TexasCHLforum.com

kw5kw wrote:CC in a state park as much as you would like.

kw5kw wrote:CC in a state park as much as you would like.

(f) Arms and Firearms.
It is an offense to:
1. possess a firearm with a cartridge or projectile in any portion of the mechanism, except when authorized by the commission or the director;
2. display a firearm, except when authorized by the director; and
3. discharge across, in, or into a state park any arm, firearm, or device capable of injuring or killing any person or animal or damaging or destroying public or private property except when authorized by the director.

BoneDigger wrote:I am an employee of TPWD and I can tell you that it is indeed legal to carry on a state park, as long as you have a CHL and follow all applicable regulations. There is a memo from Andy Sansom (previous TPWD exec. director) that specifically states this to be the case.

BoneDigger wrote: HOWEVER, TPWD regulations DO NOT supercede Federal regulations on a federal property that we lease. You need to brush up on Federal regulations. I believe that it is illegal to carry on COE property, but I may be wrong.
Todd

TxFire wrote:I have wondered about this whole COE parks run by the State. Who would enforce any Federal Laws in a COE park? All I seem to recall seeing are Rangers. Can they enforce Federal Law? What am I missing here?

KBCraig wrote:

glockmav wrote:I'm going to a Corps of Engineer's operated park this evening. Rules say loaded firearms are prohibited in one place, then it says state and local laws regarding firearms are applicable. Do you think I can carry there with my Texas CHL?

When they say state and local laws are applicable, they mean that they assimilate the state firearms law, so that they can charge you under those laws if you violate them. But they also have their own, stricter, laws than those of Texas.

(CFR 101: when Congress doesn't pass a specific law, but gives a federal agency authority to issue "rules", and those regulations, when they're recorded in the Code of Federal Regulations, have the weight of law. Federal law restricting firearms on federal property only applies in buildings, but many agencies have used their rule-making authority to ban or restrict firearms. That's how the National Park Service bans firearms, and it's how the CoE restricts firearms.)

Here's the relevant cite, from 36 CFR 327, which is titled, "RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING PUBLIC USE OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ADMINISTERED BY THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS". In bureaucrabonics, that means all Corps land or water where you can hunt, fish, camp, picnic, visit, etc.

36 CFR 327.13 Explosives, firearms, other weapons and fireworks

(a) The possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, loaded projective firing devices, bows and arrows, crossbows, or other weapons is prohibited unless:

(1) In the possession of a Federal, state or local law enforcement officer;

(2) Being used for hunting or fishing as permitted under 327.8, with devices being unloaded when transported to, from or between hunting and fishing sites;

(3) Being used at authorized shooting ranges; or

(4) Written permission has been received from the District Commander.

(b) Possession of explosives or explosive devices of any kind, including fireworks or other pyrotechnics, is prohibited unless written permission has been received from the District Commander.

And 327.8 only says that hunting fishing and trapping are generally prohibited except as authorized by the district commander.

The rules you saw may have been a summary, instead of the official Rules (the capitalization denotes an officially-codified portion of the CFR).

And yes, there is wide regional discretion in enforcement, or what constitutes "using" for "fishing". I'd be very surprised if a ranger at a lake in East Texas would question a CHL's possession of a "snake pistol" while fishing in a Corps lake. Other places... take your chances.

Kevin