San Diego BLM areas. Carry at all times?

[ExtremeX]

I like to ATV ride and desert camp in the San Diego BLM areas.

Does anyone know if its ok to carry at the campsite?

Open Carry (loaded or unloaded)
Consealed Carry (loaded or unloaded)
Can I ride my ATV with a firearm on me?

Places I go: Glamis, Supersistion Mountain, Octillo

Im feeling it may be an issue at Glamis, but I have no idea.

[ak47762]

Well if you can "shoot" on that land, then yes, only common sense. Just make sure those are DESIGNATED TARGET SHOOTING AREAS/ and not banned or prohibited/ only for OTV etc...

[ExtremeX]

My concern was more about have it consealed while at the campsite...

Like under a heavy jacket on a cold winter day/night.

I think I might just call the BLM office and ask the question to the rangers.

[GrizzlyGuy]

The best source of info (even better than the BLM rangers) is this thread by MudCamper. The correct answers are (unfortunately) harder to determine than they should be, thanks to our overly complex set of gun laws.

I ride ATVs and camp in the national forest, I have no interest in being arrested or convicted on a gun charge, so here is the conservative approach that I take:

1) While riding, it is usually legal to UOC, and virtually always legal to carry the handgun unloaded in a locked container. I go with the locked container most of the time simply due to dust. Among the places when UOC is not legal would be the rare time that you ride within 1000 feet of a K-12 school, or you need to ride through an area like this:



2) While at my campsite, I LOC (holstered). You can't carry loaded elsewhere in a campground, just at your site. Concealing it isn't legal unless you are camping on private land and have permission to do so.

3) If you have a hunting or fishing license, then you could ride with it concealed without needing a locked container if you are on your way to go hunting or fishing (and not going through a school zone, wildlife refuge, etc. as I said in #1). That doesn't automatically mean you can ride with it loaded. Other than while in your campsite, determining if it is legal to ride around with it loaded is one of those complicated sometimes/sometimes not questions (see MudCamper's thread).

[nagorb]

I don't know about San diego BLM but up here LOC is OK. The best thing to do is call the office and read the link grizlyguy posted.

[Rivers]

Isn't your campsite considered your home legally? As such, any firearms possession legal at your house should be legal at your campsite.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Isn't your campsite considered your home legally? As such, any firearms possession legal at your house should be legal at your campsite.

Loaded is OK at your campsite because 12031 specifically allows for it:

(l) Nothing in this section shall prevent any person from having a
loaded weapon, if it is otherwise lawful, at his or her place of
residence, including any temporary residence or campsite.

Concealed is not OK, because of how 12026 (the exemption allowing for concealed carry at your home) is worded:

...anywhere within the citizen' s or legal resident's place of residence, place of business, or on private property owned or lawfully possessed by the citizen or legal resident any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.

BLM land is public property rather than private property, so the part that I bolded wouldn't apply. That is, even though you may lawfully possess your campsite, your campsite isn't on private property.