Carrying A Pistol On The River

[bobber]

just poke your gun down in a dry bag and load it at night! then unload it in the morning, and poke it back in the dry bag! don't make a big deal about it .... but since your posting about guns on the internet, i bet homeland is already google earthing you every movement????

[creek wader]

carrying a gun will only invite trouble, i wouldn't take the chance ... just my 2 cents worth

[Gavin]

I'd take Bobbers suggestion and toss it in a dry bag unloaded if you feel the need. Cheers.

[hoglaw]

Better take it with you now since you talked about it...you know how it goes...

I'm a little foggy on the concealed/non-concealed thing since I don't carry a gun anywhere. Are you saying because you don't have a concealed-carry license that you have to have the thing strapped to you in a holster the whole time and can't just have it in your dry bag until you set up camp? That wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but then again, a lot of laws don't make much sense.

Well, since you asked...(reply applicable to Arkansas law only):

"Carrying a weapon" is a class A misdemeanor carrying a penalty of up to a year in jail and 1000 in fines. Carying a weapon involves the intent to employ the instrument as a weapon. If you're driving around with a loaded pistol in your glovebox, that's evidence of intent. If it's in a holster on your person, same deal. If it's in the trunk, that's evidence that you don't intend to use it as a weapon, but rather to simply transport it. Strange, I know.

There are two notable affirmative defenses to the charge. One is having a concealed carry license. The other is being "on a journey," which means a sufficient distance away from your home and usual associates to subject you to "the perils of the highway." Some people claim it's a certain distance, but it's a little more convoluted than that.

The problem in my situation was that I was on park land. U.S. law regarding carrying weapons supercedes state law when federal property is involved. Hence my question. As it turned out, I did not carry and had no issues. I was just curious since I was going to be by myself.

[Danoinark]

Well, since you asked...(reply applicable to Arkansas law only):

"Carrying a weapon" is a class A misdemeanor carrying a penalty of up to a year in jail and 1000 in fines. Carying a weapon involves the intent to employ the instrument as a weapon. If you're driving around with a loaded pistol in your glovebox, that's evidence of intent. If it's in a holster on your person, same deal. If it's in the trunk, that's evidence that you don't intend to use it as a weapon, but rather to simply transport it. Strange, I know.

There are two notable affirmative defenses to the charge. One is having a concealed carry license. The other is being "on a journey," which means a sufficient distance away from your home and usual associates to subject you to "the perils of the highway." Some people claim it's a certain distance, but it's a little more convoluted than that.

The problem in my situation was that I was on park land. U.S. law regarding carrying weapons supercedes state law when federal property is involved. Hence my question. As it turned out, I did not carry and had no issues. I was just curious since I was going to be by myself.

Counselor it appears that if you are floating "on a journey"

you are concerned about the "perils" bears and or pirates then you would not be in violation. Of course the "National Park" rules if applicable to the Buffalo (which so far I have not been able to determine, even by asking a park ranger) would apply.