Move to MT?

[CoStick]

There is no cold winters in the west anymore. The great climate migration has began and soon there will be beach front property for sale with land owner elk tags.

And fires

 

[otolith]

Go live in Montana while you can still enjoy it. Nobody says you have to stay there. If it's not for you then you can move. In fact, you could probably make a good profit on your house if you do decide to leave. I live in the midwest and it gets cold here also. Maybe not -40 but many times -15 or more. On top of that you have the heat and humidity to deal with during the summer months. I used to live in Eastern Idaho, Island Park area, and it could get pretty cold with high snow totals but I loved it. I'd be back there in a heartbeat if I could.

 

[def90]

I grew up in Minnesota, we had brutally cold, gray and windy winters, I now live in Colorado, way easier winters here, sure the snow stacks up but at least you see the sun.

To the OP, land values are skyrocketing out west, if you want to make the move go ahead and do it, just try to buy something sooner than later if you can.

 

[Mt Al]

I appreciate the gross exaggerations about winters, pictures of the BearTooth Highway as if that's how it is in town, though admittedly West Yellowstone, near where the OP is looking, can get ridiculous amounts of snow at times. People from upstate(s) Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan laugh at Montana winters, temps and snow levels. I hate all the people moving here, too. It's insane, I'm not in construction or real estate so don't make any money off of it, FYI. I'm sick of newbies showing up in places where I haven't seen anyone for 35 years, trying to holistically harvest protein and blogging about it as if it was something new.

Anyway....

OP, come out and stay for a few weeks in a VRBO or something in summer and winter as close as you can get to where you're wanting to move and check it out. Moving here from the midwest seems to work for many thousands of others and it might work for you, too.

The elk numbers are high in lots of places in MT, not as high in others, but success in shooting bulls is either luck (rare) or wicked hard work and the competition is getting stupid. The elk quickly get pushed to private land and good luck with that. If you're good with shooting cows, as many are, you'll enjoy hunting in Montana.

 

[Pocoloco]

We were sick of living in Miami. Hitched up our Airstream and took a year off and traveled 34k total before falling in love with Boise. Lived here two years now and still love it, but longterm goal is Dec-Feb live in Key West. Dont mind the cold but inversions suck, need more sun. We spent some time in Montana and it was a disappointment. Casinos in every gas station and not as much pure wild as we have in Idaho along with more grey skies, similar to BC or north Idaho. I would recommend checking out Idaho or border of NM and CO. Angel Fire, Chama into south edge of CO has spectacular country low population density and great weather. They also have plenty of Elk.

 

[Dos XX]

Some people will try to deal with the short amount of daylight, grey skies, wind, and the amount of snow by heading to bar or drinking.

You rang? And I live in the south.

 

[gabenzeke]

Great response and thank you. We're 30 miles from a clinic/regional hospital and Walmart today and an hour from a bigger city (Des Moines). As a result, we're used to some travel for necessities and a night out.

Winters suck a$$ here too and we don't shop much other than groceries.

We're both Iowa natives and have 13 acres here we've spent the last 20 years on, and its 3 miles from the farm I manage and hunt for whitetails and pheasants. However, every year we get older, the smell of hog/cattle $hit every single day and muddy/polluted waterways gets less and less tenable. We're lucky to be able to open our windows a few days in the spring and fall if the wind is just right.

Now that the beans are out the hog confinements are racing to get their under/above ground manure tanks emptied before winter. Thousands upon thousands of gallons getting knifed in to the ground in every direction from our place. Just sick of it after dealing with it my whole life. The ag lobby in this state reigns supreme, and it doesn't matter who's in charge in the state house, hog and cattle production increases every year.

Don't get me started about the dumb a$$ wind farms that have destroyed what scenery and skyline this state used to have.

I'm from Iowa too (Polk city) and I'm jealous that you might get out. Our disgusting waterways are downright depressing when you see creeks and rivers in the west.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[hobbes]

My 2 cents...........

That's a cool part of Montana to drive through but I've no interest in living there. That area will have some of the longest winters that Montana has to offer. You better be sitting on top of the highway or have a good snowplow for anything off the main route. Counties do not plow every road on the map in Montana and the state will be plowing state highways only.

As far as connectivity, I wouldn't plan on it there. Connectivity is spotty in Montana. I don't have signal in some places that it seems that I should then I'll have signal in some random remote places. It has improved over the last 10 years but still plenty of area without.

There are plenty of places in Montana that are cool to visit but suck as a full time home.

If you are finding cheap land in Montana, there is probably a good reason and it's not because it's an ideal spot to live. Buyer beware and visit first.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

My 2 cents...........

That's a cool part of Montana to drive through but I've no interest in living there. That area will have some of the longest winters that Montana has to offer. You better be sitting on top of the highway or have a good snowplow for anything off the main route. Counties do not plow every road on the map in Montana and the state will be plowing state highways only.

As far as connectivity, I wouldn't plan on it there. Connectivity is spotty in Montana. I don't have signal in some places that it seems that I should then I'll have signal in some random remote places. It has improved over the last 10 years but still plenty of area without.

There are plenty of places in Montana that are cool to visit but suck as a full time home.

If you are finding cheap land in Montana, there is probably a good reason and it's not because it's an ideal spot to live. Buyer beware and visit first.

Appreciate the comments and the connection issues mentioned are legit. When we were in the Bob the only time I had a signal on my Verizon device was on top of Badger Pass. The AT&T guys had pretty decent signal in the mountains and even in camp sometimes, but wasn’t consistent.

The land we’re looking at certainly isn’t cheap, and is way more than we spent on our current place. However, land values and especially acreage values are booming in Iowa right now, and we are fortunate to already have a good chunk of equity in this place. In 3-5 years we’ll be even better positioned.

We will continue to look around and see what’s out there and hopefully figure something out.

 

[hobbes]

Appreciate the comments and the connection issues mentioned are legit. When we were in the Bob the only time I had a signal on my Verizon device was on top of Badger Pass. The AT&T guys had pretty decent signal in the mountains and even in camp sometimes, but wasn’t consistent.

The land we’re looking at certainly isn’t cheap, and is way more than we spent on our current place. However, land values and especially acreage values are booming in Iowa right now, and we are fortunate to already have a good chunk of equity in this place. In 3-5 years we’ll be even better positioned.

We will continue to look around and see what’s out there and hopefully figure something out.

If you want to experience it, don't let me discourage you. I lived in Leadville Colorado at 10,000 ft for 5 years and most folks would say hell no. My wife got tired of snow from October to May, but I kind of liked it. I even considered buying a place that would require a couple miles of snowmobiling and wanted to build a bed and breakfast. I decided against it.

Verizon has more widespread signal in Montana from what I've experienced. That's what state employees use. I have seen a project near Lima where they bought the project inspector an AT&T phone so he could call out, but that's the only time I've seen that.

 

[grizz1971]

Ideally, once hunting season is over we will be able to snow bird it somewhere warmer in from Jan.-April. Gotta be back in time for spring bear...

The idea that you want to "snowbird" somewhere other than Montana is exactly what is ruining Montana.

 

[JeffRaines]

FYI regarding connectivity - Starlink is now a thing and pretty damn good.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

If you want to experience it, don't let me discourage you. I lived in Leadville Colorado at 10,000 ft for 5 years and most folks would say hell no. My wife got tired of snow from October to May, but I kind of liked it. I even considered buying a place that would require a couple miles of snowmobiling and wanted to build a bed and breakfast. I decided against it.

Verizon has more widespread signal in Montana from what I've experienced. That's what state employees use. I have seen a project near Lima where they bought the project inspector an AT&T phone so he could call out, but that's the only time I've seen that.

Thanks man, and I know Leadville very well. Quincy’s is one of my all time favorite restaurants! There and the Winchester in Buffalo, WY, are 2 of the best in the West

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

The idea that you want to "snowbird" somewhere other than Montana is exactly what is ruining Montana.

Not sure what your point is. People from states with cold winters head south all the time. MT isn’t unique in this regard and this practice hasn’t “ruined” any other states.

You ever been to FL in January? I have, and we were able to fish in-shore, off-shore, duck hunt, and hog hunt in the same long weekend. Temps were in the upper 40s at night and high 60s in the day. If you had the opportunity to do that instead of freeze your a$$ off and push snow all winter why wouldnt you?

 

[grizz1971]

Your response only solidifies my point and the fact that you you don't get it is understandable. I strongly disagree that part time residents haven't ruined anything. The "opportunity" that you speak of, financial that is, means that one less property is available for someone to live in Montana year round contributing to the community they belong to. The fact that you would rather be somewhere else in the winter speaks volumes about your character. Montana was built by men and women that could endure the hardships of winter (which we haven't had in quite some time) and thrived in it. Hunting, fishing and trapping are year round endeavors, it's a way of life here. John Steinbeck wrote, "“I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love, and it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.” That is something that you probably don't get either.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Your response only solidifies my point and the fact that you you don't get it is understandable. I strongly disagree that part time residents haven't ruined anything. The "opportunity" that you speak of, financial that is, means that one less property is available for someone to live in Montana year round contributing to the community they belong to. The fact that you would rather be somewhere else in the winter speaks volumes about your character. Montana was built by men and women that could endure the hardships of winter (which we haven't had in quite some time) and thrived in it. Hunting, fishing and trapping are year round endeavors, it's a way of life here. John Steinbeck wrote, "“I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love, and it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.” That is something that you probably don't get either.

I greatly appreciate the love you have for your state. I think it is admirable that you care so deeply about those that came before you.

This is a free country, and if I choose to sell my property in Iowa and take the risk of moving to MT that is my business. I've worked hard all my life to make my own luck and opportunities, and reading between the lines of your message, you seem to have the impression that I am some silver-spoon sucking, independently wealthy, enititled jacka$$. That is not the case at all. Me and my family are solid middle-class folks that mind our own business and enjoy our privacy.

As far as contributing to the community, my buying a home and paying property taxes, patronizing local businesses, and otherwise spending money in the state I choose to live in satsifies my obligations. I'm not one of these new generation snowflakes that feels like they need to belong to a "community" to function in life. I dont have any social media accounts where I and my "community" track my self worth with the number of "likes" and other new social justice measurement systems that some place such high value.

If you don't like the idea of people escaping the weather after the hunting seasons are closed to enjoy other outdoor activities that's fine. If you feel like staying home and "suffering" is the only "right" way to live in MT, you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

I'm not sure what part of the state you're from, but I will consider you an exeption to the rule. We met incredible folks in Great Falls in September that went out of their way to come up to my truck to congratulate me on the bull I shot. My out of state plate didn't bother them a bit, and I was overwhelmed by the welcoming and thoughtful treatment my brother and I received. I lost count of how many guys honked and gave us the thumbs up as we ran errands in town before leaving. This is a big factor in the my interest in moving to the state. In fact, I was so impressed with the treatment we received, I specifically started a thread on this site to give a shout out to MT residents.

By telling people how they are SUPPOSED to live in order to be entitled to live in your state, and then assassinating their character on a forum because you disagree with their lifestyle, it is you, not me, that should be questioning their character.

 

[otolith]

I have aunts and uncles who live in Billings and Columbus. They've lived in that area all their lives but as soon as winter hits they head south. It's not just transplants who might be snowbirds. Plenty of the locals do it also.

 

[S.Clancy]

Winters can be bad, winters can be warm and dry, like last winter. I've also had snow piled up to the top of a 42" fence in Bozeman, that was 3 yrs ago. The one thing people underestimate as far as winter is the wind. It blows alot, especially once you get east of the continental divide.

FYI, I wouldn't even consider the area you are looking at for winter habitation unless you really like winter.

 

[hobbes]

There are plenty of native Montanans that once retired, head south to Arizona in the winter. There are also some folks that think you have to have five generations behind you to even consider yourself a Montana. There are some that think your rights as a Montanan are similar to water rights, first one that got here has the most rights. I'm neither. I've been here ten years and I'm sure some don't think that I belong, but I've met a ton of good folks that don't mind. I mind my own business and have no interest in changing Montana.

Some of that attitude has rubbed off though and I don't like some of what I see. I will admit that I don't care for the jackasses that show up and want to turn Montana into the same crap hole they just left. To that, I do say....go somewhere else. However, that has nothing to do with a hard working retiree moving here and spending a couple winter months in the south. There isn't a thing wrong with someone doing that.

If I can ever retire and have the money you can bet that I'll be glad to travel South to Arizona and hunt my ass off from January to March for mule deer, coues, javelinas, and upland. If it makes someone feel better, I'll call it a two month hunting trip. Just don't tell my wife that it's really a hunting trip. . If I can't afford it, I'm glad to enjoy a good cold Montana winter.

 

[Seeleylakehunter]

Montana is beautiful. Show up do your thing. If you want to head out when the weather turns to shit then do that. I live in a resort town of sorts . I live here year round. I love to snowmobile cold doesn't bother me much . But hot damn if I could afford to head on over to palm springs to go and golf for a week in January you bet your ass I would. You only live once. Do what pleases you. If it's a mistake then you will learn from it and move on like you have with other mistakes . God knows we all make them. If you do move to Montana and you love it then stay. Just don't move to Seeley lake. We are so fricken full