Recently I have been taking my dogs for walks on DNR land. I have seen my fair share of shady characters lately and would like to start carrying my AR when I go. My question is? What if I run across some gun hating tree hugging hippy when Im out and he/she calls the police and says she felt threatened? The area I go to is not a no shooting area (for now). I guess it would have to be decided by the responding officer whether or not I was in violation. What do you think?

RCW 9.41.270
Weapons apparently capable of producing bodily harm — Unlawful carrying or handling — Penalty — Exceptions.  

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.

    (2) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (1) above shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor. If any person is convicted of a violation of subsection (1) of this section, the person shall lose his or her concealed pistol license, if any. The court shall send notice of the revocation to the department of licensing, and the city, town, or county which issued the license.

    (3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to or affect the following:

    (a) Any act committed by a person while in his or her place of abode or fixed place of business;

    (b) Any person who by virtue of his or her office or public employment is vested by law with a duty to preserve public safety, maintain public order, or to make arrests for offenses, while in the performance of such duty;

    (c) Any person acting for the purpose of protecting himself or herself against the use of presently threatened unlawful force by another, or for the purpose of protecting another against the use of such unlawful force by a third person;

    (d) Any person making or assisting in making a lawful arrest for the commission of a felony; or

    (e) Any person engaged in military activities sponsored by the federal or state governments.

Nothing wrong with carrying a rifle when you're going shooting...

If you're just hiking solo it would be a better idea to just pack a pistol instead of a long gun. Even if the law is on your side you are starting out with a disadvantage without a wittness to vouch for you or cover you.

A similar question.  What deems a person hiking?  This seems like a really vague exception (like most of them).

From packing.org (http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?section=9.41.050&fuseaction=section)

(8) Any person engaging in a lawful outdoor recreational activity such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or horseback riding, only if, considering all of the attendant circumstances, including but not limited to whether the person has a valid hunting or fishing license, it is reasonable to conclude that the person is participating in lawful outdoor activities or is traveling to or from a legitimate outdoor recreation area;

Get a hunting permit, Im always hunting/hiking with a .22.

Quoted: Recently I have been taking my dogs for walks on DNR land. I have seen my fair share of shady characters lately and would like to start carrying my AR when I go. My question is? What if I run across some gun hating tree hugging hippy when Im out and he/she calls the police and says she felt threatened? The area I go to is not a no shooting area (for now). I guess it would have to be decided by the responding officer whether or not I was in violation. What do you think?

I carry every time I am in the woods. Day hikes, my CCP and a 1911 in a 3-Day Assault Pack. When my Brother In-Law and I go deep into the woods on week plus hikes, like 5+ miles to the closest gravel road, we carry heavy. On those I'll either have a .12ga w/ pistol grip, or M4 clone down the the inside of my ruck, and plenty of ammo.

I've never researched the legalities irt carrying the long guns in the ruck either, and never will. When I am that far out I'll worry about explaining later, if I have to. But we have been going deep into the woods for almost ten years now, with nary an issue. Well, 10 years without pulling the trigger.

Are you hiking with a rifle, or hunting coyotes?  

I would and do just carry a handgun in the woods(I don't hunt) I can't really see the need to carry a M4......but to each his own.

an M4 at low ready?  Hiking?

WHY?!!

i go out of my way to avoid this... why are you being Repo Man?

Frostbite, it depends on if I run into a LEO and what he asks.

Quoted: an M4 at low ready?  Hiking? WHY?!! i go out of my way to avoid this... why are you being Repo Man?

Take a walk at McCollum park every day for a week. You'll start wishing for grenades as a standoff weapon too. And that's in "civilized" Mill Creek/Everett land.

Quoted: I would and do just carry a handgun in the woods(I don't hunt) I can't really see the need to carry a M4......but to each his own.

If you never have to use it, a pellet gun is way too much.  If you eve do have to use it, even against a rabid chipmunk, a mini-gun isn't enough.

If you have the option and ability, why not carry the most effective device you can?

I think that openly carrying a high dollar AR carbine would make you even more of a target. What's to keep one of said shady characters from hiding in the brush and popping you in the head before you even see him? Discretion is the better part of valour.

Last time I went camping in the Taylor River area, I passed 2 teenagers both with AKs, assault packs, and plenty of ammo.  Kind of a weird sight....

I definitely didn't have toys like that when I was their age.

Whenever I'm in the woods, I carry at least a pistol; my XD9s or my 92.

Quoted: Last time I went camping in the Taylor River area, I passed 2 teenagers both with AKs, assault packs, and plenty of ammo.  Kind of a weird sight....

Heh, sounds like someone who would frequent this site.  

Unless I was hunting, I would just carry concealed, maybe carry more ammo than usual in case you need to cover your hasty retreat back to civilization.  If I really wanted folks to know I was armed, I'd carry my gun out in the open.

It would be all too easy to have what to you is legal, normal open carry of a firearm turn into a fiasco that costs you time, money, and great frustration.  Just ask this guy:  www.fishorman.blogspot.com/.  You may have to back in time a little, but he created alarm by open carrying in Elensberg, and after being arrested near Spokane and treated like crap as a guest in Spokane County Jail, got the whole thing overturned and thrown out.  Yes, he's a free man, but what a ride.

Quoted: Quoted: an M4 at low ready?  Hiking? WHY?!! i go out of my way to avoid this... why are you being Repo Man? Take a walk at McCollum park every day for a week. You'll start wishing for grenades as a standoff weapon too. And that's in "civilized" Mill Creek/Everett land.

"A repo man spends his life getting into tense situations." (Bud, Repo Man)
i would just carry concealed, easy to hide and legal with a permit.  you don't even need a hunting license.

I don't know how big McCollum Park is, but getting mugged in Centennial Park in Nashville was the event that got me kick-started with concealed carry.  if it's a bad place and you know it is, you probably want to go out of your way to avoid it.

Quoted:  Just ask this guy:  www.fishorman.blogspot.com/.

WOW!!  I just read though that whole story(stories)!  It took a while, but very interesting.  Still, it is not very conclusive on this issue. The most interesting point he made was that he HAD to carry OPEN in order to NOT break the law.

Quoted: I think that openly carrying a high dollar AR carbine would make you even more of a target. What's to keep one of said shady characters from hiding in the brush and popping you in the head before you even see him? Discretion is the better part of valour.

Which is why I carry long guns inside my ruck. I/we don't rome once we get to our campsites. We'll hump x-amount of miles and set up camp, off the beaten path. Then once the tents are up, the rifle comes out, placed just out of sight. The style and way we camp would make it hard for anybody to wonder upon us, so if they do, it could only mean trouble. And it would be hard to sneak up on us, so I follow the "have and not need" theory of defending myself.