Those wanting to obtain a concealed deadly weapon permit in Kentucky need to look no further than Russell County's Chris Ferguson, a certified instructor,  for the required $75 training class.

This past weekend Ferguson held another class at the local deer club with seven participants, an excellent number for this time of year, he said.

Among the participants where the couple, Brad Russell and Amy Collins took the class together for protection reasons, they said.

Collins, a manager at Wendy's, said she works nights and handles money for the restaurant.

“Probably 30 percent of my students are women,” Ferguson said. “A lot of nurses and women who work nights.”

Russell said his permit would come in handy on long work road trips if trouble ever crossed him.

“I've learned a lot and Chris is an excellent teacher,” Collins added.

“We've got a lecture and classroom part and then we head to the range,” Ferguson said of the class.

He usually averages 10 participants per session and has 1-2 sessions each month. With more seasonable weather on its way, Ferguson says numbers will begin to increase as spring nears.

Ferguson said he became an instructor because of the lack of instructors in this area.

“I just went and got certified and enjoy doing it,” he said.

He said he began teaching two years ago and has instructed around 200 classes since.

“Once they complete the class, it makes them eligible to go and apply for their license,” he said. “They actually apply at the sheriff's office, pay the sheriff's office a fee, and the office sends the application to the Kentucky State Police for a background check.”

He said when they receive their license from the state police they will be able to carry their handgun concealed in most areas, but there are some areas they will not be allowed to carry them.

“They learn a lot more about that while they are here,” Ferguson said. In addition, he covers firearm safety rules at home, in the classroom and on the range, basic principles and marksmanship, pistol and revolver functions, as well as parts and how to clean the gun.

The state Department of Criminal Justice issues a legal video which is mandatory for class participants to watch.

“There is very little paperwork and the hardest part about sitting through the class is the long video,” he said. “It is about a 2-hour video.”

Students can bring their own handguns to the class or Ferguson has a .22 for them to use if they have not purchased a handgun yet. Students must then bring their own ammunition to use Ferguson's gun during the live fire exercise.

At the end of the classroom portion, participants must take an open-book test and when it is completed, the live fire range work begins.

Following the day-long class, Ferguson sends their paperwork  to the Department of Criminal Justice in Richmond and then the students will receive a certificate in the mail showing they completed the course.

The students then take the certificate to the sheriff's office where they will then apply for their concealed deadly weapon permit, a $60 fee in two payments.

One payment, in the amount of $20, should be made to the sheriff while the second payment, should be a check or money order in the amount of $40 made payable to the Department of State Police. Applications that are not accompanied by a check or money order for $40 payable to the Department of State Police will be returned unprocessed to the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence.

Ferguson, who advertises via word of mouth, newspapers and the community channel on Duo County Telecom, has taught students from Bowling Green, Burkesville, Somerset, Liberty, Albany and Columbia and Tompkinsville.

To contact Ferguson about enrolling in an upcoming class, call 270-585-1882.

A concealed weapon is any weapon from which a shot is discharged by gun powers that a person places out of sight or tries to prevent disclosure or recognition of the firearm.As of this year, 48 out of the 50 U.S. sates allow some type of concealed weapon permit which allows a person to carry a concealed weapon.

 According to the Kentucky State Police, the applicant for a carry concealed deadly weapon license must:

•Be a resident of Kentucky for at least six months prior to filing the application or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is on active duty, who is at the time of application assigned to a military posting in Kentucky, and who has been assigned to a posting in Kentucky for six months or longer immediately preceding the filing of the application; and

•Be 21 years of age or older; and

•Not be under indictment for, or have been convicted of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; and

•Not be a fugitive from justice; and

•Not be an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; and

•Not have been adjudicated as a mental defective or have committed to a mental institution; and

•Not have been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; and

•Not be subject to a domestic violence order or emergency protective order; and

•Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (see section below for discussion of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence); and

•Not be prohibited from the purchase, receipt or possession of firearms, ammunition or both pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 922(g), 18 U.S.C. 922(n), or applicable state law; and

•Not have been committed to a state or federal facility for abuse of a controlled substance or convicted of a misdemeanor relating to a controlled substance within the three-year period immediately preceding the date the application was submitted; and

•Not have two or more convictions for violating KRS 189A.010 (Operating motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other substance which impairs driving ability) within the three (3) years immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted; and

•Not have been committed as an alcoholic pursuant to KRS Chapter 222 or similar laws of another state within the three year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted; and

•Not owe a child support arrearage which equals or exceeds the cumulative amount which would be owed after one year of nonpayment; and

•Have complied with any subpoena or warrant relating to child support or paternity proceedings; and

•Have not been convicted of a violation of KRS 508.030 (Assault in the fourth degree) or 508.080 (Terroristic Threatening in the third degree) within the three years immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted; and

•Demonstrate competence with a firearm by successful completion of a firearms safety or training course offered or approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Training.