Dreaming out loud here...
I'm graduating in May and the job-search/recruiting stuff is coming into full swing. I'm single for now, so there's no "other plans" to mess with. I'd really like to head back home after school. Not much for a B.S. in Occupational Safety in Southern Illinois. I've got one or two leads, but I'm not sure it's going to happen. Spent the summer in Georgia on an internship...nice place. But not sure I want to go with that company.
If you guys were a "free-bird" what do you think would be the ideal State for hunting?
(Hunting is not the main criteria in any decisions...but I'd lie if I said it wasn't in the back of my mind.)
Are you graduating from SIU, Carbondale? I started there in the middle 80's...LOL
All around hunting plus nature. My first choice is Idaho.
I kinda like the year round opportunities of the southern tier states.
Living in Georgia, I can go hunt big game any day of the year. Just a few hours to the east coastline, a few to the gulf, turkey, deer, bear, hogs, trout in the mountains, bass and gators in the sloughs.
I've often thought of moving to MOntana, but all of my friends who live there all come down here to hunt their "offseason" which is a looooooong time!
No, but its an hour from my house....so I've spent some good times that direction. Middle 80's? You never lit any fires or started flipping cars around this time of year did ya? Did they have Hair Banger's Ball back then? lol
I'm at Murray State University...about 2 hours South of SIUC, and about 20 minutes for Kenlake and LBL.
Im interested to hear this also, just bacame single myself-she said it was either her or the bow...anyway going to take a traveling therapy job and hopfully move some place like Idaho..thought about Alaska..?.
I've lived in Texas, Arkansas, and spent some time while in college in New Mexico.
Arkansas has a long archery deer season, but you pretty much have to quit hunting when it is over. There is a lot of public land there also.
You can hunt something in Texas all year long, but public land is limited.
Haven't been to NM for years so can't speak for it.
I'd say Montana
I'll have to agree with Biggie. I live in MS and can hunt hogs year round, plenty of deer and turkeys during the seasons and LOTS of public ground to lose your way in. All the southern states are that way if you can put up with the heat, which is pretty much year round.
I've thought about heading south for the year around hunting as well, I'll think alot harder about it once I get me Bighorn and mountain goat!
I would love to be able to hunt year round like you can in the south, but I dont know if I could take the heat. I complain about the heat and humidity in MD, dont know what I would do in Ga haha. Id say montana
Ohio isn't bad. Plenty of public lands, but like many states in these parts, the economy is hurting. Western Pennsylvania is loaded with deer - it's where I hunt along with southern Ohio.
Canada Eh! :bigsmyl:
I would love to hunt and live in Alaska, but my passion is big whitetails, so Kansas. Shawn
Michigan, it's a sportsmans paradise. Especially the U.P., but I don't know how you would do finding a job...our economy kinda sucks right now.
Bakes
Ohio
Northern Alabama. Long seasons and reachable drives to Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, etc. for their seasons. Huntsville is the job town.
GO WEST YOUNG MAN: CALIFORNIA
#1 We got year round Hogs.
#2 We got Mule deer.
#3 We got Black tail deer.
#4 We got Black beer. ( oops ) Bear
#5 We got Rocky Mountain Elk.
#6 We got Roosevelt Elk
#7 We got Tule Elk.
#8 We got Pronghorn.
#9 We got California Bighorn.
#10 We got Turkeys ( I ant talk-n-bout the people )
#11 We got world class Salt Water Fishing
Don't come to Michigan for a few years if decent employment is a part of your plan. While always possible, it's unlikely.
You make a good case or Cali...but good grief, that's gonna be a hard sell. This little ole farmboy from a mining town wants nothing to do with the likes of Chicago, New York, St. Louis...and..and...tree-huggers!!! (I'm kidding, but the ultra-urban setting is not going to mesh me we. Like my dad says, "I need a place I can pee off the back porch when I want." I realize that cuts my opportunities severely. I made piece with that a long time ago.)
I realize there is a LOT of California besides the Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Nearly went there for my internship instead of Georgia. Forget the specific area...something like Monsanto or something...down by San Diego I believe.
Queensland, Australia!
I can't think of a better place than Wyoming. If hunting is your pasion then it's a great place.You can live in,on or beside the moutains, tons of public land also. The hunting is fairly long as you can hunt from August 15th to December 31st, for some kind of game animal. Then hunt varmints the rest of the year. But probally more importantly is the Job Selection here. There are more good paying jobs that need filled than anywhere I can think of. And no state tax. The Michagan people must think so also, there starting to flood in here by the truck loads!!!!!!!!!!!
Wyoming has jobs, unlike a lot of places. Where I live, I can hunt whitetails, mule deer, antelope, elk, bear and turkeys within a few minutes from home, not to mention grouse, pheasants, rabbits and predators. Fishing is world class. As Jacob said, we are getting lots of Michiganders who are moving for the jobs.
Please, don't tell your friends! We who live here want Wyo to stay like it is! :D
Id flip a coin between Utah or Wyoming.And then if the coin rolled down the sewer before I saw what side won Id go to Reno.From there you could be in the best hunting country in the world within a days drive.
California is a blue state!
Id carefully visit Utah before moving there. Ive traveled around a the US a bit motorcycling and camping. Its the only place outside of larger cities where the average person just wasnt friendly.
Kingwouldbe makes a good case for California, But how come my Elk woods are way too full of Cali pickup plates during Elk and Deer season here.
Indiana.....our bag limit on deer is around 400/year :D
ya couldnt drag me to Kalifornia with a Peterbuilt! :readit:
I'm 25 miles east of St.Louis, lots of jobs opportunities in industry and manufacturing around here. If you are willin to commute 45 min. or so to work theres lots of fresh air and "back porch privledges" to be had. I couldn't live over there in St.louis either. But you could find a town you'd be comfortable with over here and if you get the right job you can afford to go hunt those other places anyway.
For sheer enjoyment of the outdoors with plenty of open spaces to hunt and fish, one would be hard-pressed to find a state better than Montana or Wyoming. However, when you're not doing that, these places can be bleak. (I lived in Montana for two years and long periods of below 0 weather or heat in the summer can have its toll).
One other place not mentioned that has a lot going for it is South Dakota. It's liberal hunting seasons, abundant game, superior fishing, lots and lots of public lands, and friendly people make it very attractive.
It's great to live in a country like ours where our outdoor activity choices are almost endless. New Jersey to California or Michigan to Georgia, there's lots of game and fish to be sought.
Um Dave, Canada is a country and a real big one. Just an FYI. And anyone that thinks Michigan is the palce to be, I just don't see it. Only thing we got going is Canada is real close by.
As far as Ohio goes we got lots of deer and as you can see from Bens pic real big ones :) but deer and turkeys are pretty much it. As far as an all around hunting state not Ohio
I'm sort of with Biggie. Georgia's neighbor Florida has year round hunting for hogs, a generous 2 deer per day limit with no season limits. A long deer season at about 4 months per zone and if you travel bewteen zones you can find deer hunting from Early Sept to the end of Feb. Again the hogs are year 'round on private lands. No place in Florida is more than 70 miles from the coast and fantastic fishing can be had in every county. We have ample public lands as well.
ALASKA!!!
I'm gonna have to say either Nebraska or South Dakota- Lots of game, mostly friendly folks. I moved to Nebraska about ten years ago and can't really see leaving since I am in the heart of it all. Since I too am recently single and a single parent I'm moving soon closer to the center of Nebraska but finding work has been the biggest problem so far, but you can live on a lot less in the midwest so the way I see it I've got at least 20 more years of good hunting left in me and I'm going to spend it in a place I can provide for my son and do the things I enjoy. I could not live in the concrete jungles that exist today with all the people and traffic and filth, oh yeah I pee when and where I want out here....... it's great- follow your heart
Just the normal Halloween crazyness that college kids do... LOL No arrests..
I did choose Idaho as my 1st choice but a close 2nd would be South Dakota.. Beautiful and a LOT of empty space and plenty of "stuff" to bowhunt. I hunted in SD this August. The closest town of any size (that had a wal-mart) was 90 miles on way... Big country..
If not in the US then British Columbia without a doubt.. Moose, Elk, Mulies, whitetail, black bear, grizzly, mountain lion, sheep, ect,,ect... What a place. BC is a bowhunting paradise. That word is overused but pails the description of BC...
By far the most beautiful country I've ever hunted. I never usually hunt a state/province twice. Except for BC, I go back Ocotber of 2009. It is so awesome that everyone even if not hunting should go at least once in a lifetime.
Alabama
GA, SC, NC are all hard to beat if you ask me for the same reasons Biggie gave. There's a wide variety of game and if you have access to private lands here in SC with a hog population you can hunt year round. Other than that there is game in season at least 8 months throughout the year. I believe GA to be a much better trophy deer state (I sure wish some of them bucks would cross the river to the lease my dad and I have that runs up to Lake Russell). If I were free to move, GA would be where I would go.
Another vote for Cali.. I have been in construction here for 30 years, I'm a civil engineer, and during all the booms and busts I've always had work. There is all the hunting King mentioned plus fishing from brook trout to marlin not to mention mountain ranges, the ocean and deserts. I think you should consider moving to an urban area where you can get a better job, stick it out for 5 years or so, build up your resume and then, if you want, move to a rural area with a bit of experience which will make you more employable. Plus if you have a good job you can afford to travel and check out some of these recommendations!
I live in Eastern South Dakota and would agree with what others have said about the wide open spaces and plenty of public land to hunt in South Dakota. I can drive 5 miles from town and be in one of my hunting spots.
For big game there are antelope, mule deer, whitetail deer, turkeys and elk. Although an elk tag is hard to come by. However not to far to drive to Wyoming or Colorado for an elk hunt.
You can hunt farm country in the Eastern part of the state, wide open ranch country in the Western part of the state or the Black Hills.
There is great walleye fishing and pheasant hunting.
Our two biggest cities are Sioux Falls and Rapid City both have plenty of job opportunities and there is no state income tax.
I believe all are State's offer something unique but would say that South Dakota is near the top of the list if you like the outdoors.
You can hunt scavengers year round in Washington D.C....
I'm staying in Gawgia! California would be fun if they would open a season on Liberals! :) Seems they are over populating something fierce.
I'm a southern boy but vote for the North West. Follow your heart it will never let you down, your mind on the other hand, well lets say I stoped thinking long ago.
Blueline
Thank god nobody said Colorado! I've only hunted about 40-50 days this year...deprived bugger that I am :banghead:
well I like to look at animals the big ones how about washington most people here in wash would think I am crazy but here it goes Blacktail ,muleys and a real sleeper for monster whitetails
yellowstone elk, olympic elk a ton of bears did I say a ton cougars three species of turkeys draw for sheep goats and moose close borders idaho oregon, b.c days drive from montana nevada wyoming great fishing rich trad history
After living in Alaska for 15yrs, and then moving back to WI.... The anwser to your ? is Alaska!!!