Concealed Carry While Driving on the Navajo Nation

[Riverkilt]

The Navajo Nation is big - the size of West Virginia. Covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Have seen varied reports on the Internet - everything from no problem to they'll take your guns away.

Once years ago, before I had a permit, was pulled over on the rez and was asked if I had any alcohol on board or any firearms. Had neither so never became an issue. Navajo cops do work alone with little chance of back up so they're all business even for traffic stops.

I've been pulled over once on the rez since I got my permit. It was a State trooper though and not Navajo. Gave him my card with my license. He asked if I planned to shoot him and I said no and he said don't worry about it.

Tuesday I was at a little gun shop on the rez run by a non-Navajo married to a Navajo lady. he's been there for years. Asked him what the Navajo Police do with non-Navajos who have a gun in the car with a concealed carry permit. He said he's never heard of a problem and the cops who are his customers never indicated a problem or said they confiscated a gun from someone pulled over for a traffic violation.

I work for the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Police have a small substation in the same building I'm in. One of the officers was there today so stopped in to chat and asked him the same question. He also said its not a problem as long as there's the permit and its just a traffic violation.

Course another Navajo cop could have a different opinion...there are lots of "what ifs?" And the Navajo Nation does have a policy prohibiting firearms in all buildings and facilities and vehicles owned by the Navajo Nation government.

And, most of the highways across the rez are state or federal highways not even policed by the Navajo police. But if you turned off into town or to see a scenic attraction and got pulled over it sounds like you could be honest. With all the Navajo cops that have been shot and killed lately I'm guessing they'd appreciate the heads up, and you'd have no hassle.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Vencil]

This was covered in great detail in my carry class. Indian land is Federal land and it is a felony just like carrying in the post office or a court house. You can't even have a firearm in the trunk.... That being said, the actual highway that passes through Indian is a safe zone and you are allow to carry as long as you don't leave the road, i.e. stop at a gas station, restaurant, motel, etc. So said my NRA certified instructor.

 

[Seeya]

I believe if my memory serves, that the Post Office is a misdemeanor. 60 days in jail according to the poster on the wall at the local Post Office. Will double check just the same.

 

[tcox4freedom]

This was covered in great detail in my carry class. Indian land is Federal land and it is a felony just like carrying in the post office or a court house. You can't even have a firearm in the trunk.... That being said, the actual highway that passes through Indian is a safe zone and you are allow to carry as long as you don't leave the road, i.e. stop at a gas station, restaurant, motel, etc. So said my NRA certified instructor.

That's interesting. I've always heard that "Nation" land is sovereign and is governed differently that "federal" land & property.


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[Icemanii]

That's interesting. I've always heard that "Nation" land is sovereign and is governed differently that "federal" land & property.


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Same thing I was led to believe when I was out there visiting several times.

 

[tcox4freedom]

Out of curiosity I just went & looked up the law concerning this in New Mexico. Here's one thing I found on the handgunlaw.us site-

29-19-10. Validity of License On Tribal Land.
A concealed handgun license shall not be valid on tribal land, unless authorized by the governing body of an
Indian nation, tribe or pueblo.

Other states with "Tribal" lands have similar laws & requirements.


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[Riverkilt]

Boy, you'd make some enemies with Native people telling them their reservation is "Federal Land." Especially this weekend since Monday will by Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day - a Navajo holiday. Point of my OP was to clarify some bad information out there. I would question if you can't have a firearm on "Federal Land" that is, in fact, an Indian reservation how come there are FFL dealers/gun shops deep on the reservation?? Which is why I talked to the FFL/LGS that's been deep on the rez for many years and to a Navajo Nation Police Officer. I'm not sure where you live geographically Vencil but I'd STRONGLY advise against telling any Indians that their reservation is Federal Land...serious...they get angry. First thing you'll hear about is the Treaty of 1868....

 

[AndeyHall]

Boy, you'd make some enemies with Native people telling them their reservation is "Federal Land." Especially this weekend since Monday will by Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day - a Navajo holiday. Point of my OP was to clarify some bad information out there. I would question if you can't have a firearm on "Federal Land" that is, in fact, an Indian reservation how come there are FFL dealers/gun shops deep on the reservation?? Which is why I talked to the FFL/LGS that's been deep on the rez for many years and to a Navajo Nation Police Officer. I'm not sure where you live geographically Vencil but I'd STRONGLY advise against telling any Indians that their reservation is Federal Land...serious...they get angry. First thing you'll hear about is the Treaty of 1868....

I was thinking the exact same thing! In my opinion (and bear in mind that II have absolutely no ties to ANY Native Americans being from upstate SC), this entire country is property of native Americans and we as European descendants or a product of European colonization are no different than the "illegal immigrants" we have come to know and hate.

If they didn't want me to have a firearm on their designated land, I may not agree with it, but I would respect their wishes on their land.

 

[UATKP]

I believe Indian tribal law is for Indians of that particular tribe. A public highway on Indian land is the same as a public highway that is not on Indian land. I believe the state law applies to people that are not in that particular tribe, unless you get off the highway.
Have you ever spent much time traveling in Oklahoma? In many places in the State, you can't go very far on a public highway without leaving one nation and entering another. To hear some folks, Oklahomans couldn't travel without being in violation, and now it's an open carry state.
There is a lot of misinformation being spread around about the Indian Nations that ain't necessarily so.
The first thing to do before traveling around in an Indian Nation is to consult an attorney that is familiar with Tribal Law. JMHO.

 

[NavyLCDR]

This was covered in great detail in my carry class. Indian land is Federal land and it is a felony just like carrying in the post office or a court house. You can't even have a firearm in the trunk.... That being said, the actual highway that passes through Indian is a safe zone and you are allow to carry as long as you don't leave the road, i.e. stop at a gas station, restaurant, motel, etc. So said my NRA certified instructor.

And, once again, the biggest source of misinformation regarding firearms laws continue to prove themselves over and over again to be LEOs, gun shop employees and CCW Instructors. But at least the instructor gave you wrong information in great detail.

 

[Cautious Horse]

I was thinking the exact same thing! In my opinion (and bear in mind that II have absolutely no ties to ANY Native Americans being from upstate SC), this entire country is property of native Americans and we as European descendants or a product of European colonization are no different than the "illegal immigrants" we have come to know and hate.

There's no such thing as theirs or ours, only the occupiers rights and since technically the Solutreans & Kennewick settlers were the first folk here and that would make the Americas European by that definition.

I believe up the north of the country some reservations have stricter rules if you are out and about camping and hiking...

 

[Riverkilt]

Every Federally recognized tribe considers themselves a sovereign nation. The have their own laws for their own people, but state and federal laws also apply. Tribal cops work alone and don't mess around with their own safety. Its not a time for you to argue your opinion with the cop's take on fact - the laws. And yes the state and federal highways that cross the rez are "maintained" by the state and federal folks but the tribal cops still enforce the laws on those highways too. Best to be informed. I've heard a lot of incorrect information about gun laws on the rez, mostly on the prohibitive/confiscation side. In my personal experience I believe the Navajo officer asked me about guns for his own safety. There just isn't any back up for them.