TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is touting improved wait times for those seeking concealed carry permits, despite the pandemic and record applications. “The wait times were inordinately long,” said Charlie Strickland, owner of Talon Tactical Outfitters. The faster wait times come despite the ongoing pandemic and a record 305,000 applications in 2020. “We’ve modernized the department, we’ve uploaded different forms right onto our website, we’ve modernized the website for the entirety of the department. Wait times aren’t back to their pre-pandemic average of between one and 25 days, but the department is hopeful it can get back to a similar speed within three to six months.