| Page 1528 | National Parks Traveler

I have a problem with guns in Parks with lots of wildlife such as Yellowstone. My concern is not regarding poaching. My concern is having someone see an animal such as a coyote wander close to their campsite ( which happens many times ) and someone who isn't used to this panicking and shooting the animal. I can see the excuses now, "Oh my kid was outside".

Feb 5th - 07:50am | Teddy Mather

This has been debated as naseum, and I know that this logic will go over your head Don M, but comparing the 1st amendment and 2nd amendment, exactly how they are written, shows what the founding fathers had in mind.

Feb 5th - 00:25am | Mike Tercek

Fred, No. Not sure I see the connection you are making.

Feb 4th - 23:11pm | Bill Roberts

This bill is long overdue. It would make a lot of park visitors legal park visitors. I know people who have concealed carry permits and are just not going to put their lives in danger by not have either a sidearm or shotgun nearby and an unloaded gun is useless.

Feb 4th - 21:50pm | Fred Miller

Mike - I read your post on Yellowstone Ecology. Funny stuff. I assume you also support amnesty for illegal aliens?

Feb 4th - 20:37pm | Don M.

Kurt, I forgot to address your comment about 2A cases before the Supreme Court. I'm inferring that you're are talking about DC vs. Heller. DC is appealing because if you don't like what you hear, appeal and appeal and appeal some more. I'm hopeful that SCOTUS is going to put this to rest for once and for all but I'm not holding my breath.

Feb 4th - 20:20pm | Don M.

Kurt,

Feb 4th - 19:45pm | Mike Tercek

In my opinion, the senators supporting this care neither about the gun rights or national parks. They are just placating the NRA so they can get re-elected. Repealing the gun restrictions in the parks is a bad idea, but in the grand scheme it is a non-issue. To read a lengthier comment that I've written on this issue, you might read the following article on my web site:

Feb 4th - 19:42pm | Anonymous

“The Everglades has alligators, bear, panthers (though not many), poisonous snakes, dangerous wild boar, and the potential to run into two legged predators is there too. For the federal government to not allow law abiding citizens to legally do what they may throughout the rest of the parks in Florida is criminal and unconstitutional. This bill is long overdue, but better late than never."

Feb 4th - 19:29pm | Dennis

Honest people carry firearms for self defense for the same reasons they carry fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

Feb 4th - 18:32pm | repanshek

Don, For starters, there is no record of you submitting a comment to this story yesterday or even the day before. Secondly, I'm afraid you have no First Amendment right to have your comments published here:

Feb 4th - 17:59pm | Don M.

How ironic that a response I posted yesterday in favor of allowing carry in the Parks was not posted here. I stated that many of the arguments against allowing guns in the parks are based on emotions, not fact. I also stated that I disliked being characterized as a Neanderthal or a beer swilling slob because I am a gun owner.

Feb 4th - 17:21pm | Fred Miller

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The more people are allowed to carry guns, the less safe I feel." I hate that you feel this way, but I'm sure you have your reasons.

Feb 4th - 16:06pm | Anonymous

Can you not envision a situation in a campground where something similar could happen? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The more people are allowed to carry guns, the less safe I feel. Only in a campground where you continued blathering.

Feb 4th - 15:00pm | jsmacdonald

I don't have a bone to pick in this argument. I'm at once a pacifist, but I'm also an anarchist - so I don't really care about government rights versus privileges. I don't like guns; I don't like hierarchies asserting their power by hording arms in themselves while at the same time denying it of people they control. I don't like any of it on any of the traditional sides of the argument.

Feb 4th - 13:38pm | Fred Miller

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=3439 "in Baltimore County, MD, when a 15-year old kid took his father's legally owned gun and killed him and his entire family?"

Feb 4th - 11:48am | Joe

I live on the edge of the Everglades National Park. It is one of the largest areas in Florida that bans ordinary law abiding citizens from carrying firearms. There are hundreds of thousands of law abiding gun carriers in Florida who walk around everyday without commiting violence. These people are more law abiding than your average citizen without a concealed weapons permit.

Feb 4th - 11:26am | Anonymous

Our right to self defense as a Person, a state, as a nation is inate. Our right to arm ourself is also inate, and constitutionally protected under the second amendant. Our constitutional rights are protected under Federal law. Namely Title 18 chapter 13 sec 242. If we as a person, dont have the right to arm ourselves then niether do all policemen.

Feb 4th - 07:49am | Teddy Mather

"the point is that even in the hands of law-abiding citizens, people end up dying from senseless gun violence. Source, please."

Feb 4th - 00:01am | Anonymous

If you feel you need protection from the wild animals in a National Park, then stay home. One purpose of the parks is to protect those animals. If you think you might need to shot one, stay away.

Feb 3rd - 18:18pm | Mark

If national parks are such safe places, why are many park rangers now carrying handguns? Criminals love places where honest citizens are not allowed to be armed; it makes their job so much easier!

Feb 3rd - 17:52pm | Anonymous

I think its a good thing to allow citizens the right to carry firearms of their choice in parks to protect themselves from 2 AND 4 legged predators. Our National Parks are nothing less than another "Gun Free Zone" where 2 legged predators are free to attack people that are guaranteed to be defenseless under current law.

Feb 3rd - 17:00pm | Montanan

Well, it might interest some of you to know that 47 senators have asked the NPS to conform to the gun laws of the state(s) in which a park is located. Quote: "why would anyone going to a park want or need to carry a weapon[?]" Well, for the same reasons that one would want or need a gun in any other area: for protection from criminals and wild animals.

Feb 3rd - 15:18pm | Art

Criminals will carry and misuse guns regardless of the law. All gun bans do is disarm law abiding citizens leaving them vulnerable. I applaud Senator Coburn for his common sense when it comes to these issues. Keep it up Senator.

Feb 3rd - 14:55pm | Anonymous

"the point is that even in the hands of law-abiding citizens, people end up dying from senseless gun violence. Source, please.

Feb 3rd - 14:16pm | Teddy Mather

Comparing matches to guns is the most asinine statement I think I've ever read. Matches have several uses -- guns have 1 use: to kill. That is what they were created for. The point isn't for "irresponsible people" who would ignore laws anyway; the point is that even in the hands of law-abiding citizens, people end up dying from senseless gun violence.

Feb 3rd - 13:22pm | Fred Miller

My views haven't changed on this issue. Read my other posts. I am NOT an arsonist. But I do carry matches. Do you want to ban those too? Legal gun-owners don't poach nor do they indiscriminately shoot at anything they see. You're thinking of those irresponsible people who ignore laws and regulations anyway.

Feb 3rd - 13:08pm | Anonymous

You would think these people would learn from all the tragedies that are caused by guns.

Feb 3rd - 13:01pm | Anonymous

You're right. It's absolutely insane to carry a firearm miles from civilization. The mountain lions won't hurt you. Unless they do.

Feb 3rd - 12:57pm | Anonymous

For those who only stop at park visitor centers or for lunch at a roadside picnic area, guns may have little or no utility. For those who enjoy hiking or camping, particularly in the more remote areas of parks, a gun might provide welcome protection from predators of both the two- and four-legged variety.

Feb 3rd - 12:56pm | Anonymous

I hope Coburn is able to get this done. I live in an area surrounded by National Parks and it in inconvenient and I think dangerous to the citizenry to ban firearms. As shown by the fact that state concealed carry laws have not resulted in mayhem as the Fraternal Order of Police and other anti-gun groups warned, the law abiding public can be trusted.

Feb 3rd - 12:50pm | Anonymous

This is beyond belief. The National Park System is just that....it's a park...created for the enjoyment of natural beauty by everyone: young, old, Mom and Dad, Gramps & Gram's, family outings, friends, camping, hiking, y'all git the picture.

Feb 3rd - 12:50pm | John Wallace

Criminals are going to break the law no matter what law is put in place. If poachers are wanting to poach they will poach. If armed robbers want to threaten people at gun point to rob them, guess what they are going to use?

Feb 3rd - 12:41pm | Mark from KY

This is great news! Good for the Senator.

Feb 3rd - 12:19pm | JoeSF

Thank you Senator Coburn for introducing common sense legislation concerning firearms for the National Parks. I applaud you.

Feb 3rd - 11:28am | James Curzio

I sent the comments below to the Senator. Please take the time to send your comments to the Senator as well. It can make a difference. Senator,

Feb 3rd - 07:49am | Anonymous

Only a crazy man would introduce that kind of law.

Feb 2nd - 20:38pm | Anonymous

This amendment is a really bad idea, Its hard to beleive that someone would be stupid enough to even consider this. Just what we need is another gun fanatic to make things worse for the general public. You would think these people would learn from all the tragedies that are caused by guns.

Feb 2nd - 19:53pm | Anonymous

First of all, if someone is in a National park to poach wildlife this bill will not bother them at all, They are there to break the law what do they care about anyone who may be legally carrying a weapon. Have you people been living under a rock or what ? Most people who carry guns legally don't go around flashing them like some school kid, I think most of you people need a reality check .

National Lakeshores Threatened by Non-native Species

Feb 5th - 11:21am | Matthew K.

Invasive species are a huge problem for the National Parks around the Great Lakes. So much so that Isle Royale Superintendent Phyllis Green took drastic measures back in September to ban the dumping of ballast water in Lake Superior within four miles of the park.

President's 2009 Budget Proposal Lacking for National Parks

Feb 5th - 06:13am | Anonymous

Just stop the war for a week $275 million per day and give 1.9 billion to the Park Service's construction budget. That would do it.

Feb 4th - 19:45pm | Barky

Wow. $172 million is such a small number when compared against the vastness of the National Park System.

Master Craftsmen Restoring 18th Century House That Survived the Civil War

Feb 4th - 10:48am | Anonymous

This is an extraordinary example of a public /private partnership. Without the collaboration of the FSNMP and the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield the restoration would likely not be a reality. Hats off to all!

Senators Pushing To Allow Concealed Weapons in National Parks

Feb 4th - 07:12am | Debbie

I'll keep this simple-I never even thought of carrying a concealed weapon until I heard about the lone girl hiking with her dog in Georgia. Some nut kills her for no reason other than he is a psycho nut. If she had a right to carry she could have defended herself against this nut. She is just one example of the many. How sad for her family.

Winter Visits to the National Parks

Feb 3rd - 02:22am | jsmacdonald

I wrote about the rest of my recent winter trip into Yellowstone about an hour ago. While swimming in the boiling river was fantastic fun, this was anything but fun. It raises serious concerns about the cost of our winter treks into parks like Yellowstone and the lengths sometimes gone to for making it possible for us.

‘Study Group’ Meets to Determine fate of Yellowstone National Park’s East Entrance

Feb 2nd - 21:57pm | jsmacdonald

It's because I haven't given up hope that I don't accept the false dilemma. It's the deepest form of cynicism to believe that other people (even those who claim they want to work from the ground up) need to be champions for us to give us a voice in the process.

Feb 2nd - 20:22pm | Anonymous

Jim, it's your generation that shouldn't give up hope for change. With Obama there is hope for change. Don't give up so easily!

Feb 2nd - 19:15pm | jsmacdonald

And, the choice that Anonymous provides us is the false dilemma that so many people content with themselves. That false dilemma is why the closed door meetings about Sylvan Pass, wars in far off places, and health care - decisions on which affect how you and I live are lives - happen without our input.

Feb 1st - 09:48am | Anonymous

Looking for a voice in government then vote for: Obama! Want the war machine to exist...then it's McCain! Do you want a cleaner and greener environment then vote for: OBAMA!

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