Posted: 6/15/2006 3:01:10 PM EDT
| I will be doing some camping on public land this weekend along the Chatooga in SC. I am in middle of the wait to get my CWP so I will not be carrying concealed. I want/need to take a gun for personal protection. Anybody know if I can legally carry/ have gun at our campsite? I am mostly concerned about night time. I can keep the gun in the trunk during the day since SC doesn't allow open carry. I am looking for any advice anybody has. Thanks. |
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I have paddled the Chattooga many times. This is a designated wild and scenic river and there is a 1/4 mile boundry either side of the river that is controlled by the National Park Service. If you are camping on Federal land, I do not believe you may carry, concealed or otherwise. You can carry a big knife though. Enjoy the river... 
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damn, that's BS! so if a bear happens to think you look particularily appetizing they expect you to "shoo" him away... It's the same way with state parks here though... what's BS is at the State Park you can hunt, and there is a range for rifles/pistols but you cannot carry a gun on the property. A ranger said something to me one day when I had my gun in open carry mode (just left the range) and was doing a little bit of fishing. She was understanding about it though and just made me put it back in the truck. |
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SC allows open carry while hunting or fishing or on the way to or from but I wouldn't expect to walk around with one on and not get hassled anywhere other than the woods. Are you sure it falls under the Park Service? I think it's still under the Foresty service just designated a Wild and Scenic River. I've spent a good bit of time on the river, especially when I was going to Clemson, and I've never seen a bear (there). I know there are a few up there but black bear are pretty rare and timid. I sleep under a tarp most of the time without thinking too much about it- hang your food or the racoons will get into it though. I do carry, but I carry concealed I carry a snub-nosed .38. I'm more worried about the green-teeths as my roommate used to call them than any of the wildlife (there used to be some backwoods folks up there but it's not like it used to be). I can't recall ever seeing any officers except at one of the landings asking folks to fill out the paperwork for floating. I seriously doubt you'd get hassled or even asked if you weren't showing off or boozing it up and being stupid. JMHO here's a bit of info including phone numbers for you: gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_river/sc_chatt.htm |
| All National Forests allow the carrying of firearms and the discharging of firearms- unless a specific area (campground) has a displayed sign. National Forests are multiple use areas. National Parks do not allow (with some exceptions) firearms. State Parks vary by state, but often do not allow firearms. That said - I carry every time I am in the forest without regard to law. My law says that I can. My rule is to protect yourself first and deal with the local laws secondarily. |