I lived in Henderson as recently as 2006 and was still getting permits as described above. My experience was not that things went to hell in 2004. Things have definitely gone to hell here in Orange Co.
No joke. But don't feel too bad about Orange County, they really give the shaft to everyone. At one level, I hate the shaft, on another level, at least it applies to everyone. Here is my example:
Back in 2000 I was a police officer for the Hillsborough Police Department (the Orange County seat, and therefore where the Sheriff's Office is located). At the time (I don't know if it still holds true) Orange County would only issue two purchase permits at any one time. I'd gotten two about a month prior for two handguns I had planned to purchase. I'd purchased both of them, and therefore I was permitless once again. So, I was working day shift one day. Nothing was happening, so I figured I'd drop by the Sheriff's Office and pick up a couple of permits in case I ran across a handgun I wanted to purchase.
So, I walk into the Sheriff's Office in full uniform. I tell the lady behind the desk that I need to get a couple of permits. She looks at my file, then walks out of view. A few minutes later a SO Sergeant comes out and starts to quiz me on why I need "so many" permits. He told me that I had just gotten two permits about a month ago and he wanted to know what I planned to do with these additional permits. We discussed it for a while, and for a bit I got the impression he was going to decline to let me get more permits. Eventually he had me amend my original permit application to show "collecting" as my reason for requesting permits and allowed me to get two more.
Shortly after that I moved to Alamance County and never had a problem getting as many permits as I wanted, no questions asked, and they didn't know I was a police officer since I still worked in Hillsborough.
I'm back living in Orange County again now, but with the CHP working the same as a purchase permit now, I haven't had to get a purchase permit from Orange SO. Interestingly enough, Orange SO never gave me any trouble at all when obtaining and renewing my CHP, it has just been over purchase permits.