Colorado or Wisconsin - Your Comments Welcome

[H'n'F]

Ok, Opportunity knocks and who better to give advice on my life's direction than the Rokslide Nation?
Divorce is final, no kids. I live in Madison, WI and have 72.5 acres (that's what is left after she made me sell off part of it) in the Driftless area of SW WI. Big deer and beauty. I have an opportunity in La Crosse that would allow me to keep the farm and buy a house in town. I could continue to manage my property for big whitetails and turkey and take my one trip out west each year.
I also have an opportunity in Denver. I'd have to sell my land and move to Denver so no more hunting farm but I'd be in (or at least near) the mountains and all that the great American West has to offer. The property taxes in CO are stupid cheap so I would likely have more money to then hunt additional states that would now be much closer. I know, I know, first world problems. I've been looking at housing in Colorado Springs and it looks like a great place but a long drive to downtown Denver and my office.
So, given the chance, would you choose Driftless Wisconsin, the Mississippi River, and private land with big whitetails and turkey or Denver and the chance to be in the mountains nearly every weekend?
Thanks for the advise. I'm losing it over here trying to decide..... The jobs are likely a wash. Same pay, similar benefits, similar clients, etc.

 

[jolemons]

Ohio native here. I moved out west 23 years ago and never looked back. There is something special about mountainous wilderness. I also prefer the culture of western states vs midwestern states. Denver is cool to visit, not sure I'd want to live there, but I'm not an urban guy. Definately would not consider commuting to downtown from the Springs.

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[wildwilderness]

Working in Denver and commuteing from Springs is a non- starter! You will waste away your life in a car! Also have you checked the drive time from Denver to the mts with traffic

I would only do western Colorado, or work on the outskirts. Otherwise there is something about having your own property and hunting big deer after work!

 

[brsnow]

I enjoy Denver and the mountains, we love our life here. WI is great as well, better fishing in WI. You seem to have a great deal there. There is a reason people are speaking poorly of CO, they don’t want you to come.

 

[Kiwi1]

Ok, Opportunity knocks and who better to give advice on my life's direction than the Rokslide Nation?
Divorce is final, no kids. I live in Madison, WI and have 72.5 acres (that's what is left after she made me sell off part of it) in the Driftless area of SW WI. Big deer and beauty. I have an opportunity in La Crosse that would allow me to keep the farm and buy a house in town. I could continue to manage my property for big whitetails and turkey and take my one trip out west each year.
I also have an opportunity in Denver. I'd have to sell my land and move to Denver so no more hunting farm but I'd be in (or at least near) the mountains and all that the great American West has to offer. The property taxes in CO are stupid cheap so I would likely have more money to then hunt additional states that would now be much closer. I know, I know, first world problems. I've been looking at housing in Colorado Springs and it looks like a great place but a long drive to downtown Denver and my office.
So, given the chance, would you choose Driftless Wisconsin, the Mississippi River, and private land with big whitetails and turkey or Denver and the chance to be in the mountains nearly every weekend?
Thanks for the advise. I'm losing it over here trying to decide..... The jobs are likely a wash. Same pay, similar benefits, similar clients, etc. Not

I would choose Colorado!
In fact, my wife and I are flying to Colorado Springs for a weeks fact finding trip.
In retirement, we want to wake up in the morning, go out on the porch, look up at the beauty of the mountains and God's creation and sip coffee- then head up to the mountains to chase elk or deer whenever we w

 

[PathFinder]

I just moved to the Front Range. Work in Boulder and live 30 minutes north.
Honestly, this place is about the worst example of western living I've seen, in that it's disgusting overcrowded, way too many rules/laws, and very expensive. Not sure where you got the idea that it's cheap here, I feel like it's extremely expensive.
I'll echo what others said about getting to the mountains. It can take some drive time to get away from Denver and to anywhere decent.
I chose to come here over the Midwest for work and I wouldn't change that decision, but that property might have swayed me. I have friends here from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and they do prefer Colorado. For me personally, the front range is just way too crowded.

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[toadmeister]

I was raised in LaCrosse, Wi, still get up there a lot. Lived in NE Iowa now for the last 20 years. Got inLaws in SE Wisconsin and have hunted there too. Love the driftless area for Whitetails and living in general around the Mississippi River.

I too want to get out west for more big game hunts. If I was in your shoes, I’d probably be interested in that Denver relocation. Like others said, Living around Denver may not be the best. Worst case you don’t like it and can look at moving back, it’s not permanent.


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[mwebs]

Grew up in Lax, been living in ID for a while now. If I had to move back to the Midwest I would have to have a set up similar to yours along with both a duck and fishing boat so I could spend most my time on the river. The mountains are definitely a level up as far as recreation, hunting, fly fishing, etc. but both have their positives. My sibling lives in Denver and I would absolutely never live there. I go for a Red Rocks show once a year and that's enough for me. The traffic, amount of people in the mountains just ruins it for me. I would find more solitude on the backwaters of the Mississippi. If I hadn't moved to a smaller mountain town right away and gotten spoiled and I had an opportunity to move to Denver from Wisco I would do it and make the most of it to get into the mountains. I'm sure you got buddies that will let you hunt there land if you want to go back.

 

[GilligansWorld]

My granddad LaVerne Edwards was Superintendent of the School system around Hazel Green WI and Cuba City WI in late 70's. I LOVE the Madison area first of all.

I am a 5th Gen Native of Colorado living 60 Mi north of Denver in Fort Collins.

As cool as the Madison area was - hell even the Galena area was cool too - Colorado is where I suggest you go. There are a number of small(er) suburbs in and around Denver that you should have no problem finding housing and wouldn't have to commute up to an hour and a half a day that way.

Check out Littleton, Wheat ridge, Westminster, or maybe Thornton would all be good starting points IMHO

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[brsnow]

I will add, I would never sell a quality farm in WI. If you can figure out a way to keep it and move great, otherwise just come visit.

 

[Clarkdale17]

I can only speak to moving to Denver. The amount of traffic/people in Denver and the front range is the sole reason I'm ready to move away from here. I-25 is an absolute nightmare, and if you want to live in the springs and commute to Denver expect to be spending hours stuck in rush hour traffic. Not to mention when you want to get up into the mountains on a weekend using I-70 you'd bettered plan your schedule around traffic patterns or you'll be sitting in traffic for hours again.

With that being said if you are willing to schedule your plans around traffic Denver isn't that bad of a place to live. Easy access to the mountains and some beautiful areas within an hour or two drive. Expect to see a lot of very liberal trail enthusiasts everywhere you go, but you can get away from them if you try. Colorado has some good resident tag options.

If I had the money to buy a decent amount of land I'd be looking in the Lochbuie or Elizabeth areas.

 

[Jkr61]

Moved from MI started in silverthorne went to Denver for 4 years. Do not attempt to live in CO Springs and commute to Denver. 1.5 hr commute each way regularly then there will be multiple accidents per week that can easily double that commute or wait till they have multiple years of construction to help alleviate the traffic . Denver is better than Midwest but if u work there than live there so when your stuck in traffic with a million other people trying to go to the mountains at least it’s not like your everyday commute. Bide your time make connections and then get out of the front range and move to a small town in the mountains- take your pick any of them are better than Denver! I’m now 2.5 hours up into the mountains and will NEVER move back.

 

[street]

I'm not sure giving up private land with big bucks is a good idea. Especially considering you seem to be able to make at least one trip a year out west.

 

[coloyooper]

I would not move to the front range again if I could do it over. I’d stick with what you’ve got in Wisconsin and make more time for an extra trip out west every year. Housing is dumb out here. And I tell everybody who asks, I love the state but hate the people. And it’s not getting any better in the near future.

 

[mwebs]

I'm not sure giving up private land with big bucks is a good idea. Especially considering you seem to be able to make at least one trip a year out west.

Sure but let's compare hunting whitetails in the same stand every year, on private in Wisconsin to elk and muleys out west.................. Not even close.

 

[brsnow]

Sure but let's compare hunting whitetails in the same stand every year, on private in Wisconsin to elk and muleys out west.................. Not even close.

It is just different, a savvy whitetail hunter doesn’t just sit in the same stand. Plenty of scouting needs to be done. I got my first 2 elk in a total of 90 minutes of hunting. Seems the whitetail I grew up chasing were a good training ground;-)

 

[street]

Sure but let's compare hunting whitetails in the same stand every year, on private in Wisconsin to elk and muleys out west.................. Not even close.

It's not easy to acquire good private property that harvests good bucks, regardless of species. I would never let that go.

 

[Rokbar]

I can't commit on Colorado as having never been there. I live in the mountain region of NC and it is nice here. I have been going to upper Wisconsin grouse hunting in the fall for the last 3 years. Some of the nicest public hunting woods I've been in. Lots of game of all sorts. If not for the cold winters and summer mosquitoes I could live there. I'd keep Wisconsin land and travel west on vacation.

 

[kcbuckeye22]

It depends on your age, goals, and such. My wife asked me a hypothetical question similar to this the other day. She asked, "would the 37 year old you sell my 40 acre farm in the Missouri Ozarks to go out west to ID, WY, or the Big Sky if I didn't have a wife and kids?" I said yes. However if she would of said Denver I would of said NO.

 

[Phaseolus]

Anywhere on the Front Range. Nope.