COURTLAND, Ohio — Carrying a firearm is a serious responsibility. To obtain a concealed handgun license in Ohio, an applicant must complete a training course.
However, in 2022, Ohio became the 23rd state to enact new concealed carry laws, allowing individuals to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.
Defensive Firearms Training Instructor Jerry Bayus says you may still want to consider completing a training course and getting a license. Bayus is a tax professional and first became interested in defensive shooting in the 1990s. He was working at his father’s office and said they were robbed.
“I looked into at that time how we could carry a gun but, you couldn't," he said. "The only way you could do it was to become a cop."
So he went to the police academy and worked in law enforcement for more than 18 years. That experience exposed Bayus to the need for firearm education.
Besides his tax work, Bayus is now a certified firearms instructor and certified range safety officer. He teaches two-day, in-depth classes at Greenville Sportsman Club to those interested in applying for a concealed carry license in Ohio. His classes far exceed the state requirement of an eight-hour class.
Bayus said most of his classes range from 15 to 19 hours. After classroom instruction, students transition to the outdoor range.
"Out here, I can move around. I can move my targets. I can do various skills that I can't do at an indoor range," he said. "At an indoor range, you can sit and target practice your distances, but here, we have multiple targets. I just have no restrictions."
Regardless of the weather, Bayus trains outdoors year-round.
“I've been out here in snow and rain and you know, life-threatening situations aren't dictated by the weather."
He keeps his classes to a maximum of six students and often works with those that have never touched a firearm before.
Bayus said students are oftentimes overwhelmed with information.
“They're overwhelmed with the shooting skills that we do," he said. "I hope they have walked away knowing there's a lot more to carrying a gun for self-defense than just getting a license or now carrying under permitless carry."
Since permitless carry was established in Ohio, Bayus has noticed a decline in those opting to take a class. However, he said he’s not concerned about the lower enrollment.
“I don’t do it for the money," he said. His goal is to help train the community on firearm safety and defensive shooting.
Bayus hopes all gun owners remember the importance of frequently practicing.
“You have to realize what your capabilities and limitations are and if you haven't shot in a year and you have to use your gun for self-defense, are you prepared to use it?" Bayus said.
For more information about defensive shooting classes with Jerry Bayus, contact him at gbayus@earthlink.net or (330) 720-0898.