Question is how it can be allowed , not to do or not to do ??

[Wavewacker]

Hi, This is not about if having G-U-N-S aboard is a good idea or not, it's about how to get through New York (or arround it) while cruising....

I would not take them if leaving the country, but my thing is doing the Great Loop and there is some great hunting along the way. There are also some pretty bad critters along the way and getting out of the boat and staying ashore, along muddy banks in secluded areas could have issues.

It's my understanding that traveling through NYC and perhaps other areas with one of those things is a go to jail and do not pass go kindsa thing, surely Americans can get through such areas and be compliant with laws. But I have not found how to go about it. So, what's the deal, how can it be done legally? Thanks

[Kettlewell]

There are no bad critters you will need a gun for anywhere on the Great Loop. Doing any hunting will require having the proper hunting permit for the state you are in--same for fishing. Here's a link to what the NRA says about transporting firearms.

[Wavewacker]

Thanks for the link, I didn't think of going there. It's not just the routes on the Loop frequented by boaters, I plan to gunkhole in some swamps among the cypress in LA, MS, and AL. I'm aware of getting the appropriate hunting license in each area, just like fishing, notwithstanding reciprocal agreements. And, I would not hunt gators, nor would I shoot one...unless it got in my boat and that's not too likely. I should have made that more clear, that it's not just on the main recreational areas of the Loop, but also doing the Loop. Thanks again!

[Kettlewell]

I'm pretty sure you can easily transport a shotgun or other hunting rifle through NY without any trouble, though I would have to research NYC more carefully. After all, we have plenty of deer hunters from out of state come up here to the Adirondacks every year. People don't realize it but hunting is still quite popular in the Northeast. Most of the stricter laws have to do with handguns and concealed weapons.

[Wavewacker]

Solution: Go down river on the Ole' Muddy and throughout the southern states and when approaching Florida (before getting there) pack them up and ship them home and proceed on the Looper trails.

Municipalities and states requiring transportation/carry cards I'm sure are designed to charge enough money to do so that it makes it highly undesirable, making it not worth it, to impead rights of ownership and use. Things have really changed with respect to firearms since I was in government....

Thanks again

[redcobra]

I believe you will be OK with "long" guns aboard in all states you would pass through except in NYC. And FOPA comes into play when transiting through NYC, but you may not stop in NYC (even for lunch). This is my understanding of FOPA.
YMMV. I am not a lawyer.

Handguns are a totally different issue.

[Wavewacker]

Yes, but another issue is that my long gun is not well received any longer, I bought it several years ago and totally legal, but ARs are not smilled upon. I have used them since my early Army days and nothing feels better to me than my AR. It's fine for small game up to deer. My 9mm auto also seems to be a problem in some places with 9 shots in the mag. So, about the only thing left is my 12 gauge pump, but most would not like the pistol grip (I have no problem shooting it fully extended as a longer shotgun).

Yes, I have heard there is some good hunting up there, I went out hunting years ago from Ft. Drum, NY.

[Canibul]

You need to look the part. Red and black plaid wool jacket. LL Bean on your feet. One of them hats with the ear flaps.

Then have someone tack weld an old 12 ga. barrel over your rifle barrel and put a goofly looking stock on it....

[xymotic]

you could also just box it up and ship it to yourself down the road a bit.

[Dulcesuenos]

Gators are typicaly affraid of us unless theyve been fed or are nesting. Besides If a Gator or moccassin were on your boat would you really shoot it?

[Sam Plan B]

In my opinion, you have three options. 1. Do not carry a firearm aboard and be helpless in the face of bad guys. 2. Carry a firearm and face a hassle from the authorities. or 3. Conceal the firearm where the possibility of casual inspection will not likely find it.

Announcing to anyone that you have a firearm aboard is looking for trouble. On the other hand, not having a firearm leaves you helpless in the unlikely event that your life is in danger. So, I would advise you to treat the weapon as if it was a fire extinguisher. Build a water tight and air tight place for it - say a false bottom in a stowage compartment - well oil the weapon and put it and the ammunition in a poly bag. Heat seal the bag and put it inside the compartment. Glass in the lid all around and across the top but with only one layer of cloth. When the glass has cured scrub out the compartment with clorox. Fill the compartment with PFDs or other light stowables and a can of transmition oil. Keep a box knife nearby. Then forget about the whole thing. Never tell anyone that the weapon is aboard. They do not need to know. If boarded by the authorities, forget you have a weapon at all. If you find you need the weapon (highly unlikely) for defence you can retrieve it quickly enough.

Remember, if you use a firearm for any reason at all, ever, you will be in trouble. No matter the circumstances there will be a lawyer out there looking for a piece of your hide. Think carefully before you act.

[boatman61]

Check out the Gun Threads.... lotsa hidey holes for your weapons suggested in them.....

[Brian in Az]

Federal law specifically states that you may transport any firearm that you legally own through NY; or any other state. The law states that as long as you may legally possess that weapon in your home state and the state to which you are traveling, you may transport it unloaded, in a hard gun case, without reprisal from the states through which you are traveling. You may even stop for the evening at a motel, eat at a restaurant, go to a movie. As long as you are traveling to another state, the local LEO can not take it from you.

There are a couple of books written for the traveling sportsman. Buy one and keep it with you because they reference the actual statutes, which will be handy to quote if stopped and questioned.

[Sam Plan B]

When I first moved to Washington DC 25 years ago I went to a police station to inquire about a permit for a pistol I had inherited from my father. It was a Navy Colt .38 cap and ball vin. 1858. The cops went balistic (so to speak). They told me to hide the gun away and keep quiet about it. Much later on I learned that antique firearms are exempt from DC permit regulations (but that is another subject). The point is, the cops may or may not know the law. And they may or may not care about the law. But, if you have an interesting firearm (say a WW2 45 automatic) the cop may take quite an interest in it. It could be "impounded" and lost in the property room. Sorry about that. Do you want to file a complaint? No? Okay. Have a nice day. The day of the Norman Rockwell cop (if there ever was one) is long gone. Be wide awake because, as every boater knows, you are on your own.

[dohenyboy]

A big NO
You can pass through the state if the gun is unloaded and the gun and ammo are locked up.
You cannot stop even to eat.
A guy got ten years in prison lately in New Jersey because his unloaded gun was in the trunk and he stopped overnight to load up things he had left behind when he moved out of state. He had a permit from another state.
EVEN though he asked the state police before he came in and they said it was ok.