What Western State To Retire In?

[Dart368]

What about residing in Idaho and renting / RVing in Arizona for the worst parts of winter?

That is an idea

 

[Dart368]

California is beautiful.

Yeah, It's where I live now...you can have it! LOL

 

[Ucsdryder]

Yeah, It's where I live now...you can have it! LOL

20 years every state will be california and New York. As more people go virtual and work remotely the wave of people out of california and New York will only grow. Pretty sad really.

 

[Dart368]

AZ isn't liberal - not sure where you got that. It's more in the middle now as CA moves East but still rated as one of top states for gun owners. OTC archery deer in most units (not Kaibab) with an early and late season. One deer per calendar year so you could kill a deer in the Aug/Sep season and hunt again in January. A January kill does rule out the fall.

Elk is going to be a draw but as a resident, you can hunt every few years when you aren't trying for a trophy unit and retired, it's an easy drive to hunt CO, UT or even ID with OTC options.

Lifetime pref point for hunter safety and loyalty point for applying for same species for 5(?) years in a row.

One of few states to still have a healthy quail population and one of best dove hunting states. Javelina tags are easy to draw and you can kill two per year.

Summer can be brutal unless you live in Flagstaff but lots of retirees live in Prescott or Flag. Cost of living is among lowest in nation.

If you want actual woods, look around Flagstaff/Williams area.

Oh, and medical jobs tend to be easy to come by here.

This was helpful, thank you. I keep hearing of a lot of California people moving into states like Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, etc. and trying to make it into a "California" type state. I am trying to get away from that as I am not liking it here.
Yes, lots of gun restrictions over here regarding magazine capacity, most handguns not on the "California Safe Gun Roster" like Gen 5 Glocks so you can't purchase them. No detachable magazines on Semi-automatic rifles with a pistol grip, etc.

I did visit Tombstone once, only because I am a big "Old West" aficionado.

 

[Dart368]

AZ isn't liberal - not sure where you got that. It's more in the middle now as CA moves East but still rated as one of top states for gun owners. OTC archery deer in most units (not Kaibab) with an early and late season. One deer per calendar year so you could kill a deer in the Aug/Sep season and hunt again in January. A January kill does rule out the fall.

Elk is going to be a draw but as a resident, you can hunt every few years when you aren't trying for a trophy unit and retired, it's an easy drive to hunt CO, UT or even ID with OTC options.

Lifetime pref point for hunter safety and loyalty point for applying for same species for 5(?) years in a row.

One of few states to still have a healthy quail population and one of best dove hunting states. Javelina tags are easy to draw and you can kill two per year.

Summer can be brutal unless you live in Flagstaff but lots of retirees live in Prescott or Flag. Cost of living is among lowest in nation.

If you want actual woods, look around Flagstaff/Williams area.

Oh, and medical jobs tend to be easy to come by here.

Very discouraging:

Any good hunting in AZ??? (Flagstaff, Prescott: rental car, rental, lawyers) - Arizona - City-Data Forum

I am debating on moving out to northern arizona, looking into Prescott valley area from michigan, but I am just curious what types of hunts are

www.city-data.com

 

[Sportsman]

Very discouraging:

Any good hunting in AZ??? (Flagstaff, Prescott: rental car, rental, lawyers) - Arizona - City-Data Forum

I am debating on moving out to northern arizona, looking into Prescott valley area from michigan, but I am just curious what types of hunts are

www.city-data.com

Lots of inaccurate info in that thread with nuggets of truth. Prescott is going to be more liberal but lots of great places between Phoenix and Tucson that will suit you better. AZ elk aren't a secret. Don't hold out for trophy units or rifle rut and you have a chance with 4 points. Utah hunts are 12 hours away to fill the gap and they have limited first come first served rifle and unlimited archery in some units. CO and NM are accessible as well although I've only hunted UT and AZ.

Check out Sierra Vista area as well. An hour from Tucson but at decent enough elevation to moderate the summer. That's near Tombstone. Good coues deer, quail, and javelina hunting in that area.

For the people saying you can't just go buy a tag and "lottery" that's Eastern hunters who don't understand the West. I grew up in East where you could kill 6 deer and there wasn't even a tag so I understand the shock but I expect you understand the draw.

You can buy Over the Counter archery deer tags for around 90% of the GMUs. No, you cannot buy OTC rifle. January will have an overlap of archery javelina with some deer units so you can double up a trip.

Bass fishing is pretty good in AZ as well. And big flatheads in CO River.

 

[Dart368]

Lots of inaccurate info in that thread with nuggets of truth. Prescott is going to be more liberal but lots of great places between Phoenix and Tucson that will suit you better. AZ elk aren't a secret. Don't hold out for trophy units or rifle rut and you have a chance with 4 points. Utah hunts are 12 hours away to fill the gap and they have limited first come first served rifle and unlimited archery in some units. CO and NM are accessible as well although I've only hunted UT and AZ.

Check out Sierra Vista area as well. An hour from Tucson but at decent enough elevation to moderate the summer. That's near Tombstone. Good coues deer, quail, and javelina hunting in that area.

For the people saying you can't just go buy a tag and "lottery" that's Eastern hunters who don't understand the West. I grew up in East where you could kill 6 deer and there wasn't even a tag so I understand the shock but I expect you understand the draw.

You can buy Over the Counter archery deer tags for around 90% of the GMUs. No, you cannot buy OTC rifle. January will have an overlap of archery javelina with some deer units so you can double up a trip.

Bass fishing is pretty good in AZ as well. And big flatheads in CO River.

You give me hope! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Sportsman]

No problem!

 

[Gila]

Rock Springs???!!

I spent a week there one night.
No way.

So you found me out.
Every year this guy goes around the forums with the same copy and paste message about retiring out West somewhere. It's always 8 years from now but he must have retired already. It's really a troll thread. Everyone has different needs and desires for where they want to retire. I got sucked into it once and people started thumping their chest about how their state was the best....blah....blah.

 

[Dart368]

So you found me out.
Every year this guy goes around the forums with the same copy and paste message about retiring out West somewhere. It's always 8 years from now but he must have retired already. It's really a troll thread. Everyone has different needs and desires for where they want to retire. I got sucked into it once and people started thumping their chest about how their state was the best....blah....blah.

If you don't like being "Sucked Into It" feel free to ignore my posts and questions. And what do you care if I want to get feedback from different people in different forums. Just because you belong to every forum on the net, doesn't mean everyone does.

So yes, I have asked this question before and I will probably ask it again. I believe last time it was that I was retiring in 10 years and guess what? That was 2 years ago. And guess what? I got some different answers and opinions today than I did 2 years ago.

No one is asking for your opinion and if you have nothing positive to contribute, go take a nap and try to cure your grumpiness. And while you are laying there trying to take that nap, ask yourself, "Why do I care so much if this guy asks the same question? I can just ignore it and move to the next question that has been asked a million times like What caliber is your favorite or which arrow should I use."

 

[Gila]

Glad NM isn't on your list. We have enough nutsacks the way it is.

 

[Dart368]

Glad NM isn't on your list. We have enough nutsacks the way it is.

Socorro, New Mexico is now number 1 on my list! When I am looking for a house to buy, I will pray that it will be right next door to you...we will have a cold one and laugh about this thread while we plan our next hunting trip!

 

[805Bowhunter]

Probably a bit away from what you are thinking but what about Alaska? Incredible hunting (albeit behind a lot of hard work).

Every state has its pluses and minuses. I do hear the points about cities across the west becoming more like California. Growth/people moving to these cities will unfortunately have this, however, the experience is in the eye of the beholder. I live on the Cen. Coast of CA and while there are things that drive me nuts about CA, I have access to decent hunting close by, I can be spearfishing for white sea bass/yellowtail out at the Channel Islands in a few hours, and I can hunt out of state every year. While I hear a lot of valid points for leaving (which I certainly entertain from time to time), I think a lot of people in CA miss out on opportunity because they are having a pity party and making excuses. The point of all of this is that your opportunity will depend on what you make of it. While there are a lot of factors to take into account (taxes, the ability to hunt/draw tags vs what you can buy otc), you really cannot lose in most Western states. If it were me, I would look at Wy, AZ, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, NV and NM. I would probably avoid CO (they may have already cooked the golden goose regarding game management and who knows where hunting will be in 10 years there) and also UT, which is a great state with good management, just dont plan on drawing a tag in the next decade. UT also has the "elephant in the room" which I think for me is a very real factor.

Your opportunity will be what you make it. I would just think about the future of hunting/politics in that state and take that into your factoring as well. You will be successful wherever you choose, some states will just provide more opportunity (especially as a resident) than other states.

Best of luck. It will be an awesome adventure.

 

[idahohikker]

The west has experienced huge growth. This thread is going to give you a bunch of misdirection because there aren't residents in any state itching for more residents to come in and add traffic and maybe try to change things. Instead, ask what is this city like and you'll get a better response.

And, Idaho is terrible with traffic so don't even consider it.

 

[Russp17]

I'm from Wyoming and for residents I think it has the best opportunity in the west. However, the weather can be tough that goes for Montana also.

If I were you I would really look at Idaho, good hunting and if around the boise area the weather is pretty mild.

 

[idahohikker]

I'm from Wyoming and for residents I think it has the best opportunity in the west. However, the weather can be tough that goes for Montana also.

If I were you I would really look at Idaho, good hunting and if around the boise area the weather is pretty mild.

Idaho hunting is not comparable to Wyoming. Montana and Idaho are closer IMO.

 

[Elktaco]

Idaho. Definitely Idaho.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Wyoming for the great lack of taxes, conservative views, great hunting, low cost of living.
Montana- taxes but resonable, beautiful country, people very friendly, conservative except Missoula.

Both are great states for hunting and living.

 

[sneaky]

This was helpful, thank you. I keep hearing of a lot of California people moving into states like Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, etc. and trying to make it into a "California" type state. I am trying to get away from that as I am not liking it here.
Yes, lots of gun restrictions over here regarding magazine capacity, most handguns not on the "California Safe Gun Roster" like Gen 5 Glocks so you can't purchase them. No detachable magazines on Semi-automatic rifles with a pistol grip, etc.

I did visit Tombstone once, only because I am a big "Old West" aficionado.

Well, your fellow Californians are doing their best to ruin Idaho. It isn't the winter weather you should concern yourself with here, it's the skyrocketing housing prices and the Boise mayor wanting to turn it into a sanctuary city.

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[sneaky]

Wyoming for the great lack of taxes, conservative views, great hunting, low cost of living.
Montana- taxes but resonable, beautiful country, people very friendly, conservative except Missoula.

Both are great states for hunting and living.

Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell, Whitefish are all liberal bastions in MT. The whole Bitterroot valley is heading that direction due to people moving in. It isn't just Missoula.

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