Wanting to move west... Need your help!

[mt100gr.]

Tough choices for sure. Lots of good reasons to move to a mountain west state. I have lived in MT my whole life and love it here. When I consider moving, it's in-state areas that get me that much closer to hunting spots that I dream about. Probably isn't gonna happen.

I don't even know where I'd begin looking if I were looking out of state. But I did see a t shirt one that said "Live today, tomorrow you could be in Salt Lake City"

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Well I live in Oregon, an I love it.

But if I were from Texas, and used to sagebrush, I'd be looking at the agriculture belt of Idaho, anything from Weiser to Boise. For waterfowling & fishing you have the Snake River, and for hunting well you got tons of options; mulies (both desert and high country), pronghorn, wilderness backcountry elk, sheep, mtn goat and very few liberals!
Yep Idaho would be my pick.

But you might also be happy w/ the Hemiston to Pendleton to Walla Walla Washinton ag belt as well. At least you won't find many liberals there, but you'll still have to put up w/ Western Oregon liberal's running the rest of the state into the ground.
Hunt'nFish

 

[TexRed]

Wow! I did not expect this many responses in 24 hours!

Y'all have given me a lot to consider over the next few months. I am leaning towards Montana and Idaho right now, mainly because of the amount of job listings I have been able to find in those areas. I never thought I'd talk my wife into even considering moving that far north but she is starting to warm up to the idea of actually having things to do outdoors.

One other question though... my wife loves the lake (watersports mainly). How is the boating in western states? Is it too cold or summers to short to have quality lake weather? We are used to 100 Texas heat and going to the lake for a refreshing cool off.

Thanks again!

 

[Nick Muche]

Lots of boating in Idaho.

 

[MuleyFever]

So how bad is the winter inversion in Boise?

 

[muleman]

Northern Utah lakes and reservoirs around 4,500' in elevation have air temps from 90-105* during the heat of summer and are quite popular for water recreation. As you go up in elevation you loose 10-20*. Most of the higher elevation lakes are used for fishing and general boating and not water skiing and wake boarding.

I assume that ID and MT would have resources like this available to check water temps.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=&sid=1324523

Most areas in the West have four true seasons so you don't have a long summer stretch of heat. You probably would find the comfortable time to do water-sports shorter than what you have now.

 

[Greg Beck]

Lots of watersports on CJ Strike, Lucky Peak and a few other lakes in the Boise area.