I support the proposed regulation, but I think it should also include lawful open carry. When the current Governor, Bob McDonnell, was the Attorney General, he published an opinion that State Parks and other such state agencies did not have the power to ban openly carried handguns. I agree and want open carry to be legal in State Forests (I know that VCDL will be asking for the same changes to State Parks and DGIF lands in their appopriate venues).

A state park or any rural area is even more removed from police than cities and suburbs, and thence the need to reply upon oneself and one's own means for self defense is even greater. A gun is merely an emergency defense tool for the the law abiding citizen, and no one should be deprived of emergency tools.