A Carry Permit

A number of years ago, one of Williamsburg's most enthusiastic deer hunters asked me if I carried a pistol while out scouting for turkeys or when fishing.

"No," I replied.

"Well, you are crazy not to. Sometime you are going to run into a coyote that has rabies, and the coyote is going to attack. You might want to have a pistol to even the odds. Heck, Rich, in some places coyotes that don't have rabies have already bitten people. You ought to have a handgun to defend yourself."

He was right, of course. A few years ago, a hiker on the popular Lower Trail was attacked by a rabid bobcat. The hiker had no handgun, and he had to undergo the rabies prevention regimen. Fortunately, Williamsburg's chief of police was able to find and kill the bobcat.

In addition, a pistol might help even the odds when running into threatening situations. Twice at night after fishing expeditions, I have encountered "night riders" in obscure locations. If I had had a pistol, I would have felt a lot safer when one of a pair of apparently drunk night riders muttered something about a gun as I passed them.

Anyhow, after the deer hunter suggested I purchase a pistol, I did just that. I would not have been comfortable using a semi-automatic pistol, so I bought a revolver and practiced with it quite a few times to become competent when shooting it. I really should practice more with it now than I do.

After buying the pistol, I discovered I needed to purchase a permit at the sheriff's office to carry it legally on my person or in a vehicle. I got one a half-dozen years ago and then pretty much forgot about it till recently. I found that my five-year permit had expired.

One afternoon when Donna had me running errands around Hollidaysburg, I decided to drop in at the sheriff's office to renew my permit. Donna checked on her phone and told me that I needed $20 in cash to renew it. That turned out to be inaccurate.

After I had completed the issuing form, the secretary told me that I needed a $20 money order to renew the permit. So, Donna and I trudged down the block to the Hollidaysburg post office to buy one. I had to pay cash for it: My credit card was unacceptable.

Afterwards, I paid for the permit and had my photo taken for the identification card and may now carry the pistol for the next five years.