College Help

[thinhorn_AK]

Take a look Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado. I went there and its a great school in a small mountain town with endless hunting and fishing opportunities. Elk, deer, ducks, coyotes, small game, you name it. Also, as long as he's a full time student and can prove it with student ID and class transcripts, he will get resident pricing on all hunting and fishing licenses.

I went there for awhile. Partied my ass off, fished a ton, hunted some, skied a lot. Ended up graduating from a different school but enjoyed western state. I lived right near campus, 5-10 minute walk to classes. They used to have a really good season pass price to crested butte for students. I moved to crested butte for a bit, seemed like a good idea but led to me failing lots of classes because I was so far away from the school.

 

[Mangata]

Everyone plots their own course in life depending on their interests and ability.

My belief is that if you are trying to attain a secondary education then you should position yourself to make that a reality. Your son is now making the investments in himself to live the life that brings him the most satisfaction, and only your boy knows what that path going forward looks like. I believe that many of us completely changed our direction after our first year of undergraduate life. In my opinion he should position himself in a situation that is either broadening his critical thinking or learning a trade that will net him an early start on his earning potential. The very last concern (in my opinion) for choosing a undergraduate location would be outside pursuits such as hunting, fishing, skiing, partying, etc… ; there will be time for those activities after navigating a successful course to his future.

I know, super dry right??? Ultimately the goal of furthering your education is to be able to provide yourself the best opportunity to obtain whatever lifestyle that you so desire. Pick the best choice to offer you the most optimal choices for your future whatever that future is…

Disclaimer FWIW, I live in Fairbanks, my two kids go to undergraduate out of state, and I am able to hunt & fish whatever I desire due mostly to what I described above…

 

[jtevanMT]

Both University of Montana (Missoula) and Montana State University (Bozeman) offer a great education and an abundance of outdoor activities.

 

[KingSlug]

So my son is at this stage right now. Some background, he's currently 17, a junior, an Eagle Scout, all AP classes since freshman year and just slayed AP Calc, hunts everything possible here outside LA/OC and Az, and a decent fly fisherman, is a upper level wrestler/BJJ player in SoCal, plays club LAX, and club water polo and is a descent waterman (surfing/freediving).

He had chosen to go to MSU Bozeman like a year ago. Some considerations: he can start at Gallatin CC @ MSU, we have family friends in Bozeman, he can dorm after he's a resident his soph year, he's taking a outfitters course this summer in MT, we have outfitter friends in Bozeman so he can work on the weekends and all summer after his freshman year, he can store up to 5 guns on campus, students are considered residents for hunting and fishing licenses, he can snowboard near school, plenty of trout rivers and hunting near school, he can park my Helio Courier in a friends hanger, the school has majors he likes and this place is call Trout U. The big sell was we stopped by 2 years ago and were taken on a campus tour and he was sold.

Even with half of those I think he would go. As crazy as this is going to sound he wanted something different. He's hapa and he wanted to go where there wasnt other asian or hapa kids. He wants the anti-LA. And his second choice... U-H Hilo because we have a house above a little point break. Go figure.

 

[raptor16]

I didn't read all the comments so maybe I missed it somewhere, but is cost of attendance not a factor at all? All good if he can manage a full ride out of state (typically not something that happens at major colleges for anyone other than National Merit Scholars or athletes). Or if he can manage enough of a scholarship that parents can pay the difference or he can pay the difference himself.

And maybe colleges in CA are so expensive it doesn't matter if you go out of state or not. Better not to have debt coming out of college than it would be to have debt just so he can hunt and fish in a state that he can just move to after college...

 

[wind gypsy]

Bunch of stiffs around here! I’m fully on the go somewhere with a half-ass decent program for a future career but have some damn fun train.

I hunted 5 days a week for much of the fall through college and hunted fairer game about as much. Took 6 years to get a 4 year degree but it didn’t impact me professionally.

I went to NDSU but I think Montana or Montana state would have been better yet!

 

[bshanggi]

I would definitely recommend going to a community college for a year or two, just to get the crap classes out of the way. Close to home, so you can ease in to college. And then finish where you want too. Save some coin too!

 

[OutHeavy]

If the goal is hunting rather than the college then why not get the degree on line and live/hunt wherever he chooses?

 

[Q child]

I went to school at UAF. There are some hunting opportunities up there. Moose and upland game birds. A lot more moose down around Anchorage, so UAA is worth considering too.
There are a couple of UAS campuses in Southeast, where he could hunt for Sitka Black Tail. Generous tag allotment too.

 

[Blacktocomm]

I would throw another option in the mix of Northern Arizona University. The species you hunt might not be as varied - but while I was in Flag during my trail runs and hikes I saw some absolute monster Elk and Mule Deer. It was prior to me getting into hunting but I knew they were huge.

Also an opportunity for Cous Deer down south - and Flagstaff has great skiing and trails right near the town.

 

[sladegb]

Most of the Texas schools in my opinion have opportunities to not only hunt on your own time but to learn about agriculture and wildlife in class. LSU is also another good choice since they have just as many breaks as Texas schools, but they also get a week off for Mardi Gras, which is in the middle of February as well as a fall break in the hunting season.

 

[Mosby]

I didn't read all the comments so maybe I missed it somewhere, but is cost of attendance not a factor at all? All good if he can manage a full ride out of state (typically not something that happens at major colleges for anyone other than National Merit Scholars or athletes). Or if he can manage enough of a scholarship that parents can pay the difference or he can pay the difference himself.

And maybe colleges in CA are so expensive it doesn't matter if you go out of state or not. Better not to have debt coming out of college than it would be to have debt just so he can hunt and fish in a state that he can just move to after college...

I'm with you.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Biggest thing to consider IMO is where can he hunt quickly from campus without a lot of fanfare. Meaning, I wouldn't be worried about the ability to take big trips into the woods to pack out elk when there is class, part time jobs, booze, and girls to worry about.

I for example hunted ducks, doves or turkeys 5 days a week before work/class in the fall and during winter break I hunted nearly every day. I got a job at a theater so the earlier I ever had to be at work was noon. That could only be done because I was able to hunt 15 minutes from the house. I also really enjoy striper fishing, but normally thats a 6-8 hour commitment, so I all but gave it up for 4 years. I see hunting anything/anywhere outside of a mile from the truck that might involve cutting/packing a critter as at least that same time commitment severely limiting the number of hunt days.

For me, that means Alaska would be out without question. I'd put serious thought into a place you can hunt whitetails, birds, or go fishing before or after work/school. Quantity over the quality of hunts was always more important to me at that age.

 

[Banded_spooney]

I say biggest but thats only in a bubble. Truly the biggest is where can he go and come out with the least amount of debt, with the most useful degree, the fastest. Make money and start earning PTO then he can do what he wants.

 

[mav41]

I dont think there is anything wrong with choosing a school based on interests. Very much depends on the degree, but college really isn't that hard for a lot of programs. I was able to fish a fair bit but sports got in the way of hunting for the most part. If I could do it over again I would hit it even harder being that you're in your early 20's, peak shape with zero responsibility.