Traffic Stop...

[22Plinker]

One of trending videos on youtube for me today was a Concealed Carry during a traffic stop.  The video was very informative and it got me to thinking about what to do during a traffic stop if I have a rifle in the back of my truck.  Now its not the same as a CC weapon and its unloaded with the ammo in my glove box.

 

I did some searches trying to find a reference to hunting rifles in a traffic stop and came across a couple videos of being stopped while out hunting which was also informative but already touched on in the hunters ed course.

 

Just curious if anyone here has been stopped with their hunting weapons in their vehicle and did you inform the officer during the stop?

[cdmckane]

If they don't ask, I don't tell.  No sense in making hassle for yourself

[Paula]

Years ago my brother and I was pulled over in Fl. We had a gun in front of truck. I had it wrapped in a blanket. We told him it was there. He just told us to put it behind seat.

[Jeremy K]

I was pulled over by a trooper years ago , super cool guy .I informed him i had a shotgun behind my seat ,he asked to see it and commented on how nice it came up as he shouldered it a few times.

[22Plinker]

I'm just reminded of a stupid teenage moment of mine where I was detained by a Fulton police officer for riding my skateboard to school.  I was a dumb teenager and ultimately he put me in the back of the police car and gave me a ride to school.  In the process he went through my backpack and yelled at me for not telling him i had a compass in the bag.  He even gave the reasoning I could have used it as a weapon to stab him in the neck.

 

Now that could have just been me being an annoying and dickish teenager or a jerk of a cop...  With a rifle in my truck I don't want to act like I am hiding anything and I don't want to make problems for myself in the long run.  Its not like I plan on getting pulled out of my truck and having it searched or anything...

 

I guess overall the situation went through my head that if I didn't say anything and in the process of getting my info, if he looked in the back seat and saw the soft case on the floor if a cop would instinctively think bad.

[mlammerhirt]

Was pulled over this past season by a trooper a short way from camp opening weekend of rifle. I had two deer on my trailer and the first thing he commented on was how productive my opening day must have been. He asked if the deer were properly tagged, and was interested in the harvest story. He ended up pulling me over for having a trailer light out and just said to get it fixed before I headed out again. He never once asked about a firearm being in the vehicle.

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[Zem18]

Plinker, I've seen your name over on NYfirearms. Do a search over there on this topic. I've read some posts on there about this and you'd be surprised by some of the answers. Most of them say, you don't have to tell them anything, and never consent to a search of the vehicle. Interesting reading. Amazing how tough and badass some guys can be behind a keyboard on the internet.

[Nomad]

Basically they don't like surprises when it comes to guns. You have no duty to report it, but some will appreciate you telling them so,your choice . Myself if I'm hunting and have only one long gun it rides uncased on my back seat action open and no visible ammo, they look in your back seat as the approach the car, so,hands on wheel , window down no sudden reaching is my policy .

I've never told them about my handguns , but my wallet is out and on the dash before they reach the car , if you have to reach anywhere near your gun , you may want to,mention it again your choice.

Two summers ago coming home from Old Forge I got lazy and since I was not stopping did not put my 9mm on and placed it in glove box, my registration and insurance card are in center council . I get stopped by NYSP , he walks up my wife opens glove box and reaches in ... I thought about yelling " she's got a gun" ! Instead I just told her where the papers were , but I never had to produce them . That was a close call even though she knows where the papers are as it was her car and saw me place gun in box.

It stays on my hip now.

[shawnhu]

Was stopped by a ranger once on a routine check for hunting license in a state park and was asked the usual hunting related questions. When asked if we had any weapons, I was forthcoming and said yes, I had my airgun in the back seat and my rimfire in the trunk locked away. He asked to see them and I was glad to cooperate. I was then sighted for possession of a rifle in a no-rifle zone.

Misinterpretation of the law on my part, as I knew discharging a rifle in this area was not allowed, hence why it was buried under all my junk in the trunk. Didn't realize the law was against possession. Took me 5 minutes to dig it up to show the officer. Probably the last time I'll cooperate with authorities when I don't have to.

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[nyslowhand]

^^Ditto above, NO surprises! With the current events of the past couple of years, can imagine most LEOs might tend to be on edge during any routine traffic stop. Legalities aside - I prefer to not have a Glock pointed at me, so I'm declaring any weapons in the vehicle and my hands on the wheel or out the window as they approach! Just me...!

[reeltime]

I have been stopped a number of times by town/county/state police, always in May as I am on the roads just after "closing time" on my way turkey hunting. 

first thing I do is put my wallet on the dash and then both windows down and hands on the top of the steering wheel.  as soon as the officer or officers get to the window I tell them there is a firearm in the vehicle its unloaded but just so you know there is a firearm in the vehicle.

 

every time they have thanked me for informing them,  each time they give an excuse as to why they stopped me and always ask if there is an issue with my license which there isn't they go back to the car and then hand me back my stuff and their most common question then is why would I be going turkey hunting at 2 or 3 am.  I just tell them I have a long walk to get where I want to be before daylight.   All of my encounters with them have been pleasant and I understand they are just doing their jobs and can fully comprehend why they would be more than a little unsettled to walk up and be surprised looking in the back seat and seeing a gun in view or partially covered and not being informed of that firearm being there.  The way I feel about it is if the roles were reversed would I rather be informed or surprised.... I would rather know up front and even more so with what is happening in today's world.

[wildcat junkie]

One of trending videos on youtube for me today was a Concealed Carry during a traffic stop.  The video was very informative and it got me to thinking about what to do during a traffic stop if I have a rifle in the back of my truck.  Now its not the same as a CC weapon and its unloaded with the ammo in my glove box.

 

I did some searches trying to find a reference to hunting rifles in a traffic stop and came across a couple videos of being stopped while out hunting which was also informative but already touched on in the hunters ed course.

 

Just curious if anyone here has been stopped with their hunting weapons in their vehicle and did you inform the officer during the stop?

 

 

If they don't ask, I don't tell.  No sense in making hassle for yourself

Wouldn't telling them that you have a firearm give them the right to search your vehicle?

[stoneam2006]

I got pulled over on my rocket speeding by a trooper. My very first words was I had a loaded Pistol on my hip and had a permit for it. He told me thank you for being honest and to slow down...shook my hand and sent me on my way. Honesty is best always

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[turkeyfeathers]

I was told at pistol permit course that if you get pulled over for a traffic infraction that you're supposed to put both hands on the steering wheel and tell the officer you are carrying a legal concealed weapon if you're carrying.

I've gone thru a few DWI checks early morning on my way turkey hunting. Cops would simply wish me luck when they saw me all decked out in camo.

[chas0218]

In NY you are NOT required to tell the officer you are carry concealed. Most of the time when I go to and from the range or hunting properties I use one of those soft gun cases for my long guns. I put my box of ammo in the case with the gun and lay it across the back seat. If I get stopped it is within plain sight and if the officer asks to see it I would oblige. 

[Zem18]

Wouldn't telling them that you have a firearm give them the right to search your vehicle?

NO.