A change in Federal law effective today allows possession of firearms in Voyageurs National Park by people who can legally possess firearms under Federal, Minnesota, and local laws.
The new Federal law makes possession of firearms in national parks subject to the firearms laws of the state and communities where the parks are located. The laws of Minnesota still prohibit the possession of rifles, shotguns, or BB guns in public places such as Voyageurs National Park.
“We have been working closely with local, State, and Federal officials to ensure that we clearly understand the provisions of the laws that will now apply to our visitors when they are in the park,” Voyageurs National Park Superintendent Mike Ward said in a media release.
“We encourage every visitor who may wish to bring firearms to the park to do their research ahead of time and ensure that they are aware of and abide by the laws that apply,” he added. “Our goal is to provide safe, enjoyable park visits for everyone, and to preserve this very special place for people today and future generations.”
The new Federal law has no effect on existing laws and regulations regarding the use of firearms in national parks or hunting. Hunting is still not allowed in Voyageurs National Park. Federal law continues to prohibit firearms in tour boats and certain facilities, such as park visitor centers; these facilities are posted with appropriate notices at public entrances.
For more information about firearms laws that apply to Voyageurs National Park, the park officials offer the following links to Minnesota state statutes:
MN STATUTE 624.714: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.714&year=2009
MN STATUTE 624.7181: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?year=2009&id=624.7181
MN STATUTE 97B.045: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=97B.045&year=2009