Moving to Kalispell

[cwalk64]

Hi all-

The wife and I are moving from Billings up to Kalispell for work here in a couple months. Just wanted to introduce myself quick!

Born and raised in Billings, been hunting big game, upland, and waterfowl since I can remember. Have only ever hunted in eastern and SW MT, never up north. Heard the elk numbers are low so will probably be hunting just bear and WT up here but excited to get after it no less. Here are some pics of some successful hunts. Bull and Antelope are from this year, muley is last year. All on public land in MT. Freezer is already filling up this year!

Thanks and excited to get up north and start looking for bears next spring!

 

[44hunter45]

Welcome to west of the Divide!

I'm from North Idaho and have spent a fair amount of time in Kalispell. That's beautiful country. Congrats on the move!

 

[homers]

Welcome

 

[Bulldog0156]

You'll enjoy the whitetail hunting up here. I'd recommend not getting 7 plates for when you travel to elk hunt. People have this thing about 7 plates

 

[cwalk64]

You'll enjoy the whitetail hunting up here. I'd recommend not getting 7 plates for when you travel to elk hunt. People have this thing about 7 plates

Ha! I’ll be sure to keep the 3 plate.

 

[Dan O]

LOL people feel the same about 4 plates. I messed up and got one on my fifth wheel
Welcome to west of the divide hope you enjoy it.

Dan

 

[OntarioHunter]

I'm originally from Columbia Falls. I don't enjoy going "home" anymore. It's just not home. What a zoo! I formerly taught school at Reed Point and haven't been back that way since leaving in 1987. Imagine Billings is no better. I know from friends who still live there that the crime rate is pretty bad so good to get away from that I guess. I think you will find it is more difficult to "get away" on the West Side. But ya gotta go where the work takes you.

Last fall when I was back in C Falls helping my brother get his rig on the road so we could go hunting together, I came out of the grocery store to find some enraged young punk waiting at my Ontario licensed vehicle. "What is a gawdam Canadian doing here spreading the virus when I can't go up there?" I responded: "Came back to Montana to hunt." Then I pointed to the cemetery across the road: "You can see my parents grave marker from here and that veteran's memorial up front will have my name on it someday. Where did you serve when America called?" He quickly apologised, thanked me for my service, and tried to shake my hand. "Sorry, not during a pandemic."

I advise foregoing the territorial county license plates altogether. Pick a generic number or a custom job. I actually still have my county 24 Montana plates behind the seat of my Jimmy. If I ever have to drive through some big city in the US I'll temporarily swap out my Canadian plates and hope no one notices the Montana ones were last tagged in 2008. Ontario plates are a target for stoplight armed robbers. They know we don't carry guns in the car. They also think everyone from Montana does. Ontario snowbirds in Florida are getting robbed/shot up all the time.

 

[Sytes]

Welcome to the NW side of MT.

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome.

 

[Sytes]

Ha! I’ll be sure to keep the 3 plate.

RMEF plate works.

That reminds me... RMEF, stop changing the F-ing plates! Additional $10 each flipping year simply because you want a different elk present? Bloody Hell! (1/2 humor).

 

[cwalk64]

RMEF plate works.

That reminds me... RMEF, stop changing the F-ing plates! Additional $10 each flipping year simply because you want a different elk present? Bloody Hell! (1/2 humor).

Actually just recently got the Bighorn River plates, forgot they don’t have county #’s on them!

 

[shines@times]

You'll enjoy the whitetail hunting up here. I'd recommend not getting 7 plates for when you travel to elk hunt. People have this thing about 7 plates

What happened to Kalispell, pretty much the upper Flathead Valley for that matter, is largely what I predicted in the early 1980's. Just another Aspen, Jackson Hole, Big Sky and etc. now verging on becoming a BozAngeles.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Welcome from PA!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

To summarize the above: congrats on the move it's a hell hole, what's wrong with you - why didn't you choose to be born 30 years earlier, your license plates have secured you an additional 10 years in purgatory, good luck on your crappy new life.

I've got family and friends there, they like it and find lots of good things to do. I mean you've got solid fishing, a lake to ski on in the summer, a great mountain to ski on in the winter, good bird hunting, Flathead cherries, some really neat mountain whitetail hunting, good bear hunting, multiple lifetimes of unlimited general mountain rambling, a Costco, gateway to the Bob and Glacier, and more, all within an hour. I bet you'll enjoy the heck out of it.

And to clarify, I'm not above a strategic plate #, gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[cwalk64]

To summarize the above: congrats on the move it's a hell hole, what's wrong with you - why didn't you choose to be born 30 years earlier, your license plates have secured you an additional 10 years in purgatory, good luck on your crappy new life.

I've got family and friends there, they like it and find lots of good things to do. I mean you've got solid fishing, a lake to ski on in the summer, a great mountain to ski on in the winter, good bird hunting, Flathead cherries, some really neat mountain whitetail hunting, good bear hunting, multiple lifetimes of unlimited general mountain rambling, a Costco, gateway to the Bob and Glacier, and more, all within an hour. I bet you'll enjoy the heck out of it.

And to clarify, I'm not above a strategic plate #, gotta do what you gotta do.

Haha yup, that about summed it up perfectly!
Thanks, we are excited to get up there!

 

[Ben Long]

Welcome to the Flathead! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have for the past 30 years. I also hope you engage with the local chapter of BHA, TU, RMEF, FLathead Wildlife Inc., Montana Wildlife Federation, Flathead Land Trust and other groups trying to protect access, habitat and clean water under the insane growth pressure we've "enjoyed" lately. Let me know when you're at Moose's and I'll buy you a beer.

 

[cwalk64]

Welcome to the Flathead! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have for the past 30 years. I also hope you engage with the local chapter of BHA, TU, RMEF, FLathead Wildlife Inc., Montana Wildlife Federation, Flathead Land Trust and other groups trying to protect access, habitat and clean water under the insane growth pressure we've "enjoyed" lately. Let me know when you're at Moose's and I'll buy you a beer.

Thanks and I am planning on it! Moose’s will be a frequent stop

 

[Tomahawk]

My wife and I just made the same move a couple weeks ago, Billings to the Flathead. I’ve been out harassing the local whitetails and from what I’ve seen there are plenty of bears to chase too.
Feel free to reach out if you ever need help packing out a critter.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome

 

[Rzrbk]

Welcome from NM!