Newberg says a $40 elk tag (or whatever it cost) is a $25,000 elk tag for residents.

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By comparing it to Cheyenne or Boise, you clearly know nothing about how expensive Bozeman is...

Median Home Price January 2024:

Cheyenne - $425,000
Boise - 495,000
Bozeman - $762,000


Not all Western states are the same, and certainly not all Western towns and cities are the same. When I came to Bozeman over 30 years ago the saying was " half the paycheck is the view." Wages were LOW here for many years, and only recently have caught up with other comparably sized towns of 50K people. Having said that, my daughter is a nurse but can't really afford to live here where she was raised. She lives in Billings because the pay is more there than here, and housing is significantly less.
I did realize it was that cheap.

But instead of average home price, probably be more relative with average sq ft cost
 

180ls1

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I would really like to know where these places are.

Depending on the state there is a good chance the association of realtors has some data.

Google "Arizona home affordability index" or whatever state and it'll start getting you in the right direction. "City Data" also has info.
 

WCB

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He probably did take a pay cut to move to 1991 Bozeman.
I don't know if you can still use that argument in 2024 Bozeman??

Websites are telling me that where I live the average salary is 1k higher than Bozeman - and I live in what most would consider a very high paying area.

You have to have a marketable skill in the area in which you choose to live.
In most instances you are technically taking a pay cut moving to BZN since cost of living is so high. You may even take a pay increase and still be behind where you came from.

Now using the argument that you took a pay cut to hunt elk then claim that the tag cost you the fee plus your "lost wages" is a complete joke. When you made the move you already weighed that and said that the opportunity was equal to or greater than the "pay cut".

I saw the comment about "lost wages" without watching the whole video as I am not a Randy fan and have no interest in his content any longer. So if the clip was inaccurate I admit I would be misrepresenting his view point but the comment I made is still the truth.
 

S.Clancy

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He probably did take a pay cut to move to 1991 Bozeman.
I don't know if you can still use that argument in 2024 Bozeman??

Websites are telling me that where I live the average salary is 1k higher than Bozeman - and I live in what most would consider a very high paying area.

You have to have a marketable skill in the area in which you choose to live.

In most instances you are technically taking a pay cut moving to BZN since cost of living is so high. You may even take a pay increase and still be behind where you came from.

Now using the argument that you took a pay cut to hunt elk then claim that the tag cost you the fee plus your "lost wages" is a complete joke. When you made the move you already weighed that and said that the opportunity was equal to or greater than the "pay cut".

I saw the comment about "lost wages" without watching the whole video as I am not a Randy fan and have no interest in his content any longer. So if the clip was inaccurate I admit I would be misrepresenting his view point but the comment I made is still the truth.
I highly, highly doubt you would make more $$$ in MT, especially Bozeman, than you do wherever you live, unless you are the very top of talent in your field.

My brother and I both left Bozeman because the pay was so bad (and the living expenses) and moved to other cities in MT. They have always called it the "Bozeman tax". All the people driving up real estate there either aren't working at all or are working somewhere else.
 
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Mojave

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I didn't listen/watch the Newberg stuff but it ain't that expensive to live in Cheyenne, Boise, Bozeman, insert any big blue city in Western states... It's not like every R hunter has to buy a place in Jackson Hole or something. Both my older boys lived in Cheyenne for several years, they made good money for what they did, one took a pay cut to get back to Texas and the other came back without a job lined up but he did end up making more with a lucky score I hooked him up with.
you have not researched this in a while. Bozeman is insane. Boise was but has slowed down a bit. Cheyenne is cheaper than Fort Colins 50 miles to the south but just like Fort Collins it sucks.
 

D_Dubya

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Watched 2 meth heads fist fight to the death at a “park” in the middle of town.
No thanks.
Had one try to crawl through the passenger window of the truck at the gas station by the college campus…and we had already started moving. I keep the windows up when passing through Alamosa now.
 

Douglasr

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Had one try to crawl through the passenger window of the truck at the gas station by the college campus…and we had already started moving. I keep the windows up when passing through Alamosa now.
Cool place to visit, but I’d never live there.
 
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you have not researched this in a while. Bozeman is insane. Boise was but has slowed down a bit. Cheyenne is cheaper than Fort Colins 50 miles to the south but just like Fort Collins it sucks.
I wouldn't bother researching Bozeman because I'm not a hippie from California wanting to move there, just picked names out of a hat and yes looking back that one should've been obvious. Let's pretend I said Pueblo instead, one can always find affordable housing in Pueblo and work in Colorado Springs for higher pay.
 

fngTony

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Depending on the state there is a good chance the association of realtors has some data.

Google "Arizona home affordability index" or whatever state and it'll start getting you in the right direction. "City Data" also has info.
The higher the number the more affordable?
 
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I’m not 100% up to speed on residency requirements in co, but what if someone worked seasonally as a ski lift operator and a raft guide and lived in employee housing?
After a certain amount of time are they considered a resident?
Nor am I 100% sure, but at some point, you're going to have to establish a primary state of residence.

Guy I worked with in TX, hunted CO every year. Not wanting to pay NR tag fees, he bought a property in CO and got CO drivers license.
"I'm so smart!"
Until CO sent him forms for CO state income tax!
He sold property and went back to TX license!
Don't remember what his CO state tax was that year, but it was substantial! LOL!

Western states with large (elk, moose, etc) animals and millions of acres of public land have pretty much priced the po' boy outta western state hunting.
Between expensive NR tags and the current economic situation ($4/gal fuel?), John Doe can't just run up to MT for a leisurely 5 day hunt!
My first NR Colorado (1975) mule deer tag was $25. Elk was $50.
The LAST mule deer tag I bought was $125! ....and that was a mere 3 years (1978) years later! Elk had gone up to $150!

Pretty much ended my "western state" hunting!
 
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What if you're a native "Montanite"(?)?
You didn't give up $25k salary for a R tag!
It's just a $40 tag!
Newberg is a putz and an accountant! He sees the world in "gains and losses"!
After establishing residency, his tag simply became a $40 tag. The $25k earnings loss was his personal choice!
Besides, as an accountant with phones and computers to transfer information around, I can't see that relocating cost him THAT much! 😉

BTW! Hunting "out-of-state", Newberg was saddled, not only with home maintenance in his home state, but the cost of food, transportation and lodging while hunting in MT!
Moving to MT had to save him several thousand off the food, transportation and lodging bill!
$25k my butt! LOL!
 

WCB

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Had one try to crawl through the passenger window of the truck at the gas station by the college campus…and we had already started moving. I keep the windows up when passing through Alamosa now.
Too bad...wife went there for college around 2007. I've been there a handful of times visiting her friends and attending funerals and weddings. This past fall the word we got from her friends while we were there it really went hell. When you have Sheriffs quitting and City Council members running the show it can't be a good thing.
 
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