My wife and I are coming into a modst settlement and are thinking of early retirement. We live in central NY now. I have lived in Nevada and Oregon, so I'm no stranger to western living and yes, I do love it. So does my wife. However, property prices are astronomical compared to acreage back east in a lot of rural areas. I would love to live in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming but I don't think we could afford the property. For example, right now I can get an older farm that needs some work with a good chunk of acreage for around 200k. Out west that might get you a ranch house. Some places it wouldn't even get you a shack, but I wouldn't move to those places anyway.

I've done the searches on this forum and eastern states don't really come up cuz we're always talking about "best", but I also need affordable. I'm also not one that likes to drive a lot anymore. Right now I can do all my deer hunting on my own five little acres and I gotta tell you I really like that.

So we are looking for a rural spot with friendly people around, a decent small town where shopping can be done within a 45 minute drive and good "backyard" hunting. A warmer climate would be nice. We are tired of the long winters and the rediculous gun control laws.

So far W.Virginia looks promising. Mild winters, generous deer tags. Oh, before I forget. I don't want any "drawing" or "lottery" nonsense. OTC tags and the more the better. Big game, small game, good fishing, clean air and especially CLEAN WATER (big problem here in the east, no?).

Thanks for any suggestions.

Whatch ya'll think?

Yeah, that sounds good, you wouldn't like Wyoming!!Too expensive and crowded!!

JWK,

Remember Wyoming and Montana may have high priced real estate; but no state income tax in Wyoming and no sales taxes in Montana. I believe Nevada has no state income tax. Compared to NY which has astronomical taxes on both ends income and sales. And also figure on hunting the amazing amount of Federal & State owned lands. You do not have to have a thousand acre spread, just hunt at the tax payers expense! Or even better yet, move to Alaska where the state pays you for being a resident (Oil Profits Sharing). Hugh

Idaho then AK then Montana then Wyoming or Colorado. Why not some of each for a couple of years. It is easy to become a resident just move there. Then when you get tire of the state move some place else.

I talked to a AK resident today winters in FL Vactions in MN. Hunts and fish in AK.

Lots of options if one has some time and money.

Alaska but NOT the Los Anchorage area. After a year, you're considered a resident for hunting & fishing licenses. Great halibut & salmon fishing. After you're a resident you can go after sheep, goats, grizzlies & brown bears without a guide. Right now, I believe a resident big game/fishing license is in the neighbor hood of $48.00. After that, for the most part, all you need are harvest tickets (free). I believe a grizzly brown bear tag is still $25.00 but so what? BTW, no income taxes either. Some areas have a sales tax (not Fbks., tho - ha-ha). Think about it & good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

South Carolina

Deer season runs from August until January, good turkeys, good doves, close to the ocean or mountains, nice people, great weather (except humidity during summer) and prices shouldn't be too bad.

What about New Mexico? Plenty of game and the weather is great for the better part of the year.

My vote would be for Texas, around or in the hill country. Friendly people that don't take any crap, concealed carry, warm weather and hog hunting 24/7/365.

BOWHUNR

I have to vote for my own area, Western Kentucky. Near three big rivers and two huge lakes, lots of B&C Deer, many Turkeys, some of the best waterfowl hunting in the world. Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri within thirty minutes or one hour, and combined with Kentucky some of the best hunting anywhere. Low taxes, concealed carry, four mild seasons, Land Between the Lakes nearby. If that sounds like a Realtor, it is.

Stay in NY, invest the money and help vote Hillary out of office! NY has way more hunting opportunity then people realize, and it's getting better all the time. Travel for the exotic's and enjoy civilized world. Now if you believe that crap...

JWK: Montana is the correct answer to all your questions!
I studied the issue for 25 years!
We have tons of Hunting here including Spring Bear seasons along with lengthy fall Bear seasons!
The longest Deer and Elk seasons in the west!
Untouched fanatastic Duck and Goose Hunting!
Excellent Hunting for Elk, Whitetailed Deer and Antelope! The Mule Deer Hunting is still pretty good and holding!
Soon we will be Hunting Grizzly Bears again as well as our Wolves sometime in the future.
If you are lucky enough to draw a tag we have superb Mt. Goat Hunting, Moose Hunting and record class Bighorn Sheep are taken each year here!
The Woodland Grouse Hunting is simply superb here and we have pretty good Pheasant, Sharptail and Sage Grouse Hunting!
The Wild Turkey seasons are lengthy and generous - two Turkeys may now be harvested by each Hunter.
To top this all off one can always go Varmint Hunting with numerous species being avaliable year round!
Excellent Cougar Hunting is available to all with, over the counter tags!
Bobcat and Wolverine may also be Hunted by residents simply by purchasing a Trappers License.
The winters in my section of Montana are not only mild but BEAUTIFUL!
We have been here nine years and just love it!
Do not overlook the amazing fishing opportunities either! I am not much of a sophisticated fisherman but have taken Brown Trout to 6 1/2 pounds and Rainbows to 7 pounds 10 ounces!
Ice fishing! Fly fishing! Trolling! Bait fishing! Its all world class here in Big Sky country!
You can still find good deals on view land here in the more remote parts of Montana and if you need a sunbreak in the winter just jump on I-15 and head straight south to Utah, New Mexico and Arizona and camp for free for as long as you want! The waterfront properties are pretty much gone and when sold are pricey. But you can afford it!
Best of luck with where ever you choose!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Idaho.

I'm going through the same thought process. New Mexico and Texas head the list, because, except for the years I've lived overseas, I've lived there. Arizona and Colorado appeal to me.

Talk about backyard hunting; when I was a kid in Santa Fe my dad used to sit on my bed and shoot prairie dogs with a .22 out my bedroom window. The city has of course grown completely around that area in the last 53 years. Home prices have gone up 1,000% there.

The problem is trying to compromise. I want hunting, fishing, golf, solitude, peace & quiet. My wife wants proximity to family, city lifestyle, shopping conveniences, friends.

If it was just me I would probably move to Canada.

You will be in hunting heaven in Alabama, South Ga for good hunting and cheap land around the Valdosta area toward Alabama. South Carolina is deer hunting heaven and cheap land also compared to where you live now.
Good Luck

Stay in NY and look a little north But don't tell anyone

I would stay where your at ! Buy your acreage with a farmhouse, do your deer, grouse and squirrel hunting out of your back door. The money you saved could be used to fund an RV for your winter travels to sunny lands and you'll be able to afford hunts in different states each fall. My Dad does something very similar to the above, from Minnesota. He's a big bird hunter and is able to chase them across the West and SW much of the winter and usually throws in a big game hunt or two as well as enjoy the hunting (family, friends too) MN offers.


Southern Colorado or northern New Mexico are appealing and meet most of the criteria you have. The others are too restrictive (hunting), expensive or cold. Parts of Utah have also caught my eye, but am still reaserching that state.

Keep us posted!


-Ron

I would take the $$ saved up to move, and stay where i am at and use the money to hunt the world!!

MG

Tax freindly places...

The following assumes $60k in retirement income from a combo of Soc Sec, 401k, and pension.

Also a 2000 sq ft home of median price in the area...and $20k a year of taxable expenditures om goods and services.

So if you are looking west...WY, NV, ID...looking east I would say KY, SC, & NY.

the columns are income tax, property tax, home price, and sales tax

Take a look at Northern NY, around Plattsburgh and vicinity. There is no much work around, but houses are cheap. Taxes are high, though.

Now, property taxes are high wherever you look at. That $200,000 farm looks good for a month or two, until you start paying insurance and taxes for it. Paying the loan for the home or farm is cheap enough, but you will be paying for everything every month, including every school bond around.

Depends on what you want to hunt.

For instance, here in North Louisiana you can buy land for around 1000 and acre in rural areas and You can build a new home in the 2000 SF range from 100-150 grand depending on your taste. Whitetail can be hunted for the first 3 weeks of Oct w/ a bow then a week of ML, rifle season last until mid January. Limit of 6 whitetail per season plus you can travel to Mississipi, Arkansas, and Texas to tag a few more if you'd like . Also have plenty of Turkey, ducks, pigs, small game, and great fishing.

If you are mainly after good game populations, reasonable land prices, and warm weather, the southern states are quite nice. If the humidity weren't so high, it would be better.

You may also want to check into Missouri, They have nice weather and good game populations. I have some family up around Branson on Tablerock Lake, pretty nice area.

Good Luck

Reloader

Does anyone consider natural disasters in the areas they are looking to migrate to? It may be cold in Wyoming, Montana & Idaho, but there are few earthquakes & no Hurricanes or tornados to worry about.

Idaho would not fit what your after, I hunted 104 days last year and didn't see any big game or nothing! The stuff you see on TV about Idaho hunting is a marketing scam designed to part Californians from their hard earned cash......

Montana or Wyoming?......definetly!!!

IV

Are you looking to buy the land where you want to hunt? For around $200M you could good get around 100 acres in parts of SW GA that would have good hunting now but much better as you worked to improve it. That's not that much land, but you could easily increase the area you hunt by associating with neighbors or a hunting club. The cost of living is remarkably low compared to what you're enduring now, which is why many retirees are "cashing out" of their higher priced homes in the NE around you or in FL and relocating to this affordable area. Somewhere between Albany and Columbus would give you a combination of great hunting, the healthcare access you want, and the shopping that is important to your wife.

My fiancee and I just bought land in Canada and will build a cabin this summer. The lure of mere double digit pricing on Stone Sheep, Dall Sheep, Grizzly, Wolf, and Moose was pretty strong! I figured that, at the rate sheep prices are going up, the market price of all the hunts I want to go on exceeds the estimated cost of building a place up there and establishing residency. I remember looking at our lot and the fiancee said "You're gonna want to hunt this stuff up here anyway right...well, LETS BUY IT!"



Best,

John

You wouldn't like West Virginia. Those jokes you see on TV aren't jokes. West Virginia ranks dead last or next to last in all of the quality of life items. That is the good items. On the bad stuff, they're top of the list. The people are inbred and damned strange. They do not like furiners, which is anyone that can talk and not drool. Any social services you need and can pay for are dramatically overpriced because of all the droolers that are free riding. The politicians are corrupt and backward. The schools are the pits. Haute cuisine is considered to be Shoney's. Pizza Hut, when there is one, doesn't deliver. No all night drug stores nor groceries. Call a plumber on the week-end and you'll probably get cussed at.
You might find some hunting if the locals haven't poached everything and you don't get shot for blundering onto someone's meth lab or "patch".

JWK-I live in Montana and also (look our 4 the left hook...grins) happen to be work in Real Estate.

And,my good friend Brad from here is a Mortgage Broker so pm me or email me and we can talk.

mdobrenski@msn.com

Mark Dobrenski

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Dobrenski:
JWK-I live in Montana and also (look our 4 the left hook...grins) happen to be work in Real Estate.

And,my good friend Brad from here is a Mortgage Broker so pm me or email me and we can talk.

mdobrenski@msn.com

Mark Dobrenski

Montana Sucks, Idaho Sucks, Wyoming Sucks. Actually most the the West really sucks. I would stay far away from west. Fishing Sucks, Hunting Sucks, Winters are Cold, Summers are Cold, and people are mean.

If I had it to do over again I would choose Montana over Alaska.Alaska has a very high cost of living and fuel prices are not going down any time.The state of Alaska is not as hunter friendly as you think.Anchorage and Juneau are mostly antihunting.Montana is way more hunter friendly.You can drive to most hunting spots where as Ak you have to take expensive boats or planes that cost $300 an hour.I think hunting on the road system in Ak will be gone in less than 10 years requiring you to fly out to hunt.Its not what you think it is.Your lucky to get one species maybe two a year if your lucky.The hunting except for caribou is usually a short season over lapping with other seasons.I hunted Montana the other year and saw whitetails,mule deer,pronghorn,elk,lots of birds and grouse and ducks all in one day.The people in Montana are way friendlier than Ak as far as taking you hunting and showing you good spots.I was planning on moving to Montana when I was 60 .I am probally going soon after going there.Nevada was the worst state for hunting out west.You were lucky to get one deer tags every 4 years.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Does anyone consider natural disasters in the areas they are looking to migrate to? It may be cold in Wyoming, Montana & Idaho, but there are few earthquakes & no Hurricanes or tornados to worry about.

Sure. We won't mention the Borah Quake in '83. The third largest quake in the US last century (since it was only a teeny weeny 7.6 or something). Or dams failing and taking whole towns with them (Teton Dam break in the 70's). Of course, there's always Yellowstone blowing up -- just like on TV.

The biggest problem with the West is simply that the game density is not that high, and most big game hunting is draw only. So, you can go elk hunting for 10 days every time you draw, maybe once every five years. Big deal.

If you like hunting long periods, some of the Southern States have it made with stacks of deer and months long seasons. Plus, most of them have good waterfowl and some upland birds.

Personally, I always thought Saskatchewan for the Summer and Fall, and Belize for the Winter. JMO, Dutch.

Keep Montana & Wyoming Beautiful, don't move here. I laugh everytime I see that bumper sticker.

VG, what about the Swan tag you can get each year, you missed that one.

I'm with VG, you can buy a small 20 just South of Billings and put up a nice house and shoot deer off your deck and hunt the 8 million acres of Block Management for just about everything else. By the time you get here, we may have a wolf season by Gardiner.

Stay on the front range between Billings and Cheyenne for warm winters and cool summers (compaired to MN).

quote:

Does anyone consider natural disasters in the areas they are looking to migrate to? It may be cold in Wyoming, Montana & Idaho, but there are few earthquakes & no Hurricanes or tornados to worry about.

If you live on the coast hurricanes are a problem but, if you are inland a bit, they are just mere storms. The two big hurricanes that hit last year only produced 40mph gust here in North La which is not much more than a typical thunderstorm. I run into people all of the time that think just because you live in a Gulf Coast state the hurricanes destroy all of your property.

Reloader

Reloader,
Regarding weather issues, someone looking to retire from the NY area should remember the fact that certain parts of the country do not have blizzards or "lake effect snow."
I truly love spending time in MT, WY, and CO, but for a retired person that wants to get out of the winter cold so that they can play golf in January and comfortably enjoy a 6-month hunting season, followed by great fishing and loads of spring turkeys, there's only one geographical direction to consider. When you combine the mild weather with low taxes, affordable land, and the multitudes of opportunities for a sportsman, it's not hard to see why so many people from his area decide to retire south.

My plans are to buy a beach house in the Carribean and live there Dec. - May and keep my residency in Mt. Best of all worlds, hunting and fishing in the summer and fall,fishing with a Corona in the winter.

Mike, I like your thinking.

My dad lived in the Carribean for a number of years... lously summer climate but great in the winter!

All: Montana Sucks... tell all your friends.

As to natural disaters, you don't need to live on a coastal area to have hurricane winds... I've certainly seen 80 mph(+) here. SW MT is the third most active sysmic area in the nation. We had quite a little "rocker" last Summer. Heck, Mark Dobrenski wouldn't have been born had his parents not left the Hebgen Lake camp area in the middle of the night, just hours before the slide buried it... quite a story!

Did I mention Winter for 9 mos?

Snapper: You are so very correct and I forgot about not only the Swan tags (500 in western Montana and 500 more in eastern Montana each year!) but I also forgot to fully inform our pilgrim about the huge flocks of Sand Hill Cranes that are available to Hunt with special tags! I forget how many Sandhills may be harvested each year but its a lot!
I have eaten Sandhill Crane and I like it even more than Canada Goose and Cougar!
If a person were to be a patient Hunter and take advantage of the fish, fowl and game here in Montana - that person would not need to buy meat at a grocery store!
For instance my close friend and Hunting partner harvested 6 Whitetail Deer, a Bear, an Antelope and an Elk last year! He left two of his Deer tags unfilled!
He and his wife have four children (teens!) and they always have a crock pot stewing (and smelling so GOOD!) up some Deer or Elk roasts there in their kitchen!
Again JWK the correct answer for a state to retire in with vast Hunting opportunities and long seasons along with relatively low tax rates and modest real estate prices - IS MONTANA!
Unlimited and top notch outdoor recreation is available here in Montana - both in quality and variety! Within minutes from my home one can partake of unlimited hours of Rockhounding opportunities, gold panning, geology studies, Indian artifact hunting, hiking with no end in spectacular country, free camping on countless lake and river sites! Montana provides spectacular astronomical viewing and our air is so clean and thin that the stars do not even twinkle here at night!
Speaking of viewing, Montana is home to two of our countries most prized and beautiful national treasures - Glacier Park and Yellowstone National Park! One could spend months on end just exploring these gems alone! Lesser know but hardly less spectacular and with vast areas to explore are the Beartooth Plateau, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Wilderness area to the west of the Bitterroot Valley (Selway Bitterroot Wilderness), the Red Rocks Lakes Wildlife Area and countless other wonderful places!
Our skiing (both downhill and cross country), and snowshoeing is simply world class!
I have recently taken up fossil Hunting and rock collecting with gusto! Montana of course is world renowned for the dinosaurs skeletons and fossils it harbors. I have a fine display of Annonite, Scaphites and Baculite fossils (these are up to 165 million years old!) that I have found myself!
If you were to be a horseman well then - GAME OVER!
Montana is the most horse friendly state there is! Most trails and Hunting areas allow horses and in fact are designed for horse use!
Other "hobbies" or passtime endeavors I enjoy here (besides those already enumerated in this and previous posts) include shed horn Hunting, unlimited wildlife viewing, unlimited bird watching (indeed in one huge valley near my home over 232 species of birds spend time there every year)! I have seen here in Montana and the Rockies not only Peregrine Falcon and most all other species of Hawks, Falcons, Eagles and Owls! I have been blessed enough to have seen Gyrfalcon and Snowy Owls! On the high plains of eastern Montana I have seen Whooping Cranes dancing in marshy lakes during their fall migrations!
Again unlimited and rewarding "birding" is available throughout Montana.
More pastimes to consider pending your eminent arrival here in Montana!
Kayaking and canoing til your arms fall off! Montana has a vast and interesting pool of firearms for your buying and trading interests! If you are interested in firearms competitions just about every discipline and interest is available to you from "dynamite shoots" to machine gun shooting, to 1,000 yard BR shoots, shotgun competitions, silhouette shoots, cowboy shoots, mountain man rendevous and on and on!
Montana is VERY Gun friendly!
Rodeos, community festivals, county fairs and art festivals are constant sources of enrichment and entertainment here!
How about collecting western and wildlife art! Montana and Wyoming are splendid sources of these art forms!
There are folks that enjoy exploring the back country not only on motorcyles and ATV's but on snowmobiles! People actually trek off into the remote back country on snowmobiles! They winter camp and enjoy the scenery of the winter as well as the solitude and the wildlife viewing!
Many trails and areas are again designed for motorized useage and are still available to motorized use.
Rock climbing, mountain climbing again unlimited opportunities.
The Continental Divide Trail runs for hundreds of miles through Montana!
Our crystal clear lakes provide numerous opportunities for scuba diving and classes are even offered in at least two of our larger cities!
I even on occassion fly my high performance kite in my yard!
Montana is YOUR answer!
Long live Big Sky Country!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
PS: I forgot to add where I live we only get 11" of precipitation (snow and rain) a year! Thats a far cry from the 39" of rain they get annually where I was born and raised!
Here in SW Montana the local record keepers advertise that we get an average 310 days of sun every year! They also claim that is more days than most areas of Texas gets! I don't know. I am not a sun worshipper but I do notice the difference in "attitude" I have with this huge amount of sunshine as compared to months on end of gray and rain that prevails where I hailed from!
Montana is the correct answer to your question.

I take it you really hate Dillon VG!!

It's the reason I bought land in Montana last year; all of what VG stated & almost no one from Kalifornia moves there, too cold for them. I am a few years out from retirement but the property has been purchased & the house plans are in the works. It will be great to leave the OC for some peace & quiet.

quote:

& almost no one from Kalifornia moves there

I take it you've never been to Bozeman?