Carrying side arms....

[green_speed]

I was wondering what the laws are in MI for carrying side arms while afield? Let me give you my secenario. I have use of 40 acres of land of which I own 12 1/2. There is some open meadows area, and a large wild grass field. (not farmed) There are plenty of snakes around, and while I am out there, I would like to carry a .22lr pistol or something similar for when I happen on these slithery creatures.

Does anyone know what the law is on this and what's considered legal, or what would not be legal? I believe this would be a different secenario than the new concealed carry law.


Thanks for your help!

[Ringneck]

You are suppose to be able to carry any legal firearm either concealed or open on your own land. However you have to also be aware of the rules of the DNR which require the wearing of hunter orange when engaged in hunting even on your own land. I am not sure of the rules that pertain to non-resident carry of firearms or the transport of same between your residence and your property, but I do know that the NRA has on its site a selection that will give you the ability to download as current a copy of the latest rules on firearms on every state in the US.

You may also be able to ask the Michigan State Police for a copy of the latest rules in booklet form, but I don't know if there is a charge or not.

I would not take anyone's word on this subject without checking with the proper authorites, the results of someone elses opinion could result in felony charges and forfiture of firearms.

[JoeH]

go to www.msp.state.mi.us/reports/ccw/ccwques__.htm
The Firearms laws eport is 144 pages long, but the info is in there.

[Sarge]

The other thing is, that we have always been able to carry a sidearm in plain site, anywhere that firearms are legal, unless it fell under a game law. There are places that firearms are illegal, a sidearm is defiantely a firearm and therefore illegal. There are times that having a firearm in your posession means you must be carrying a license to hunt.

Just knowing its legal to carry, or legal to be concealed etc. doesn't tell you whether you are breaking some other law. Its pretty tricky sometimes and if I were going to carry a sidearm, I would read up and make sure I was legal. Some people take the position, I'll do what I think is right and whether it is or not, as long as I never get caught who gets hurt? It may be true, but that one time of getting caught is mighty costly.

[sillyburt]

this subject has been brought up before. it started with a post called "shooting from car." I had thought that you could carry a firearm as long as it wasn't concealed anywhere it was legal to be with a firearm (like sarge had posted!!). The posting claims that you can only do this on YOUR OWN LAND. this is what I got from the posting.


check it out. do a search for "shooting from car" or do a search with my user name "sillyburt"

hope this helps, but I think you may begin to get more confused than before you asked the original question!!!!!:eek:

[Youper]

JoeH: I can't get into the reports part of that address you gave. It says I don' t have permission. Is this typical for that site?

[JoeH]

try www.michiganlegislature.org/Firearms.pdf
You may need to down load the acrobat reader. I use 5.0

[sillyburt]

This is in response to SFK's post. The post I had talked about previously is in the Michigan Hunting & Fishing Laws and has been adressed by Boehr. The post started out with a question about "shooting from car". I had gotten confused by what Boehr had posted about being able to carry a side arm. This post goes thru some of the things the original post here is about!!!

[boehr]

Originally posted by green_speed
I was wondering what the laws are in MI for carrying side arms while afield? Let me give you my secenario. I have use of 40 acres of land of which I own 12 1/2. There is some open meadows area, and a large wild grass field. (not farmed) There are plenty of snakes around, and while I am out there, I would like to carry a .22lr pistol or something similar for when I happen on these slithery creatures.

Does anyone know what the law is on this and what's considered legal, or what would not be legal? I believe this would be a different secenario than the new concealed carry law.


Thanks for your help!

green_speed...I will answer the questions you ask but I am going to keep to only the questions so that I don't confuse you or me, the laws can get very involved depending on the circumstances.

On your own property you can carry any way you want, concealed, not concealed etc. If you are on someone else's property you must carry it where it can be seen. A holster doesn't count as being concealed.

As far as the hunting part goes, doesn't matter if it's a handgun or a longarm. If you are hunting you need a hunting license, even to kill a snake. If you do kill a snake ensure it's not endangered, although I do agree with trout. If you are just walking around plinking you will need a license. If you are just target practicing and it's obvious to a normal person that you are target practicing you do not need a license. You only need hunter orange if you are hunting during daylight hours between August 15 and April 30.

I think that answers your posted questions.

[Bob S]

Originally posted by boehr


If you are on someone else's property you must carry it where it can be seen. boehr, can a property owner give a guest permission to carry concealed while on the property?

[hypox]

ok, so if you have a CCW permit, does it have to be concealed, or can you carry it in plain sight?

[boehr]

Bob...no somebody can not give you permission to carry concealed without a CCW.

hypox...as far as hunting, no it doesn't have to be concealed if you have a CCW. As far as other circumstances like in the city walking down the street, I don't know. The likely is city ordinances dealing with those situations. I would tell you that I would not carry exposed with a CCW.

I would like to post these reminders again because I really worry hunters are going to make this mistake.

If you have a CCW.

You may not posses a firearm while bow hunting deer during the archery season.

You may not hunt from a motor vehicle. A loaded/uncased shotgun/rifle is not covered by you CCW in a motor vehicle. You can have your handgun as long as you are not hunting from you vehicle with your handgun, unless you have a Hunt From a Standing Vehicle Permit to do so that is.

You may not posses a firearm that shoots single projectiles while waterfowl hunting.

You may not posses a regular firearm (including a regular handgun) while muzzleloading deer hunting during muzzleloading season.

[82roadster]

Boehr,

I take it from your level of expertice and your saying at the end of your postings that you are a DNR Officer?

My hats off to you Dude! I used to think that your job would be the ultimate. Now I relieze what a tough job this would be to have. Loved by a few - hated by many.

I've hunted in many states in this country and I've had the opportunity (and pleasure) to have had exposure to DNR, Game and Fish, Fish and Wildlife officers ect.

When I hunted in Wyoming for the first time early in the hunt while strugling to get the lay of the land and figure out where the deer might be in a vast Na. Forest, my hunting party crossed paths with a Game and Fish officer that stopped to talk with us. The man could see were strugling...out came the maps over the hood of his truck...he spent an hour with us giving us ideas and advice and finialy an escort to an area he knew well and after advice on how the the area he was gone. If wasn't with a bunch of my peers I'd have hugged man right there in front God and everyone.

In MI it just isn't the same. I think it's due to private ownership of most of the land and more hunters "pushing the limits" in competition with each other for the available land and game, but for the most part I think that it is confusion in the MI laws that prevent the developement of a partnership between the hunters and the DNR. There is so much left up to interpretation just like in the situation here. Plus, It really doesn't seem like there are enough officers out there and not much support from the Dudes polishin' oak chairs with their asses in Lansing.

As a landowner I have seen the DNR seem helpless in prosecuting violaters and trespassers and I have buddies that get taken to the cleaners for leaving their fishing licence in the truck.

I wish we could find a way to make it work like it does in WY. What can us Sportsmen do to make our experinces with the MI DNR more pleasurable for all?

[boehr]

82roadster...you are correct on what I do. As far as the love hate thing, I'd have to disagree with you. In my almost 21 years, I have gotten along very well with the public. A lot depends on personal envolvement with the community your in, it makes a difference. Besides that, more that 95% of the hunters are all legal, they want us catching the bad ones.:)

[82roadster]

If I was out of line on the love/hate thing, I apologize.

You are right on the mark with the community involvement aspect.

How many field officers are their in the various counties in our area? Your from Kazoo right? I'm in St. Joe.

[boehr]

82roadster...no need, you were not out of line.:) As far as CO's in St. Joe County, you have one CO for the whole county. As far as all the rest of the counties that I am the supervisor for, Allegan 3, Barry 0, VanBuren 2, Berrien 2, Kalamazoo 2, Cass 1, Branch 1, Calhoun 2. Then there are 3 sergeants scattered throughout and then me. Total of 14 field officers for 9 counties. We will be hopefully adding 1 next moth to either Cass or Barry County. We were going to add 2 but 1 didn't work out.