More ?'s

[awdv6turbo]

So I just got my LTCF and I am checking where its ok to carry and not and am a bit confused. So you can hunt in a state park but can't carry if you want to take a nice long hike? I also read somewhere that if you have a LTCF you can carry while spotlighting in a state park but again not when hiking? Seems strange to me. So from what I have read (if I am remembering wrong tell me as I have been reading a lot and its hard to get it all) that you can carry in a bank and places that alcohol is served. Is this correct because my counties Sheriff specifically told me those places were off limits? I am sure I will have more but thats all I can think of right now.

Thanks

[Zef_66]

There is a sticky at the top of this section which details most of the answers to your questions:

Link to Sticky.

Read over that and post up specific questions if you are still confused.

[awdv6turbo]

There is a sticky at the top of this section which details most of the answers to your questions:

Link to Sticky.

Read over that and post up specific questions if you are still confused.

Yes I read it first and then posted the ?'s. I was just wondering does anyone know or have an idea why the state park ban? Also I now see the sheriff gave me false information about the banks and places where liquor is served and was just double checking that nothing has changed about the legality of carrying in those places with a LTCF since I just got mine last week?

Thanks,

[Zef_66]

For state parks, I asked that question to DCNR. I got this response:

Factors which may contribute to an unsafe condition in a state park include:

* Close proximity of campsites, which at times leads to confrontation
* Camping units such as tents are not securable
* The reduced protection afforded by tents and campers as opposed to permanent structures

I made a post which contains the full letter and related discussion here.

Yes, you can hunt in a state park. But when not engaged in hunting, all firearms must be cased and locked up in a vehicle or camper, regardless of LTCF status.

As hiking or spotlighting in a state park, any time you are not engaged in hunting in a designated hunting area, you are not allowded to have an uncased firearm. It needs to be unloaded and cased.

Banks and places that serve alcohol are legally fine to carry into. But just remember that these are often times places where firearms are generally not accepted by the public and caution should be taken as to how and when you carry. There are many threads discussing this. If you are interested, you can try to search for them using the search button above.

[awdv6turbo]

For state parks, I asked that question to DCNR. I got this response:



I made a post which contains the full letter and related discussion here.

Yes, you can hunt in a state park. But when not engaged in hunting, all firearms must be cased and locked up in a vehicle or camper, regardless of LTCF status.

As hiking or spotlighting in a state park, any time you are not engaged in hunting in a designated hunting area, you are not allowded to have an uncased firearm. It needs to be unloaded and cased.

Banks and places that serve alcohol are legally fine to carry into. But just remember that these are often times places where firearms are generally not accepted by the public and caution should be taken as to how and when you carry. There are many threads discussing this. If you are interested, you can try to search for them using the search button above.

Thanks for the reply and link. I guess its just me tying to wrap my head around a regulation that makes absolutely no sense.

With the banks and places that serve alcohol the sheriff specifically told me that being caught carrying in those places will result in my LTCF being taken away. Very strange I assume he can't just arbitrarily make those places off limits correct?

Thanks

[CoyoteJack]

Thanks for the reply and link. I guess its just me tying to wrap my head around a regulation that makes absolutely no sense.

With the banks and places that serve alcohol the sheriff specifically told me that being caught carrying in those places will result in my LTCF being taken away. Very strange I assume he can't just arbitrarily make those places off limits correct?

Thanks

Since the Sheriff where you live can, if he feels justified, revoke your LTCF you may want to see if you can get clarification from him on the why. Granted you could go through legal channels to get it reinstated if he revokes without merit but not without money, time and hassle on your part. In the end you'd still be left with a pissed off Sheriff.

[Zef_66]

Since the Sheriff where you live can, if he feels justified, revoke your LTCF you may want to see if you can get clarification from him on the why. Granted you could go through legal channels to get it reinstated if he revokes without merit but not without money, time and hassle on your part. In the end you'd still be left with a pissed off Sheriff.

Yes, that is the problem that many people have run into. That the sheriff's don't know the rules and feel they can enforce anything they want. And since they have the power to revoke your LTCF and then make you spend thousands of dollars to fight to prove you did nothing wrong, you are kind of at their mercy.

But as Jack said, the best thing to do in this situation is to talk to your sheriff about these rules. Tell him you are interested in carry, but doing so lawfully. You searched the laws and statues and could not find a law prohibiting carry in banks and places that serve alcohol. And then ask him to show you the exact law where it says so you can be more aware and lawful.

I did this when I started carrying. I was looking over my sheriff's website and it mentioned this exact thing about carrying in banks and bars. This is the conversation I had with him via email:

Sheriff,

I was reading on your website the section regarding Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms and more specifically the Frequently Asked Questions. In this question and answer section, one question stood out to me: "Where can I not carry my firearm at all?" Your response listed several places including banks, bars, and airports. I have read over the sections of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statues and Title 18 of the United States Code concerning possession of firearms. I did not see any regulation on carrying in any of these facilities. I did find that you are not allowded to carry a firearm past the security check points at airports, but nothing regulating carry of firearms in the main public lobbies.

Can you point me in the right direction as to the exact laws concerning the legality of carrying firearms in banks, bars, and airports?

Dear Mr. Zef:
Thank you for bringing that to my attention. The website has been changed and the reference to banks and bars has been removed. That wording was placed there by the author of the website. It has been common practice of my office for many years, that when asked by an applicant or license holder the question about where they can and cannot carry, the reply has included the suggestion to use common sense when carrying and banks and barrooms are mentioned that they may not be the best places to walk into while armed. Evidently when setting up the website that suggestion was included but not in the form of a suggestion in reference to common sense.

I must point out also that any information on our website is there for information only and does not constitute an interpretation of any laws or statutes. We try to provide information for the public that is plain and simple to understand by everyone.

Thank you again for bringing that to my attention.

Have a great day

Sheriff Reigle

Sheriff,

Thank you very much for responding to my inquiry and taking action to change the inaccuracies.

I can understand the suggestions of being smart as to where to carry and not carry. But in many instances, the general public sees these suggestions as laws. This can especially be the case when such suggestions are posted on the website of a law enforcement official. Often times other law enforcement officials will wrongly start to accept these suggestions as laws. When this happens (as in the matter involving open carry of a firearm), a law abiding citizen can be detained and harassed by law enforcement officials that do not throughly understand and uphold the laws and statues of the commonwealth, but rather the suggestions of someone in a position such as your own.

This is the reason I emailed you, so that your website can offer the most accurate information and not spread suggestions that many, including some law enforcement officials, will accept as laws.

Thank you again for reading my email and correcting the misinformation.

[awdv6turbo]

I will definitely contact my Sheriffs office and see if I can get clarification on these issues. Thanks for the very helpful advice. I am glad I found this site. Lots of great information.