Beware the Hostile Elk

It was one of the final rule changes of the Bush administration: A controversial new regulation allowing gun owners to bring concealed weapons into national parks. But that change hit a major snag last month when a federal judge blocked it, finding that the rule resulted from “an astoundingly flawed process.” On Friday, the Obama administration drove another dagger into the regulation, announcing that it won’t challenge the court’s ruling.

The news is a major victory for gun control advocates, environmental groups and some former park service employees, but the issue isn’t dead just yet. The National Rifle Association is still fighting to install the rule change, and a group of bipartisan senators introduced legislation earlier in the month to do just that. Stay tuned …