Escaping CA...Tx vs Co

[stonewall]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the heat in Texas...a big factor for me.

I own an office building in the DFW area and have to travel there a couple times a year. PRO;I love the conservative attitude in TX.
CON; The heat for apps 5 months out of the year is very high....hovers right around 100 deg for an extended period. Some humidity too. Then you get strong storms with hail and such.....nothing like the weather in Los Angeles. Air quality is a bit better though.

Some Areas of Co have a mild climate- look for micro climate spots....though colder in the winter then LA. You have a short run to many hunting spots in the west from Co.


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this. the heat is horrible.
there are things I like here in TX, but if not for family being here, I'd move out west

 

[MattB]

Yes you picked one of the top 5 most expensive places in california. There are plenty of places that are less expensive and a lot more desirable to live than a shit hole like the bay.

Like Bakersfield?

 

[GPool1842]

Have you considered Oklahoma? Third lowest cost of living state in the country. Tulsa is an awesome place that has everything. We have a lot of public land hunting opportunities here as well. It seems like I can get to about anywhere in Colorado in about 12 hours. Good deer hunting in Kansas just north as well. The public land situation with Texas alone would deter me personally. Put Oklahoma on your list!

 

[TxxAgg]

Oklahoma would be a good compromise

 

[Pk_in_Dallas]

The only reason I live in Dallas is because I’m a sales guy and the economy is second to none in my opinion. Moving anywhere else I would probably make less money. I’m sure Denver has a similar economy close to Dallas and I would give anything to live there but I don’t want to do it at this point because we are pretty well entrenched here in Dallas. I justify living here because of money and then I go on paid hunts to Canada and Mexico so I guess it’s worth it. I constantly question myself if I made-making the right decision.

I have hunted everywhere and the hunting sucks here when compared to Western states & Canada where I go every year. The fishing is good for bass and the coastal fishing is fantastic.

The summers are a kick in the balls and I just hold my breathe until October and then it’s awesome until May.


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[Newtosavage]

I am waiting until you let us know if you are conservative or liberal before I vote

It's funny you say that. I was roasted here by some for suggesting that I wanted to find a politically moderate area to retire to. Then I scroll down through these comments and see how many folks prioritize local political leanings in their list of criteria for places to live...

OP, I'm born and raised (mostly) in Texas, and we see a LOT of CA plates when we drive through the Austin area, probably for the same reasons you're wanting to move from CA.

My personal favorite city in TX is San Antonio. It's authentic and the people nice. DFW is hardly seen as "Texas" by most Texans (no offense to folks in DFW, I lived there for many years) and Houston is just too big and too much commercial/industural for me personally. But San Antonio still feels like a smaller town, despite it's size. And the culture there is genuine. Not some contrived marketing scheme that a city planner came up with. Lots of interesting history and great food and festivals. I hear their basketball team isn't bad either.

S.A. is also a gateway to the hill country and sits between those scenic hills and the good parts of the Texas coast. So you can decide on Friday night whether you want to spend the weekend in the hill country or fishing for redfish and specks on the bay, and be doing that by sunrise the next morning. Living about 2 hours from the coast is a great compromise in TX. I'm 90 min. from the coast where I live, and as far as locations go, it's one of the best places I've lived in terms of choices for the weekend activities. It's also just far enough away to not worry too much about hurricanes.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Do people really avoid areas based on political views? Seems crazy, seems liberals do not allow other’s views to restrict where they move and live.

I don't care what political views anyone has. I do care about how that impacts the things that matter to me. Such as in the OPs case, the cost of living. When you look at the civil unrest of late, that is taking place in liberal bastions. When you look at the top 25 large cities in this country for crime rate, they are almost all liberal. So again, I don't care what your politics are. I do care about how those politics affect me.

 

[gelton]

As others have stated as long as you know the reason you are leaving CA and know what caused it. Then take your pick.. I live in the very south east corner of Texas . I Hunt public land for whitetail and have killed a couple in the 140s .. I hunt elk in Colorado as well.. its a 20 hour drive but worth it to me because I stay for half the bow season.. I can be on the water in 5 min from my driveway.. I hunt free range Exotics on a couple 20 k acres low fence ranches in the hill country. I wouldn't live in Houston San Antonio Dallas etc if you gave me a house and free money.. look at any large city and their policies to see what's wrong with our country .. high crimes rates free crap to the lazy . Homeless people living under the bridges etc.. and worst of all you can't protect yourself or your family without worrying about being put in jail while the criminals go free.

Seafood is cheap here compared to other parts of the country and there's actually plenty of hunting and fishing if you learn ..

I was born in Port Arthur, cant get much more South East than that so I am guessing you live fairly close to there

 

[gelton]

Yes, $3500 doesn’t seem bad. But I can hunt 4 western states for deer at that price. Add 2 antelope hunts at +/- $250 for tags. That’s about $2500, $1000 left for gas.

I don’t blame people for doing this so they can hunt local, but when you grow up out west, getting 150-170” deer for $15, it’s a bit of culture shock.

Well when you start adding up the costs of non resident tags for elk, it adds up pretty quick, I would easily be at 3K with travel and tags for two western states.

 

[brsnow]

I don't care what political views anyone has. I do care about how that impacts the things that matter to me. Such as in the OPs case, the cost of living. When you look at the civil unrest of late, that is taking place in liberal bastions. When you look at the top 25 large cities in this country for crime rate, they are almost all liberal. So again, I don't care what your politics are. I do care about how those politics affect me.

you can say the same thing about drug use and overdoses in rural conservative America. You can always choose to focus on what is wrong with an area while typically ignoring the whole picture.

 

[EastMT]

Well when you start adding up the costs of non resident tags for elk, it adds up pretty quick, I would easily be at 3K with travel and tags for two western states.

Oh yeah elks not cheap. Travel for me is the cheap part. Just dragged a 10,000 lb trailer from Alaska to Texas, cost $1400 for 4300 miles. Without a trailer, I could round trip hunt AK for $2000 in travel expenses, so I don’t see travel as much. But I don’t need a motel, prepare food for travel. I’ll be hunting ewe, deer, antelope in 2 states next year, points are to the 100% level. $2000 in tags, $1000 in travel. Might do a Montana come home to hunt elk, but not sure yet.

I am taking this year off, I looked at ranches, leases etc, I’d rather do without than pay that for a deer. All fishing for this year.

 

[Patton]

Do people really avoid areas based on political views? Seems crazy, seems liberals do not allow other’s views to restrict where they move and live.

Political views often closely relate to the cost of living in a certain area, so yes.

 

[boom]

The wife and I have come to the conclusion we simply can't afford to stay in Los Angeles, we're born and raised here and having a hard time of leaving tbh.

But so far we've narrowed it down to 2 states. We like Texas for the massively lower cost of living and the ability to own a home to fit our growing family 4 kids and grandma. From my understanding if I hunt Tx I'm paying a guide/ranch. Which not against. But that's isn't a major point as I'm willing to travel to hunt.
Next is Colorado, we love it there, love the openness, the people, and overall vibe. Hunting cost would be reduced lol.

In short any opinions on areas to look into?
So far we like the idea of San Antonio, haven't been but will be making a extended weekend fly in to "scout" the area and overall vibe. We were sold on northern Denver, Broomfield Arvada area but we noticed housing isn't exactly low lol.

Thanks for any advice or tips.
Hope everyone is safe from fires and filling those tags.

texas is gigantic. San Antonio is nice..i like Austin. (just heard a huge groan..haha). lots of fishing, but hunting is a pay affair.

i'd leave CA if i could, but nobody is willing to pay my salary like CA is. i suffered and bought my home, so i cant jump off this crazy ride, just yet. its the wildfires and smoke making me want to leave.

 

[GatorGar247]

I was born in Port Arthur, cant get much more South East than that so I am guessing you live fairly close to there

Born in Port Author myself.. live in Bridge city now ..

 

[boom]

if this PAndemic will just give us a break, i will fly into Austin tex and try to rent a kayak to catch a Guadalupe Bass. i've never even seen one!!

 

[gelton]

Born in Port Author myself.. live in Bridge city now ..

Went to HS @ PNG, between Waco and Dallas now after living in Austin for 12 years.

 

[GatorGar247]

Went to HS @ PNG, between Waco and Dallas now after living in Austin for 12 years.

I grew up in Vidor .. graduated in 95.. I work close to PnG high school at Huntsman..

 

[gelton]

I grew up in Vidor .. graduated in 95.. I work close to PnG high school at Huntsman..

95 here as well.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

you can say the same thing about drug use and overdoses in rural conservative America. You can always choose to focus on what is wrong with an area while typically ignoring the whole picture.

Cost of living, rioting and crime all stand to affect me. The growing rural drug problem, not so much. Admittedly there is some property crime associated with that. On balance though, when I scour the landscape for my retirement destination, it's most often conservative places that I find most attractive.

 

[txhunter581]

Yes, $3500 doesn’t seem bad. But I can hunt 4 western states for deer at that price. Add 2 antelope hunts at +/- $250 for tags. That’s about $2500, $1000 left for gas.

I don’t blame people for doing this so they can hunt local, but when you grow up out west, getting 150-170” deer for $15, it’s a bit of culture shock.

$3500 is what I would call the higher average cost lease. I lease my ranch for $2500 per hunter. They have 1000 acres and a cabin to stay in 365 days/year and the license to hunt AND fish (fresh and saltwater) everywhere in the state is $68. I still hunt Colorado, but you can't beat being able to head out to the ranch anytime you want. This ranch is 80 northwest of San Antonio. In case you didn’t read this whole thread, it is low fenced and 100% free range. Hogs and exotics can be hunted year round and don’t require any tags, just a hunting license. All of this game was taken in the last 2 years

And no, I am not looking for more lessors. We are full with long time guys Just showing what is possible