Guns in National Parks. Why not?
Beginning today, people may carry firearms into national parks and refuges in states where right to carry laws exist.
The federal legislation to allow this was authored by Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, who said “If a law-abiding citizen has the right to carry a firearm in their state, it makes no sense to treat them like a criminal if they pass through a national park while in possession of a firearm.”
You can read more on this issue at www.newsok.com/new-law-on-firearms-to-take-effect-in-oklahoma-parks/article/3441105?custom_click=pod_headline_politics)
Makes sense to me. Chances are I would never need a gun in a national park but I would feel safer in wilderness areas, especially after seeing these photos of mountain lions that are showing up on trail cameras in Oklahoma.
The debate on this issue reminds me of a trip I took a few years ago to the Red Slough in southeastern Oklahoma, a wildlife management area of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
If you don’t know where the Red Slough is, it’s about as far southeast as you can go in Oklahoma and still be in Oklahoma.
It’s earned a reputation for bird watching and duck hunting. It’s so far southeast that even alligators live on the Red Slough.
A guy from the Wildlife Department offered to meet me in Idabel and give me a ride and a tour of the Red Slough.
That’s a neck of the woods where you do not want to be lost. You might stumble into somewhere where you are unwanted.
As we were getting closer to the Red Slough and he turned onto a remote county road, my tour guide told me, “You are in the boonies now.”
“Well, I hope you are packing,” I replied.
“You bet,” he answered. “Everybody else is.”
Which brings me to my point. The only people who obey gun laws are law-abiding citizens. The outlaws are carrying their guns already.
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Comments
I think it’s great that the NPS finally allowed guns in the parks. I will feel much better next time I hike into one of my favorite trout fishing streams in Yellowstone. Several years ago I came WAY to close to a Grizzly sow and her cubs. I put the stream between us and back away very quitely and carefully knowing if she charged I was in trouble.
Armed I’ll still back away because the last thing I would want to do is harm that bear, well next to last because harming me would rank first. If it came down to me or the bear, I’d feel very sad about killing the bear!
I carry firearm(s) in Alaska, and I will in our NPs where needed.
That said, the most dangerous game in most of our national parks is the idiotic humans that are unfortunately becoming more plentiful all over.
[...] who obey gun laws are law-abiding citizens. The outlaws are carrying their guns already. – [source] February 22nd, 2010 | Tags: America, Federal, firearms, laws, National Parks, Oklahoma, RKBA, [...]