Elk neck campground

Lostinbmore · Sep 25, 2016

Does anyone know the policy for firearms at the campground? We are camping up there in a few weeks and I would like to go shooting while I'm up there. I would have them in their hard plastic cases of course. I just don't want any trouble with the park rangers.

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iH8DemLibz · Sep 25, 2016

Lostinbmore said:
Does anyone know the policy for firearms at the campground? We are camping up there in a few weeks and I would like to go shooting while I'm up there. I would have them in their hard plastic cases of course. I just don't want any trouble with the park rangers.

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There is a Ranger station at Elk Neck.

On the left as you enter road that leads to the range.

They're always very helpful.

montoya32 · Sep 25, 2016

Lostinbmore said:
Does anyone know the policy for firearms at the campground? We are camping up there in a few weeks and I would like to go shooting while I'm up there. I would have them in their hard plastic cases of course. I just don't want any trouble with the park rangers.

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Tough call. You are leasing the spot, much like a hotel room, but MD prohibits firearms on state land and in state forests.

http://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organizati...singDivision/Firearms/WearandCarryPermit.aspx

lazarus · Sep 26, 2016

montoya32 said:
Tough call. You are leasing the spot, much like a hotel room, but MD prohibits firearms on state land and in state forests.

http://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organizati...singDivision/Firearms/WearandCarryPermit.aspx

That is contradicted by DNR ordinances. A little hard to hunt state lands if firearms are prohibited on me. I suspect looking at MSP's website, they are lumping transportation and wear and carry together. So wear and carry may be prohibited on state lands and forests, transportation or open carry (probably) isn't (well, for hunting purposes).

Vic · Sep 26, 2016

I think as long as you are discrete about it you should be fine. They also say no alcohol, but if you have a beer in your camper who's to know.

You can always call them and find out. I'd think you can't walk around with them but having it in your camper isn't an issue.
Vic

Gordon · Sep 26, 2016

Prohibited

moojersey · Sep 26, 2016

I'd err on the side of caution and make sure they are out of plain view for sure. Call them ahead of time and let them know your plans. The range is not too far from the campgrounds.

newmuzzleloader · Sep 26, 2016

Gordon said:
Prohibited

That's what I remember from camping there some years ago. Should be on the parks website.

midnightSGT · Sep 26, 2016

How about cooler of beer at the campfire, while shooting in the air all night. :gun2:

Mack C-85 · Sep 26, 2016

Just an FYI:

The Campground is in a State PARK, and is under the Park Service,

The Range is in a State FOREST, and is under the Forest Service,

So there are different sets of Rules, However.....

They both fall under the Department of Natural Resources, and the jurisdiction of the DNR Police.

DNR consolidated all it's Law Enforcement positions under the DNR Police, a friend of mine was a Park Ranger and now he's DNR Police.

moojersey · Sep 26, 2016

Mack C-85 said:
Just an FYI:

The Campground is in a State PARK, and is under the Park Service,

The Range is in a State FOREST, and is under the Forest Service,

So there are different sets of Rules, However.....

They both fall under the Department of Natural Resources, and the jurisdiction of the DNR Police.

DNR consolidated all it's Law Enforcement positions under the DNR Police, a friend of mine was a Park Ranger and now he's DNR Police.

Too many state agencies....

lazarus · Sep 26, 2016

Gordon said:
Prohibited

To expand, MSP says firearms in state forests are prohibited. Looking up the law they mention, this is the nuanced view

B. Except as provided in § C and D of this regulation, possession or use of weapons or firearms by an individual other than a law enforcement officer is prohibited in all State forests.

C. Target shooting is permitted only at designated shooting ranges. The regulations governing the use of these ranges shall be posted and strictly observed.

D. Except when legally hunting or legally target shooting, an individual may not discharge a firearm on land or waters owned or controlled by the Service.

E. Firearms shall be unloaded, and arrows kept in a quiver or case, when in a State forest campsite.

So for a state forest at least, at the range or hunting, loaded firearm is cool. At a campsite in a state forest, an unloaded firearm is cool.

The nuance of Elk Neck being a state park but the range Bing state forest gets trickier of whether you can have a firearm at the campground. You can go to the link above and then search the law for ban on state parks and firearms...but I suspect it is the same or similar. A number of DNR's public hunting lands are straight up state parks, not state forests. So I assume firearms for hunting or unloaded if not hunting are probably okay.

lazarus · Sep 26, 2016

Correction, I looked up the bit on parks. Looks like no go. You may only have them on parkland if transporting for the purposes of hunting a joining public or private land and then must be cased or with the quiver covered or action open/broken. Or for target shooting (I don't think at the campground would be kosher).

I am guessing the public hunting lands the state has falls in to something other than state forest or state park based on what COMAR says about the text of the laws on weapons in those two. Of course just because we call something like Cunningham or Patuxent State Park doesn't mean they aren't actually technically designated a wildlife management area under state law.

Lostinbmore · Sep 27, 2016

Well, I spoke to a dnr officer and he stated while it would be officer discretion to act upon a weapons ticket. An unloaded weapon in a lockable case in a camper would be acceptable. Keep it safe from kids. He states that's the important message for this.

So it sound to me that it's a gray area for them too. I'm sure it's much like the tinted windows laws. You won't get a ticket in most cases, unless you're being pulled over for other issues. So, having a raging drunken bonfire might draw the attention that is unwanted for having a chache of evil weapons.

Thank you everyone.

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