More than 10,600 people in West Yorkshire have got licences for guns.
But the number has fallen dramatically since last year, according to a new study.
The survey shows that the number of people seeking approval to own firearms is at its lowest point for eight years.
Gun crime is still a concern, even though nationally it fell by 12% last year, and earlier this week, a shopworker was held up at gunpoint in Netherthong.
Police officers in West Yorkshire ensure that would-be licence-holders have to go through a stringent application process before they are approved.
Last year, they processed 215 new applications, taking the total in the county to 10,689. That compares to other areas such as Cleveland (3,370), Surrey (11, 331), Northumbria (11, 323) and Merseyside (3,986).
Across Britain last year, 9,070 applied for a licence but that was less than half those who had applied the previous year.
A police spokesman said there are different licences required for different types of weapon. In simple terms, a firearm has a rifled barrel and fires bullets; a shotgun (or musket) is smooth bore and fires cartridges or blanks.
The certificates last for five years and applicants have to show good reason as to why they want to keep a gun.
Anyone who has been sentenced to imprisonment, detention or corrective training for a term of three years or more, is permanently prohibited from having any firearms or ammunition in their possession. This means for life and includes all firearms, even air weapons.
Handguns are banned in England and this restriction applies to any firearm with an overall length of less than 30 cm.
People who apply have to prove that their weapons will be kept in an approved gun cabinet meeting British standard 7558 which must be securely fitted to a solid brick wall
