Where would you move?

[Jsmith410]

Hi guys, my wife and I are thinking about moving out west in a year or two. We have been out there multiple times to vacation and love it. We currently live toward the coast of NC.

I am avid deer,duck, and bear hunter. I have never hunted out west so I am looking for some guidance. NC is an over the counter state with a pretty lengthy firearm deer season (oct-Jan). I would prefer an over the counter state at least for deer even though the season wouldn't likely be as long. I am mainly interested in WY, ID, and MT but open to others. I would like to be able to hunt elk, mule deer, pronghorn etc even if some are draw.

Any help/guidance is appreciated. I don't mind doing my research. I figure talking to the people on here would steer me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance,

Josh

 

[Rick Richard]

I live in NC and go out to Wyoming just about every year to hunt. Wyoming and New Mexico are my favorite states. Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[wbm]

I live in New Mexico. Hunts for deer, elk,and antelope are draw hunts and you can go several years without drawing out. I would check NM off my list.

 

[Elkeater]

WY has good tag availability. I live in CO which has lots of tag options but it can be expensive to live here.

 

[tbrice23]

Tagging in, I hunt in Indiana ( big whitetail) and TN ( medium whitetail),
I don't know how the OP feels about his whitetail but I'll ask for him...
How do the whitetail Bucks compare to Southern whitetail?

 

[257Tony]

If you can deal with the cold winters, Wyoming as a resident is about as good as it gets.

 

[Jsmith410]

If you can deal with the cold winters, Wyoming as a resident is about as good as it gets.

I prefer the cold to the hot humid summers here. I grew up in the mountains of NC so we had cold winters....probably not as cold as WY but cold. Every since I was a kid I have been fascinated by WY, from watching Frontier Days tapes to visiting for two weeks when I graduated high school. I am hoping WY works out. I have been looking around Star Valley, Evanston, and Rock Springs.

 

[livetohunt]

Idaho has probably the best over the counter tags. But we also have wolf problems so our elk and deer populations aren't what they used to be. Not much for jobs, most of the good places to live are very small population towns

 

[Jsmith410]

Idaho has probably the best over the counter tags. But we also have wolf problems so our elk and deer populations aren't what they used to be. Not much for jobs, most of the good places to live are very small population towns

That seems to be the case from what I have been reading. I haven't spent a ton of time in ID so I'm not sure about the towns vs job markets.

 

[carl1775]

KS, but you have to take the wind, with the cold. And the heat, for that matter. Not exactly "out West" as most would consider it. Great opportunities for all types of hunting, fishing and trapping. Plus a lot of jobs to be had, in all sectors. Many smaller communities in the western half of the state are starting to offer "homestead" bonuses and even sometimes land, for qualified professionals as well. Nebraska, is pretty much in the same situation, with a lot of similarities in opportunity, both professionally and recreationally. Just a thought...

 

[NEMTHunter]

My choice would be MT but I am a little biased. What do you do for work? That would also be a big deciding factor. If you lived in the western side you have more hunting options and a more mild climate. Sanders county to be exact. They do not get as cold or as hot as we do on the est side of the state. you can go from -40f and colder in teh winter to 118f above in the summer where I live. At -40 it crisp but ad in wind and its cold! Now there are colder places in the states. Alaska. O stay away from Rogers pass for home site.... Coldest recorded there was -70f...

 

[Dosh]

410, I've seen your three choices, I like Idaho best. Besides, too many moving to Montana lately.

 

[codyadams]

I prefer the cold to the hot humid summers here. I grew up in the mountains of NC so we had cold winters....probably not as cold as WY but cold. Every since I was a kid I have been fascinated by WY, from watching Frontier Days tapes to visiting for two weeks when I graduated high school. I am hoping WY works out. I have been looking around Star Valley, Evanston, and Rock Springs.

I grew up in Lyman, it's on I-80 between Evanston and rock springs. I spent 2 years in college in Rock Springs, and I currently live in Kemmerer, which is about 40 miles north of evanston on highway 189 and us30 junction. I know this area very well, and hunt a lot of waterfowl, elk deer and pronghorn.

I get pronghorn tags every year, doe/fawn are pretty much 100% for residents in the nearby areas, and buck range from 15%-70% odds close by, 100% odds if you apply in low access areas up north. Elk, deer, bear, and cat tags too I believe are otc. Oh, and now they have a draw for grizzly bear up north, and wolves are open too.

As far as the areas you mentioned, if you want a bigger town, Evanston is where I would recommend. I can't honestly suggest Rock springs. If you want that area, Green river is nicer, and close to some world class fishing at the flaming gorge. If you have the right gear, you cam catch 20-40 pound lake trout all day, with the current record at 58 lbs. I believe. There are also small mouth bass, kokanee salmon, and a lot of trout. Burbot too, good eating. I go to the gorge as much as I can. If your ok not being as close to bigger city, I honestly believe that Lyman is one of the nicest areas to live around here, beautiful view of the uintas, great hunting close by (I hunt elk 35 minutes from my parents house) and pretty nice people. Kemmerer here isn't bad, also really close to great, maybe even better hunting. Star valley is a beautiful nest in the mountains, but a little more expensive. You are close to Jackson, which is also beautiful, but the only democratic county in the state and full of a bunch of overpriced commodities. I wouldn't live there, but its nice to vacation there. Anywhere around here, if you need to do big shopping, most people travel to the salt lake valley. About 2 hours, you just make a day out of it. There are wal marts, sporting good places, bigger dealerships and such in evanston and rock springs, but much more options in salt lake. Living in Kemmerer, if I travel for groceries, we go to logan utah, its a beautiful drive, past bear lake and through the mountains, adout 1 hour 45 min. If you like to ski/snowboard, cokeville (about 35 minutes north of kemmerer) has a ski resort, or you can go to beaver between here and logan. Its not a bad place if you like to be very rural, all they have is a school and a flying j truck stop.

If you want to know more about this area, p.m. me and we can exchange phone numbers and I can give you more details about it. I love it here, and so does my family.

 

[Jsmith410]

I grew up in Lyman, it's on I-80 between Evanston and rock springs. I spent 2 years in college in Rock Springs, and I currently live in Kemmerer, which is about 40 miles north of evanston on highway 189 and us30 junction. I know this area very well, and hunt a lot of waterfowl, elk deer and pronghorn.

I get pronghorn tags every year, doe/fawn are pretty much 100% for residents in the nearby areas, and buck range from 15%-70% odds close by, 100% odds if you apply in low access areas up north. Elk, deer, bear, and cat tags too I believe are otc. Oh, and now they have a draw for grizzly bear up north, and wolves are open too.

As far as the areas you mentioned, if you want a bigger town, Evanston is where I would recommend. I can't honestly suggest Rock springs. If you want that area, Green river is nicer, and close to some world class fishing at the flaming gorge. If you have the right gear, you cam catch 20-40 pound lake trout all day, with the current record at 58 lbs. I believe. There are also small mouth bass, kokanee salmon, and a lot of trout. Burbot too, good eating. I go to the gorge as much as I can. If your ok not being as close to bigger city, I honestly believe that Lyman is one of the nicest areas to live around here, beautiful view of the uintas, great hunting close by (I hunt elk 35 minutes from my parents house) and pretty nice people. Kemmerer here isn't bad, also really close to great, maybe even better hunting. Star valley is a beautiful nest in the mountains, but a little more expensive. You are close to Jackson, which is also beautiful, but the only democratic county in the state and full of a bunch of overpriced commodities. I wouldn't live there, but its nice to vacation there. Anywhere around here, if you need to do big shopping, most people travel to the salt lake valley. About 2 hours, you just make a day out of it. There are wal marts, sporting good places, bigger dealerships and such in evanston and rock springs, but much more options in salt lake. Living in Kemmerer, if I travel for groceries, we go to logan utah, its a beautiful drive, past bear lake and through the mountains, adout 1 hour 45 min. If you like to ski/snowboard, cokeville (about 35 minutes north of kemmerer) has a ski resort, or you can go to beaver between here and logan. Its not a bad place if you like to be very rural, all they have is a school and a flying j truck stop.

If you want to know more about this area, p.m. me and we can exchange phone numbers and I can give you more details about it. I love it here, and so does my family.

Wow! Thanks for all the info. I appreciate you taking the time. I will shoot you a PM.