Are Hikers Allowed to Carry a Firearm for Safety?

November 26, 2008

Question: I am going to be doing some hiking in northern California in the Humboldt and Del Norte county areas and I’m wondering if hikers are allowed to carry a hand gun while out in the woods for safety reasons. If so, does it need to be visible or can it be concealed? (Tim J.)

Answer: This depends on who has jurisdiction over the property where you’ll be hiking and whether there are any prohibitions against firearms. California Department of Parks and Recreation lands, for example, do not allow firearms on their property but U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands do. You’ll need to know the property where you’ll be hiking and if you have any questions, go to their Web sites or contact the local regional offices for their policies. If it’s private property you will need to get permission from the property owners to enter their lands.

The carry of concealed firearms is covered by the Penal Code (PC 12025) and the laws should be discussed with the Sheriff’s office of the county you are interested in hiking. In general, concealable firearms must be displayed unless a person is a licensed hunter or angler going to, returning from or participating in, hunting or fishing activity, or they have a concealed license permit issued by the Sheriff of the county they reside in (PC 12027).

Good resource
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=186457