Mark Walker

mwalker@argusleader.com

South Dakota is packing heat.

More than one in eight adults in South Dakota boasts a permit to carry a concealed weapon, enough to make the state one of — if not the most heavily permitted in the nation.

That's according to a 2015 report by a pro-gun research organization, the Crime Prevention Research Center, which found only Alabama to have a higher percentage of adults with concealed carry permits.

And a recent surge in applications might have pushed South Dakota into the lead, though the same national political fears are driving up sales and permits across the country.

Conversations with South Dakota concealed carry permit holders reveal a wide range of motivations, including interests in hunting, self-defense and the Second Amendment.

“I should have the right to defend myself if a deadly situation would present itself,” said Jennifer Fischer of Beresford.

Fischer has had a concealed carry permit for eight years now. She often hunts and rides horses in the country and said her firearm gives her a sense of comfort.

Crime Prevention Research President John Lott, Jr., wouldn't discount the convenience factor, either, though.

In South Dakota, it's cheap and easy to get a permit to conceal a weapon.

Why we carry: Gun owners want to defend themselves

Just about anyone over 18 qualifies as long as they aren't a convicted felon, mentally incompetent, or a habitual abuse of drugs or alcohol. There's no training or testing required, as in some states, and the cost: $10.

By comparison, another gun-friendly state, Texas, charges $140 for a permit and its percentage of concealed carry holders is about a third of South Dakota's.

“If you make it more costly for people to get permits, you will have fewer permits,” Lott said.

South Dakota is coming off a record-breaking month for concealed carry permits. The state's sheriff's department issued 3,879 permits in January, breaking the previously monthly high set in December.

“It’s my choice to carry,” said Susan Lathrop, 54, of Sioux Falls. “If something happens, I want to be able to defend myself. I don’t want to be a victim.”

Lathrop has had a permit for a while but said her decision to get one was reinforced last month when the convenience store she works at was robbed before her shift.

The recent rise in crime in Minnehaha County prompted 24-year-old David Andrew, a farmer from Beresford, to get a concealed carry permit.

“Honestly, I don’t want to be caught with my pants down,” Andrew said.

While advocates on either side of the gun debate argue about whether concealed weapons deter crime or not, the state's law enforcement say they don't cause problems.

“Law-abiding permit holders typically aren’t the ones encountering law enforcement,” Attorney General Marty Jackley said.

Jackley said South Dakota’s ranking nationally doesn't surprise him. He attributes it to having a state of compliant, law-abiding citizens who want to be on the right side of the law.

Kristen Rand, legislative director for the anti-gun Violence Policy Center, counters that there are few situations where firing a concealed weapon would be justified.

“If every single day you are carrying a gun, there is a potential for it to be misused,” Rand said. “You can get angry at someone and draw your gun in anger or drop it and having it accidentally discharge.”

But people want to feel like they could protect themselves if needed, especially in South Dakota.

Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said his office sees a spike in concealed carry applications every time guns wind up in the national news, either because of a mass shooting or political debate.

It happened in days following the Sandy Hook shooting, as it did in the days after President Barack Obama's executive orders on gun control in January.

Milstead expects interest in concealed permits to remain high at least until November's general election.

“The gun debate continues to be one of the issues talked about regularly,” Milstead said.

And if new applications do dwindle, Milstead predicts it will be because everyone in the county who might possibly want one will already have one.

Loophole creates debacle as felons seek concealed pistol permits

How much does it cost to get a concealed carry permit in South Dakota?

$10

Does South Dakota issue non-resident permits?

No, but South Dakota does recognize all other states valid concealed weapon permits

How long does it take to obtain residency in the state to obtain a pistol permit?

30 days

Can I openly carry?

South Dakota is an open carry state without a permit

What are the requirements for a concealed carry permit?

Be 18-year-old, no felony conviction or conviction of a violence crime, is not mentally incompetent, no a fugitive from justice, a U.S. citizen, resides in the country where the application was submitted, not a habitual alcohol or drug abuser and no firearms related convictions.

Where do I go to apply?

The local sheriff's office

Where do I go when it is time to renew my permit?

Go to your local sheriff’s office to reapply.