Hey, everyone! Question. Ok, I hike in the North GA mountains from time to time and was wondering the legality of carrying on the trails. The area is owned by the US Forest Service and the trails are quite secluded. My question is can I carry a weapon on the trails? I'm 19 so I don't have a GWL, but can I carry a Long Gun? I've looked it up and I see that there are a bunch of technicalities about entering US Forest Service areas armed. What kind of gun is it? What season is it? What did you sign in as? What license do you have? What permit do you have? Do you have animal tags? Just stuff like that. Thanks!

As a side note, do you think park rangers (if we're somehow found and searched) would care? Plus, some of the surrounding area is used for military training so "small arms fire should not alert", according to the website about the area. So does the protection outweigh the possible legalities?

You need to get more legal clarification on that from the proper authorities.
Yes, some rangers will make a BIG deal about it if its illegal. Big enough that you may never legally own a gun again. It all depends on what you're doing at the time.
Find out for sure before you do it.

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“Look life in its iron face”

Thanks, Jessie. I've read responses from rangers saying that they'd be more likely to let you slide for a concealed weapon (provided you're not doing something stupid) than a long gun out of season (labeled as a poacher).

I live near the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, and I think they are policed by the U.S. Forest Service as well. I looked on their website and asked a park ranger, the law states that if you have a valid concealed carry permit, you may carry a "Concealed" handgun. Long guns must be unloaded and cased except during hunting season.

All recreational shooting must be done on designated shooting ranges, places I would avoid because of all the nut cases who shoot there and don't know any safety rules.

These are the regulations for National Forests in Virginia, your regulations may differ. Do your research and ask a Law Enforcement Official who patrols your area before carrying in State Parks or National Forests.

A individual with a concealed weapons permit/licens can carry it on Federal Parks but not in some buildings. You do not have one so carrying a concealed weapon would get you in a lot of trouble. Carrying a long gun if it is not hunting season or hunting is not allowed would also get you into a lot of trouble,

My advice is do not carry unless you get written permission from the head Ranger.

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Still Running Against the Wind

NO matter who you ask, you want to see it in black-and-white.

"That's great officer, thanks. Could you by any chance point me to the relevant statute-rule-regulation number/s so that I can print it out?"

In Calif............
NO guns with ammo in the magazine are allowed on FS land!!

If not empty...........a fine, loss of fire arm or both can be the out come............ depending on the mood of the officer.

Each state may have different laws that one needs to know about.

The big question that keeps popping into my head is this - Why would there be different laws in different states when talking about federal land?

A National Forest is not always federal land, and all of the NF sites I looked at start with the state laws, then add some restrictions. But state to state, there are differences, so local research is required.

Excellent question! My research so far indicates that the national forests follow the state law where they are located, with some added restrictions.
For example, The Cibola NF unit about 3 miles East of my house is no hunting, no guns, no camping, no shooting. It is a day use urban location recreation area.
Other unit of the Cibola NF here in New Mexico are open for hunting, camping and shooting.
The Carson National Forest in Northern NM is very big and remote. I am pretty sure that I have talked to Forest rangers up there while open carrying
A handgun. Out there you could be 50 miles or more from the nearest house. The Forest land in most places is surrounded by BLM land, nobody lives there either.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER