If you could move anywhere in the US where would you go?
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I have lived In Alabama all my life and im talking in the woods not the city and although I love it here I would like to see Wyoming,idaho,utah area before I die and have enjoyed reading this thread. there are good and bad things no matter where you go and the bitter cold winters are the only thing that keeps me from moving to the badlands.as I said I live in a remote area in Alabama and can walk out of my backdoor and shoot 500yds and no one calls to complain.i have taken many deer on my own land so if the original thread starter needs to get out of NY there are many options all of which are better than urban areas of NY state.
wyoming4x4
Well-Known Member
cold weather tends to weed out the wannabe's. living in cold weather and having to deal with and really get out in it is a game changer for most. i live and work in the cold and some days it really sucks. Being prepared for winter is a learning curve and a lesson. lost in wyoming and lovin it.
Broz
Well-Known Member
We lived in the country of the Midwest all our lives. Specifically Iowa. We have been in Montana now for over 4 years. We were just talking about how much better we like the winters here in Montana. Less damp cold days here, dryer snow and plenty of sunshine. In the Midwest a 20* day with that humidity and some wind felt a hole lot colder that it does here at 10*. We smile when we here people complain about this cold. We feel it is much more comfortable than were we were before. The winters do last longer here. But they are pretty mild on both ends.
Jeff
Jeff
szeitner
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benchracer
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I agree wholeheartedly! The winters in Montana were long and snowy, but nowhere near as bitter as winter on the plains. Spring, summer, and fall are nicer too.
From time to time, I got a bit stir crazy during the long winters, but the solution was simply to dress properly and get out in it. Being outside during winter time in the mountain west is much more pleasant than most other places of similar latitude.
I remember one winter, a friend of mine bought a forest service permit that allowed us to harvest our own Xmas tree (I don't know if they still do that). We went way back in Hyalite Canyon behind Bozeman to find the perfect tree. We spent all day at it and had a blast doing it. Those were some good times!
I have always mourned the fact that I had to leave Montana. It is a great life! I hope to come back to the mountain west again for good.
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
Yeah Jeff, I lived in Southern IL, near St Louis MO, and thought those winters were miserable compared to hear because of the damp cold there. For that matter, I also hated summers there for heat and humidity. Of course, we haven't a bad winter here, cold wise, for a few yew years.
Bozeman is a real popular spot for out of state transplants and I was talking with a realtor friend of mine a few years back about that... and he told me a lot of out of state pilgrims would pack up and leave after 1 or 2 hard winters, mostly like Southern Californians.
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
10-4 on getting dressed and getting out. Winters can get real long if you hermit up. I've been up in Hyalite getting Christmas trees a few times myself, mostly with friends as I don't often put up a tree. Been to a few other spots like Little Bear and Goose creek off of Trail Creek Rd. Yup, thye still sell permits for Christmas trees and very reasonable prices.
I lived in Wyoming for 16 glorious years. I still count those years as the best time of my life. I lived in Green River and Big Piney. Sure it was cold and windy but, the hunting, fishing and WIDE open country was very nice.
aspenbugle
Well-Known Member
Ok - not to start a fight, but this has been my hobby for the last 20 years (much in the AF - stationed mostly out west) - deciding where to I want to live when I grow up. I've debated all the usual suspects here (MT, WY, ID, CO, AZ, AK) - there are lots of great others with great people, but once you have mountains and elk in your blood, ya just gotta look at mountains. I grew up in rural CO, and have a brother in MT and have spent a LOT of time there too (and blowing through WY literally, to and from).
Seems to be a lot of votes for MT, and it is definitely up there as a good choice. Here are a few of my personal pro/con observations though, just in the interest of full disclosure:
MT
Pro
- Lots of hunting
- Long seasons
- Not a lot of people
- Mostly good people
- Some very beautiful parts, but also quite a few parts of the state have little to no major mountains. (I always thought Judith Gap was beautiful when driving through to Great Falls - )
Con
- It isn't the hunting paradise I thought it would be. Places like CO and AZ(maybe?) have a lot more public land. Colorado you make 20 stops and throw a rock you can just about hit public land every time. Much tougher finding hunting grounds sometimes in MT, and several times when I deer hunted with my brother, we saw hunters everywhere - even hiking quite a ways back in - since the public areas were small in places. Again there is definitely good hunting, I was just surprised how much more limited public land was than CO. Just a downside you don't always hear about, and you think somehow MT is more open, wild and free - not so when it comes to public land in/around the mountains.
- Much of it is DANG cold. Mountains come at a price, but lower lattitudes often mean warmer temps and long winter days (more daylight), and you can often look at bigger mountains.
- Wolves and Grizzlies - If you head South, the herds are still big and you don't have to watch over your shoulder as you gut your elk. I think I read in the RMEF magazine that something like 60-80% of MT hunters had quit hunting in the last 10 years (I'll have to look it up). Maybe that is good - less competition, but there must be a reason for it.
- Wind - Ok Rockies = wind, but geez. This goes double for WY! Not all places, just do your research. Living with 60-100mph winds is a DRAG (been there, done it too long). Not just winter. In many places Spring and Summer are as bad or worse. Nothing ruins a beautiful summer day quicker than a 40mph wind (fishing, camping, shooting, whatever). I HATE wind.
There is more, but that is just some of my short-list.
CO real quick
Pro:
- TONS of public land. You can easily hunt about any unit and not see people if you don't want. Millions of acres.
- Lots of elk and deer (bigger Mulies than MT - that's why my Brother comes to CO to hunt em when he can).
- Lots of Mountains - you have to be careful, large parts of WY and MT don't have big mountains, but neither does Eastern CO...
- Country people are just as country, redneck, and conservative as WY, MT, ID and elsewhere (there is a BUT to this below)
- Sometimes/places, not as much wind as MT/WY - do your research.
Cons:
- Seasons not as long - can't hunt as much as MT. For example, can't hunt archery for a species and then later rifle hunt them etc.
- Politics - It is a disagrace to be in a state that overall voted Democratic. Urbanites tend to equal liberals in many cases and the Denver/Boulder area have just kept growing. The urbanites are obviously outnumbering the country folk. MT could have the same problem in a few years. WY may be safer? ID - I don't know? AK should be safe - I've considered that, at least part year.
- More people. If you can avoid the NE Corner of the state and the I-70 corridor that cuts across the upper half, you have similar conditions to WY and MT. Except sometimes the Texans seem to take over part of the Southern part in the Summer (Argh). In any case - tons of wilderness with almost no people in much of the state, but the Metro areas are big.
I've actually kicked around AZ. I've lived there too, and while drawing tags is tougher, the quality for elk is AWESOME. You can also hop over to CO with $500 to hunt a bull. Weather is very nice and they actually have a lot of forest and small mountains - lots of wildlife. I was surprised.
Been through ID a few times, and much looked great. Always wanted to spend more time around Salmon. I saw a few votes for that. Can't give a lot of Pros/Cons there.
Just saying I'm not sold on MT from all my time there with my Brother. Lots of good things, but some not as good as you think and I didn't see them mentioned.
Overall - not saying one state is better than another, they all have pros/cons, I just think the MT arguments were being a little one-sided. I love the state and may still move there, but I figure full-disclosure for anyone kicking this around is only fair
Seems to be a lot of votes for MT, and it is definitely up there as a good choice. Here are a few of my personal pro/con observations though, just in the interest of full disclosure:
MT
Pro
- Lots of hunting
- Long seasons
- Not a lot of people
- Mostly good people
- Some very beautiful parts, but also quite a few parts of the state have little to no major mountains. (I always thought Judith Gap was beautiful when driving through to Great Falls -
)Con
- It isn't the hunting paradise I thought it would be. Places like CO and AZ(maybe?) have a lot more public land. Colorado you make 20 stops and throw a rock you can just about hit public land every time. Much tougher finding hunting grounds sometimes in MT, and several times when I deer hunted with my brother, we saw hunters everywhere - even hiking quite a ways back in - since the public areas were small in places. Again there is definitely good hunting, I was just surprised how much more limited public land was than CO. Just a downside you don't always hear about, and you think somehow MT is more open, wild and free - not so when it comes to public land in/around the mountains.
- Much of it is DANG cold. Mountains come at a price, but lower lattitudes often mean warmer temps and long winter days (more daylight), and you can often look at bigger mountains.
- Wolves and Grizzlies - If you head South, the herds are still big and you don't have to watch over your shoulder as you gut your elk. I think I read in the RMEF magazine that something like 60-80% of MT hunters had quit hunting in the last 10 years (I'll have to look it up). Maybe that is good - less competition, but there must be a reason for it.
- Wind - Ok Rockies = wind, but geez. This goes double for WY! Not all places, just do your research. Living with 60-100mph winds is a DRAG (been there, done it too long). Not just winter. In many places Spring and Summer are as bad or worse. Nothing ruins a beautiful summer day quicker than a 40mph wind (fishing, camping, shooting, whatever). I HATE wind.
There is more, but that is just some of my short-list.
CO real quick
Pro:
- TONS of public land. You can easily hunt about any unit and not see people if you don't want. Millions of acres.
- Lots of elk and deer (bigger Mulies than MT - that's why my Brother comes to CO to hunt em when he can).
- Lots of Mountains - you have to be careful, large parts of WY and MT don't have big mountains, but neither does Eastern CO...
- Country people are just as country, redneck, and conservative as WY, MT, ID and elsewhere (there is a BUT to this below)
- Sometimes/places, not as much wind as MT/WY - do your research.
Cons:
- Seasons not as long - can't hunt as much as MT. For example, can't hunt archery for a species and then later rifle hunt them etc.
- Politics - It is a disagrace to be in a state that overall voted Democratic. Urbanites tend to equal liberals in many cases and the Denver/Boulder area have just kept growing. The urbanites are obviously outnumbering the country folk. MT could have the same problem in a few years. WY may be safer? ID - I don't know? AK should be safe - I've considered that, at least part year.
- More people. If you can avoid the NE Corner of the state and the I-70 corridor that cuts across the upper half, you have similar conditions to WY and MT. Except sometimes the Texans seem to take over part of the Southern part in the Summer (Argh). In any case - tons of wilderness with almost no people in much of the state, but the Metro areas are big.
I've actually kicked around AZ. I've lived there too, and while drawing tags is tougher, the quality for elk is AWESOME. You can also hop over to CO with $500 to hunt a bull. Weather is very nice and they actually have a lot of forest and small mountains - lots of wildlife. I was surprised.
Been through ID a few times, and much looked great. Always wanted to spend more time around Salmon. I saw a few votes for that. Can't give a lot of Pros/Cons there.
Just saying I'm not sold on MT from all my time there with my Brother. Lots of good things, but some not as good as you think and I didn't see them mentioned.
Overall - not saying one state is better than another, they all have pros/cons, I just think the MT arguments were being a little one-sided. I love the state and may still move there, but I figure full-disclosure for anyone kicking this around is only fair
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
Aspenbugle, I think your summation of MT is fairly accurate. Maybe I can fine tune it a little for you.
Public land access can be tough, but there is a lot of it. We have a discussion about that going on now in the Regional Forum. Anyway, there is a good bit of access, but it becomes pretty rugged in the late Fall and Winter. From cities like Great Falls (I was there 6 years @ Malmstrom) and here in the Gallatin Valley, you have to drive to get to good hunting spots and the crowds will follow you somewhat> Good elk hunting isn't too far form here in the GV, but good public deer hunting requires some driving, unless your a muzzle loader, bow hunter etc.
The arrangement of public land is another factor. Most public land is not that useful to agriculture and most private land is. In Montana, we have numerous mountain ranges with valleys between. When the shooting starts, the elk move quickly from NF to private land which makes trophy elk hunting for the average Joe very difficult. Best done during the rut which is archery season for most areas. I have friends who get a nice bull almost every year with a bow. But they are dedicated to it and have put in their time and homework.
Non mountainous areas. The rugged Missouri Breaks area is as large or larger than a lot of states and a lot of it is accessible by county road or river. It is beautiful country in its own rights and I made quite a few trips there when I was at Malmstrom. The Eastern Plains of Montana have their own unique beauty and appeal and offer very good deer and antelope hunting. But public access in the East is more difficult than the West. That said, Montana has a block management program with land owners that opens up a fair amount of land to the public, and if I do my homework and put in a little time, I can usually get a nice buck of either and a few does on public or block management land.
Wolves and Grizzlies. Grizzlies have no real affect on elk and deer, wolves do. Wolves actually seem to be pushing the elk out onto the plains and they are being seen more commonly where they almost never were. They are even up around Plentywood in the far Northeast corner of the state.
You've almost got me thinking about moving to CO, but maybe I'll just get the non-resident elk tag and come visit
Oh yeah, there are some areas in MT that aren't so windy, but I'm gonna keep that a secret.
Public land access can be tough, but there is a lot of it. We have a discussion about that going on now in the Regional Forum. Anyway, there is a good bit of access, but it becomes pretty rugged in the late Fall and Winter. From cities like Great Falls (I was there 6 years @ Malmstrom) and here in the Gallatin Valley, you have to drive to get to good hunting spots and the crowds will follow you somewhat> Good elk hunting isn't too far form here in the GV, but good public deer hunting requires some driving, unless your a muzzle loader, bow hunter etc.
The arrangement of public land is another factor. Most public land is not that useful to agriculture and most private land is. In Montana, we have numerous mountain ranges with valleys between. When the shooting starts, the elk move quickly from NF to private land which makes trophy elk hunting for the average Joe very difficult. Best done during the rut which is archery season for most areas. I have friends who get a nice bull almost every year with a bow. But they are dedicated to it and have put in their time and homework.
Non mountainous areas. The rugged Missouri Breaks area is as large or larger than a lot of states and a lot of it is accessible by county road or river. It is beautiful country in its own rights and I made quite a few trips there when I was at Malmstrom. The Eastern Plains of Montana have their own unique beauty and appeal and offer very good deer and antelope hunting. But public access in the East is more difficult than the West. That said, Montana has a block management program with land owners that opens up a fair amount of land to the public, and if I do my homework and put in a little time, I can usually get a nice buck of either and a few does on public or block management land.
Wolves and Grizzlies. Grizzlies have no real affect on elk and deer, wolves do. Wolves actually seem to be pushing the elk out onto the plains and they are being seen more commonly where they almost never were. They are even up around Plentywood in the far Northeast corner of the state.
You've almost got me thinking about moving to CO, but maybe I'll just get the non-resident elk tag and come visit
Oh yeah, there are some areas in MT that aren't so windy, but I'm gonna keep that a secret.
Gatorgrizz27
Active Member
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Aspenbugles comments about both MT and CO mirrors my experience from moving to Austin TX this year. Despite the number of people that hunt here, there is almost no public land, and leases are out of my price range. The flip side to it is many people have leases, so if you make the right connections you can get to hunt some great places for free or trading services.
Texas as a whole has many more laws and restrictions than I expected with its image of being an extremely free state and doing whatever you want. For example a CHL here does not allow you to carry weapons besides a handgun, and there is no open carry yet, though they are working on it.
Obviously Austin is much more liberal than other areas of the state, but I chose to move here because I needed a large customer base for my motorcycle business, and I prefer the less "big city feel" compared to places like Houston and DFW. There are a lot of Californians moving here which is changing the feel of things for the worse IMO, things are becoming more overdeveloped and yuppified, and it is getting too expensive for many of the people and businesses that have been here for awhile to stay where they are.
It is still a great city and state, and if I am successful here and able to purchase a decent sized piece of land outside the city, I will have few complaints besides the heat.
Texas as a whole has many more laws and restrictions than I expected with its image of being an extremely free state and doing whatever you want. For example a CHL here does not allow you to carry weapons besides a handgun, and there is no open carry yet, though they are working on it.
Obviously Austin is much more liberal than other areas of the state, but I chose to move here because I needed a large customer base for my motorcycle business, and I prefer the less "big city feel" compared to places like Houston and DFW. There are a lot of Californians moving here which is changing the feel of things for the worse IMO, things are becoming more overdeveloped and yuppified, and it is getting too expensive for many of the people and businesses that have been here for awhile to stay where they are.
It is still a great city and state, and if I am successful here and able to purchase a decent sized piece of land outside the city, I will have few complaints besides the heat.
Broz, me and my loving wife spent a week at the covered wagon ranch in montana, just north of Big Sky, we both fell in love i would move there in a hart beet, it would be hard to leave these beautifull mtns. of north east ALA. WHERE WE BOTH HAVE lived all our lives but montana we both agree on we loved it just cant aford that move right now but we better hurry were not getting any younger Lol!!gun)
Dewayne
