The number of concealed carry permits, reflect only the ones issued by the states.
It might not reflect the number of permits issued by the individual counties/parishes.
Here in Louisiana, there is the state-issued permit, and each parish issues their own permit, legal within that parish, alone.
Since my world is filled within the parish, I have often entertained this idea.
You are correct.
Permits issued by counties and parishes are often not reported to a central location. This makes them difficult to count.
It is why we have a very limited idea of the number of permits issued in Maine and New York.