I'm thinking about going camping there to scout it out as a possible BOL. I've been trying to find information online, but I'm a little confused on a few things.



Is a flint considered a "pyrotechnic device"? It says nothing about campfires. Does that mean campfires are allowed?



Does that mean I can't bring my deer cart? Technically I guess it's mechanical, even though it's nothing more than a frame with wheels.



You can see from the map on this webpage that part of it is in Oklahoma and part of it is in Arkansas. Do I need an Oklahoma hunting license or an Arkansas hunting license?

If I happened to be in the area of the border, which state's laws would have jurisdiction? Do the same laws apply to the entire park, no matter which state you're in?

Based on how I read the website, camp fires seem to be okay, although you may not be able to during different parts of the year. Also although it doesn't explicitly say so, you may have to use a fire ring. You do in many other places.

I doubt the authorities will bother you much for flint style lighters, especially since matches are far more similar to fireworks and if fires are allowed thats what most people will be using to start one.

As far as your other questions, they'd probably most easily answered by calling the ranger station and talking to them. I went to college with a fellow who never used informational websites and simply picked up the phone and talked to a real person. I like websites myself, but some questions just aren't going to be answered there.

No, a flint is not a pyrotechnic device. That would be a flare gun, hand held flare, smoke generator or the like.

As far as campfires are concerned, and the cart use I would call the number and inquire with the rangers office whose jurisdiction the area you are going to be in.

It is a National Forest, therefore Federal law would be the set of laws governing the area regardless of which state you are in. You would be in Federal Jurisdiction. Break a law within the confines of the Ntl Forest and you would be arraigned, and tried in Federal Court, subject to Federal penalties, and could wind up in Federal Prison.

You would need a valid hunting license for whatever state you are hunting in.

Quote: "All State hunting and fishing regulations, fees, and seasons apply on national forest land."

The hunting regulations are governed by which state you are hunting in.

Call the Agency and ask for clarification just to be sure.

A good friend of mine almost got into some very hot legal water in Everglades national park over a concealed weapon ( a big No-No). The state of florida had issued him a permit to carry, so he carried on his boat. He was boarded by rangers, who found the gun. They very firmly informed him that once he crossed into the National Park he was under subject to Federal Regulation and Law regardless of what permit the state had granted him as he was in a National Park. It could have gone very badly for him if he had been arrested because of it.

Know the rules...

If they don’t allow wheeled devices, does that include wheel chairs? I would guess not, and if they allow wheel chairs I see no reason to not allow a wheeled cart. They are both about equally invasive to the environment.

I can tell you a few things about the area in general:

1) Contact Sheriff Cody Carpenter in Waldron, Ar for local information in Scott County. He's a good man AND a straight shooter.

2) There is a small museum (it doesn't look like a museum) on the North side of Waldron that is most definitely worth the time to visit.

3) There is a definite problem with Meth Labs in the Quachita Mountains. The problem is less in Scott County but grows as you go more South towards Mena, Ar.

4) Going from Waldron, Ar, westward towards Heavener, Ok and Poteau, Ok, is a very active area for seeing most unusual things in the early night skies (sunset to 9:12pm)

5) In Scott County, Knoppers Ford is a good place to camp.

6) Gasoline costs $0.10 per gal more in Scott County than in the rest of Arkansas.

7) There are some truly good people in this part of Arkansas,,and a few truly bad ones as well. It's very easy to tell who is who, as you meet the locals.

8) Scott County is DRY. Many of the counties in this part of Ar are dry. Fort Smith is wet, though.

Re the flint/campfire thing, go to a USFS or BLM office and get a free campfire permit. Good on just about all federal land for a year. Start a fire, let it get out of control, and don't have a permit you are in much deeper doodoo than if you have the permit. We get one every year, just in case...

The "no wheels" is a usual requirement for just wilderness areas within NF, not all NF lands. It means exactly that: no wheels or mechanization of any kind at all, including carts. I don't know what they do about wheelchairs, but I do know that, as of now, wilderness areas are exempt from ADA so you couldn't get one in there anyway. When we do trail work in wilderness areas, we use a hundred year-old crosscut saw instead of a chainsaw. As long as you have a little training, it is amazing how fast it cuts.

At about 11:45 a 5.8 Earthquake hit Chino Hills Calif. Which is about 25mi. s.e.of L.A.