Forgetting a license at home

**shootem** · 24-02-2010, 22:28

Just a question is the Kruger not a firearm free zone, i could be mistaken but i seem to remember seeing a sign saying no firearm at one of the entrance gates into the park!! (maybe its just there to curb poaching, thus will not apply to your circumstances) It was a while ago since i was there so could very well be wrong!

**Prodigal** · 24-02-2010, 22:55

Originally Posted by shootem

Just a question is the Kruger not a firearm free zone, i could be mistaken but i seem to remember seeing a sign saying no firearm at one of the entrance gates into the park!! (maybe its just there to curb poaching, thus will not apply to your circumstances) It was a while ago since i was there so could very well be wrong!

Yes. Firearms are not allowed in KNP.

**umshiniwam** · 25-02-2010, 09:43

We have always taken one with while travelling. They seal the weapon at the gate and you must have it unsealed when you exit.

DS · 25-02-2010, 13:35

KNP is not a firearms free zone ito the FCA.

It is KNP policy because it a nature reserve.

AFAIK you can declare your handgun (I doubt very much they will allow you with a rifle), they will "seal" it and you can retain it.

**KevinF** · 25-02-2010, 14:20

Originally Posted by umshiniwam

We have always taken one with while travelling. They seal the weapon at the gate and you must have it unsealed when you exit.

Quite correct - I remember my father having his sealed when we visited the KNP when I was a kid. Brought back all sorts of memeries when I took mine in to be sealed a year or so ago.

They seem to pretty much operate on an honour system - you fill in a form declaring that you do/don't have a firearm and that's pretty much that - no searches or metal detectors that I noticed. If you are carring, they escort you off to have the gun sealed with a lead barrel plug & it's all quite painless, efficient & friendly.

I'm fairly sure Khumba is also correct regarding long guns.

I gather that if they catch you with an unsealed firearm you will be blacklisted from all SANParks.

**camouflage762** · 25-02-2010, 14:52

I have had my Firearm sealed upon entering KNP. Once I forgot to have it unsealed. Was not asked/reminded when booking out.
Its a very nice bag though.....

**Paul** · 25-02-2010, 16:00

Originally Posted by Khumba

AFAIK you can declare your handgun (I doubt very much they will allow you with a rifle), they will "seal" it and you can retain it.

K, what is your (our) obligation to declare firearms in this instance?

As I have it they (the SANParks officials) are not empowered to search your vehicle beyond what is required to establish you have no animal products which may be prohibited.

If they ask me I will normally laugh it off with a "What do I look like?" type answer... and they are generally too polite to say...

**Willie Barnard** · 26-02-2010, 15:51

There is a huge difference between a Firearms free zone, and a "right of admission reserved we dont like guns" policy.
When caught with a firearm or amunition in an FFZ, you can be prosecuted, get a hefty fine, and probably declared incompetent to possess a firearm.
When caught with a firearm in a bank (for instance), they can only ask you to leave the area.
SANPARKS are neither FFZs, nor "no guns allowed policy". I had to declare my hunting rifles on a visit to Mountain Zebra Nat Park, and they were locked up in the gunsafe of the head office. No costs, no hassles, and no "we hate guns attitude".
My carry pistol was sealed with a wire and lead seal, and i was allowed to keep it with me. On another occasion, (Quite long ago) in transit through Kalahari Gemsbok Nat Park, my hunting rifles were sealed in a similar way.

To have an area declared a FFZ, is an official process for which form SAPS 517f has to be completed. I havent heard of any such FFZs yet. If they take as long as they do with all other applications, we wont have to worry about FFZs for a long time!

My advice is : If you have reason to carry your SD gun, you have reason to carry it on your way to any SANPARK and back. Who is gonna protect you if you dont?
By all means, declare your firearm and allow them to seal it, when entering the park.

Willie Barnard

**umshiniwam** · 26-02-2010, 16:04

Well said Willie.
I believe that the SANParks folk have a positive attitude towards firearms and only seal these when entering a park for obvious reasons.

I would imagine that rangers & other staff who make day-to-day use of firearms have had their lives complicated by the FCA as well.

As a complete aside; We were in the KNP in December and came across two rangers on old "dikwiel" bicycles patrolling the road between Afsaal & Malelane gate. They were both carrying FN FAL/R1 rifles.

**Paul** · 26-02-2010, 16:12

Originally Posted by Willie Barnard

My advice is : If you have reason to carry your SD gun, you have reason to carry it on your way to any SANPARK and back. Who is gonna protect you if you dont?
By all means, declare your firearm and allow them to seal it, when entering the park.

Sure, Willie, what you say is quite correct, but also all good and well, however...

When you have need of an SD firearm it is normally in a very big hurry, or it is too late. Scratching around to get it out of a sealed bag is NOT part of the sensible firearm owners plan.

A few years ago the KNP was having a serious problem with the (far distant) local community who had figured out that poaching animals in the park and then having to schlep the carcasses over the park border to get collected and transported into Phalaborwa for sale was way too much like hard work, and that all these rich tourists with easily portable camera equipment and wallets stuffed with money were far less effort.

The park authorities and the operators of the private camp that were hit did their damdest to hush this up, but when pressed admitted that they have no way of protercting visitors to the park against these sorts of attacks.

Suffice to say my wife and I carry our SD firearms inside the park in ready-to-go condition... even on gamedrives.