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Carrying in Smokey Mountain National Park
6/9/2012 8:11:27 PM
I'm planning to do some back country hiking and camping in Smokey Mountain National Park. I know my Georgia permit is valid in TN. What I don't know is if I can open carry or carry a rifle. My thought is I'd conceal carry when I'm on trails with a lot of people so as not to scare people. But once I got more into the back country I'd open carry on the off chance I spooked a bear or something. If it's OK to have my AR, then I'd break it down and stow it in my ruck till I got more into the back country.
Any thoughts, suggestioins, or general rules I might need to know about carrying in TN are appreciated.
Any thoughts, suggestioins, or general rules I might need to know about carrying in TN are appreciated.
6/9/2012 9:24:36 PM
Originally Posted By gtengineer02:
I'm planning to do some back country hiking and camping in Smokey Mountain National Park. I know my Georgia permit is valid in TN. What I don't know is if I can open carry or carry a rifle. My thought is I'd conceal carry when I'm on trails with a lot of people so as not to scare people. But once I got more into the back country I'd open carry on the off chance I spooked a bear or something. If it's OK to have my AR, then I'd break it down and stow it in my ruck till I got more into the back country.
Any thoughts, suggestioins, or general rules I might need to know about carrying in TN are appreciated.
I'm planning to do some back country hiking and camping in Smokey Mountain National Park. I know my Georgia permit is valid in TN. What I don't know is if I can open carry or carry a rifle. My thought is I'd conceal carry when I'm on trails with a lot of people so as not to scare people. But once I got more into the back country I'd open carry on the off chance I spooked a bear or something. If it's OK to have my AR, then I'd break it down and stow it in my ruck till I got more into the back country.
Any thoughts, suggestioins, or general rules I might need to know about carrying in TN are appreciated.
A valid permit allows either open carry or concealed carry in TN, but concealed is recommended to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
The only thing the permit allows in TN with rifles or shotguns, is having a loaded (but no round in the chamber) one in your vehicle.
6/10/2012 12:17:52 AM
I just can't imagine that going into a national park with an AR is a good idea...backcountry or not.
and in the busiest park in the USA.
ABORT this idea OP.
and in the busiest park in the USA.
ABORT this idea OP.
6/10/2012 1:26:30 AM
Both JPN & Killthewabbit are correct in their responses, & I second both of them.
If you do follow through with your idea of carrying an AR while hiking in the Smokies (as John said––the most visited NP in the country!),
do be sure & post here ahead of time, so we'll know to watch for you on the news, when they run the inevitable "man with an assault rifle"
story.
Other than that––have a great trip & spend lots of money!
David
If you do follow through with your idea of carrying an AR while hiking in the Smokies (as John said––the most visited NP in the country!),
do be sure & post here ahead of time, so we'll know to watch for you on the news, when they run the inevitable "man with an assault rifle"
story.
Other than that––have a great trip & spend lots of money!
David
6/10/2012 12:13:20 PM
On furhter reflection, the AR idea does seem dumb. I can see the news headlines now. Thanks for the thoughts.
6/10/2012 12:25:29 PM
Wherever I go on vacation, I carry an AR pistol. Usually broken down in a ruck, but it's with me. Im not worried about bears, but if something happens while I'm away & have to make my way back home unconventionally i.e., an earthquake, since I live on top of the epicenter of the largest earthquake to ever strike North America. I always keep it concealed & it's only for SHTF.
6/10/2012 12:47:58 PM
Originally Posted By GRATIOFLASH:
Wherever I go on vacation, I carry an AR pistol. Usually broken down in a ruck, but it's with me. Im not worried about bears, but if something happens while I'm away & have to make my way back home unconventionally i.e., an earthquake, since I live on top of the epicenter of the largest earthquake to ever strike North America. I always keep it concealed & it's only for SHTF.
Wherever I go on vacation, I carry an AR pistol. Usually broken down in a ruck, but it's with me. Im not worried about bears, but if something happens while I'm away & have to make my way back home unconventionally i.e., an earthquake, since I live on top of the epicenter of the largest earthquake to ever strike North America. I always keep it concealed & it's only for SHTF.
And carrying an AR pistol in a ruck would be covered by the carry permit, in TN. Carrying an AR rifle in a ruck would not be covered by the carry permit, in TN.
Open carrying an AR pistol in a park (before the SHTF)... well, lets hope we don't see that kind of stupidity, again.
6/12/2012 12:02:10 AM
Originally Posted By GRATIOFLASH:
Wherever I go on vacation, I carry an AR pistol. Usually broken down in a ruck, but it's with me. Im not worried about bears, but if something happens while I'm away & have to make my way back home unconventionally i.e., an earthquake, since I live on top of the epicenter of the largest earthquake to ever strike North America. I always keep it concealed & it's only for SHTF.
Wherever I go on vacation, I carry an AR pistol. Usually broken down in a ruck, but it's with me. Im not worried about bears, but if something happens while I'm away & have to make my way back home unconventionally i.e., an earthquake, since I live on top of the epicenter of the largest earthquake to ever strike North America. I always keep it concealed & it's only for SHTF.
Hehe timely discussion! We had a bear come down onto UT campus last night! Not sure what they did with it, but hopefully they brought more tranqualizers this time. A couple years ago one was found in the Old City, downtown Knoxville and the cops missed twice at point blank range with the darts. They had to run out and get more because that was the only two they had.
6/12/2012 10:10:54 AM
Lol, I heard about it on Volquest. I've seen dozens of bears in the park, but they've never paid me any attention. Of course, I've never run across a mad mama bear.
