-1 Bad Experience with DNR at Brown County State Park

[sadclownwp]

So I had been open carrying for my 2nd day at Brown County State Park and this DNR officer drives around camp at like 8PM and pulls over at the campsite I was staying it. He lights it up with his brights and tells me to put my pistol away. When I asked why, he tells me that its only conceal carry inside the state park. I was pretty sure that you could open carry in any state park as long as it was not owned by the Army Corps.

He tells me that the campgrounds are a friendly place and firearms are not prohibited as long as they are legally owned but they are not allowed to be seen. I tell the officer that there were no signs saying such, and as my GF looks on the ingo website for the rules on carry, she can't find where it says you can't open carry at state parks. I could see this officer was not gonna settle to be shown that he was wrong, so I had to put my gun away as i did not have a way of totally concealing it.

Should I write the head of the park and ask him to educate his staff on proper laws, or should I just let it go and chalk this one up to me pushing my luck thinking I could carry without someone saying something?

 

[iamaclone45]

Put it away... DNR drives off... bring it back out...

 

[sporter]

Was he open carrying?

 

[Mini-14]

Put it away... DNR drives off... bring it back out...

 

[BigGuyinMuncie]

"Ok, sir, I will put it away" (until you drive off).

 

[Benny]

Put it away... DNR drives off... bring it back out...

^^^



I guess writing a letter wouldn't hurt anything.

 

[usmcdjb]

If it were me, I would write the head of the park and explain what happened, and inquire about what the rule truly is, and ask for specific reference(s). Then if OC is not prohibited, and you choose to OC there again, at least you know. I would still probably not butt heads with the DNR officer, and do as asked. But YMMV.

 

[E5RANGER375]

did you get his name?

 

[possum_128]

Was he a Indiana co or just a dnr employee? If not a co I would not have done as he asked. If a co I would have got his name and badge number and reported it to his hq.

 

[ATM]

...Should I write the head of the park and ask him to educate his staff on proper laws, or should I just let it go and chalk this one up to me pushing my luck thinking I could carry without someone saying something?

Yes, take it up his chain of command until it gets resolved.

He was the one pushing his luck spouting such nonsense to you.

 

[Rayne]

Was he a Indiana co or just a dnr employee? If not a co I would not have done as he asked. If a co I would have got his name and badge number and reported it to his hq.

This is my question too, if he was a CO then you need to talk to his seargent and ask for clarification. Scotty Wilson is in charge of the CO's at the executive level. Brown County is in District 6 and here is their District contact information:
District 6 Headquarters
P.O. Box 266
Nashville, IN 47448-0266
(812) 988-9761
icodist6@dnr.IN.gov

If it was a DNR employee then you might even start with the parks's property manager and then move up the chain of command. Robert E. Carter, Jr is the Director for all the DNR, Dan Bortner is head of State Parks and Reservoirs at the executive level.

 

[Hoosier49er]

Law enforcement officers are required to be familiar with the laws they are supposed to be enforcing. They are ALL given an Indiana criminal code book. If that CO has a problem not knowing them, I would take it up with his superior.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Write the letter and have someone spell check it for you. I'm not knocking your ability to craft words, but a second pair of eyes that aren't yours can really sharpen up a letter.

 

[Pocketman]

Our state parks are so dangerous that people must carry firearms to protect themselves?

 

[jon5212]

^^^ It's about the right to bear arms, and you never know who's coming to the park. It has nothing to do with the hypothetical "this is a dangerous place or not."

 

[jsgolfman]

Jon, purple indicates sarcasm.

 

[Hiram2005]

State law says you can carry in a state park with a LTCH. A LTCH does not denote concealed or open, but anyway you want. That law was signed by Governor Mitch Daniels. A DNR employee is NOT an Indiana Conservation Officer and has no police powers. If he was in a uniform that says Department of Natural Resources, Division of Law Enforcement, and is carrying a weapon, he is a CO. If not, he is not a CO.

Either type employee, if he told you all this, he was wrong and should be reported.

 

[BumpShadow]

Should have just waited him out.

 

[PatriotPride]

I would CC the rest of the time you are there. I'd hate to see you get kicked out over it. I'd try to resolve it in person on the way out, and if that doesn't work, perhaps a letter would be in order?

 

[J10]

Any firearm (except validly licensed handguns), BB gun, air gun, CO2 gun, bow and arrow, or spear gun in possession in a state park must be unloaded or un-cocked and stored in a case or locked within a vehicle, except when owner is participating in an activity authorized by written permit.

You can find the original text in the Brown County State Park flyer thingy you get when you enter the state park. Here is the link http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/brown_co_trail.pdf.

I've never open carried in a state park, just CC. Guess i will have to try it next time to see if anyone says anything...