Sorry to post this here but wanted to get as much international feedback as possible.
Since the gun law lunacy continues in California, I am considering pulling up stakes and moving. I don't see continued residency anywhere in the United States as an option but might consider relocating in the US if nothing else met the following. Given the following criteria where would you move?
1. Minimal gun/reloading laws
2. Stable government
3. Mild climate- no snow
3. At least some local hunting (birds and/or big game) on my own land
4. Some cultural activities, theater, concerts, etc. within 100 miles?
The above are what we have now with the exception of #1. The sale of our California real estate should allow us to buy almost anywhere in the world. Considering Argentina or New Zealand at this point but don't know anything about the resident gun laws in either. Any African countries meet the above criteria?

I know of many states that fill all your requirements. One being your next door state Arizona. You can have the weather any way you like. Particularly if you like it hot.Mississippi,Alabama,Tennessee,Pennsylvania and numerous others come to mind.

Alaska

Blacktailer,

Wyoming fits all your criteria and it is realatively inexpensive to live here. Your real estate dollars go much further with no state income tax. On my side of the mountains it is high desert. There is some snow but it is hardly even a nuisance and most winters I actually do not even lift a snow shovel. We've taken a walk on Christmas day in shirt sleeves.

Cody where we live is kind of an artisty little place (9,000 pop.) without loosing its cowboy flare. Surprising amount of cultural things here and Billings, MT (101,000 pop.) is only a 100 miles away on good raods and offers shopping, concerts and all other amenities of a small city.

Might be worth a visit to check it out.

Mark

Some things you might want to consider: You will be an alien; most countries will not allow you to own property without a resident partner; you will not be able to work without a work permit, which in most countries is difficult to obtain for work other than menial labor; you will live without the protection of our Bill of Rights and foreign laws can be surrealistic at best; and forget about gun ownership without a lot of red tape. In short most of the freedoms we enjoy and expect as our right do not exist most places overseas. Now, I can imagine the howl of righteous,choleric responses this may engender; however, buddy it's the living truth. Why do you think that our immigration offices are so busy

I'd love to move to Africa, but the reality is I don't think you could pay me to live in most if not all of the countries. The disconect between fantasy and reality!!! Australia would be a fine place to live if it weren't for the crappy gun laws!!! New Zealand may be alright, but I don't know about gun laws, property laws, labor laws, ect, ect. My thought would be find a better state. I did. I moved to Alaska. Alaska is as free as it gets, but it doesn't meet all your criteria. I would check out the western states as well.

Brett

Man, yes we have some problems in this country, but you ain't seen nothing until you go over seas. I would agree with what is posted above and yes Mark WY would be a great place to live if ever planned on retiring Wy would probably be my first choice (not my wife's) but since I plan to work as long as I am able not an option. If my wife would do it, with my profession I could move to Wy and open a practice.

Las Vegas. No individual state income tax; no snow and cold winters; ample cultural events, shows and entertainment here and within 5 hours to Phoenix, L.A., San Diego, Salt Lake; 5-6 national parks within a days driving distance; great quail and chukar hunting close by; fantastic deer hunting a days drive; relaxed gun laws and the near completion of a state of the art regional/national shooting sports complex; the shot show; a 45 minute plane ride to the SCI convention in Reno; And, you can still visit the godforsaken relatives and friends in Cali in a weekend, if you wish.

Texas

quote:

I don't see continued residency anywhere in the United States as an option but might consider relocating in the US if nothing else met the following. Given the following criteria where would you move?
1. Minimal gun/reloading laws
2. Stable government
3. Mild climate- no snow
3. At least some local hunting (birds and/or big game) on my own land
4. Some cultural activities, theater, concerts, etc. within 100 miles?

As someone who plans to leave the US in the not to distant future, I can tell you that you won't find anywhere outside the US that will meet your criteria.

Everybody but Mark has it right. Do not listen to Mark.

I have a number of patients that have moved here from Africa leaving parents and family behind because they just could not stand the crime rate. I would love to live there but could not take the crime, from criminals or the government, or the separation from my kids and grandkids. I don't think a once a year visit could do it for me. But that is just me and should no way affect your decision. The Wyoming suggestion sounds good to me but I don't know if I could even go that far. I guess I'm just stuck in Wisconsin forever, unlike my daughter that had the good sense to move to Phoenix.

I would tell you to move to Texas, your dollar will go way far, especially with the depression in real-estate. There's tons of cool ranches for sale, and gun laws...what are those? You can by any gun rifle/pistol with just a simple telephone call, buy ammo through the mail, ect... the weather is nice, can be hot, never see a flake of snow. And I don't know many people who have any size of property without deer on it.

Someone brought up New Zealand and I don't know much about moving there I did have a friend that looked into moving there. After a sucessful Thar and Stag hunt he liked the country so much he did a little checking into things, and found that there was actually a waiting list of people trying to move there and it is very difficult unless you have a service that is in high demand in the country ie doctor. This was about two years ago so I really don't know if the situation is the same now or not. I live in Mississippi and it has most of the things you are looking for, but my suggestion would be Texas relaxed gun laws that are found in most southern states but with bird and big game hunting as well as plenty of big citys and large towns if you like or need them.

Well if I ever had to flee to the USA,I think Texas would be the place to go. Not sure if they would have me but it seems that the regional government still trusts the public to own firearms, shoot straight & speak the truth.(with apologies to Jeff Cooper). If you came here to Africa you would be welcome but it would not fit your criteria re: gun ownership/stable government. However money makes most things easier so if you got lots of loot the world is your oyster!!!

Welcome to the great state of TEXAS !

Sounds like the US of A is still the only way to go. I'll have to see if I can convince Mrs Blacktailer to take a drive to DSC and check out Texas.

Blacktailer,

Texas is warm and living there can be economical but they do have outrageous weather. That kept us from considering Texas once we moved from Alaska. Coutryside is boring and road filthy. Now that should start a s--- storm.

Mark

We considered moving out of California to Wyoming several years ago, but the only thing that held us back was the lack of good medical/doctors nearby. To visit a specialist, would require a long trip. However, areas of Texas, Arizona, and Nevada have good medical facilties available. I vote for Texas!!!! If we would ever sell the farm in California!

Regards, D. Nelson

I like the Florida gun laws and self defense laws here, but if I were gong to move anywhere it would be Texas. Alaska is an option, also, but I'm a guy who has spent most of my life in the tropics or sub-tropics and I can't take the Alaska winters, and I've spent plenty of time there. It's a wonderful place. I'd vote for Texas, however.

Sounds like you just described the Texas Hill Country to me.

Texas!

I'm already here and my family has been here since the 1800's. But ya'll come on we need folks like you, we'll make room.

Texas, I'd love to be able to move back there if I could.

Pretty much fits all of your requirements. If you decided on the state, you'd still have to pick a region. DFW is very different than panhandle, Hill country is it's own area, brush country of South Texas, East Texas is more like the deep south........

Like the ads say "It's like a whole other country"

The current state of California is deplorable. The latest round of "ammunition control" will make the lives of hunters, shooters, and reloaders more complicated.

With all being said, I will stay here and fight the problem. I have written, emailed, and called lawmakers opposing all of there anti 2nd amendment laws. I often wondered how many of my fellow enthusiasts have done the same? A dozen or so here may jump up and say they have, but what about the rest of the "enthusiasts"? Or maybe they don't exist??????

It has often been written we get what we deserve, unfortunately, it may be true.

Well, keep Texas green:bring money! Or: A yankee comes to Texas, spends his money and leaves; a Damn Yankee, on the other hand, comes to Texas, spends his money and stays! I,too, was born and reared in Texas

The more I have visited Idaho on hunting trips, the better I have liked it. It meets all qualifications. I like the Wyoming idea also. Texas is nice, but I think a bit more pricy and the negative being very little public land to hunt.
Bryan, how is St. Thomas? I went there last year on a cruise and liked it very much. How would you rate it as a place to live?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RREESE:
[quote]Coutryside is boring and road filthy. /quote]

With all due respect Mark, that is bullshit and uncalled for. Texas has everything Blacktailer listed plus five distinct terrains from mountains to plains to seashore to hill country to lush, thick forest.

We also enjoy the strongest economy in the US and a budget surplus.

Houston, Dallas and San Antonio have major cultural and arts centers and Austin offers its own, very distinct culture.

Texans are also very welcoming.

But don't take my word for it. Read the article in Trends Magazine quoting Forbes, The Economist and others. http://www.trends-magazine.com...end/2047/Category/55

Texas Guys,

I was kind of baiting you. I really like Texas, must admit the people are very friendly, you can live quite cheaply there and I've always had a great time there. I do stand behind what I said about the coutryside being boring. Compared to the Rockies where I live, Alaska where I lived before and Maine where I grew up Texas at least what I've seen is flat....... I'll qualify what I said about the filthy roads and say the Texas roads are the filthiest I've personally seen. When you arive for DSC this year take note of the garbage on the side of the road. That leaves a poor impression for folks new to the state.

Mark

Blind men and an elephant
a group of blind men (or men in the dark) touch an elephant to learn what it is like. Each one touches a different part, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then compare notes on what they felt, and learn they are in complete disagreement. The story is used to indicate that reality may be viewed differently depending upon one's perspective, suggesting that what seems an absolute truth may be relative due to the deceptive nature of half-truths.

Mark, you have obviously seen but a small part of a large state. If you can, visit the Texas Hill Country, the Big Thicket, the Davis Mountains ..

And FWIW, we are very pro gun ownership and hunting.

I have to admit the only part of Texas I have seen is the DFW area and it is pretty flat. I've heard Austin is nicer country? Here on the central coast of Kalifornia we have rolling oak-covered hills, elevation from 800 to 2000ft. Summers it gets to triple digits 2 or 3 times for a week or so but it always cools down to the 60s at nite. Rest of the time it's 60s-80s with clear blue skies. Going to be hard to match the climate. The Pacific is 25 miles over the hill so we can always pop over and have a fresh seafood dinner while watching the waves. If it only wasn't for our misguided liberal government! And I have written, called emailed all of my various representatives and the local state guys are progun. Unfortunately, the state government is controlled by the liberals from San Francisco and LA and in Washington, we are represented by Finestein and Boxer! #$%%^&&*

Atlanta, Birmingham, or Nashville

You should check out the Ozark mountain area. Shows in Branson, Oak covered low mountains, conservative friendly people and cheap land.

buckeyeshooter: well, if you enjoy the highest murder rate per capita under the U.S. flag; local government that is only prevented by our U.S.Constitution from being a typical third world country; rated the second most corrupt government, second only to D.C., under the U.S. flag; the highest cost of living and one of the lowest wage rate; inability to legally possess firearms except for a few specific excemptions then it is great. weather is generally hot and muggy and our winters seldom get colder than the mid to upper 70's. My wife loves it here, hence, this is where I hang my hat.

Do not rule out the Mississippi delta where I live. Living is fairly inexpensive. The most expensive house around the country club is less than $500,000.00. Hunting and fishing are abundant. In less than 20 minutes I can be deer, turkey, duck and dove hunting. Fishing for crappie, bass, bream and catfish in the ox bow lakes and on the Mississippi River is excellent.

Winters are usually mild, with a good snow fall every few years. Summers are hot and very humid. The town where I live is the home of the blues. Some of the most friendly people you have ever met live here. Evidence by the number of people that have come here as visitors to enjoy the blues and that have ended up moving to Clarksdale.

If you want plays, concerts etc. Memphis is just up the road about 75 miles and the Bologna Performing Arts Center is 35 miles a way.

Come check us out.

Hartley Kittle

How about Beilze in central america? It is (or was) the safest country in the vicinity and offers much of what you seek and is gorgeous. Gun Laws????

Come to New Zealand!
Sure, emmigrating is not easy, and gaining residency in any new country requires a certain amount of hoop jumping, but I came here from the UK about two and a half years ago - as a skilled migrant - and have no desire to live anywhere else. At all.
Gun laws - pretty good. Got my A licence - long arms - in about 3 months. Trust me, you'd be so busy in that time you wouldn't notice the time. Pistols and assault rifles can be owned, but you need a bit more security etc.
For the doubters that the USA is the only country with human rights , we have a Bill of Rights Act.
The country is pretty safe.
Property is cheap.
The people are friendly. (They really are).
And you can get a little bit of culture from time to time too...

It doesn't get much better than right here where I live in Lafayette, Louisiana. Lots of hunting and fishing. Not too expensive to live. Lots of music and food festivals. Best food in the USA. Very low property taxes. Second highest per capita income in the state. Very Republican, educated, and white collar. A large university. A great medical community with 5 hospitals.Low State income taxes and getting lower. Very fun loving and culturally unique people (the cajuns). SEC football. Actually, I wouldn't live anywhere else in Louisiana. If I had to leave I would go to the Texas hill country. Negatives:Too hot in the summer. No winter to speak of.

Hi Mark
I admit you have a point on the trash issue. HOWEVER the VAST majority of that crap is due to the racial diversity we have allowed to overrun our boarders. These people Treat our state in the exact manner they treated their homeland" like a #%* damn toilet." Our friends in the inner city do their part as well, I didn't want to make them feel "dissenfranchised"
The country areas are fine though.

WOOPS- thats "borders" ,but with that said, we Texans really are their "boarders" now that I think of it!

quote:

Do not rule out the Mississippi delta where I live.

I live there too and although Texas may be the consensus choice here, you should seriously consider the Mid-South/Mississippi Delta.

The gun laws are as easy as it gets in TN, MS and AR. Cost of living is about as cheap as it gets in the U.S. and your dollars will go a lot farther. No state income tax in TN. All three are "Red states" and about as conservative as you'll likely find anywhere in the world (I was so proud of TN going against Gore though on paper he was from here..and all three voted against the Demagogue Socialist Party candidates in the last several presidential elections). The only exception to this is the Memphis inner city which is solidly ethnic bloc voting, as you can imagine.

As for hunting and fishing you could not overall find a better place. There are two reasons for that. One is what the immediate area has to offer and the second is that this region is centrally located to easily reach other places with prime hunting/fishing potential.

For purposes of that, assume all distances are from Memphis. It's one day to pheasant hunting in Kansas or Nebraska and about a day and a half to pheasants in S. Dakota and Iowa. It's also about one day to really fine Gulf Coast seafood and splendid off-shore bill fishing at Destin FL or to my all time favorite fishing hole, Grand Isle LA. It's also only an hour and a half to the cold water lakes and rivers of the AR Ozarks that are loaded with rainbow and brown trout, walleye and big hybrid stripe bass. And it's an hour to Pickwick Dam, a sauger hotspot.

And it's in the middle of IMHO the BEST waterfowling in the country, the Mississippi Flyway. I don't see how any place in the U.S. could have more duck clubs and active waterfowl hunters or sell more duck stamps than AR, MS and TN. There are countless guided hunts offered here and unlimited private club hunting opportunities in the hundreds of flooded reservoirs, lakes, rivers, rice and bean fields, bayous, swamps and woods of eastern AR and the whole Mississippi Delta. In fact you are only an hour and a half from what is called the Duck Capital Of The World, Stuttgart AR. In TN alone, amongst other places we have Reelfoot Lake (formed by an earthquake in the early 1800s) which has been famous for waterfowling for over a hundred years.

As for deer the whole region is infested with whitetails. In MS alone you can kill one a day every day during the season. You can use any weapon you like and with handguns it's any centerfire as long as the barrel is at least 4 inches. Your biggest problem with deer will be not accidentally running over several of them on the way to hunt. Turkey are also extremely plentiful.

You are also only a couple hours from hog hunts in Middle TN, bear in E. TN and we are now going to have our first elk hunt in TN since they were brought back. AR also has limited bear hunting. So, there's plenty to do. I would recommend a small outlying community and if your budget will allow I'd look into getting a piece of land to go with it. Land is cheaper here too.

As far as Kali is concerned it's no surprise many are leaving. I've seen it for myself and loved the weather there, but the day we visited one of the beaches south of LA, I turned and looked back and saw the lump of humanity and solid biomass of condos stacked up and bearing down on the beachfront, and that whole picture brought to mind, honestly, the thought of what Bangladesh or somewhere must look like. I have no need for that.

And their politics if you ask me is now why I see only one solution, if the rest of us are going to escape having to live under that style rule. Call a constitutional convention and re-define what is and what is not the U.S. and cut loose some of the profoundly awful areas where the inhabitants have over-grazed the range. The concept is called Regional Autonomy and would completely up-end the one-sided demographic advantage the enemies of freedom now enjoy.

If you move here I'd be happy to offer some specific suggestions on finding deer or duck possibilites. Good luck.