STATE PARK CARRY

[Guest Mad4rcn]

I have read that the only way to carry in a state park in TN,is concealed only,looked up several articles and they all said the same thing.I have been told you can carry open or concealed,any thoughts or sites I can find any updated reading on?

Thanks.

[Oh Shoot]

I have read that the only way to carry in a state park in TN,is concealed only,looked up several articles and they all said the same thing.I have been told you can carry open or concealed,any thoughts or sites I can find any updated reading on?

Thanks.

Statute is 39-17-1311

There is no requirement to carry concealed.

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(under exemptions to state/federal lands carry)

"(H) Persons possessing a handgun, who are authorized to carry the handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351, while within or on a public park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other similar public place that is owned or operated by the state, a county, a municipality or instrumentality thereof, except as otherwise provided in subsection (d);

(I) Persons possessing a handgun, who are authorized to carry the handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351, while within or on property designated by the federal government as a national park, forest, preserve, historic park, military park, trail or recreation area, to the extent permitted by federal law; "

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The federal statute for carry in national parks also does not require concealed carry, but rather, carry under the existing laws of the state in which the national park resides.

- OS

[JReedEsq]

OS is correct. I'm not an open carry fan myself, but I am glad to have the option. Particularly, since I haven't found a way to CC a full-size pistol while wearing a loaded backpack with a waist stabilizer.

Edited July 24, 2010 by JReedEsq

[Fallguy]

The news media doesn't know anything about lawful carry in TN. Since most other states issue Concealed Carry permits (because OC is legal without a permit) they think that TN must issue conceal carry permits and only talk about concealed carry.

There is no legal requirment to conceal in TN, including state parks.

[Guest Mad4rcn]

Thanks guys.

[JAB]

Roughly 99.99% of the time I carry it is concealed. That said, I can see benefits to open carry or not-quite-as-concealed carry while in a park. One being that I'd be carrying a bigger handgun than my normal EDC. Another factor is that, while I realize that four-legged assailants are still below two-legged on the list of threats, the four-legged type aren't necessarily going to give a lot of warning/time to draw from concealment.

IIRC, at one time while the details of park carry were being worked out, wasn't there even the possibility on the table (briefly) of allowing folks without an HCP to open carry in state parks but requiring an HCP for concealed carry? Of course, that could have been yet more local media misinformation.

[Kenstaroni]

About the only time I carry open is actually in State Parks...lol If I'm on a hiking trail with a 50lb pack and run across a wild animal or person who wishes to do me harm the last place I want my gun is in the pack or stuffed down my shorts somewhere. I want it right on my hip.

Perfect example and why I choose to do this....On this day it was about 28 degrees and snowing....I thought no one would be out there and I didn't need to keep my gun on me so I put it in the top of my pack. This was not in the Smoky's and not an area of high Bear activity.

I was hiking back in February with a friend and my lab. We came into a parking area during our hike on the second day and a couple was parked there in the parking lot. They had a pitbull with them running loose. We were a good 75 yards away from them and I stopped as soon as I saw them. Not more than a second or two later the pitbull saw us it came at us in a very aggressive manner.....tail tucked....head down...you could tell he wasn't coming to make friends. I yelled at the guy to call his dog off but it did no good. As soon as he got a couple feet away the pitbull started growling and immediately attacked my lab. The lab was on a leash with a saddlle pack on full of food and stood a disadvantage for these reasons and she's 12 years old. I repeatedly kicked the pitbull in the head and it didn't seem to discourage it. I was about to drop my pack and pull out my pistol as I really didn't give a crap whether this dog lived or died if it was going to possibly kill my 12 year old lab who I've had since she was 8 weeks old.

The owner finally got the dog away as I was seconds from reaching in my pack and grabbing my .45. I felt I would be completely justified as the dog was not on a leash as required by the park rules and was an aggressive breed capable and obviously willing to attack my dog or myself.

I gave the guy an earful about it.....a very strong earful. My lab had blood all over her face and I thought I was going to have to take her to the vet a.s.a.p...all while my car was about 4 miles away and the nearest vet about an hour's drive. However after wiping her face off with a towel the only blood on my dog came from the pitbull. She didn't have a scratch on her. Yeah, my 12 year old lab wooped the pit...all while on a leash with 10lbs on her back and in the middle of a 6 mile hike. She was luckilly just fine and we finished the trip and went home the next day. She was a little sore and walked with a limp for a day or two (she has some arthritis anyway), but no injuries.

This is why I will never put my gun in my pack again....it will always be on my hip from now on. I am shooting first and asking questions later if the same situation presents itself. I had no way to retreat or avoid the attack, and if that's the case again I'm taking action as soon as I percieve a threat that is justified by such force. If it's a bear or wild animal and I can back off and let it pass then that's what I'll do first. If it's a bear (or any wild or domestic animal) charging me agressively, well I'm not going to challenge it to a game of chess, I'm going to let it eat some lead.

About an hour later we passed two hunters carrying rifles who were hunting wild bore. This also made me glad I had my pistol on my hip as if these guys were going to carry rifles around I was dang sure going to carry my pistol openly.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Kenstaroni

[Fallguy]

IIRC, at one time while the details of park carry were being worked out, wasn't there even the possibility on the table (briefly) of allowing folks without an HCP to open carry in state parks but requiring an HCP for concealed carry? Of course, that could have been yet more local media misinformation.

Not that I remember.

I believe discussion about carry anywhere in public without a permit would have stood out and been widely discussed on here.....

Also just something for all to remember, while you can use deadly force against an animal in self-defense.....the burden of proof might even be higher than against a human considering the shooting of animals is one reasons Park Rangers were so against the bill.

[Kenstaroni]

I completely agree. I would only harm an animal if I felt like they threatened my life. If a racoon is chasing me, I'm not going to shoot it....lol I am a nature concious person, I do not wish any harm to an animal, however if it's me or them I'm choosing me.

[Glock30]

I OC'd in a state park when I went camping in the spring. The park rangers didn't even notice it (until I pulled out my permit) when they came around to collect fees for the night. They said thanks and nothing more about it.

[JAB]

Not that I remember.

I believe discussion about carry anywhere in public without a permit would have stood out and been widely discussed on here.....

You are probably right. I only heard that once on the local news. It wasn't even a full story on park carry, just one of the anchors reading a short blurb about the (then) bill. I even said to my wife, "That's the first time I've heard anything about that." So I guess more media misinformation, it is.

Also just something for all to remember, while you can use deadly force against an animal in self-defense.....the burden of proof might even be higher than against a human considering the shooting of animals is one reasons Park Rangers were so against the bill.

I thought a lot of the opposition was because some (certainly not all) Rangers nowadays are wannabe hippies and flower children.

[Guest Oaklands]

I completely agree. I would only harm an animal if I felt like they threatened my life. If a racoon is chasing me, I'm not going to shoot it....lol I am a nature concious person, I do not wish any harm to an animal, however if it's me or them I'm choosing me.

If the raccoon has a little foam around the mouth, I would rethink it.