Uncased gun law?

[harvey lee]

I rifle hunt in ND. They do not require anyone to case a gun. I realize that the majority of the hunters are lawful hunters but it will tempt many and also make it much easier for the poacher to whack a deer from the car or truck.

Every year I see someone whack a deer from the stand. I know call the CO but they are so far away that the CO would never get there in time and I cannot see the license plates from my stand.

Poaching will go up you can count on that. We can debate forever if poaching will go up and I hope not but only time will tell.

[Leaddog]

We can debate if the poaching will increase until h$ll freezes over but only time will tell.

[OIF_Veteran_21B]

It's nice that at least some people know they cannot handle the responsibility of having an uncased firearm in a vehicle, due to worries about their safety or their desire to poach an animal if their firearm is uncased in the vehicle. For those who know they cannot abide by the law and be a safe hunter, please keep your firearms cased. Perhaps if you have that much concerns about yourself, you should just get rid of the firearms altogether, so as not to give the law abiding, ethical hunters who can handle the responsibility a bad name.

[Esoxmn]

All that really maters is now you have a choice , if you want to case it or not.

[Leaddog]

I think you are reading too much into these posts, if you are referring to me and/or KG, we both can 'handle responsibility' and follow the game laws, not just the ones we agree with. Search our posts, see if you see anything the conflicts with that statement.

The point is: You cannot judge the ethical nature of an individual based on appearance, only on acts and in this case word.

With you KG, my guns will be cased. Hard cases protect them, easy to clean and dry when necessary.

...Bows on the other hand. No one is shooting at deer across fields with a bow or leaving it loaded in the truck!

[lichen fox]

I have to agree with you on the bow casing part, I always thought that law was a bunch of malarky...I think the only reason that it was ever included is they felt there would be an outcry from the gun hunters...that's still maybe why the included pretty much all hunting weapons in changing the case law....As for "shooting across fields"...this law doesn't address that at all...you can still shoot at big game across fields as long as you're on foot and off any road right of ways...and of course it is legal for you to be hunting on that property be it private or public...It never has been and probably never will be legal for a non disabled person to shoot at any game from a motor vehicle...if you have a severe enough disablility you can get a permit to shoot from a staionary vehicle...no matter how you slice it the law is still no ammunition in the chamber or magazine...you can have cartridges or shotgun shells in your vest, coat, glove box, in the back seat...you just can't have them in the weapon...

[MinnesnowtaWild]

But you can have ammo in the magazine as long as it's outside the gun? What about transporting it inside the gun case, is that legal?

[BobT]

Why is there a law to case firearms in the first place? To deter poaching? How? A rifle can be out of a case in seconds and besides, if someone is willing to break the law to poach game, why would they abide by the case law?

I usually felt it was because the very sight of a firearm bothers some people. People that are not familiar with firearms and listen to too much anti-gun rhetoric through the media are uncomfortable if not frightened by the sight of a gun. Out of sight, out of mind. I think these people feel less threatened when the gun is cased and so they pushed to get the law implemented.

[harvey lee]

We can debate if the poaching will increase until h$ll freezes over but only time will tell.

???

Harvey Lee,

While I don't dissagree with this statement, I did not however type it in my original post, curious how it got added. It's a bit disturbing to think others can change or add to posts without any accountability for the change.

[Finlander]

Does a BB gun need to be cased and all the BB's out of the gun?

[nate larson]

Duck hunters are happy about this law change. Now we can finally go after cripples in our boat without having to case our gun.

[Finlander]

But you can't have any shells in the gun until the boat is stopped dead in the water!

[chub]

Duck hunters are happy about this law change. Now we can finally go after cripples in our boat without having to case our gun.

TRUE DAT!

I can have a shell dropped in an open chamber and locked in about a mili-second. No more fumbling around with a frozen zipper, while trying to keep an eye on the 1/2" top of a head swimming away... .

Wonder if this means I can get my fine money back for the illegal transport fines I've paid?

[Leaddog]

Only a vocal few non-hunters are anti-hunting, most have nothing against hunting, they just don't do it. As a guy that lives to hunt (thats why the sleddogs don't get miles til Jan.) my primary concern is maintaining a positive image for my sport. And if a simple action like casing my gun makes non-hunters more comfortable, I'll certainly do it. This is the same reason I don't casually wear camo. It isn't that I am not proud to be a hunter, I certainly am. But on the occasion that I'm in a mood or stressed, I don't want my irritability to reflect negatively on all hunters because I've got camo on. (I also don't casually wear camo because it fades reducing its effectiveness and increases demand raising prices ofter for inferior products.)

Along the same lines, I stay calmer in the frustrating traffic of I94 because of the conservation group stickers and plates on my truck. We have to keep things in a positive light!

[chub]

As others have said, you have that option. The rest of us can take the other option if we choose.

[BobT]

Does anyone have a link to the actual wording of the statute, Sec 40, 97B.045, Subd 3? I understand that the law was passed but apparently the Revisor of Statutes HSOforum has yet to be updated.

Thanks,

[lcornice]

Does anyone have a link to the actual wording of the statute, Sec 40, 97B.045, Subd 3? I understand that the law was passed but apparently the Revisor of Statutes HSOforum has yet to be updated.

Thanks,

Right now it's just published under session law and hasn't been incorporated into the actual statute (97B.045). Here's a cut and paste of what passed:

Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 97B.045, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 3. Exceptions; hunting and shooting ranges. (a) Notwithstanding provisions to the contrary under this chapter, a person may transport an unloaded, uncased firearm, excluding a pistol as defined in paragraph (, in a motor vehicle while at a shooting range, as defined under section 87A.01, subdivision 3, where the person has received permission from the lawful owner or possessor to discharge firearms; lawfully hunting on private or public land; or travelling to or from a site the person intends to hunt lawfully that day or has hunted lawfully that day, unless:

(1) within Anoka, Hennepin, or Ramsey county;

(2) within an area where the discharge of a firearm has been prohibited under section 471.633;

(3) within the boundaries of a home rule charter or statutory city with a population of 2,500 or more;

(4) on school grounds; or

(5) otherwise restricted under section 97A.091, 97B.081, or 97B.086.

( For the purposes of this section, a "pistol" includes a weapon designed to be fired

by the use of a single hand and with an overall length less than 26 inches, or having a

barrel or barrels of a length less than 18 inches in the case of a shotgun or having a barrel

of a length less than 16 inches in the case of a rifle:

(1) from which may be fired or ejected one or more solid projectiles by means

of a cartridge or shell or by the action of an explosive or the igniting of flammable or

explosive substances; or

(2) for which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, air or other gas, or vapor.

Pistol does not include a device firing or ejecting a shot measuring .18 of an inch, or less, in diameter and commonly known as a "BB gun," a scuba gun, a stud gun, or nail gun used in the construction industry or children's pop guns or toys.

Water boarding couldn't get me to say anymore!

[harvey lee]

Thanks Lou for the added info.

[KG243]

I'm so glad I will never have to replace one of those terrible plastic zippers again with a new case. I leave the mantle pieces at home. My guns go through brush, cattails, rain, snow, etc. Which does way more damage to them then sitting in the back of the truck seat. About time a law is passed for the law abiding. I will never case a gun again.

You better read the law, unless you drive through areas that have zero population.

[BobT]

Thanks!

[dirtking]

I am happy with this law - every year we transport people around, mostly on our own property, sitting on the tailgate or what have you with uncased firearms (unloaded)

When it comes to walking a couple miles home or sitting on the tailgate and hoping to not see the warden I usually took the latter.

Most of the time this would happen for us when someone shot a deer and hunters converged on one location and one person brings a truck. But there have been numerous other times where I have been offered a ride but had no gun case

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

this is interesting and seems to be worded well enough

[ac777]

Originally Posted By: Down2Earth

I'm so glad I will never have to replace one of those terrible plastic zippers again with a new case. I leave the mantle pieces at home. My guns go through brush, cattails, rain, snow, etc. Which does way more damage to them then sitting in the back of the truck seat. About time a law is passed for the law abiding. I will never case a gun again.

You better read the law, unless you drive through areas that have zero population.

Well, most of the towns in many areas of the state are less than 2500 people, but I dont consider that zero Population.

[Down2Earth]

I don't see why it needs to be cased. I guess some people just can't handle the responsiblity of having an uncased gun in the vehicle. Many seem to have attached a stigma to guns uncased in a vehicle. I applaud the honesty of those who admit they cannot handle the responsibility of having an uncased firearm in a vehicle.

+1

[fish-n-fool]

A TRUE STORY FROM...

"THE HOUSTON HERALD NEWSPAPER"

IN HOUSTON , TEXAS

MARCH 5th, 2009

Last Thursday Night Around Midnight,

A Woman From Houston , Texas Was Arrested,

Jailed, And Charged With Manslaughter

For Shooting A Man 6 Times In The Back

As He Was Running Away With Her Purse.

~

The Following Monday Morning,

The Woman Was Called In Front Of The

Arraignment Judge, Sworn In,

And Asked To Explain Her Actions.

~

The Woman Replied,

"I Was Standing At The Corner Bus Stop

For About 15 Minutes, Waiting For The

Bus To Take Me Home After Work.

I Am A Waitress At A Local Cafe...

~

I Was There Alone,

So I Had My Right Hand On My Pistol,

That Was In My Purse, That Was Hung

Over My Left Shoulder.

~

All Of A Sudden I Was Being

Spun Around Hard To My Left.

As I Caught My Balance, I Saw A Man

Running Away From Me With My Purse.

~

I Looked Down At My Right Hand And I Saw

That My Fingers Were Wrapped Tightly

Around My Pistol.

The Next Thing I Remember Is Saying Out Loud,

"No Way Punk! Your Not Stealing My

Pay Check And Tips."

~

I Raised My Right Hand, Pointed My Pistol

At The Man Running Away From Me With My Purse,

And Squeezed The Trigger Of My Pistol 6 Times!

~

When Asked By The Arraignment Judge,

"Why Did You Shoot The Man 6 Times?

~

The Woman Replied Under Oath,

"Because, When I Pulled The Trigger Of

my Pistol The 7th Time, It Only Went Click."

~

The Woman Was Acquitted Of All Charges.

And She Was Back At Work,

At The Cafe, The Next Day!

Now that's Gun Control....

AMEN

Love it...."cause it only clicked the seventh time...."