Moving out East (VA or WV) and I need a pep talk…

[TheCougar]

The traffic and amount of people suck in Northern VA. Housing prices and general cost of living also suck in NoVA I would look at moving to Winchester or Martinsburg WV instead of Northern VA.

Over the last few years I have enjoyed going into WV more and more. Lots of outdoor recreation, friendly people, and gorgeous lands.

Winchester and Martinsburg is what’re we are looking… isn’t that northern VA? Seems like you can’t get much more north than that!

 

[dpat]

We moved our son to Morgantown last December and he loves WV. Whenever he has time he is off to a different area hiking and exploring always sending us pictures. He loves it there.
I don't know about gas station pepperoni rolls but the ones from the local bakery's around Morgantown are great!

 

[TheCougar]

My sister lives near Martinsburg, lots of outdoor opportunities within a short drive. You have four different states to hunt (PA, MD, WV, VA). Fishing is awesome, especially if you’re into fly fishing. Lots of saltwater opportunities within 1.5-2 hours.

Winchester, Berkeley Springs, Front Royal wouldn’t be terrible.

What line of work?

Flying for United.

 

[Billy Goat]

WVA is paying 10k to move there so there's that.

I think it's kinda a toss up really. The area around Dc sucks, doesn't much matter if it's Md, VA, Wv, Southern Pa.


Hard to give you a great pep talk really, it's all a nice enough area if you get away from the people, the hunting is ehh, but lots of opportunity.


Winchester isn't Nova. Nova is Leesburg and east, south to about Fredricksburg, then to the Dc area

 

[TheCougar]

I’m sorry, but that’s just the reality of hunting on the east coast. It seemed like like in your OP you still had a chance to decide between Denver and NOVA.


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I can technically choose Denver, but it will cost me quite a bit in terms of time, money, and what kind of property we can afford. It’s a lot to sacrifice for hunting, and I can’t ignore what is best for my family. Hunting is just going to have to take a back seat for a bit.

 

[TheCougar]

WV has great hunting for bear, deer, Turkey, and small game. It has a lot of public land. It has a lot of state forests. However what it doesn’t have is a lot of unleaded ground inside the bow only counties.

Pocahontas land created a sister company to get around a written in agreement to keep their lands open to hunting. All those lands are now leased or being leased. It was a who you know kinda thing. And, if you didn’t know, you are now outta luck.

I focus on public land. I like where I hunt because it is very remote. Foot travel only. And, I hunt them like I hunt out west. Long Hikes and a lot of tough miles. There is plenty of that here. Probably more black bear per square miles then anywhere in this country. And great Turkey hunting. Fall and spring.

I loath norther VA so I can’t give you a fair assessment of there.

Where are you in WV?

 

[Billy Goat]

I couldn't remember if you had family or not.


I'd look at the school systems in the areas, that is a pretty good deciding factor for a lot in those areas.

 

[ODB]

Winchester and Martinsburg is what’re we are looking… isn’t that northern VA? Seems like you can’t get much more north than that!

no man, northern VA means from the Potomac west to about Loudoun county (now). Fairfax county, Arlington county, manassas area. Basicallly it’s DC+.

Big difference between true NOVA and Winchester etc. I’ve lived all over that area. Most recently Harrisonburg.

 

[TheCougar]

I couldn't remember if you had family or not.


I'd look at the school systems in the areas, that is a pretty good deciding factor for a lot in those areas.

We homeschool, so we only look at school districts as it relates to selling the house later.

 

[TheCougar]

no man, northern VA means from the Potomac west to about Loudoun county (now). Fairfax county, Arlington county, manassas area. Basicallly it’s DC+.

Big difference between true NOVA and Winchester etc. I’ve lived all over that area. Most recently Harrisonburg.

Then in that case… NW VA? Basically looking at Front Royal up to Martinsburg.

 

[Billy Goat]

no man, northern VA means from the Potomac west to about Loudoun county (now). Fairfax county, Arlington county, manassas area. Basicallly it’s DC+.

Big difference between true NOVA and Winchester etc. I’ve lived all over that area. Most recently Harrisonburg.

Still Harrisburg?

 

[ODB]

Then in that case… NW VA? Basically looking at Front Royal up to Martinsburg.

you got it ;-). Doesn’t see that far on a map, but the map doesn’t tell the whole story.

Winchester Is a pretty decent sized town. The little towns like front Royal and linden are quaint, but can be lacking in things to do.

im not sure I’d base myself in martinsburg and commute to Dulles - even if sporadically. That 1+ hour drive they show on a map is a bit of wishful thinking. It gets very thick past leesburg and 9 isnt always a peach. Winchester will give you three routes out, one north through leesburg on 7, the other southern 81 then to 66, or 17 through my hometown of Delaplane and on to 66.

more options are better. Good luck.

 

[ODB]

Still Harrisburg?

harrisonburg, VA, not Harrisburg PA.

But not any longer. Back to my adopted Idaho for the third and final time…ok, unless I move again somewhere…;-)

 

[Billy Goat]

harrisonburg, VA, not Harrisburg PA.

But not any longer. Back to my adopted Idaho for the third and final time…ok, unless I move again somewhere…;-)

Damn autocorrect.


I was meaning Harrisonburg.


That's my neck of the woods, closest neck anyways.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Where are you in WV?

I live in southern WV. I hunt state and national forests in the southern and south eastern part of the state.

 

[TheCougar]

you got it ;-). Doesn’t see that far on a map, but the map doesn’t tell the whole story.

Winchester Is a pretty decent sized town. The little towns like front Royal and linden are quaint, but can be lacking in things to do.

im not sure I’d base myself in martinsburg and commute to Dulles - even if sporadically. That 1+ hour drive they show on a map is a bit of wishful thinking. It gets very thick past leesburg and 9 isnt always a peach. Winchester will give you three routes out, one north through leesburg on 7, the other southern 81 then to 66, or 17 through my hometown of Delaplane and on to 66.

more options are better. Good luck.

Good to know, thank you. I drive to work about 4 times a month, so the commute isn’t really something I am sweating. Once a week isn’t too bad, even with traffic. A lot of my drives will be at non-peak hours also.

 

[TheCougar]

I live in southern WV. I hunt state and national forests in the southern and south eastern part of the state.

If we end up out there, maybe we can meet up for a beer. I’ll be a fish out of water out there.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

you got it ;-). Doesn’t see that far on a map, but the map doesn’t tell the whole story.

Winchester Is a pretty decent sized town. The little towns like front Royal and linden are quaint, but can be lacking in things to do.

im not sure I’d base myself in martinsburg and commute to Dulles - even if sporadically. That 1+ hour drive they show on a map is a bit of wishful thinking. It gets very thick past leesburg and 9 isnt always a peach. Winchester will give you three routes out, one north through leesburg on 7, the other southern 81 then to 66, or 17 through my hometown of Delaplane and on to 66.

more options are better. Good luck.

Front Royals city district may be small. But, it’s no longer a quaint town

If we end up out there, maybe we can meet up for a beer. I’ll be a fish out of water out there.

you can take that to the bank.
I spend a week or two I. Front royal every year. I’ll introduce you to some world class small mouth fishing and a couple friends of mine there I hunt with every year. They are the real deal. Great hunters. Don’t be fooled either. There is great hunting in all that area. It’s just not as remote hunting as I like.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

So if you’re a pilot why do you have to live somewhere specific. Honest question as I have no clue how it works.

 

[willfrye027]

You give really bad pep talks. Moving to VA is a tough choice, but I don’t know that there are any other options. We are looking at the Winchester/Martinsburg area. I have to fly out of Dulles and need to be within 1.5 hours of the airport. It’s either that or eastern PA and fly out of NYC or live in California anc fly out of San Fran or LAX. Flying out of DC seems to be the best choice, at least until I can get into Denver.

Central Ca isn’t a terrible choice. 2 otc deer tags that can be filled with some effort. Good public waterfowl, upland, excellent fishing both inland and coastal. But then you’re dealing with California crap politics although central Ca is more conservative.

we loved living in Virginia. Did tons of Public whitetail and turkey hunting. Lots of good fishing. The blue ridge mountains have plenty of places to get away from the crowds. I still made the effort to fly out west and hunt Muleys once a year but hunting whitetails is a blast and something I still love to do! In VA you get 6 tags with your license and potentially more depending on the area…