Reciprocity and indian reservations question.

[robbran144]

I did a quick search and didn't really find the answer I'm looking for. My wife and I are taking a trip to Yellowstone soon, and she wants to add Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota to her states that she's visited. I've considered taking a gun as all of those states share reciprocity with Indiana.
My question is, are roads that pass through Indian reservations governed by state/federal laws, or do the (tribal laws) trump the state and federal laws as far as carrying your gun through their areas?
I hope this makes sense, and I hope I put it in the right area as I haven't posted on here in a coons age!
Thank you.

 

[ditcherman]

My understanding is that the tribal laws absolutely trump anything else.
The caveat I'll add is that its been 5-6 years since I looked into it, and my area was focused more to the south in the Arizona area.

The general thing I remember is that I'm very much a 'rather ask forgiveness than permission' kind of person but there were places I left it unloaded and locked away because the teeth in the laws were so bad.
I was more concerned with smaller roads than interstates, for sure.

The trouble is every nation/tribe can make up their own laws for their area, and they can change pretty rapidly, and some are unquestionably vague.

I did a lot of searching on google; each area is kind of it's own thing and it's worth it to go through them all, print them out and carry them with you. As far as I know there is no clearinghouse of info like the phone apps for the states.

 

[MrSmitty]

Interesting questions, I’d rather like to know too! Not planning a trip like that, but it would be interesting to find out… Let us know what you find out…. Enquiring minds want to know!

 

[radar8756]

Casinos do not allow guns - but that be related to House Odds

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I've done a bit of traveling through Indian reservations and you'll probably not encounter any tribal police. In the event that you do, if you're behaving I strongly doubt you'll have an issue. It's not legal advice and it's only based on anecdotal evidence but firearms in the west are a tool and every truck has one.

 

[BugI02]

https://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/tribal_law_ccw.pdf

 

[ditcherman]

https://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/tribal_law_ccw.pdf

I certainly stand corrected on the 'no single clearinghouse' comment.
That's a great resource!

 

[robbran144]

Thank you all for the replies and information. I'm leaning towards leaving it at home and not taking the chance. I wanted it more for the chance encounter of a wild animal that won't take "boo" for an answer!

 

[MrMunster]

Thank you all for the replies and information. I'm leaning towards leaving it at home and not taking the chance. I wanted it more for the chance encounter of a wild animal that won't take "boo" for an answer!

We did the Yellowstone loop and my advice is to take it. Other than IL & MN it is unlikely anyone will notice or ask.

Just take a case to store it - unloaded - when you need to do so.

 

[HHollow]

I think Montana had good reciprocity. And there has historically been no issues having guns in your car. Loaded mostly.

 

[joe138]

I am just finishing that trip. We went through many Reservations. Obey trafic laws and there won't be a problem. I saw a total of two Tribal Officers.

 

[380Mike]

Thank you all for the replies and information. I'm leaning towards leaving it at home and not taking the chance. I wanted it more for the chance encounter of a wild animal that won't take "boo" for an answer!

One would assume (I know), if you treat them like the communistic state of Illinois, lock the gun in the trunk (I have a lockbox in my van), you should be ok.
For the record, I'm not an attorney, nor did I state in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[manifest destiny]

I wouldn't make that trip without a firearm. I'd treat Native American Reservations like I treat the foreign country of Illinois.

 

[KokomoDave]

My buddy is a tribal cop for the Paiutes in Nevada. He says most don't say anything unless you are an a$$4ole and need to be charged. Don't outside carry and make sure it's not obvious if packing!

 

[DadSmith]

Thank you all for the replies and information. I'm leaning towards leaving it at home and not taking the chance. I wanted it more for the chance encounter of a wild animal that won't take "boo" for an answer!

Best advice I can give. and have done in the past when I had hearing. I called the state police of certain state I was visiting to get the correct information.
In this case you should call the tribes police you plan on visiting, and ask them directly. Then you will know for sure.

 

[04FXSTS]

Best advice I can give. and have done in the past when I had hearing. I called the state police of certain state I was visiting to get the correct information.
In this case you should call the tribes police you plan on visiting, and ask them directly. Then you will know for sure.

Maybe/maybe not. My experience is with Illinois and information could never be dependable. The police in many instances would tell you what they wanted the law to be not the actual law.
I just asked a friend from Illinois a question about non-resident carry. He did not know even though he is an Illinois CCW instructor. He asked the ISP and they just answered they do not give out legal advice. Jim.

 

[DadSmith]

Maybe/maybe not. My experience is with Illinois and information could never be dependable. The police in many instances would tell you what they wanted the law to be not the actual law.
I just asked a friend from Illinois a question about non-resident carry. He did not know even though he is an Illinois CCW instructor. He asked the ISP and they just answered they do not give out legal advice. Jim.

Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri state police gave out the law. They ask for my email address and sent a link to it for direct access to their laws. So i think Illinois state police if that is what they do are lazy.

 

[04FXSTS]

Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri state police gave out the law. They ask for my email address and sent a link to it for direct access to their laws. So i think Illinois state police if that is what they do are lazy.

I can see "lazy." As a former resident of that ######## called Illinois I think there is another reason besides lazy. Having either a majority or super majority for as many years as I can remember pretty much all laws have been written by D's. Part of their bill writing skill is to make them vague and hard to understand. That way there are more than one way to intemperate the laws, makes it sound like the law means one thing when passed then enforced in a different interpretation. That way no one, in this case the ISP, wants to put anything in writing that could come back on them.
Kind of like a night shift foreman I worked for many years ago, nice guy and knowledgeable in his field. Trouble was the superintendent was a little tyrant dumb as a box of rocks but always right. If you asked the foreman's opinion about doing a job he would talk all around the question without giving you a real answer. Some of the others on the crew would get PO because of this but I would usually defend him. Remind them of how many times the super would come in in the morning and reverse everything and call him stupid.
Never dealt with the other states you mentioned but I cannot imagine any of them having the level of corruption and/or incompetence as Illinois. Jim.

 

[russc2542]

How you talk to the police is also going to matter. Chatting with them in person, phone call to an officer, phone call to the admin, email to someone all gives them different amounts of time to research and compose a reply. Also depends on who you talk to and how they're trained because they, like us, are mostly human beings subject to all the variations thereof.