Firearms on board ??

jfc092

Seaman
Joined
Jun 3, 2002
Messages
60
Can anyone tell me if carrying a shotgun on board your boat while traveling through the Delaware and Chesapeake bays legal. Do different States have different rules and how does the Coast Guard treat it ????
 

495v

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
432
Re: Firearms on board ??

I'm not 100% but I believe VA. issues right to carry permits. Besides that, if your boat has the capability to sleep people, hence considering it your abode, you may have a weapon for protection just as you can in a rv or hotel room. The only thing is transporting across state lines and I'm not sure if there are any clauses in regards to inter-coastal waterway's. I suggest you contact you state police. I do assume you have a FOID card.<br />Check out this site. web page
 

Fishbusters

Ensign
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
921
Re: Firearms on board ??

I would check with each state which you will be traveling through. I used to know all the laws from here to Oklahoma and it was diffrent for each. I had to follow a locked in trunk, carried in luggage, three move rule and such it was odd moving it from one place to another so I broke a good many of them because a gun in a trunk did me no good if I was driving. I followed what a couple friends who are/were officers in a couple of states recomended which was a three motion rule whic consists of opening the glovebox (now console) removing it from holster and then arming it by operating the slide. It was suggested to me that if you felt threatened enough to perform all three moves then the use of a firearm was called for and you would end up getting off with a decent lawyer. Now to the realy good stuff boating laws are different especially here. The state says any fisherman going about his pursuit may carry a firearm for protection. This may be concealed or openly carried. This means I can carry my gun into the bait shop if I want to but it would be a test of the law LOL. I also know certian types of S/W fishing almost requires a firearm to subdue your quarry but I feel any fish I have to shoot to be able to keep I don't want anyway.
 

lepper

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
94
Re: Firearms on board ??

a small caliber gun comes in really handy when you have a 80-100 lb halibut..... speaking of which.... deep water halibut season of the oregon coast this weekend!!!!
 

dwaynefromva

Cadet
Joined
Aug 29, 2001
Messages
22
Re: Firearms on board ??

before carring a loaded shotgun in the cheasapeake bay you should contact the maryland police to ask them they control a good portion af the bay. and they are pretty strict about gun laws. i would hate to see a good trip turn bad because the md state gestapo decided you dont need any sort of protection you could always stay on the virginia side of the bay. we still have most of our rights and freedoms here.
 
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