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Open Carry in Illinois Parks


boog

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This question just keeps coming up. It's a confusing area of Illinois law. Essentially, the statute covering UUW doesn't specifically forbid open carry of a firearm in unincorporated areas, which leads people to believe it's allowed. But the statute covering aggravated UUW does specifically forbid it, and it is illegal. It's just that you'll be charged with Aggravated UUW instead of UUW. Not an improvement.

 

http://www.examiner.com/x-17034-Chicago-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Gun-Rights-101-Is-Illinois-an-open-carry-state-Part-I

http://www.examiner.com/x-17034-Chicago-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Gun-Rights-101-Is-Illinois-an-open-carry-state-Part-II

 

The sheriff who told someone that you could carry openly and just hope no one complains may have meant that you could get away with it if no one complained and if law enforcement looked the other way . . . there are rural areas where law enforcement takes a hands-off approach to citizens carrying guns, though I haven't heard of open carry in a residential area being allowed. But legally, it's a felony under state law.

 

Obviously, hunting is an exception, but a narrow one.

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Alright, I said I would get back to you on this Topic I talked with a CPO on Saturday. This is what he said it would be violation of State law to carry in any state park except those that have a special permit for a special hunt in example I know that Wolf Creek State Park offers a Handicap hunt inside the park. As for Federal Parks he was not clear on it because he does not handle any Federal Park Areas, but he said he would not advise it because it might be in violation of UUW. The best thing to is contact the park and possibly the conservation officer for that area on the exact enforcement.

 

Therefore there is still a gray area according to what was said. As you can see it different rules for different area's of the state. Anything north of I 80 I would be very careful transporting firearms. Wait til after June and hopefully this will change.

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Alright, I said I would get back to you on this Topic I talked with a CPO on Saturday. This is what he said it would be violation of State law to carry in any state park except those that have a special permit for a special hunt in example I know that Wolf Creek State Park offers a Handicap hunt inside the park. As for Federal Parks he was not clear on it because he does not handle any Federal Park Areas, but he said he would not advise it because it might be in violation of UUW. The best thing to is contact the park and possibly the conservation officer for that area on the exact enforcement.

 

Therefore there is still a gray area according to what was said. As you can see it different rules for different area's of the state. Anything north of I 80 I would be very careful transporting firearms. Wait til after June and hopefully this will change.

 

Just out of curiousity, did the CPO cite any specific law (e.g. ILCS 720, yada yada, etc.) during this conversation, or is this just his "opinion"?

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There are laws under conservation law I believe

 

Unloaded cased carry would not violate UUW, they could cite under the firearm storage trespass statute. That is the charge that has been leveled against a few people who have brought a gun into a screened area (not airports) but the gun was unloaded and the person had an FOID card. There was a woman who had a unloaded gun in a rug in her purse and brought it through the metal detector at the Cook County court building. The UUW charges did not stick, but the misdemeanor trespass did. I am sure that case lingers around this forum somewhere.

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There are laws under conservation law I believe

 

Unloaded cased carry would not violate UUW, they could cite under the firearm storage trespass statute. That is the charge that has been leveled against a few people who have brought a gun into a screened area (not airports) but the gun was unloaded and the person had an FOID card. There was a woman who had a unloaded gun in a rug in her purse and brought it through the metal detector at the Cook County court building. The UUW charges did not stick, but the misdemeanor trespass did. I am sure that case lingers around this forum somewhere.

 

 

Under Conservation Law you may not open carry in a state park or refuge unless there is special permit for hunting there. All animals in a state park are protected even the snakes (Unless its a special hunt) the CPO said. Therefore they would more than likely charge you with a conservation violation not UUW, but if they wanted to they could depending on the officer you got. This has nothing to with transporting of firearms with in a vehicle.

 

As for your case that surprises me coming from Crook County. The simple thing for everyone to remember is there is no CCW or Open carry law in the State of Illinois , exception is that you are sworn law enforcement officer which Federal Law states you may carry in all 50 states except on air planes. Wait for Chief Justice Roberts to hand the smack down to the Chicago ways and we will prevail in conceal carry here. Just a matter of time and I hope it will pass this year or I might move.

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