Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Where Would You Retire?

Based on the availability of hunting and fishing opportunities, and if you had to pick a place from the list below, where would you retire to? There are other factors I need to consider such as cost of living, etc, but the availability of my favorite pursuits is at the top of the list. My preliminary list is:

Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Oregon
Southwest Texas
Eastern Nevada

Don't know anything about Texas as I generally don't travel outside the United States. Of the remaining three, Oregon politics scare me some and I believe SE Idaho has the edge over eastern Nevada for larger game like elk and the possibility of being drawn for a moose tag. Gorgeous country in SE Idaho. That's where I wish I was now. Ward

Agree with Oregon politics-getting way too liberal there. Too many Kalifornicators moved north. SE Idaho where my son lives has an abundance of game, varmints, fishing etc all within a relatively short distance from him. But a lot of it is private property. Eastern NV is pretty sparse country. Gotta be better in Idaho. No opinion on TX, have only passed through.

To hunt and fish year round, here in the PRK isn't too bad. Downside is liberal politics and living costs. Even the rural areas are more expensive due to the ridiculous housing costs in the urban areas. People literally will commute 75-80 miles one way. Sometimes more..............

My family has ranched the Edwards Plateau in Texas for generations. I hunted there several times in the 70's and again a few years ago -- things have changed. It's still beautiful and the hunting is good but there is very little public land. Good leases are expensive because you're competing with high-roller doctors and lawyers from Dallas and Houston and with corporations that lease prime hunting areas to entertain clients and executives. You're also a long way from a major airport if you decide to hunt somewhere else, and it's relatively dry country, so fishing is limited.

On the other hand, land is not terribly expensive. You can buy a spread big enough to carry the game you want to hunt, but then you'll have to hustle to keep people off of it. Also, your neighbors will have feeders and feed plots to bring in game, especially if they lease their land for hunting. That means that you'll need to provide at least as much feed for the game as they do or you won't have game on your place no matter how big it is. Cedar is a big problem because it grows so fast and eats up so much game habitat. The state will help you pay to tear it out, but you'll have dozers on your place pretty often. In short, keeping a huntable place in Texas is almost a full-time job.

Given all of that, I'd rather retire in the Deep South. There is enough public land to hunt hogs every day of the year, lots of small game, many deer each year, and black bear. The weather is muggy and there are a lot of bugs, but for hunting and fishing it's hard to beat. In most places, the season on liberals is year long, with no bag limit.


Okie John

I sure do love Texas. Been here all my life. But I would like to live some place with 4 seasons and terrain higher than a hill. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Idaho it is.

BP...

akpls,

My wife and I have been working on this very project for some years. For me, the East Coast is the West Bank of the Mississippi River, so that cut the search a bit.

We did a series of road trips to various locations so we could stay in areas we were considering. This is a lot better than searching the Internet or reading books by the way. That way to get to experience, for example, the fact that the state tree of Nevada is the sage bush! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If this is your short list, we would tell you to hit the road and stay a few days in each place. OR, NV and ID you could do in one trip pretty easily, with TX for a second.

I also like to look at the tax burden for you living there. From memory these four would be Texas, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho from low to high.

jim

I welcome you to Oregon for a visit. . . . .

As long as you promise to leave! (Its an Old Oregon Joke . . . . . grin).

BMT

"Too many Kalifornicators..."

Yeah, we're getting the same problem here in Colorado. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Of the places on your list, I'd have to pick Idaho, closely followed by Texas. I don't have any experience with hunting or fishing in those two places, so take my input for what it's worth.
DAL

www.kiplinger.com
Has a nice article on their "12 best places".

For me it's Wyoming. I dont think you can beat them for taxes (zero state tax), cost of living and outdoor opportunity. Very sparsely settled, also (lowest in the lower 48 and 2nd only to Ak). Combine that with a fishing camp along the South Texas Gulf Coast (for Wy winters) and what more do you need?
Old Toot

OldToot,

Here is my short take on Wyoming:

The lowest altitude is over 4,600 feet, and the wind never stops. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

jim

I could tell ya', but then...

When I get there (time and place), I'll know. Until then, it's time to explore.

Compared to San Diego, you've sure got a point.

Considering I already live in southwest Idaho, I think I'd pick... uh... Idaho. My wife and I looked at many places in many states to move when we lived in Kalifornia, and the southwest area of Idaho worked just fine for us.

Good elk, deer, Black bear, varmits, and upland bird and migratory bird hunting, and good fishing, plus plenty of outdoor sports nearby.

One can put in for drawings for permits for Shiras moose, Rocky Mtn. Goat, Antelope, Kalif. Desert Bighorn sheep and Rocky Mtn. Bighorn sheep. (My application for moose is in the mail to F&G now.)

Idaho is a much more conservative state than Kalif., Washington, Oregon, and Colorado, and that's the way I like it.

Idaho is a "shall issue CCW" state, plus, "open carry," so if you believe in your Right to protect yourself, you won't find any left wing bliss ninnies trying to prohibit your Right, here. Idaho is also a Class III state, so if you want to own automatic firearms, pay the Federal transfer tax and have at it. In fact, there is an indoor firing range about a mile from me that rents submachine guns.

Yep, I made the move to Idaho and never looked back. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

L.W.

AKPLS,

This is a quandary that I am currently addressing my ownself. I am looking at the Ozark mountains in Ark. I need to have four seasons but a milder climate than Michigan. I would like to able to shoot for most of the year. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'd like to hear from anyone in Arkansas that might have some viable input. ...the9.3guy

_________________
9 3 guy,
Ark. is a beautiful state, super folks and has all of what you described. Being from Mich., you are no stranger to taxes but do triple check on those as to what you are considering in that possible move. Ark. is very high on the tax list, especially for a southern state.

I have 2 close friends that moved to Ark. to retire (early ret.), one on Bull Shoals and the other on the outskirts of Hot Springs. Bull Shoals now lives in Hempstead, Tx. (stayed 18 months) and Hot Springs just bought a home on Lake Guntersville, Al. (stayed 30 months). Reason - taxes.

There 'ain't no Big Rock Candy Mountain' out there for sure so you gotta be careful. If you've not cruised it, go to msn money.com, kiplinger.com, etc. and click on the real estate section headers and just scroll through that. One of these had a recent talley of all of the states with a comparative analysis and their rankings. A fellow could narrow his choices to a few, see how they stacked up and go from there.

There is a place in Alabama named Smith Lake that is just now being discovered and it is nice. May can google that one. Another friend has property there and I've seen it.

Let us know what you come up with.
Old Toot

I'm very happy with my relocation choice, but I'd pick SE Idaho if limited to that list.

i know it ain't on your list, but how about alabama? more fresh flowing water than any state but alaska. some kind of hunting year around. hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands. leases still reasonable. you got your gulf at one end. you got your hills at the other and spanish moss in between. and here's something else non-alabamians might have a hard time wrapping their heads around - superb medical care. oh yeah, and we're red, as in neck and state.

As mentioned by a couple of others - Wyoming! Oh wait, I already did.
But to get a couple of facts straight. First its not windy everywhere, Where we're at we actually pray for a breeze in summer, usually only windy when a front is passing through. I also live a 4100 feet and the lowest is around 3600 ( I think).
Yes we have no state income tax and county taxes are generally very low ( 4 to 6 cents on the dollar)BUT you get "RAPED" on vehicle license plates. Example my 97 Dodge truck about $280.00, my camper is $441.00, a small utility flat bed trailer is approx. $22.00. And these are paid every year!!!! This should give you an idea of where they get their tax revenue from.
But keep telling everyone its cold,windy, remote, desolate,ect. , this should help keep the population down!! -memtb

For me it would have to be a place with access to public land with mountains on it. Someplace that would be wide open for hunting,shooting and fishing. IMHO, TX has the friendliest folks you could ever hope to meet (outside the larger cities-Dallas, Houston, etc.)

Downside-TX: There isn't much public land and none close to where I live that has the "requirements" listed above. So I always have to wonder when the door is going to get slammed on me in regards to our deer "lease", have had to move around simply because the owner raised the price, sold the land, BIL wants to hunt there now, etc. If you buy land, problem is largely solved.

Upside-TX: You'd be welcomed with open arms, fabulous fishing-largemouth, stripers, catfish-within easy driving distance from where I live. Deer hunting is very good in the "area" you specified. Smaller game is likely very good as well. At one time, I made it a practice to call the game warden in the county I wanted to hunt. They would give me the skinny on the ranch or property. Matter of fact, the best place I ever hunted for quality and quantity was just West of the Edwards Plateau. Warden told me there were deer behind every tree. He was only partially correct. There were two behind each bush! Had to leave because I was priced out of the market.

Personally, even though I can't find a mountain around me higher than the height of my house, I'd look at TX. If your are a serious hunter/fisherman I would HIGHLY recommend calling the local game warden in the county you plan to settle in, whether it's ID, TX, AR, AL, etc. If you want a brochure from the State of TX hunting and fishing regs, send me a PM and I'll mail one out for you or you can visit their website.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/

Hope you find what you are looking for.