I strongly support allowing concealed and open carry of firearms in State Forests. The notion that allowing law-abiding citizens to carry handguns for self-defense will increase poaching and endanger Forest Service workers is absolutely ludicrous. Every time, in every state, that legislation has been proposed increasing gun rights and firearm freedoms, the gun-control lobby has made outlandish dire predictions of "massive increases in crime and firearms related problems". In every state, every instance, that increased gun rights legislation has been passed, those predictions have been wrong. Not one state has seen an increase in gun crime committed by otherwise law-abiding citizens.

  A poacher or other criminal is going to do what they want to do regardless of any law or regulation. That's why they are called criminals. If a law prohibiting poaching, robbery, murder, rape, etc. isn't enough to stop the criminals, what makes anyone think a law banning or prohibiting guns will have any effect. If I decide today, I'm going to go rob a bank, obviously ignoring the law against robbing banks, when I get to the bank and see a sign on the door saying "No Guns", do I stamp my foot, cuss and go home, or do I ignore the sign, just like I ignored the bank robbing law and go on in? That's the "logic" behind ridiculous restrictions such as the prohibition on carrying firearms in a State Forest.

  I encourage you to support the 2nd Amendment and believe that law-abiding citizens are just that, law-abiding and can be trusted to act responsibly.