Pick a state to become a resident ...

[406dn]

I made my choice a long time ago now, 42 years this August.

No state is perfect in every regard. Montana has lived up to what I hoped it would. I factored in a variety of big game hunting, trout fishing, scenic beauty, and staying within day's driving distance from family.

I did not factor in bird hunting. That is what I grew up doing, and low and behold, over time, I drifted back that direction. I would have never thought that I'd end up running pointing dogs from horseback, and field trialling with them. My idea of a really enjoyable day include a horse and pointing dogs. I have not killed a deer or pronghorn in maybe 20+ years. I still really enjoy elk hunting with my youngest brother.

My big game hunting dreams have been met, with the exception of bighorn sheep. Two moose, several nice deer, pronghorns, elk and a mountain goat provide pretty fond memories.

If I could do it all over again, it would play out more or less the same, I think, hope.

 

[JLDemo]

Kansas would be my 1st pick, but dang those property taxes are way too high! OTC Deer, great bird hunting, and Colorado is close with ridiculously easy tags for Nonresident's. Great Bend would be an awesome place to live!

Daughter is starting school this fall at Ft Hays and I'm looking forward to the visits and pheasants!

Have you spent time in Great Bend?

If it applies, Kansas is trying to reduce property taxes for disabled veterans. Income tax sucks but not a deal breaker.

I spend a lot time bird hunting around NW KS. Some really good fishing around Wilson, and Cedar Bluff. I've always been partial to bird hunting, but hard to beat the strip ponds out east. Eastern Kansas has some very underrated fishing.

 

[2rocky]

I love how everyone talks about retiring someplace where they can western big game hunt. If you're talking a lot of elk hunting, you needed to do that in your 20's, 30's and 40's. I know, you'll still be running marathons into your 70's (yeah, right). I've lived in Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming my whole life, and elk hunting the way I've done it involved a pack frame and backpack tent miles from the road. I've killed a lot of bulls and packed a lot of boned out meat since 1982. Not doing it like that anymore. Will still do mule deer that way, but closer to the road with a muzzleloader in nice weather. When I lived in Wyoming 20 plus years ago (live in Colorado now) I could draw a buck antelope every year. My buddies up there now say every 3-5 years is now the norm for residents in the units we hunted. Deer hunting nothing like it was, elk hunting probably better. Still great hunting, but not quite like it was. What is? Fishing better where I'm at in Colorado. Upland bird hunting sucks on the western slope.

I really think taxes are kind of a wash. My house in Colorado is worth 3 times what my house was worth in Wyoming and my property taxes are about the same. I don't pay that much in state income tax. With coal not running the show in Wyoming anymore, I think taxes will be going up.

I believe there are something like 6 million folks living in Colorado now. Stay away from the front range and life is good!

Politics are politics. You can either have Polis and vegan husband running the show down here, or the John Birch Society II running it in Wyoming. When I lived in Wyoming it was still kind of a live and let live state. Both Wyoming and Colorado have changed a bunch in 25 years! Enjoy your life and family and count your blessings. You'll probably be happy where you're at!

This is probably the most accurate post I've seen in what my reality is. Of course there is a big difference in Moving as a 20-30-40 or 50 + year old.

I left CA as a teenager and spent my university years in Idaho. 8 years later I was back on the family ranch in CA. 5 years after that I was hunting out of state deer and elk because I'd surrounded myself with people who wanted to do that and had the resources and time. Looking back at my decision making at the time of my early 20's I sh could have stretched my comfort zone to develop better career/ first job prospects in Idaho.

I often wonder if I would have been as driven to hunt elk as I have been. Hunting out of state required time and money that made me commit to prepare, and I didn't try to just fit it in on a weekend. When you live by the ocean, you don't go to the beach because of all the tourists. But the tourists go and enjoy themselves because they made the effort. I think my elk hunting time has been made richer because I was a tourist.

My classmate since grade school endured 30 years in San Jose in a tech engineering career. When Covid hit he worked remote from a air BNB in Idaho Falls and bought a home and acreage in Western Wyoming. I think I would have committed Hari Kari living where he did for that long. But I was able to do more out of state hunts than he did in that time, although now he just goes out his back door and is learning to hunt elk in his late 40's. 'tis all a trade off...

I've always said:
Live where you want to live (community and climate)
Work where you have to work
So you can hunt when and where you want.

 

[jlmatthew]

Have you spent time in Great Bend?

If it applies, Kansas is trying to reduce property taxes for disabled veterans. Income tax sucks but not a deal breaker.

I spend a lot time bird hunting around Hays and north of there. Some really good fishing around Wilson, and Cedar Bluff. I've always been partial to the Norton and Beloit for hunting, but hard to beat the strip ponds out east and in lakes in Coffey County. Eastern Kansas has some very underrated fishing.

I have spent time there but only hunting.

Trust me I have my ear to the ground on them reducing property tax for disabled veterans.

 

[2rocky]

After that, I'd consider the politics of the state you are considering. It's possible that you can exist in any state despite your politics if you pick the right part/city of the state.

can confirm....

 

[BuzzH]

can confirm....

Local and National politics is about as important in my decisions where to live as who the dog catcher is.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Local and National politics is about as important in my decisions where to live as who the dog catcher is.

Depends on how much those laws effect you.

If you're in the process of having kids, wife's last pregnancy was high risk... do not move to Idaho. Otherwise those laws probably don't matter much to you.

 

[brymoore]

... do not move to Idaho.

I agree!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

So California then?

@BigHornRam I'd move back to MA, great economy with tons of job opportunity, best schools in the nation, best healthcare both in terms of hospital quality and insurance regulations, hunting and fishing are shockingly good, easy access to skiing with none of the FOMO bullshit of the west, and then the beach.



I'm not looking to live in a big city long term, but if I had to I'd pick Boston #1... maybe then Seattle?

 

[Letthemgrow]

maybe then Seattle?

LMFAO

I'd rent before you buy.

 

[theat]

My impression of Wyoming if I only saw it from I-80.

 

[Gellar]

Local and National politics is about as important in my decisions where to live as who the dog catcher is.

I respectfully disagree. Local politics can play a huge toll in lifestyle decisions. Local politics can affect funding for schools, museums, local parks, trails, and other recreation opportunities. Studies continue to show that younger people are not so much concerned with finding a job but finding where they want to live based on lifestyle opportunities and seeking a job in that location afterwards. If outdoor recreation is not favored by local politicians it probably won’t fit the lifestyle most huntalkers are seeking. Unfortunately local politics may be hard to understand without spending a significant amount of time in an area and immersing yourself in them.

 

[BuzzH]

I respectfully disagree. Local politics can play a huge toll in lifestyle decisions. Local politics can affect funding for schools, museums, local parks, trails, and other recreation opportunities. Studies continue to show that younger people are not so much concerned with finding a job but finding where they want to live based on lifestyle opportunities and seeking a job in that location afterwards. If outdoor recreation is not favored by local politicians it probably won’t fit the lifestyle most huntalkers are seeking. Unfortunately local politics may be hard to understand without spending a significant amount of time in an area and immersing yourself in them.

My criteria for local politics:

1. Resident OTC bull elk tag, 1+ available cow permits.
2. Resident OTC buck deer tags, 1 is good enough.
3. Resident easy to draw buck pronghorn.
4. Refer to 1-3, the rest is fluff.

 

[JLDemo]

I have spent time there but only hunting.

Trust me I have my ear to the ground on them reducing property tax for disabled veterans.

Makes two of us.

 

[Gellar]

My criteria for local politics:

1. Resident OTC bull elk tag, 1+ available cow permits.
2. Resident OTC buck deer tags, 1 is good enough.
3. Resident easy to draw buck pronghorn.
4. Refer to 1-3, the rest is fluff.

I was using a different criteria, perhaps a jaded criteria based on my morning at the county supervisors office.

 

[thusby]

Some states hunting opportunities do not justify living in a dust storm/ice storm, mad max landscape for the other 330 days of the year.

 

[Treeshark]

My criteria for local politics:

1. Resident OTC bull elk tag, 1+ available cow permits.
2. Resident OTC buck deer tags, 1 is good enough.
3. Resident easy to draw buck pronghorn.
4. Refer to 1-3, the rest is fluff.

I get your perspective, but I think when you have school aged kids (especially in the public school system), the local political/school landscape becomes much more important. At least while they are in school.

 

[Handlebar]

My impression of Wyoming if I only saw it from I-80.
View attachment 323081

The entire state

 

[BuzzH]

I get your perspective, but I think when you have school aged kids (especially in the public school system), the local political/school landscape becomes much more important. At least while they are in school.

Well, only conclusion I can draw from your criteria is you must hate your kids, assuming you have any.

Wyoming is in the top 10 per student spending, crushing WI by about 6K per student. Little Johnie and Jane just got a new high school here in Laramie not long ago for 110 million.

 

[BigHornRam]

@BigHornRam I'd move back to MA, great economy with tons of job opportunity, best schools in the nation, best healthcare both in terms of hospital quality and insurance regulations, hunting and fishing are shockingly good, easy access to skiing with none of the FOMO bullshit of the west, and then the beach.



I'm not looking to live in a big city long term, but if I had to I'd pick Boston #1... maybe then Seattle?

Whatever you end up doing as a career @AvidIndoorsman , don't do sales, because you aren't any good at it.