Gun rules relaxed for national parks

The Department of Interior late last week approved rule changes that will allow gun owners with concealed weapons permits to legally carry guns in national parks.

The new rule has been heralded by Montana's congressional delegation, but met with strong opposition by a national park advocacy group.

"Today's announcement is a huge victory for gun owners," Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg said. "The past regulations were simply unacceptable. Our Second Amendment rights shouldn't end at the gates of Yellowstone or Glacier National Park. My colleagues and I put the pressure on the Department of Interior to get these rules updated and I'm glad to see our hard work paid off."

Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Sen. Max Baucus also signed off on a letter supporting the rule change.

But others saw it as pure politics.

"This is a pattern of behavior in the waning days of this presidency that's harmful to national parks," said Will Hammerquist, Glacier field representative for the National Parks Conservation Association.

The past regulations, adopted in the Reagan era, allowed for transport of guns in parks like Glacier, but they had to be broken down and not accessible, such as in a case in a vehicle.

The new rule, however, doesn't allow for discharge of the gun in a park and still enforces all laws against hunting and poaching in national parks. It would also prohibit carrying a concealed weapon in a federal building.

In other words, a visitor to Glacier couldn't carry a concealed weapon into Lake McDonald Lodge, or any other federal building.

Glacier's main concern with the new rule centers on wildlife, particularly bear encounters, said Chief Ranger Mark Foust.

"I have a concern that we could be dealing with wounded wildlife in the Park," he said Monday. "That puts rangers at risk, visitors at risk and people using the weapons at risk."

Foust noted that rangers who patrol the backcountry carry both bear spray and a sidearm. Bear spray, in study after study, has proven to be more effective in bear attacks. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks strongly recommends that hunters going afield carry bear spray as opposed to using a gun.

FOUST ALSO noted that Glacier is a family park with an extremely low crime rate. The Park has had very few cases of crimes that involve a gun, he noted. Foust also said that any firearm discharge or use in the Park would be thoroughly investigated.

Hammerquist concurred that bear spray was a better alternative.

"We know that bear spray is a better way to protect humans and bears," he said.

Foust said the challenge the Park will face with the new rule is to further educate folks with concealed weapons permits who insist on carrying guns on the rules and on the merits of bear spray.

In an odd twist, the rule would allow states the power to make concealed weapons illegal in places like national parks if it chose to do so.

The new rule is available on the Department of Interior's Web site at: http://www.doi.gov.

There is a 30 day public comment period on the rule and then Washington, D.C. Park Service will draft guidelines for Parks on how to actually implement the law.