Day Hike in North GA, open carry?

Hi all!

new here, wanted to get some info from you folks pertaining to a hike I plan to do with a girl friend in about 3 weeks or so.

We plan to go to Blue Ridge Mountains in Fannin County GA and do one of the trails on the A.T. for a day (probably a saturday morning), camp out there wherever we decide to camp, and then head back on Sunday afternoon. My issue is making sure we're withing our legal rights to carry. We will be carrying my husbands XD-45 pistol and his Mossberg 12 Gauge 500 Persuader pistol grip shotty. After researching most of the laws, it looks like Georgia only allows conceal carry with a state permit for the XD and I'm still unsure if it's ONLY open carry for the shotty (which would be difficult to conceal anyways if it was on either of our persons' lol)

My issue is that I don't really want to get my 70 dollar CC permit in Georgia... as I know I'm not going to be a resident here much longer than a year and a half, and where we're moving next doesn't have reciprocity with GA. Is it okay for me to OPEN carry without a permit, on any of the AT trails? I know a law was passed in 2010 which changed the carry laws in national/state parks, but I don't want to break the law. If necessary I will get the permit, because you won't catch me DEAD on any hike without personal protection. There's just too much left to chance, people and wild animals... and we are two lone females, which makes us look like an easy target straight from the get go, even though that's not the case... AT ALL. :comeandgetsome:

So any insight from you would be greatly appreciated, especially from those who have carried in this area. I'm going to call the rangers tomorrow to double check, but I'd love to know your thoughts. :D

Thanks in advance, looking forward to your responses!

Kym

ALSO.... I just looked up the CCW carry/reciprocity site, because I have a valid New Hampshire CC permit, when I was a resident there. I am no longer a resident but my permit is still considered a resident CC because I was a resident when I obtained it in 2007... The map shows that Georgia does honor NH permits, but that GA is a shall issue to residents only, and I am now a GA resident so do you think I would run into an issue there??? I really don't want to pay that 70 or 80 bucks. NH only charges 10 for a 5 yr permit.

Someone may be along shortly to correct me, but it looks like GA is a permit only OC state.

OpenCarry.org - State Information For Georgia

If you come up farther to NC we are a permitless OC state. The firearms would have to be carried openly. FWIW, you should be fine with just the pistol. I've considered a shotgun for camp, but never for hiking. Everyone is different though.

Ya I'm looking it up now, and I just called NH to make sure my permit was still valid, but it actually expired in 2011, which stinks, because GA DOES honor my CCW from NH, as well as NC and TN. It looks like I'm going to have to get that permit. ugh. Thing is we're moving to Washinton State in about a yr and a half, so it makes no sense to spend that kind of money here when I'm not even staying. :/ I wish there was a permit that covered you EVERYWHERE.... (besides being a Fed lol)

With a GA permit you can conceal or open carry. You CANNOT carry at all without one, with some exceptions like in your car/home.
You should be able to get a GA permit pretty easily. I've had them come back in my county in a week.

The way I see it...$80 divided by 52 weeks (one year in GA) = $1.54. I think it's worth it to get GA permit and have the ability to legally carry my firearms for a year. How much is a cup of regular coffee at Starbuck's?

I'm only asking cuz I don't know, but does GA have an exemption to carrying while participating in a sporting activity? I know several Southern states do, so it might be worth looking into.

Do you or any friends have a big dog you can take with you? They love trail hiking!

I'm with boricua on this...... get the GA CWL and carry away for the rest of the year with no worries. Without the license, no carry... open or conceled.

Also double-check WHERE exactly you ladies will be hiking..... is it federal land?

Once you are a resident of Georgia, you cannot carry carry in Georgia on another state's carry license.

I'm also with Boricua on this--spend the money and get the Georgia permit! It isn't that much to avoid all the potential hassles and be coverd for the next year/year and a half!:yup: Just seems like a no brainer to me!:rolleyes: Good luck and enjoy your hike!:smile:

thanks everyone! Sorry I hadn't responded in a couple days, work's been crazy busy.... Anywho, thank you for all of your advice, It's looking like I'm going to be getting that permit. We don't have a dog to take with us, but I will be hopefully taking the XD and we might exnay on the mossberg for convinience. :) anywho, Thanks again. I really appreciate it!

I would definitely leave the shotgun at home. If you are going to be here for another year and a half then I say that the cost of the GWL will be well worth it.

You might want to go to GeorgiaCarry.Org and GeorgiaPacking.Org to brush up on the carry laws.

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I'm only asking cuz I don't know, but does GA have an exemption to carrying while participating in a sporting activity? I know several Southern states do, so it might be worth looking into.

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You can carry openly in Georgia without a license if you have a valid hunting or fishing license or do not legally have to have one, while you are actively engaged in hunting, fishing or sport shooting with permission from the owner of the land you are on.

my only issue now is that my county is taking almost an entire month to get the CCW to the person applying for it, and Our trip is sooner than that. Do you think I can get a temporary hunting license for that weekend to cover my as$? or am I S.O.L.?

Is that the actual time they are issuing in or is that the time they are quoting to everyone?
My county quotes two weeks but if you call and check on it you can get it within a few days. No county should be taking more than two weeks, although by law they can take more.
Go apply and speak with the Probate Judge. Explain the situation to him or her and see if they can have it signed and ready for you before your trip.

As for the hunting license, you have to actually be in the act of hunting or on your way to or from. Also, there are no temporary hunting licenses in Georgia.