If you could move anywhere in the West...

[ianpadron]

Hey guys, looking for some advice from those of you who have hunted throughout the Western US. I am lucky to be pretty mobile with work. The gf and I are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the greater Seattle area late next summer and are currently looking at a few different options to settle down and start a family.

My list is Montana, Idaho, and Colorado in that order. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy and the main thing I'm looking for is a state with fewer people and more critters. I would like the opportunity to hunt backcountry elk and mule deer OTC each year. I'd rather harvest a nice mature animal than a trophy caliber specimen, and would prefer to chase elk with a bow and deer with a rifle...so take that into consideration. Also looking to have access to above average duck/goose hunting within 30min to 1 hour of home once I wrap up my big game seasons.

The only stipulation for the gf is that we are within 30miles of a childrens hospital, as she is a pediatric nurse.

Also, we're both pretty conservative and Bernie 2016 stickers make my eyes bleed...so I guess I'd like to avoid the yuppie/hippie crowd as much as possible too haha.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[marktole]

I think I'll be listening to what people have to say here because I'm in the same boat as you when I graduate college in May and you've got almost the exact same criteria as I do!

 

[Carlin59]

I would take CO off the list and replace it with WY. The yuppie/hippie crowd is strong here and appears to be growing.

 

[JWP58]

Idaho (mainly for upland hunting ), if they'd do away with the commie income tax. Don't consider wyoming, wolves and bears ate all the animals and it's pretty crowded.

 

[les welch]

Yeah CO sounds out for you for sure.

If work wasn't an issue I would likely do WY, MT, ID in that order.

 

[ianpadron]

Idaho (mainly for upland hunting ), if they'd do away with the commie income tax. Don't consider wyoming, wolves and bears ate all the animals and it's pretty crowded.

LOL so maybe add WY to the list is what you're telling me

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[AK Troutbum]

I lived in WY prior to moving the AK and if I couldn't live in AK, WY would definitely be my home. My whole family lives in MT, so that's out , and I've lived in CO before, thought it was okay, but no desire to live there again. I don't really understand the "Wyoming being crowded" comment, unless it was a joke. I think WY is one of, if not the least populated states in the country.

 

[ianpadron]

I lived in WY prior to moving the AK and if I couldn't live in AK, WY would definitely be my home. My whole family lives in MT, so that's out , and I've lived in CO before, thought it was okay, but no desire to live there again. I don't really understand the "Wyoming being crowded" comment, unless it was a joke. I think WY is one of, if not the least populated states in the country.

Thanks Trout I always appreciate your input on all topics. Sounds like I need to give WY a good hard look.

I think the guy saying don't go to WY was doing so as a hush-hush way of saying it's awesome and he doesn't want any more newcomers. 550,000 people there...that's less than the pop. of Seattle!

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[wyosteve]

I'm not sure if there is a children's hospital in all of Wyo., so that may eliminate us.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I would take CO off the list and replace it with WY. The yuppie/hippie crowd is strong here and appears to be growing.

Exponentially!

 

[Hall256]

No please do not avoid Colorado...it is a great state, it just needs more like minded people to get the laws back to normal. When I retire from the Marines I plan on moving back to Colorado, I just hope that the state is not too far gone by the time I get back.

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[ryan.triguy]

Think I would also talk to gf about the possibility of working in pediatric doctors office would open up possibilities greatly besides just hospital. Pay may not be as good but schedule would most likely be better when have own little ones.
I always liked Idaho but recently been reading a lot of Wyoming wildlife magazine publication and it looks awesome. Each magazine runs a story on city/ area of Wyoming and they go through all the hunting opportunities in that area might be something to check out.


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[oldgoat]

I would think that if an area doesn't have an actual Children's Hospital that the regular hospital would have a children's wing in it or whatever you would call it!

 

[moeleo]

I think I need a job like yours so I could pick where I want to live. Lol. Seriously though, if it were me I'd go Colorado or Montana. Not a lot of work that way for a slipformer. Lol

 

[JWP58]

I would think that if an area doesn't have an actual Children's Hospital that the regular hospital would have a children's wing in it or whatever you would call it!

You would think...but you'd be wrong,well if you want decent care. Coming from a guy that spent 3 months down in denver at university and childrens.

 

[Carlin59]

I think WY is one of, if not the least populated states in the country.

WY is the second-least population dense state in the Union, surpassed only by your current state so for my money you moved in the right direction!

 

[CorbLand]

Idaho has a lot of OTC options and if you stay away from the Western half of the state you don't deal with hippies. Plenty of towns that are big enough to have amenities but still small enough that you don't deal with the big city shit.

Wyoming is a god forsaken state and there is no amount of anything that could get me to live there.

 

[FreeRange]

You would think...but you'd be wrong,well if you want decent care. Coming from a guy that spent 3 months down in denver at university and childrens.

I think from an employment standpoint looking at smaller hospitals not specifically childrens' hospitals might be OK, might open up your options. NOT the same from a quality of care perspective for sure.

My wife is a nurse as well and we'd looked at moving to a smaller town of ~8000 people and even though the local hospital was very small there's still a place for specialized caregivers. My wife is an ICU nurse though, pediatrics is it's own deal I know.

Case in point, our 1y/o had a traumatic health event in that same town and we had to fly her a few hundred miles to a children's hospital to get the care she needed. They had pediatric staff at the small hospital but not a lot of specialized equipment for dealing with such a small child.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

I would look at Idaho for what you are wanting. Twin Falls or Pocatello maybe. Lots of good duck and goose blasting not sure about childrens hospitals. Central and eastern WY might work too. Better be ok with wind its pretty substantial out there. I would never live in Colorado, too many people and alot of "those" kind of people. They are all moving to my neck of the woods now so eventually I will be leaving, can't f'ing stand them!

 

[Zoo Keeper]

I would look at Idaho for what you are wanting. Twin Falls or Pocatello maybe. Lots of good duck and goose blasting not sure about childrens hospitals. Central and eastern WY might work too. Better be ok with wind its pretty substantial out there. I would never live in Colorado, too many people and alot of "those" kind of people. They are all moving to my neck of the woods now so eventually I will be leaving, can't f'ing stand them!

I live in Pocatello - would look at Idaho Falls if you desire to live in/near a small city.


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