Visiting Vermont

[EricReynolds]

I live in NY and have a sportsman permit that doesn't allow me to carry when I'm not working. I hear that Vermont has the most liberal laws in the nation regarding owning and carrying guns, even to non-residents. My question is if I go to Vermont on vacation with my locked unloaded gun in the trunk along the way like I'm required to, can I carry while in Vermont?

 

[CortJestir]

It is said that in Vermont, even the democrats have guns.

A fella I helped run a shoot with this past weekend is from VT. From what I gathered from him, you can carry a handgun concealed or open. Long guns in a vehicle must be unloaded and loaded mags or ammo kept separately - this is done, as I understand, to prohibit roadside poaching.

All this, with the usual caveat to check the state's laws for yourself, of course.

 

[NavyLT]

Yes. Open or concealed, doesn't matter.

 

[Jim March]

There's a deeper misunderstanding here:

Why would you assume the state of Vermont CAN discriminate against US citizens who reside in other states?

I can assure you, constitutionally they cannot. See Ward v. Maryland (1870) and Saenz v. Roe (1999), both US Supreme Court cases.

This is also why Plaxico Burress is likely to get off, because NY hasn't figured this out yet where gun laws are concerned.

 

[Yellowfin]

Only problem with that, Jim, is that he's being tried in a NY court. The only thing NY courts care about is persecuting guns nonstop 24/7 without any hesitance. They don't care what the law says unless it's against you, period. All 6 sides of the die say "You Lose." You could cure cancer, AIDS, and global poverty but if you carry a gun you're evil incarnate as far as they're concerned.

 

[Jim March]

Except he's got the resources to take it further, and a solid USSC decision that may let him jump over to the Federal district court immediately after a state court conviction under a habeus filing.

 

[Mike Irwin]

You know, Plaxico Burress is close to the LAST person I want to hold up as a poster child for gun rights in this country.

 

[CowTowner]

You know, Plaxico Burress is close to the LAST person I want to hold up as a poster child for gun rights in this country.

No argument Mike, but should he go the route Jim mentioned, things could get interesting in NY.

 

[Jim March]

We agree he's an idiot. But does he deserve a felony conviction and multi-year prison sentence?

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

[thread hijack]

does he deserve a felony conviction and multi-year prison sentence?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "deserve". Considering that he broke the law, blatantly, and that the suggested sentence is the punishment for breaking said law then yes he does.

Whether or not that law should even exist is sort of neither here nor there for any individual case, the law does exist and so does the punishment.

In the grand scheme, yes, the law is stupid and unconstitutional but it's far from the only one.

Honest people obey the law.

[/thread hijack]


Eric,

Vermont seems to have no restrictions whatsoever. Anyone who can legally own a firearm may carry it. It appears from my reading that "can legally own" means 18 years old and no felony record.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/vermont.pdf

 

[brickeyee]

This is also why Plaxico Burress is likely to get off, because NY hasn't figured this out yet where gun laws are concerned.

NY is applying the same law to him as to every resident of NY.

He will get off because he has $$ and an expensive lawyer.

 

[blume357]

Be warned that a few years back when I visited Vermont

even though everyone can open or conceal carry there are places during certain times of the year you can not carry.

 

[macville]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "deserve". Considering that he broke the law, blatantly, and that the suggested sentence is the punishment for breaking said law then yes he does.

May I point out that Rosa Parks also broke a certain law and we now hail her as a hero. Last time I checked most, if not all, gun laws were unconstitutional. So I don't feel like being very hard on someone who was simply bearing arms.

Matthew

 

[Mike Irwin]

"May I point out that Rosa Parks also broke a certain law and we now hail her as a hero."

The law she broke was not applied to all citizens of the state of Alabama equally.

Different situation entirely.

 

[armsmaster270]

I have CCW'ed in Vermont about 8 different times in the last 5 years and haven't seen any restrictions except when I went into the Prison I had to leave it.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

So I don't feel like being very hard on someone who was simply bearing arms.

If Plaxico Burress was "simply bearing arms" then I would truly hate to see what you would define and irresponsible and dangerous.

 

[vranasaurus]

Isn't he charged with reckless endangerment(or something like that) in addition to the actual gun charge?

Even if the new york possession law were unconstitutional he wouild still be guilty of that.

 

[EricReynolds]

If Plaxico Buress gets off, I for one will not see it as a day our freedom is upheld. I would go to jail. He should too. Not because NY gun laws are just, but because we ought not make things just for some. That's not fair at all. He said he thought his expired out of state permit was good here. Ignorance isn't an excuse. This got a little sidetracked. I was inquiring if I going camping in VT, could I carry? Now we're talking about Plaxico.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Eric,

Check the link I posted above. Vermont seems to have virtually no restriction at all. It appears to me that any non-felon age 18 or over can carry there, open or concealed.

If it were me, I'd probably call VT state police and ask them-just to be safe.

 

[EricReynolds]

Thanks Pete