Are long guns OK inside a tent in a MI State Park?

[jediagh]

I am thinking of going to MI in the near future specifically the Waren Dunes State Park for camping. I have a valid License To Care Handgun (LTCH) from Indiana (Resident of Indiana). I would like to take a sidearm (CC all the time) and a long gun to keep in the tent (just in case).

I found info online about the sidearm being OK.
However I am NOT sure about the longgun *INSIDE* the tent.

This is what I have found out along with the various sources.

Travel from IN to MI in car.
with sidearm CC is OK as I have IN LTCH which MI honors.
(source: http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/michigan.pdf)

with long gun is OK provided the following:
"In order to transport or possess rifles and shotguns in a motor vehicle, Michigan law requires that they be unloaded and be one or more of the following: broken down, enclosed in a case, carried in the trunk of the vehicle, or inaccessible from the interior of the vehicle."
SOURCE: Michigan Gun Laws

At MI State Park
with sidearm CC is OK
ONLY if you have a sidearm license either from MI or your own state of residence.
SOURCE: MCRGO - Frequently Asked Questions about Michigan Gun Laws

with long gun is ???? (Can it be loaded?)

 

[Arizona_Mike]

IANAL but there is a lot of case law about a tent being a home (including in some gun cases)--the test seems to be if you sleep there. I seem to recall there was one gun case the bureau of reclamation recently lost.

Edit: Found it, it was actually the Army Corps of Engineers: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=740417


Mike

 

[jediagh]

Thanks for the info Mike but that is for a FEDERAL park and in my case it would be a STATE OF MI park.

 

[dab102999]

I would direct you to go to MGO (Michigan gun owners) or MOC (Michigan open carry). You are allowed to hunt at Warren dunes but if you are not in season and no license and from out of state I would be hard pressed to recommend on the long gun. With a permit can c.c. but also I am not sure but believe you cannot enter a dnr building on the site.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Castle doctrine determines that the tent, while camping, is your domicile. I've cleared this personally with DNR, while camping on state land out of any hunting season. Provided you have a camping permit (if not camping at a traditional campsite) you should be fine. Long gun carry is legal in Michigan, regardless if hunting is in season. Its been awhile since I've been to Warren Dunes, so I don't remember if they allow for target shooting in the park or not.
If its just for personal defense, and gets locked up when yo in are not "home" you should be fine.