Moving to Oregon from CA

[Pdzoller]

Yeah, I wouldn't call it back country ... Most areas south of Eugene or South of Florence are still road accessible. I would agree it's more back country than NW and inland West is but there are still some pretty consistent road systems.

I’d take walking eight miles off trail in any mountain state vs two miles in western Oregon or Washington. Just my opinion.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Yeah, I wouldn't call it back country ... Most areas south of Eugene or South of Florence are still road accessible. I would agree it's more back country than NW and inland West is but there are still some pretty consistent road systems.

Aside from the Strawberries, Eagle Caps, NF John Day, and a few other small wilderness areas, all of Eastern Oregon NFS land is covered in roads.

The Kalmiopsis, Three Sisters, and a few other small wilderness areas, all on the west side, are very remote.

 

[GoneFullTrad]

Aside from the Strawberries, Eagle Caps, NF John Day, and a few other small wilderness areas, all of Eastern Oregon NFS land is covered in roads.

The Kalmiopsis, Three Sisters, and a few other small wilderness areas, all on the west side, are very remote.

I think my perception of Western Oregon having little to no backcountry is how often I run into people that are not hunting versus how often I run into other hunters on the East. side I hunt primarily on the wet side but I just have countless stories of running into hikers, trail runners, nudists, mushroom hunters, meth heads (especially in the Santiam Unit) versus only running into hunters on the East side.

Dealing with non hunters and road hunters on the wet side has completely shaped my strategy.


I think land mass wise the border from the West/East side and Eastern side has more backcountry than the wet side. You also deal with quite a bit of reservation land on the East side than you do on the West though. So perhaps its a wash.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I think my perception of Western Oregon having little to no backcountry is how often I run into people that are not hunting versus how often I run into other hunters on the East. side I hunt primarily on the wet side but I just have countless stories of running into hikers, trail runners, nudists, mushroom hunters, meth heads (especially in the Santiam Unit) versus only running into hunters on the East side.

Dealing with non hunters and road hunters on the wet side has completely shaped my strategy.


I think land mass wise the border from the West/East side and Eastern side has more backcountry than the wet side. You also deal with quite a bit of reservation land on the East side than you do on the West though. So perhaps its a wash.

Aside from the meth heads, I would rather encounter non-hunters than hunters, and this is just because I know there won't be any competition for the animals. Growing up hunting in SW Oregon, I can only think of one time that I encountered another hunter in the woods on foot, and it was pretty close to a road. I ran into a bunch of hunters, and miles from any road, in Eastern Oregon, even in wilderness areas. In fact, the wilderness areas often have more hunters on foot than areas within a mile of a road.

 

[kda082]

I was born and raised in portland, in my opinion yes its a shithole nowadays but i think oregon is still slightly better than Washington and california in some ways. Especially the gun laws, they tried to pass a bunch of BS here and its currently being held up in the courts thankfully. Eventually they might pass similar crap to CA/WA but currently WA/CA is WAY worse with gun laws as im sure you know.

I was just in seattle the other day and everything about it is worse, more homeless, more traffic, everything was more expensive and we barely saw any cops. I payed about $1.30 more per gallon for gas while i was there. The housing is cheaper in OR than the other 2 states too. Portland probably isnt too far behind tho honestly, just slightly less worse at the moment. Outside of portland, Oregon is pretty nice. I hunt on the east side and there is some decent opportunities here but its obviously not as much of a hunting destination as other western states east of here. If you really want to live in a big city on the West coast its not the worst in my opinion.

I build floating homes and docks, sell guns/cans on the side. We live in a nice floating home we built ourselves and when you're down on the water, it doesn't feel like we're in a big city and its peaceful. Tons of floating homes here if you're interested in that. Hope this helps, feel free to PM me if you have any questions too

I have no idea what a floating home is but sounds wonderful and just my speed!

 

[Cameron.25]

I have no idea what a floating home is but sounds wonderful and just my speed!

Its pretty cool.. especially living in a brand new one i built myself with no mortgage. Pretty relaxing

 

[kda082]

Absolutely beautiful and looks peaceful. Appreciate you sharing photos.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Its pretty cool.. especially living in a brand new one i built myself with no mortgage. Pretty relaxing

Ugh...so jealous!!

Ok, go ahead and get it over with. Post your pics of all the salmon and steelhead you catch right off your deck!

 

[IDusmcWAPITI]

Nothing wrong with most of Oregon. People look for reasons to complain, most don't even know what they're complaining about let alone actually experienced any of it. I talk to thousands of people driving rideshare and 999/1000 want the same things in life you do.
Western OR is a bit wet for me, Burns is too small, Bend is where I've been for almost 68 years. I've been hunting all over the west and haven't found many places I'd rather be.

Oregon is beautiful and should be a beacon for outdoor enthusiasts. Amazing opportunities from the ocean to mountains….

I agree about people wanting to complain about poorly understood things….but complaints about attacking police stations/officers, decriminalizing hard drugs and turning nice, friendly and safe neighborhoods into tent cities are entirely warranted. Was pleased to read some of these things are being walked back but it was hard to watch it happen.

 

[DawnPatrol]

I have no idea what a floating home is but sounds wonderful and just my speed!

It sound fun, and is, but it’s also a lot of work. Think of the constant maintenance required by a boat, and apply it to your whole house.

I have only lived in old ones, though. I’m sure Cameron’s are sweet!

 

[BryanL]

I grew up in Alaska and went to school in CA before moving to Oregon. Lots changing here obviously. Cost of living is going up fast. Crime is rough in the cities (Portland metro, Salem, and Eugene). Oregon is beautiful and there are lots of opportunities to hunt and fish. I know it’s not as good as it used to be, but the same can be said in many areas. I live on the West side of the state, and despite the politics, the smaller communities are pretty dang safe and schools are decent for kids. Lots of things could be better, but we moved from Humboldt and it was horribly violent, unsafe, and expensive with little economic opportunity.

 

[Weldor]

What do you do for work? I will say that in my line of work the money on the west coast if far superior which is the main reason I’m still here. My plan is to move but still most likely chase jobs here a few months out of the year. Wyoming Arizona or Montana are a few on my list that I would feel a better place to have a resident hunting license.

You might want to do your homework on AZ. We are not far behind Oregon as far as costs go. Housing especially. Cost of living and low wages.

 

[Dirtscoots]

I agree on all the above. I was referring to having residency for drawing tags. That is one the most deciding factors for me as I move closer to a partial retirement.

 

[Erebor]

Well i guess everyone is leaving Cali.

 

[ramsdude47]

I’m beginning to seriously consider relocating from Western Colorado to Southern Oregon to begin living a more slow paced (homestead) kind of life with my family. The primary draw to Oregon is my pay would increase (RN) and the cost of ~20 acre lots with or without homes is actually affordable relative to all but the absolute worst land in CO. The majority of sources I have found validate the plausibility of this plan (fertile land, temperate climate, relatively relaxed homesteading laws).

However, I want to make sure I’m not unduly writing off the flocks of people wanting to leave Oregon because it’s becoming too leftist. For the most part I’m inclined to believe what happens in Portland (200+ miles away) won’t really matter that much to me, the same way what happens in Denver doesn’t matter in Grand Junction. Is Oregon “doomed” even for someone who lives out in the sticks minding their own business and living a minimalistic lifestyle?

 

[wapitibob]

Politics are decided by the population centers along the I-5 corridor, just how it is. If you don't drive around with a F Biden flag flapping off the back of your truck, you're probably the type that will do just fine. Some people look for reasons to be upset. The "flocks of people" are moving to Oregon, not leaving. I wouldn't move here for the hunting, I'll say that.

 

[lintond]

How's life in Oregon compared to Cali? Tell me about your experiences. Don't be afraid to tell me about your entire experience!

What are you looking for in your move? The beauty of Oregon is there is diversity of life from coast to east side. I’ve lived here my entire life and have been in all spectrums that the state has to offer. Central Oregon, Lakeview, Portland.

Depending on your career you might be limited in options as well. I live in Portland because I’m an engineer and that is where the majority of the jobs are. Remote work has changed that but I’m in too deep now with work/family to make a major move.

A little more info on what you want and some of us can help with advice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jon_G]

Tons of replies that I wasn't expecting. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. I am in construction which I guess I should have mentioned. I have done mostly residential work but I am close to landing a job for the city doing road construction work. Haven't gotten the job yet but I'm close. What information can you guys add based on that?

 

[Pdzoller]

I’m beginning to seriously consider relocating from Western Colorado to Southern Oregon to begin living a more slow paced (homestead) kind of life with my family. The primary draw to Oregon is my pay would increase (RN) and the cost of ~20 acre lots with or without homes is actually affordable relative to all but the absolute worst land in CO. The majority of sources I have found validate the plausibility of this plan (fertile land, temperate climate, relatively relaxed homesteading laws).

However, I want to make sure I’m not unduly writing off the flocks of people wanting to leave Oregon because it’s becoming too leftist. For the most part I’m inclined to believe what happens in Portland (200+ miles away) won’t really matter that much to me, the same way what happens in Denver doesn’t matter in Grand Junction. Is Oregon “doomed” even for someone who lives out in the sticks minding their own business and living a minimalistic lifestyle?

Depending on where in southern Oregon. Fires can be a huge problem on a lot of those 20 acre properties. Most are broken up ranch or timber properties and have poor water availability. Some places in southern Oregon get stupid hot and are loaded with snakes. Portland most definitely affects the whole state.

Also, to those that move here from non coastal areas. Our snow and ice are different. You can’t just drive on it like dry snow. Please don’t make the same mistake every other person does. “I’m from NE Blizzard and I have a Subaru, we know how to drive in the winter” next thing you know all the transplants are wrecked and I-5 is closed because a 2” “Snowmeggedon”.

Sorry for the rant just see it every year.

 

[Don Fischer]

Nothing worse to drive on than wet snow!