Do I need a permit to carry if hiking with an unconcealed gun?

Q: Do I need a permit to carry if my firearm is visible? -- JoanneA: "Joanne, if you're out hiking and you have your weapon visible than it's not considered concealed, it's an "open carry" issue and you are allowed to do that, but be careful where you go hiking because some of it my be private property, might be federal parks or state parks and the rules could be different, so you want to check each location that you go to, but if those issues aren't in place, the police aren't going to have a problem with you "open carrying" a weapon." -- Pierce County Det. Ed Troyer