Fishing Frenzy

Before you purchase that bowie knife, you might have a few questions that you want answered. One of the most frequently asked questions about these knives is whether or not you need a permit to own one. Do you have to have a permit if you keep your bowie knife at home? Do you need a permit if you will use it on a hunting trip? These questions are vital, but the answers might be far from enlightening.

Bowie knives are rather special cases in many states. You'll find that quite a few southern states still have laws on the books that cite these as "illegal" weapons. That means that you cannot carry them openly or concealed outside of your home. However, many other states do allow you to carry these knives without a permit. No states require that you have a permit to carry one on your person in an unconcealed capacity, though (in those states where these knives can be carried in public).

In Your Vehicle - Most states in the US allow you to carry a weapon such as bowie knives in your vehicle, so long as they are in plain sight. This means they need to be out in the open, resting on the seat of the vehicle. If it is hidden, obscured, or stored in the glove box or under the seat, the situation becomes very different. This is considered a concealed weapon and most states have very specific laws regarding concealed weapons.

In Public - While you might see nothing wrong with strapping your knife to your belt and heading into town, your local law enforcement might think differently. Before you do this, make sure you check your local laws governing blade length. Some states, such as Kentucky, allow you to carry fixed blade knives such as bowie knives in public, so long as they are visible. However, other states frown on bowie knives, balisongs and other knives and prohibit them from being carried in pubic, even if they are in plain sight.

As you can see, while you don't have to have a permit to own bowie knives, you do have to take care to ensure that you remain on the right side of the law when carrying and using these tools. A little research can go a long way here.