Expat in a hunt friendly country

[matt_and_Jax]

Hello all,

I am a retired, 45 yr old U.S. Army Veteran in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am interested in moving to a far away country while I have my health. I have a 9 mo old Vizsla named Jax. I has pointed a dozen wild pheasants so far this season. He will (fingers crossed) be proficient with great training in pheasant, duck retrieving and rabbit hunting.
I am looking to find a lower cost of living country, that allows gun ownership (I understand with permissions and regulations) bird hunting with shotgun and big game hunting wouldn't hurt.
I am open to all of Europe (including the Baltic countries), Asia, and South America. I have traveled the world plenty, and I have an open mind about this as long as I am safe and get good healthcare (hint....kidney transplant 3 months after leaving Army), my dog is safe and the cost of living difference is substantial.

I look forward to the ideas and experiences that you have had.

 

[Weldor]

That's a tough one. Maybe Canada. I think health care will be the tough one? South Island NZ. When I looked into NZ a few years back you had to bring your own health insurance. Do not know if that is true today.

 

[Huntindog45]

I hear Croatia has amazing pheasant hunting as well as a bunch of other small game and big game species.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Have just considered moving elsewhere in the US away from Minneapolis? Lots of cheaper places to live, especially in the south/southeast.

 

[Scoot]

Have just considered moving elsewhere in the US away from Minneapolis? Lots of cheaper places to live, especially in the south/southeast.

Given the healthcare requirement, this is a very good option IMO. I'd start out looking at WY and AK, then consider other options from there. Good luck where ever you end up!

 

[ozyclint]

That's a tough one. Maybe Canada. I think health care will be the tough one? South Island NZ. When I looked into NZ a few years back you had to bring your own health insurance. Do not know if that is true today.

Thousands of kiwis have left NZ because of cost of living.

 

[rifletuner]

There have been some threads on this already on Rokslide. What you are looking for is a very small pool of countries. I cant comment on Europe or the South American countries because I am not familiar with the specifics there.

I think you can rule out Asia. The stringent regulations in all that I am familiar with essentially make firearms ownership impossible. Japan (Hikido) has amazing deer hunting, but their regulations require you to hunt with a shotgun for 10-15 years before you can buy a centrefire rifle. And its copper bullets only there.

Africa has amazing hunting, but there is almost no public land hunting there. And the security situation and infrastructure is generally bad to terrible. I worked in South Africa for several years and enjoyed it a lot, but even in the very best parts of South Africa, you have to be constantly aware of your surroundings. Namibia is probably one of the best options, but you need to be a resident to buy land there, and the only hunting is on private land.

My pick would be New Zealand. Not sure how easy it is for a US citizen to spend any amount of time there, but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. Hunting it excellent, with a significant amount of public land. Health care is a high standard. Infrastructure and personal safety are pretty good. Cost of living is very high due to the small country / population, though that is somewhat offset by the buying power of USD.

Australia is similar to NZ, though public land hunting varies much more, with only Victoria and New South Wales having anything worth considering. Hunting culture and firearms ownership in AU is not bad in most states, but it is more accepted in NZ than AU.

 

[ozyclint]

Australia has very little wing shooting. They have a duck season in Victoria but it's under constant attack from antis.

 

[waspocrew]

The healthcare requirement would be the kicker for sure. Could you reliably get your immunosuppressants on time in another country? How about labs and/or follow up?

That being said, I'd be looking at other portions of the US where cost of living is less than Minneapolis.

 

[Milestone522]

Load up your pup and hit the road. Once you drive out of the occupied territory you currently live in, and travel into parts of Free America it should change your perspective.

Lots of good communities out there in other states with a lower cost of living, good healthcare, and great hunting. Find a place that tells you "welcome home" when you and Jax arrive.

It's out there...you just need to go find it.

 

[yfarm]

As you look for lower cost of living by necessity you are looking at rural locations in less desirable states for at least 1/2 of the US population. As a retiree with lower income, income tax status becomes less an issue. The real issue for a person post transplant is the quality of healthcare available within a reasonable driving distance. As you must be cold tolerant, I would be looking at states to the west and south of you that have interstates 70,80 and 90 running thru them. While financially the northern gets the nod, the two to the south have better weather.

 

[tim tarras]

I would personally look to the west of you in the dakota's.

 

[dsotm]

I would not be looking out of country post transplant

 

[justinspicher]

I’d start by looking at the state department website to see what the visitor status is for any of the countries you want to move to. It will also give you needed information required to travel there, how long you can stay and what you can do as far as hunting and firearms go.

I’d also reach out to the VA and see what they do and don’t cover when you are living abroad as a US veteran, what they won’t do for you might surprise you.

 

[johnnycake]

Given the healthcare requirement, this is a very good option IMO. I'd start out looking at WY and AK, then consider other options from there. Good luck where ever you end up!

Living in AK with kids with complicated medical issues, there's no way I'd recommend a kidney transplant recipient move up here. Add in that the cost of living in AK is high, definitely not the right fit.

 

[Scoot]

I'm guessing that really good healthcare options combined with low cost of living will be the tough combo of criteria. That's likely the case both inside the US as well as outside.