Sirs,   open carry of a firearm/handgun in the state of Virginia is not prohibited by any statute and is therefore lawful.  Such should be the case in the State Forests as well.   There is no rational reason to prohibit lawful open carry of handguns within the State Forests. 

Persons openly carrying a handgun are not the sort of individuals that would cause problems since criminal-prone individuals would tend to hide their guns until the moment that they committ a crime.  Such individuals are not the ones who have been vetted by the FBI and the Virginia State Police and have recieved a permit to carry a concealed handgun. 

You need to cease the phobic rejection of lawful open carry of handguns by law abiding citizens.  Such activity does NOT increase theat levels in the State Forests but rather it diminishes any threat in the State Forests just as it does every where else in our fine commonwealth. 

sincerely,

Ronnie Lilly