In Mesa County close to 3,000 people have been issued a concealed weapons permit. But while Amanda Davis and her dog Heineken aren't packing heat today she could if she wanted to.

"I do think they are a good idea, I have one of my own," says Davis.
And she is not alone. "My husband just got a concealed weapons permit," says Tammy Reece.

In February of last year 53 people applied for concealed weapons permits. Last month that number almost tripled to 147. Heather Benjamin with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office says, "there is absolutely no concern."

Benjamin says they have 400 concealed weapons permits pending at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. "That is unusual we typically do not have 400 pending there may be a smaller number, 30–50 or so pending at a time." It's a trend the Sheriff's Office says isn't just here.
"We suspect that Mesa County isn't the only county there is an increase in permits," says, Benjamin.

Before applying for a permit you have to take a training course;
courses that are now in high demand. "Lately its been picking up quite a bit we've had a lot more interest," says, Stanley Prescott with PLC Training. Prescott says he's seen a lot of beginners recently, "they want to be able to take care of themselves be educated, we've had a lot of people who haven't owned a gun before."

The Action Pistol Group's classes are also sold out through July and sites the new presidency and slow economy as reasons.

But for Davis the reason is simple. "It just makes me feel safe anywhere I go, if I do carry it," says, Davis.