Klamath Falls, Ore. – Concealed handgun permit applications are way up this year at the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office – and many of those permits are going to out of state residents.
Klamath County Sheriff Frank Skrah says he’s not sure just why concealed handgun permit sales are on the rise. “I don’t know – somebody’s got a sign out there that says, ‘Come to Klamath County’.”
Skrah says Oregon law allows counties to issue concealed handgun licenses to persons from neighboring states, but not all counties choose to do so. “There are just a very few that are issuing to out of state.”
This time last year, a little over 650 permits had been sold in Klamath County. This year, it’s already approaching 850.
“We’re getting in 20, 30 people a day,” said Sheriff Skrah. “That’s why we’ve had to restrict some of it, and make it by appointment only for out of staters.”
Concealed handgun permits for Oregon residents are now only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Skrah explained it’s, “Because we’ve just been absolutely overwhelmed.”
Skrah says his office isn’t making a lot of money on permit sales. “We’re breaking even,” he added. “It’s not that much of a source of revenue.”
The Sheriff says he intends to continue issuing the permits, “This is just the public who wants to take advantage of their second amendment rights – and quite frankly, I’m a large proponent of the second amendment.”
The Oregon State Sheriff’s Association says that as of July, over 226,000 concealed handgun licenses had been issued in Oregon.’
Over 6,700 have been sold in Klamath County – and twice that number were issued in Jackson County.
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