry a concealed handgun in BBNP(no open carry) but it has to stay concealed and you cannot carry into any visitor center, ranger station, or any other Federal building. The lodge, gas station and stores are not Federal buildings. The exception is Castolon since there is a visitor center in the same building. The traveling law works too if one is not a CHL holder. Look for the no firearms signs on the doors.

If you are on the river(and happen to be on the Mexican side which you aren't supposed to be) and have a firearm, and are caught by the Mexican Army, Marinas, Federales, or anyone else with authority there, you are hosed, in more ways than one.

You may not open carry a long gun in the park(per the Superintendent and Chief Ranger), it must stay in the vehicle

And finally about your pets, you can have them where you can drive, not on trails or the back country.

[RussW]

Agree... I would unhesitatingly go to BBNP and go or hike anywhere on the US side. I personally would avoid the river right now although I have been down and across it many times. I would not go down the river if I could not carry and that's just a bad combination and a real problem waiting to happen with the dual jurisdictions. I have hiked all over BBNP for the past 25+ years and have been as recently as this summer. Yes, summer! The Chisos Basin and the high Chisos trails can be very nice during the summer and the place seems almost deserted. I would be much more concerned about the 4 legged (and maybe 8-legged and slithering) threats than the 2-legged kind. My opinion FWIW

[speedsix]

...a bit more recent than 1988...just one report from one year...it may not be all that legend suggests...but it's not Branson, MO...y'all be careful there

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2004 ... 01-02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


...rated as the second most dangerous of our national parks.... http://www.nathpo.org/News/Federal/News ... ncies8.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...ETex's lookin' safer all the time... http://naturalresources.house.gov/Info/ ... erview.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;