Reply #54: Hate to tell you this, but you already do have people carrying in the parks.

[Xithras]

I've done it myself on occasion when hiking alone. It's small and well concealed, but when it comes down to it I'd rather take my chances with a jury than consign myself to becoming cougar scat. And I say this as someone who has more than once had to fend off large wildlife in the back-country.

My suggestion is this. Allow them to be legally brought in and carried, but impose a 5 year minimum prison sentence (first offense) on anyone caught discharging their firearms in a national park without an actual life saving need to do so. If they CAN show a life saving need to do so, hit them with a $1,000 mandatory fine for not adequately attempting to avoid wildlife.

That should allow people to protect themselves while still imposing steep penalties for their use.