I had a nephew in from out of town, he wanted to do the tourist stuff and I'm new to this part of Oregon, so I didn't mind. On the list was checking out the salmon runs at the dam, since its that time of year. I've carried so long sometimes I forget I have it on me, so as we drove up to the entrance and the armed security guard stepped forward, I was kind of taken by surprise when he asked one and only one question: "are there any guns in the vehicle?"
He seemed far more surprised by my answer, when I said "yes". He took a step back, and asked if I was a police officer, I said no, he took another step back and put his hand over the top of his holstered handgun. I calmly told him I have a CHL and I have my carry gun on me, at which point he told me I could not enter, and would have to turn my vehicle around (we were allowed to view the fish hatcheries... yawn).
I have a small electronic combination safe bolted to the floor under the passenger seat, in case I find myself needing to go to a courthouse or some other place where I can't carry, but this was not that type of situation. He was not telling me that I could not enter the building armed, he was telling me that firearms are not allowed on the premises at all.
I suppose I should brush up on the types of places we can't carry, its been a while since I got my CHL. Dams/power plants do not appear on the list the county provides, and I am not aware if it is considered a federal property (I know it was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers with federal funding, but I thought that Oregon "owns" it). Not sure what the deal is, maybe some anti-terrorist thing? I'm pretty sure you can't carry (if enter at all) at nuclear power plants.
Learn something new every day. If nothing else, just passing this along to save others the time of driving out there and not being allowed in.
He seemed far more surprised by my answer, when I said "yes". He took a step back, and asked if I was a police officer, I said no, he took another step back and put his hand over the top of his holstered handgun. I calmly told him I have a CHL and I have my carry gun on me, at which point he told me I could not enter, and would have to turn my vehicle around (we were allowed to view the fish hatcheries... yawn).
I have a small electronic combination safe bolted to the floor under the passenger seat, in case I find myself needing to go to a courthouse or some other place where I can't carry, but this was not that type of situation. He was not telling me that I could not enter the building armed, he was telling me that firearms are not allowed on the premises at all.
I suppose I should brush up on the types of places we can't carry, its been a while since I got my CHL. Dams/power plants do not appear on the list the county provides, and I am not aware if it is considered a federal property (I know it was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers with federal funding, but I thought that Oregon "owns" it). Not sure what the deal is, maybe some anti-terrorist thing? I'm pretty sure you can't carry (if enter at all) at nuclear power plants.
Learn something new every day. If nothing else, just passing this along to save others the time of driving out there and not being allowed in.