At the time it was somewhat traumatic but in retrospect I can see it as something learned. I like to describe it as being "mugged by reality".
Anyway, here it is. Before I relocated to the Sunshine State I resided in the Garden State (NJ). In NJ there is a vast expanse of wilderness (at the time a million acres) called the Pine Barrens or Pinelands. This consists of pine trees, sugar sand, an occasional ranger tower and a few hiking trails.
I decided to take my young son on an overnight hike. On the first night we set up camp and were asleep in our tent when we were awakened by the howling of dogs. The howling became louder as they were obviously getting closer.
I won't go through all the melodramatic details but we made it to the car in the nick of time -- surrounded by a big pack of vicious howling wild dogs.
I later learned that this was the result of people tossing unwanted pets into the woods. Of course being dogs they instinctively formed packs and the demands of struggling to survive in a wilderness made them revert to a primitive ferocity and the fearlessness of the "pack mentality".
After that misadventure I decided I'd never go back there without a gun. NOW begins the real nightmare. I went to my local police station and applied for a gun permit.
I received a stack of forms. The police chief laughed and said to forget about a hand gun - I'd be lucky if I got a rifle permit!
I'll abbreviate by telling you that I was photographed, finger printed, and investigated by local, state, and federal agencies. I had to get three (non-relative) references from others ( employer, e.g) who had to complete forms that I was later told required personal private information unrelated to a firearm request.
A year passed. My periodic inquiries were to no avail. Meanwhile, every time I read the Asbury Park Press or the Newark Star Ledger (two of our N.J. newspapers) I saw incidents describing how criminals were murdering, robbing, and maiming with their weapons.
Then it dawned on me that IT WAS I (and other law-abiding citizens) who were left vulnerable and incapable of self-defense.
After 13 MONTHS I received a permit and bought a Ruger .22 caliber rifle. In NJ we had a joke that you need a license for a pea shooter - only too true!
Here's the contrast: When I arrived in FL I went to a local retailer and bought a .38 Special revolver. I selected the gun, had a computerized background check, and was on my way home with my gun in less than an hour!
I couldn't believe it and was waiting for cops in a squad car to come handcuff me! That's what NJ did to me - the state with the toughest gun control laws!
To summarize, I learned the hard way that gun control for law abiding citizens actually enables the criminal underclass --- John Lott was right!! MORE GUNS, LESS CRIME!
bttt
See my post #20.
Although that's a good thing (Vermont's sane gun laws) would not consider that the overriding factor for anyone reading my post considering moving there for that reason--at least not good Conservative, Freepers.
Of course, one of the main reasons Vermont has become so "left-leaning" over the past 25-30 years, is thanks to all the " liberal flat landers" who moved there from Ma., Ct., N.Y. and N.J. including, Bernie Sanders.
Don't take the "flatlander" moniker personally, as I lived in South Jersey (Mt. Laurel, Mt. Holly and Willingboro) for 15 years after I got out of AF and loved it. Of course, that was a long time ago and left N.J. in 1985.
I later learned that this was the result of people tossing unwanted pets into the woods.
Apparently this problem has existed for many years. Over 20 years ago I read a book called The Tracker. The author describes how he escaped on foot from a pack of feral dogs in the Pine Barrens. This book was originally published in 1978.
Thanks for sharing that story. It is just awful how law-abiding citizens are forced to remain vulnerable to attack in some states.
It took you thirteen months to receive a permit? Was this solely for longarms or did you also obtain a handgun permit at the same time? You should have called the Attorney General long before that to report the intentional delay by the local police. Telephone calls to state and federal representatives/senators wouldn't have been out-of-line either. That kind of abuse towards a decent citizen is outrageous.
~ Blue Jays ~