Smoky Mountain News

With guns now allowed in national parks, red tape faced by hunters crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway en route to a hunting spot has been lifted.

Hunting is still illegal in national parks, but this year it became legal to carry loaded guns in parks.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, a national park unit, used to require hunters crossing the parkway with their guns to get a permit ahead of time. That way, rangers would know the hunters weren’t hunting on protected park land but just using the parkway to reach other public lands where hunting is legal.

Now, hunters will no longer need to get those permits since loaded guns are legal.

But hunters who shoot an animal and want to cross back over the parkway with it will need to contact a ranger.

“Under the new procedure, anyone taking game is directed to transport it in a way that does not cross park lands or use the parkway,” said Steve Stinnett, chief ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway. “If the parkway is the only reasonable access for removal of game, hunters must request permission.” Contact a park ranger or call 828.298.2491.