Best state to take up residency

[noharleyyet]

via Imgflip Meme Generator

 

[BuzzH]

I have chosen to be where I want to be. I have given my priorities and why I made the decision to be where I am. Obviously, the weather was one of my top priorities. The facts are the facts....plain and simple. I will post what I want to post. You don't have to like it. And I will not be discouraged or intimidated from doing so.

Your "facts" are your imagination, make them both as big as you want...nobody trying to stop you. Glad you like New Mexico, not for me.

 

[88man]

I sorta just don't want to spend all my time in any one state all 12 months out of the year, thats the plan.

 

[tzone]

Have you ever been to Wyoming?

Yep. Love it.

 

[ida homer]

Buzz makes some great points.

Although I personally could never live in Denver, Seattle, Portland or SLC they do have jobs that pay real money. Over Boise or Bozeman by a landslide.

If you make enough money, where you live becomes irrelevant.

 

[mtmuley]

If you make enough money, where you live becomes irrelevant.

Money ain't everything. I left better money to come home to Montana. Guess I could have stayed with the money until I was too old to do the things I love. I suppose some are happy with the money and a month or two a year out here. Having the backyard that suits my lifestyle is huge. mtmuley

 

[BDH]

New Mexico is a horrible place to live

 

[kmott]

I live in Idaho. I am not a wealthy man by most folks standards , and like every person who ever lived before me , I do not have everything my heart desires . but I do have everything I need and much,much more!

it's not where you live but your mindset that matters.

 

[NYyotekiller]

I would choose Wyoming over all others because of the low population and the abundant amount of opportunities available to residents.

I would choose happiness in where you live over money all day, everyday. Life’s WAY too short to spend it living somewhere you aren’t happy simply for a dollar fifty.

 

[Pucky Freak]

My advice to anyone that wants to hunt THE BEST, as in top quality tags, in the best areas, a lot is:

1. Don't move to ANY state based on resident hunting opportunities and settle for some job that only pays you enough to hunt that state. No one state has the "best" hunting.
2. Get a degree in a field that pays obscene "F-you" money.

Do that and live in the place that pays you the top "F-you" salary, no matter where it is. Buy commission tags, Governors tags, hire some hunting consultant firm to handle your applications that the rest of us peons apply for...just because its another try at the best. Pay trespass fees if you have to.

Travel the West at your leisure, hunt the falls for what you want, when you want...all in the best areas.

Trying to scratch out even what I have done in the last 3-4 decades isn't going to be a reality for the average guy anymore. Preference points, bonus points, declining opportunities for some species, high demand for the top quality tags, its all about over for the hunter of average means. Its not going to get better, just the reality of what's going on.

If you're content hunting average units, filling doe and cow tags, and every once in awhile (best case) drawing a decent tag...well, then pick a Western State and welcome to the ant farm.

I was talking to a good friend of mine about this the other day...and I'll steal his line, "A surgeon living in Chicago is going to hunt a lot more, in the best areas, than anyone limited to just applying for tags with the rest of us out West".

True story...

I'm happier living on the ant farm, working a job I enjoy, and living in a State for many reasons other than hunting opportunity. If means OTC, cow tags, and a couple of good tags in my lifetime, no opportunity was lost.

Some people will be happier getting paid 1/2 as much as they would in a city, or doing a less than desirable job, but living in an outdoor paradise. Not me

Others yet will be happy choosing a career to make buku bucks, and having a fortune to travel the world to hunt the best tags, units. Not me either

 

[Scrappy]

Money ain't everything. I left better money to come home to Montana. Guess I could have stayed with the money until I was too old to do the things I love. I suppose some are happy with the money and a month or two a year out here. Having the backyard that suits my lifestyle is huge. mtmuley

This is how I live my life. I'm not gonna get old and have regrets. I will probably die at 90 on the job but they will never say I didn't live my life to the fullest.

 

[BuzzH]

I'm happier living on the ant farm, working a job I enjoy, and living in a State for many reasons other than hunting opportunity. If means OTC, cow tags, and a couple of good tags in my lifetime, no opportunity was lost.

Some people will be happier getting paid 1/2 as much as they would in a city, or doing a less than desirable job, but living in an outdoor paradise. Not me

Others yet will be happy choosing a career to make buku bucks, and having a fortune to travel the world to hunt the best tags, units. Not me either

Pretty sure I qualified my post...read the first sentence.

I wasn't talking about you and where you're happy, just what it takes to hunt the most, for the best animals, in the most places. You aren't doing it without some serious money anymore...fact.

I got lucky by way of when I was born, when a seasonal wildland fire-fighter going to college, could also afford to hunt white sheep with one of the best outfitters in the business. When a 2 week fire check could pay for over half the cost of the hunt. That isn't ever going to be the case again, another fact.

 

[sdkhunter]

Not sure what type of climate you are currently in and moving from but one suggestion I would have is just to make sure you know what you are getting into Winter season wise... . As hunters we focus so much on the hunting opportunities but truth be told elk/deer/antelope season is only so long then you are ‘stuck’ there for the rest of the months...

 

[hank4elk]

Not sure what type of climate you are currently in and moving from but one suggestion I would have is just to make sure you know what you are getting into Winter season wise... . As hunters we focus so much on the hunting opportunities but truth be told elk/deer/antelope season is only so long then you are ‘stuck’ there for the rest of the months...

..is why a second chance at living in MT went out the door quick...lol

 

[sharpshooter97]

As others have said, I believe it’s more important to be happy where you are. One way to look at it is not that you’re missing any opportunity but that you just have a different opportunity. As a ND resident I can draw one any elk and one any moose tag in my lifetime, and only one deer gun liscnese per plus an otc archery. Pronghorn usually 7-8 years depending on what unit you draw. So big game opportunity is limited, however I have world class waterfowl hunting,fishing,upland game probably second only to south dakota, and some of the nicest fur you’ll find. It keeps me close to my family and keeps the small family farm alive, take it for what it’s worth but do what’s best for you and your family.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Not sure what type of climate you are currently in and moving from but one suggestion I would have is just to make sure you know what you are getting into Winter season wise... . As hunters we focus so much on the hunting opportunities but truth be told elk/deer/antelope season is only so long then you are ‘stuck’ there for the rest of the months...

Lots of folks go to the gym during the winter here in MT ... lately I have just shoveled snow every winter morning for exercise.

 

[brokfut]

When I first moved to Idaho in 1977 the population of Boise was about 40,000. I Lived about an hour and a half NW of the city and could hunt deer, elk, pronghorn and bear within 20 minutes of my house. When I left Idaho in 2004 it was becoming a Californicated mess. That being said, I still make my annual pilgrimage for elk/deer/bear. I'm thinking of a second home now so I can winter in Florida and spend my summer and fall in Idaho. But not in Boise. Eagle or Horseshoe Bend.

 

[HighDesertSage]

My advice to anyone that wants to hunt THE BEST, as in top quality tags, in the best areas, a lot is:

1. Don't move to ANY state based on resident hunting opportunities and settle for some job that only pays you enough to hunt that state. No one state has the "best" hunting.
2. Get a degree in a field that pays obscene "F-you" money.

Do that and live in the place that pays you the top "F-you" salary, no matter where it is. Buy commission tags, Governors tags, hire some hunting consultant firm to handle your applications that the rest of us peons apply for...just because its another try at the best. Pay trespass fees if you have to.

Travel the West at your leisure, hunt the falls for what you want, when you want...all in the best areas.

Trying to scratch out even what I have done in the last 3-4 decades isn't going to be a reality for the average guy anymore. Preference points, bonus points, declining opportunities for some species, high demand for the top quality tags, its all about over for the hunter of average means. Its not going to get better, just the reality of what's going on.

If you're content hunting average units, filling doe and cow tags, and every once in awhile (best case) drawing a decent tag...well, then pick a Western State and welcome to the ant farm.

I was talking to a good friend of mine about this the other day...and I'll steal his line, "A surgeon living in Chicago is going to hunt a lot more, in the best areas, than anyone limited to just applying for tags with the rest of us out West".

True story...

BuzzH nailed it. Unfortunately I'm living this right now and I wish someone would have told me this 10 years ago, in all fairness though, I probably wouldn't have listened. I left a high paying union protected job because I wanted to "live the western lifestyle" in western CO. Well, unfortunately, as much fun as it has been, I lost my very underpaid job here last week. I'm looking right now, but there just isn't much here. I could probably scrape by, but I'll never make enough to offset student loans, vehicles, insulin, care for the kids, etc, and get ahead. Yeah it's unfortunate, but I got companies offering me stupid amounts of money to go to PHX, Denver, SLC, etc. To the OP, get a good career in something that is in high demand, plug yourself into that and the rest will fall into place. That way, later in life you can go do the things you want to.

 

[mtmuley]

Hunting gets shitty when money is a factor. In more ways than one. mtmuley

 

[JLS]

Hunting gets shitty when money is a factor. In more ways than one. mtmuley

Truth. Money don’t buy you happiness, but it’s hard to hunt if you’re broke.