North Dakota. All private land is open to hunting, unless posted by the land owner.

The finest hunting on the continent. Drove from my home to Bismarck on Friday. Saw 3 herds of deer, none less than a 100 head.

The finest waterfowl hunting in the nation.

Some of the better upland hunting in the nation, and again, private land open to hunting unless posted.

Some of the best walleye, pike and pearch fising in the nation. Right now North Dakota has the best walleye water in the nation.

I can be in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and a number of other states in one day to hunt and fish.

I can almost spit into South Dakota from my back yard.

Canada is closer than Montana.

I was 48 nine years ago when I retired and single. I could have lived anywhere. I did live in Wyoming for close to 2 years, but moved here. The Good Old Days are right now in this state.

Roger, as long as you could spend January and February in, oh, I don't know, Belize, I would wholeheartedly agree with you!

Of course, there's that jobs thing again! Dutch.

It seems to be impossible for someone of my income to buy a substantial piece of property adjacent to good hunting anywhere in CO, WY, MT and possibly others. I'll stay in PA for the hunting and travel as suits me.

Yup , North Dakota is excellent , especially if you want to avoid crowds , and especially in mid-winter (grin)

Dutch , you can throw in December , March , and most of April along with January and February as good months to avoid North Dakota (grin) .

Dutch, January and February is when the ice fishing gets good!

Yeah, I know, 40 below keeps the riff-raff out......

Guys, I raise fish for a living. If I can't scoop them up and have 8,000 lbs on the truck by lunch, it's just sitting around escaping the wife...... Life's to short to fish or golf Dutch.

Idaho has sure gone to hell for Mule Deer since the 92-93 winters and the game and fish keep hammering them...Elk hunting is still very good if you know where to go...fishing is always great.

I am not sure which state I'd pick...I sure like Texas and New Mexico but I know a lot of ranchers in that area and thats a plus...

It seems to me that one of the good states will work. What is important is knowing the areas, habits of the animals, and having access to them. Any of the several states mentioned could be the "best" based on having access to good private land or knowing where to go on public land. I know fishing places in Wyoming where very few go fishing and it is good. I also have learned how to fish these spots. Same with Montana - streams where others overlook them or don't know how to fish them. So either spending a lot of time researching areas or knowing someone who has makes the difference.

Stay home. everyone stay home. I am tired of a whole nation of nomads invading my coverts. Its mine. all mine. stay out. keep out. or the best sign I ever saw: KIP OT. now there is a guy to take for serious.
no trespassing. no hunting. no nothing. Signs on public land in Minnesota on a wild life refuge saying "private keep out". Signs in California on state forest: private no hunting. signs on public waters in Montana: no fishing. First thing a newbie does after clearing escrow is put up no hunting signs. Next thing is bitch about trespassing poachers. Next thing is wander onto neighbors land cause he lives there. Bitch about the government then bitch about no government.

Whatever you do, dont brag up your MBA when you get there, cause it shows you wont stay.

If you can take this ranting, then maybe you are primed for what you will hear for the first five years you are in a western town. from all the people that got there before you did. The true locals wont talk to you until you show them you are not still trying to compare the size of your rat to theirs. and dont say the Ugly American Creed: Why dont you do it the way we did back home?

Colorado has the biggest claim to bullshitting airheads: little license plates that state NATIVE. right, like these sanctimonious assholes were there before the indians. Or the indians before the buffalo. Everyone was born somewhere. My neighbor in Minnesota was 72 when he told me he was only there since he was two, and was not considered a local. My neighbor in Idaho was from Arizona. forced out of AZ by transients from minnesota. my neighbor in Arizona is from here and loves it and I cant wait to leave. last kid leaves high school in two months, ending a nine year promise not to make kids move towns from high school. Arizona is like a topless bar: lots to look and no shooting cause you wait in line for five years between elk or deer tags. unless you are a meathunter for does and cows, in which case it really does not matter where you live.

So I have become the nomad: dux in california, turkey in montana, upland birds in Oregon, moose in BC. Elk and deer in Idaho. steelhead in Idaho. doves and quail and big game tagfrustration in Arizona.

For bulls and bucks it's the midwest and Rocky states, and its not about jobs or wives or politics, its about beauty and what a great philosopher stated "A sense of place". Get thirty miles from a freeway or state highway and you can find it in any state except the big demographic states.

I have evolved after living in California, Minnesota, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, to value friendships in each and everyone, and visiting friends in isolated wild places is better than being isolated in those places. to each his own.
Texas is for texicans and I wish they would all stay there.
Dont ask if you dont want to hear.

Jameister-You hit the nail on the head.I agree but prefer to be one of the isolated and visit the populas.Fishin and huntin couldn't be better in Idaho for my taste.Yes the Mule deer population is down but the Whitetails are thriving in my area.Good luck.Jayco.

Jayco: my personal feelings are akin to yours, but I prefer to remain happily married and gainfully employed.

Now in six months, we are looking for that special place.

where in central Idaho do you shoot whitetails? we were in Challis.

Jameister

I live in Grangeville and really don't like those little peskie Whitetails but when after the Elk and there not at the right spot,we tend to shoot a tail or two.Good eatin for sure but it distracts the big guy's.

Keep in touch.Jayco.