Guns in parks is pandering

The proposal of several U.S. Senators to allow transporting of firearms in national parks is political pandering to the National Rifle Association. Common-sense citizens should voice their objections to these changes to the National Park Service before the Aug. 5 deadline. Send Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester a copy.

Existing regulations have worked for decades. In the 18 years I was a seasonal NPS employee, I never heard a visitor complain about his firearms being unloaded and put away.

Personal protection against crime isn't a valid reason. Crime rates in all major categories in the NPS are lower than Montana's. Check rates back to 2001 — you'll find major crimes are three to 40 times more likely in Montana than a national park. The likelihood of being a crime victim in a national park is 1 in 1,708,333.

Changing the rules endangers park rangers who spend time attempting to solve domestic confrontations, many arising from alcohol and drug use. Studies show an NPS officer is 12 times more likely to be killed or injured as a result of an assault than an FBI agent.

Present regulations aren't confusing. A change to state provisions would lead to massive inconsistencies from state-to-state and, sometimes, in a single park since some parks embrace land in two or three states (for example, Yellowstone).

Visitor safety will be at greater risk from persons shooting unnecessarily at animals, almost all of which pose no threat to them, including most grizzly confrontations. Stray bullets and wounded animals would endanger families.

Poaching is a serious problem in several parks and will become worse if regulations are changed. Poaching deer and bear, the latter for certain parts, is a major problem in Shenandoah Park and would get worse. In the 1970s, a Point Reyes ranger was fatally shot by a poacher.

Ernest Scherzer

Trout Creek