Poll: How Many Moved For Hunting?

Have you moved to a state for better hunting out west (+Alaska)?


  • Total voters
    117
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
927
Location
Wyoming
I love living in Wyoming because the state I grew up in does not have the same quality nor quantity of hunting opportunities as the Cowboy State.

Moved here in 2018 from the Soviet Socialists' Republic of Oregon and every time family encourages me to move home I usually start my sales pitch that the "wind ain't so bad" and "it doesn't get THAT cold in the winter" and they should just move out here. Doesn't sound like I'm making much headway. Haha.

I'm just curious how many others on here have moved and stayed in states with better hunting out west, or if you plan to.
 
Last edited:

summs

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
Messages
133
Location
Nj
Moved from NJ to Maine. Turns out NJ has much more opportunities for hunting and fishing, but Maine had the space to roam. Moved back to NJ after 2 years. Now looking to go west to wy/mt. I average around 60 days afield. In Maine it was down to 10. Grass was not greener. Job has locations everywhere, so moving isn’t the worst.
 

Dirtbag

WKR
Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Messages
440
Location
Colorado
I'm strongly considering a different approach than most in regards to this. Plenty of people move to Colorado for hunting opportunities, but the writing is on the wall that Colorado will be full blown CA in the years to come and its getting ridiculously expensive to live here(like much of MT, WY, ID). I'm looking to find a remote work opportunity in the Midwest where the living is cheap. If i can maintain my current salary and move to an area of lower cost of living, I'll get to do higher quality trips possibly to Canada, Alaska, and Africa.

I submitted 8 applications in Colorado, and was denied on every one. being a resident to a western state is losing its value.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
831
Location
Becker Ridge, Alaska
As a youngster, my first career job was in New Hampshire.
Smart because its easier to get a job when you have a job.
I moved back west as quick as I could without sacrificing my career
(waited 2 years in New Hampshire, then career move to Idaho, then Alaska).

When I move to Alaska in 1993, I bought lifetime Idaho hunting license for $200....
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2020
Messages
316
I currently live in Texas but will be moving back to Arkansas once my time in the military is done. While the hunting is part of the appeal of moving back there, I voted “no” because I still consider myself an Arkansan and my plan was always to return back to my home state once I got out.
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
8,226
Location
Central Oregon
With Oregon pretty much eliminating OTC its definitely high on my priority.
Gonna have to do some research on if Montana or Wyoming will be the best fit.

Girlfriend doesn't want to move again tho.
And the rising home cost from the Commyfomia idk if it will ever really be possible.
 

gelton

WKR
Joined
May 15, 2013
Messages
2,511
Location
Central Texas
I thought long and hard about it several years ago but with an aging family and a wife that wasn't in on the idea 100% I wrote it off. But did make the move from a city of nearly 3M to a city of 2K population and some acreage.

I now shoot whitetail off my back porch and take a turkey every now and then when I get lucky without even cranking up the truck.
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,205
Location
Montana
Moved from eastern Oregon to Alaska when I was young so I could experience Alaska, then moved to Idaho for a bit, then Nebraska for school. Couldn't leave the Midwest fast enough. Been in Montana ever since. Always wanted to settle in Montana from when I was a kid. We'd come up in the summers to spend time with relatives and I always loved it. Don't really see living anywhere else. It's crossed my mind to go back to Alaska but I love hunting mule deer so much that I think I'd miss it.
 

Scrappy

WKR
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
767
Moved to iowa in 07 to hunt big bucks, and just move to Utah to be closer to the elk. So I have already moved twice so far. Thank goodness I have a great wife to put up with me.
 

Poser

WKR
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
5,033
Location
Durango CO
I wouldn’t say exclusively for hunting, but I did move from TN to CO a few years ago for lifestyle reasons, of which hunting is a big part.
 

UWneptune308

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
Messages
153
As a youngster, my first career job was in New Hampshire.
Smart because its easier to get a job when you have a job.
I moved back west as quick as I could without sacrificing my career
(waited 2 years in New Hampshire, then career move to Idaho, then Alaska).

When I move to Alaska in 1993, I bought lifetime Idaho hunting license for $200....

Hoping to move to New Hampshire soon. I’m in the medical field so I can go anywhere. Any reason you left in particular ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
Jaden Bales
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
927
Location
Wyoming
I'm strongly considering a different approach than most in regards to this. Plenty of people move to Colorado for hunting opportunities, but the writing is on the wall that Colorado will be full blown CA in the years to come and its getting ridiculously expensive to live here(like much of MT, WY, ID). I'm looking to find a remote work opportunity in the Midwest where the living is cheap. If i can maintain my current salary and move to an area of lower cost of living, I'll get to do higher quality trips possibly to Canada, Alaska, and Africa.

I submitted 8 applications in Colorado, and was denied on every one. being a resident to a western state is losing its value.
I definitely feel like there's some merit to this. I'm seeing a handful of Wyoming towns (mine included) where cost of living is increasing and areas are slowly being Jackson-ified.
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
495
Location
Colorado
On my very 1st elk hunt I called and quit my job, then hunted the rest of the season. I moved from Missouri to Colorado to be able to hunt elk every year. This was only 10 years ago and I could consistently get a tag. Nowadays not so much.
 

Jacobo2012

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
224
Location
Southern Idaho
Not exclusively for hunting but def plays a role in our decision. We are movin to Idaho from Ca hoping to flee the libtards. Me and my wife are not okay with them trying to push critical race theory and a twisted sex Ed program to our young children. And if I so choose to put a silencer on my ar I think that should be okay as well as having 30 rd mags lol there’s many reasons we’re choosing to flee and better hunting opportunity was one of them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Messages
1,471
Location
AK
Mostly came to AK for the fishing first and hunting second. That has changed.

I could make an argument that hunting and fishing are much better back in North Dakota where I came from (seriously). At least for a working man anyways.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
831
Location
Becker Ridge, Alaska
Hoping to move to New Hampshire soon. I’m in the medical field so I can go anywhere. Any reason you left in particular ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I missed the wide open spaces and long hunting seasons of the West.
New Hampshire is great if like like cities like Boston (1-hour away), need the ocean (15 minutes away),
or like the forests of the White Mountains National Forest (1-hour away),
or like antiques and historical places.

I went from northern Utah where the bird season ranged from early September blue grouse
at high elevation to February huns in wheat stubble.
Plus a 90-day season on ducks (7 duck bag limit).
Plus world class fly-fishing all summer long.
Plus antelope, mule deer, elk hunting.
Plus low humidity and no winter of ice glazing everything with each storm like coastal NH.
Plus no Lymes disease and lots of public land.
Places to shoot and camp with not bothering other folks.
And Idaho/Wyoming was a short drive for even more opportunities.


New Hampshire simply did not have the wide open spaces, lots of public land, or the diversity
of bird hunting that the west had.
I also like Utah that if it was hot, it was a short drive up Logan, Canyon to high elevation and excellent trout fishing.
If it was cold, a road trip to southern Utah brought warmth and sunshine.
 
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