Carry in Pisgah National Forest

[gboffroad]

I am needing to find an answer and hope someone here might be able to help me. I will be traveling to Brevard, NC in July and will be in and out of the Pisgah National Forest and would prefer to be able to keep my handgun with me at all times. I have called the ranger stations and all the numbers they have referred me to when they couldn’t answer the question, but it seems that nobody know if I can or can’t.

Does anyone here have any knowledge of this?

Thanks is advance for any info provided.

[Guest bkelm18]

Pretty sure that National Forests are still a no-go.

[Fallguy]

There is no Federal law or regulation against carry in National Forrest.

From Handgunlaw.us

Some states have laws concerning carrying in a National Forest. You must know the law.

If it is legal for you to carry a firearm concealed in the state the National Forest is in, you can carry your firearm concealed in a National Forest in that state. If it is legal to carry a firearm openly on your hip in the state the National Forest is in, you can legally carry it that way in the National Forest in that state.

Regulations specific to use of weapons imposed by the Forest Service are that you can’t discharge a weapon within 150 yards of any occupied area or structure/development, or discharge a weapon within or into a cave, across or on a body of water or road, or in any manner that endangers a person. You also can’t use any tracer or incendiary ammunition. Forest Service regulations require that you also comply with all State laws regarding the use of firearms while hunting.

If you are planning on visiting a designated Wilderness Area, the Regional Forester or Forest Supervisor has the option to implement a special local order which additionally prohibits the mere possession of a firearm within that Wilderness Area. So you should contact the Forest Supervisor's office to find out whether such a restriction has been imposed. Do be advised that any Ranger Station or Visitors Center run by a federal agency in any National Forest or Wilderness Area is considered a Federal Building. It is illegal to carry any firearm into such a building either concealed or openly even with a CCW from the state the National Forest Ranger Station or Visitors Center.

If there is a state building in the National Forest or Wilderness Area then state law covers carrying firearms into those buildings.

However it appears NC does not allow carry in National Forrest according to the

NC page on handgunlaw.us

[gboffroad]

Thanks to both for the info, that is exactly what I was looking for, but could not find.

[gboffroad]

FYI - I got a call back from the ranger at the NF with some knowledge. He told me that I could carry a 22 caliber handgun as long as it was shorter than 7.5 inches. Otherwise they would assume I was using the handgun to hunt.

[Guest bkelm18]

FYI - I got a call back from the ranger at the NF with some knowledge. He told me that I could carry a 22 caliber handgun as long as it was shorter than 7.5 inches. Otherwise they would assume I was using the handgun to hunt.

That's ridiculous. I'm pretty sure he just made that up.

[Fallguy]

That's ridiculous. I'm pretty sure he just made that up.

+1

[Oh Shoot]

FYI - I got a call back from the ranger at the NF with some knowledge. He told me that I could carry a 22 caliber handgun as long as it was shorter than 7.5 inches. Otherwise they would assume I was using the handgun to hunt.

Lordie. To think my taxes pay that idiot's salary.

- OS