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

Though we are decades away from this decision, my wife and I had a fun time doing the online quiz at www.findyourspot.com/.

It came up with a lot of interesting picks that we hadn't really thought of -- but we had already been to several of them already and liked them!

Strangely, the top pick was some place called Paradise, Alaska, but I can't find it on the map.

John

The wife and I are contemplating this now. No big hurries, but we are taking a very hard look at Idaho. with Wyoming running a close second. I love Michigan's UP but the liberals that control the state down in Troll land are just monkey'ing things up to much. Personnally I wish those of us in the upper peninsula could seperate into are own state. Seems we pay a ton of money in taxes only to have it squandered down below. Also having democrates for govenor, senators and representative's at the federal level means I and many others are not being fairly heard in the State and federal gov't.
I found it very interesting when I saw the map of countie's depicting how they voted. The only blue areas in the UP were the collage cities. Can't we raise the voting age until after someone graduates? Ha! But make exception for the men and women in the military. This would probably go along way to straightening things out.

Rob

SE Idaho.

Unlike anywhere else on the list, residents of Idaho can buy deer AND elk tags over the counter, and draw for several other species. There's lots of public land, and a variety of good bird hunting and fishing. Plus, SE Idaho's climate is a lot milder than many people would believe--especially people from east of the Mississippi, who tend think anywhere in the Rockies is 10 feet deep in snow and 30 below all winter long.

MD

Everything that has been said in the previous posts about Texas is true, great hunting if you can afford the lease fees or own the land, great fishing either on the coast or warm fresh water. You can hunt animals from all over the world without every needing a Passport in Texas....but it would be cheaper to go the wherever those animals came from than hunt them in Texas with the Outfitter fees involved!
I am hip deep in selling out everything I own in North Texas and DFW right this very moment to embark on this very excercise in a pre retirement relocation to the area just north and adjacent to San Antonio, and later on into the Hill Country...or somewhere else out of state.

I've not travelled the nothern Rockies, the Pacific Northwest or New England but spent many years travelling for business in the other 35-40 states and have decided to stay in Texas for the intial retirement phase based on my knowledge and experiences travelling for 35+ years. Lots of great looking places to live in the South like 'Bama, Mississippi, northwestern and southwestern Florida, parts of North and South Carolina and even central & southwest Louisiana. No where else I've been holds enough attraction so far to relocate...but I am intrigued at the idea of Montana, SE Idaho or Wyoming as a second or summer home, money allowing....or even running out my string there in peace and quiet as far from the plastic existence of Dallas as I can get.

My concerns about retiring here in Texas on a fixed income are: the disaster underway in fixing school tax problems statewide, some of the highest property taxs in the US - we may not have a State Income Tax but we have every other tax known to Man!, the 46th overall ranking in the States contribution towards Medicare/Medicaid with some of the worst Elder care rankings in the US with little or no State funding - even losing some of the limited matching Federal funding because of the States mismangement of the M/M programs, the highest homeowners and auto insurance rates in the country with the Insurance Companies lobbyists "owning" the State regulatory agency and only about 7-8% of homeowners Insurance following the State's "Benchmark" rate schedules by using a loophole with the other 90+% of Policies written thru the unregulated loophole....and continually reducing coverages while posting obscene profit levels and ignoring the State Attorney General's rulings to refund overcharges.
Texas is supposed to become 59% Hispanic, 20% Anglo and the balance "all others" in the next 20 years, with all the attendant problems of the undocumented illegal aliens requiring Federal mandated education and healthcare services with no Federal contributions towards those mandated services rendered. Parkland Hospital in Dallas (the Dallas County Hospital facility) has the highest birthrate of any single hospital in the United States with 80% being undocumented illegal aliens with no health inurance or ability to pay, and runs a deficit of 30+% of its planned budget. Texas will increase its total population from the current 22 million to 35-40 million in the next 15-20 years...and THAT is a lot of new folks driving up the cost of everything and pressuring the already overburdened under funded infrastructure...but it is home to my family and has been since the 1870's so we'll stay for a while longer 'cause I would rather live with the devils I know than the ones I don't know....and see if some Fiscal sanity ever regains control of the State again.

So before you think about the greener pastures on the other side of the fence you need to pay attention to the details of living on a fixed income in Retirement.
Ron

I'm a year and a half away from settin' down.I'll retire where I am[Texas]cause if I liked someplace better,I'd be living there now.
Texas is a good place to retire at but not to.I see folks from Dallas buying up 40 to 100 acre "ranches'all around here.The $$ they are paying in interest would lease them a much better place to hunt.
There are small towns drying up all the way from the Red River south just under or just up on the Caprock.Anybody from out of state would do well to consider buying a house in one of those small towns.You will be a local in a very short time and many opportunities to hunt will open up for you.
I ain't in the real estate business so don't call me but I will answer questions to the best of my ability if you post em on here.May take a while.

Richland (the TriCities), Washington.

The Snake, Yakima and Columbia meet behind my house, 3000 SF one street off the Columbia river averages $250K or so. Smaller houses in the $130K range within walking distance from the river.

Idaho, Oregon just across the border, sunny, near the Blue Mountains and plenty of public hunting land. Mild winters (hot summers), low crime, vine country, you name it.

PARADISE by any measure.

Verhoositz's post about Texas underscores the importance of getting the big (whole) picture about living in a certain place. I suspect that a certain amount of the "best places to live" is hype by the local politicians and business interests. Another thing you have to consider is lifestyle priorities. The theme of this thread is hunting and fishing, but few of us, at least those who are married, can consider only our own recreational interests. For example, my wife wouldn't want to live in a big city, nor would I, but she would never want to live out in the country either. So a smaller city with decent access to outdoor recreation is attractive. The too there is nearness to family, although in some cases the farther away the better! Lots to consider, and I am at that point of having to decide where I want to live out my retirement.

Paul

This is a question of considerably more than academic interest to me as well. Some of it will depend on my wife's employment after I retire...but we'll be focused on Alaska, Wyoming, Montana or Idaho. I went to www.findyourspot.com -- great website <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />! Interestingly enough -- its No. 2 pick for me after I filled the questionaire out was -- Ketchikan! Maybe I'll just stay here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

One of the interesting features of the site -- along with the builder's quirky sense of humor -- was that its choices included hunting and the NRA among the factors that might be important to you.

John -- thanks for posting the link.

And Darrel -- shhh...keep them thinking it snows 30 feet every month in the Rockies... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />...

Well, I'm a Canuck, so that kionda puts a spiun on things!
Right now, it looks like Bragg Creek , Alberta.
Not too far from Cow Town, about 40 minutes from the fabulous Rosebud-homestead range , and the front yard has the Elbow River across the road!
I could catch the morning hatch abnd let fly with the "F" class rifles in the afternoon! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
All within sight of the Rockies!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
catnthehat

Wyoming
Deer and Elk tages over the counter.
No State Income Tax!
not to hot in the summer
Not to cold in the winter

draw back is the WIND.

WA has no income tax.

Sales tax is 8.325-ish

Neither does Alaska. Sales tax in Ketchikan is 6%. Property taxes are comparable to other places I've lived, like South Dakota.

And once a year...they pay us to live here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

From your list I would pick Idaho. My first choice would probably be Montana, followed by Idaho and Wyoming.

That website is a great tool! I took the test and about 80% of the responses were places I have either been looking in or have considered, including 2 of the first 4 bracketed by one county over of where we think we are headed....New Braunfels Texas...in the heart of German Country at the east edge of the Texas Hill Country just northeast of San Antonio...2-2 1/2 hours from some of the best shallow salt water fishing in the USA and within 75-100 miles of almost a dozen of the prettiest State Parks in the State and gateway to the best hunting in the State. Amazing!
Ron

In the late 70's there was a popular bumper sticker here in Colorado--"Don't Californiaize Colorado". Within a few years, Montanans had their own bumper sticker--"Don't Coloradoize Montana".

In both instances--that is EXACTLY what happened within a decade.

The winters in the Rockies--especially the Southern Rockies--have been exceptionally mild. There is a entire generation of Rocky Mountain residents whom have NOT seen a truly harsh winter.

Casey

akpls,

Since you are already living in North Pole, why not just wander down Anchorage way for some warmer weather, or down along the coast a ways? You aren't going to find a much better sportsman's paradise than the "Great Land."

There's too many people in Wyoming already!

This reminds me of a good joke I heard the other day:
3 men were walking down a beach. One was from Nebraska, one from Colorado, and one from WY.
They find a bottle, pick it up, and a genie pops out.
The genie says: "I'll grant each of you 1 wish".
The NE guy says "Me first!" I want the Cornhuskers to actually be a football team again. Poof! wish granted.
The CO guy says "Me next!" I want you to build a wall around CO, that reaches to the heavens, so no one can get in or out, and the population does not get any bigger. Poof! wish granted
Well, the WY guy thinks about it a little and says "that wall, around CO, goes on forever, right? No one can get out?"
"That's right" says the genie.
The WY guy says, "OK then, fill it with water."

muledeer --

I guess you have what it takes to be happy -- a lot of people would get that result and say "Damn, I should've been in place number 1!"

And to give credit where it's due, I bookmarked that site after Eremicus mentioned it many months ago.

John

The way things are going most likely an urn. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />