Moving out West

[edevans]

I am going to be graduating from college this semester with a degree in computer engineering. I have a job lined up in the midwest, close to where I grew up, with good pay. My plan right now is to work and then move out west, possibly in a year or so. I am the type of guy who likes to take a lot of time to plan and consider all recommendations. I love to fly fish, bow hunt, rifle hunt, and waterfowl hunt. If you were 21 and in my shoes, where would you move that allows you to pursue these passions?

 

[bobr1]

California

 

[Gobbler36]

Stay put and save yourself from the rising cost of living in any of the western states and then afford to do more hunting trips in various other states

or like the above mentioned move to California

 

[bobr1]

Seriously though, this questions has been asked about 4 billion times just use the search function and read through them. Figure out where you can get a job first and where you can afford to live and weigh the pros and cons of different areas. Then visit them.

 

[Buck197]

Probably Colorado or Utah, just taking the computer engineering into account. The politics in Colorado have been on a steady downward trend (I guess that depends on your beliefs too, you're here, I presume them to be similar) for alot of years. However for a young man that loves the outdoors but needs to build a career those would be my choice, I believe your waterfowl hunting to be limited, but otherwise you'd be set. Utah of those two would be my preference. If it were me personally, I'd prefer an Idaho or Wyoming.

 

[full choke]

20 years ago I would have said Washington. Hell, maybe even ten years ago. Now- not so much.
I honestly doubt that some of those pursuits will still be an option in Washington in ten years.

 

[Buck197]

20 years ago I would have said Washington. Hell, maybe even ten years ago. Now- not so much.
I honestly doubt that some of those pursuits will still be an option in Washington in ten years.

I think the states that offer someone in his field the most obvious opportunities career wise are pretty well fried nowadays. Washington is absolutely a beautiful state.

 

[Mt Al]

Congrats on getting a great degree and planning. If you have a good job, live near friends and family, consider making bank and DIY'ing waterfowl, go on guided hunts, etc. Long story: I was asked to recruit a guy who lived in Indiana to move to Montana. The pay, benefits and vacation were way better in Indiana, and his housing was actually affordable. He would be scraping by in Montana. He looked at the numbers and stayed in Indiana and spends weeks/year in Montana on vacation is and way, way ahead.

If you want to move out West, IMHO, South Dakota (west river), Montana, Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Northern CA and Wyoming. Flip a coin because every place has tradeoffs.

 

[wildwilderness]

I’d move to British Columbia.

 

[Ralphie]

Somebody needs to move out east.

 

[wingmaster]

I love living in California but the cost of living is dumb here. That would be one of the top factors.

People will say politics, but I spend maybe 5 minutes max a day thinking about my state government.

 

[SkiParkGuy]

Can you work remotely? If I were 21 and had your degree I’d buy a van and live full time in it. Travel the west and get to know all the states, or at least a few.

 

[MallardSX2]

Step 1- Find you a rich cougar that has no kids and doesn't want any and make damn sure that she has more to loose than you do.

Step 2- Convince her to move to Colorado or Wyoming.

 

[BuzzH]

When this question gets asked, always a bunch of smart ass comments...disregard those.

Full disclaimer that I've never left the West, was born in the West, will die in the West.

That out of the way, decide what your priorities are, you did make a nice list, but you need to figure out which is the most important. If hunting say elk with a rifle and bow every year is your #1 priority, waterfowl hunting not as important, that will influence and limit where to live.

Next is to consider how much time and money you'll have to pursue your top priorities. Many times a higher paying job comes with more required work obligations, less time off, etc. Having a job with a more modest income, but lots of flexibility would be a better fit say if fly fishing 5 days a week after work was your #1 priority.

That's a way different scenario than say if hunting sheep, goats, moose and the best tags in the West is a priority. If that's your priority, living where you can make F-you money is the only way to do that. At 21 unless you've been applying for points since you were 10, and even if you were, then living in the West isn't even a good strategy. A surgeon working in downtown Chicago is going to get to hunt the best tags in the West every year while the locals are busy buying points and getting gray hair...

What I prioritized when picking a career and what I wanted for outdoor opportunities were states that had OTC elk and deer tags at a minimum as well as easy to get pronghorn tags. I also wanted decent fishing and bird hunting was something I was willing to let slide or travel to do. I also wanted a job with lots of vacation/comp time and flexibility with work weeks and work hours.

What I've given up is having a job that allows me to buy Governors sheep tags, Commission tags, and things of that sort. But, I'm ok with that because I'd rather live in a place where I can fill up the truck on a day following a snow storm, call work and tell them I'm flexing a day or taking annual leave, grab up my rifle and be pounding on elk at daylight.

I also do make enough money to be able to afford to hunt out of state as well.

The one bit of advice I would give you is never assume that the opportunities you have today are "always going to be there". I kick myself for not hunting dall sheep for at least another 2-3 years after I killed my first ram. The hunts were less than 5k, and now the area I hunted is draw only. Grizzly bears in Montana were OTC from the time I started hunting until 1994 always thought it would be there and put it off hunting them. Don't do that....ever. If you have the time and money don't put stuff off.

Good luck.

 

[Rich M]

Go to Alaska. The last frontier.

The US west is getting pretty tight and populated.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

I am going to be graduating from college this semester with a degree in computer engineering. I have a job lined up in the midwest, close to where I grew up, with good pay. My plan right now is to work and then move out west, possibly in a year or so. I am the type of guy who likes to take a lot of time to plan and consider all recommendations. I love to fly fish, bow hunt, rifle hunt, and waterfowl hunt. If you were 21 and in my shoes, where would you move that allows you to pursue these passions?

I'll probably get removed from the family for daring to say this, but Idaho is a real nice place if you can find the job here. Cost of living isn't bad, great OTC hunting, monster muleys, incredible gun laws, you can fly fish your heart out, ect.

If I left Idaho, I'd most likely go to Utah or Oregon depending on why I left.

It's snowing here right now, I had to stop to let 2 lazy moose cross the road on the way to the store 15 minutes ago, gas is cheap and no one's whining about the loaded handgun on the dash.

But seriously, don't come here

 

[Customweld]

If Idaho crosses your mind, be sure to look at housing costs and availability. It's crazy stupid expensive and the rural areas are in a housing shortage.

 

[Aginor]

I was in a similar situation coming out of college. Moved to Washington from Ohio with the same degree. I make 3x what I made in Ohio. Now that we have a WFH option for my company, our five year plan is to move to a lower cost of living state. Washington is second to none in beauty, but by god it has the worst people in the country living here. Oh, if you’re looking for a C++ job and want to move here, hit me up

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Washington is second to none in beauty, but by god it has the worst people in the country living here.

Well... You're half right

 

[BuzzH]

Go to Alaska. The last frontier.

The US west is getting pretty tight and populated.

Not horrible advice, but its not even close to what it was in quality or opportunity 15 years ago...and in another 10 I would be shocked that's it even close to what it is now. It's not going to get better IMO.

I'm not sure the juice will be worth the squeeze much longer...I wouldn't wait.