Hi guys, I am leaving tonight to attend Coast Guard training for 11 weeks.At one point, around the 5th or 6th weeks my class will be given 23 billets(new duty stations) to choose from.
My wife and I wouldn't have any problem moving to:
Tampa fl, Jacksonville Fl, San Francisco,Houston,
Baltimore, Chicago.
There is a good chance that some of those billets will be in one of those areas I mentioned.
Now b4 we were leaving in Fl and I know there is a lot of public land for hunting. Now I would like to move somewhere where I could drive maybe an hour tops to find some public land.If you guys have any thoughts,please help
If CG dream sheets are anything like the Army, you will probably be in Kansas.
Jacksonville gets my vote. Northern Florida and the southeast portion of Georgia has lots of public land. Pigs!
If the dream sheets are like the Air Force you'll end up in Korea or Minot!!
Jacksonville would be my choice , unless y'all are looking to see other places than your homestste.
I say put in for Alaska unless the wife is against it
I can tell you SF bay area weather is second only to San Diego, but if you live too close to SF- its crazy. SF and LA are what gives California a bad name...but they control state politics.
The only hunting from SF within an hour is a couple of private pay to hunt spots and public winter pig hunts at lake sonoma- about an hour north.
Gonna have to be biased here. Anywhere on the NC coast would be great (but not Hatteras...bridge problems of late). Even SC. Hogs populations in NC are growing on the coast and in SC they are very good. Lots of game lands within 1 hour drive of the coast (Columbus Co. Gamelands and Croatan Nat'l Forest here in NC). The cost of living is not bad either.
Tampa doesn't have much public land within a 1hr drive...
Baltimore. Deer, turkey, small game, preadtors, sika deer and wAter fowl. Long seasons for bow starting sept 7th until jan 31st
My 2 nephews have lived in Okeechobee for 20 years and they claim you have to belong to a club to have good hunting for anything other than pig.
Good luck and tell Cape May I said hello. I went to boot camp there in '89. Semper Paratus!
I am from Illinois and have NO idea why anyone would want to move here. VERY little public land and a State legislature that has run the state into financial dysfunction. If you move to Chicago it would be, in my mind, even worse. I am looking forward to getting out of the state once my kids are out of college.
Thank God I am not going to Boot camp guys.I have allready 3 years in the Coast Guard. I am going to Aschool, which they will train me about my rating (Marine Science Technician) and we actually do have a saying on where we are going to end up to depending on time in Service, coming from land unit or ship, performance in school,etc..
So it sounds like Tampa, and Chicago are out..
I would stay away for Chicago!!
Hap
I wouldn't rule out Northern Michigan if the opportunity presented itself.
Do you like cold, really cold??? Check out Chicago weather right now.
Chicago no way. It would take you an hour to get out of town most days. Any place in Michigan could work for you. I liked MD particular the Baltimore area. Not sure on the hunting as I was there short of a year, but great area to live from my experience.
Jacksonville if it were me excellent salt water fishing and really good hunting in the Osceola nat forest deer and hog very few bow hunters bugs are bad early season killed a ton of deer in and around lake city grew up in Tampa went to college there and got away as soon as I could I would run away from Tampa lots more options in north fla good luck
Go South, young man! Good hunting with generous bag limits, good folks, mild winters. Down side is heat, humidity, ticks, mosquitoes, and snakes. Those are present in a lot of places outside the South. If you pick Florida (a very good choice) check out TBOF, a great group to know.
Ooops I didn't read the CG part just the title. I have Colorado on the brain planning a 2014 elk hunt.
I know someone that just recently enlisted and his first assignment was Wisconsin (not his choice). He now is going to NC and also had a chance for San Diego.
Good luck and if I had the chance I think I would go for either Florida billet, but I am looking out my window at 8" of snow and 0 temperatures right now. I think the cost of living would be better than San Francisco. Somewhere warm that is for sure.
Coast Guard in Colorado??? Uncle Same takes a dim view of wacky weed!!
Does your wife intend to find a job? If so, you gotta really keep that in mind. While northern Michigan is beautiful, finding higher wage jobs can be difficult. On top of it, with all the retired folks on pensions bailing for no/low tax states and/or warmer weather and the new auto workers making a fraction, northern Michigan could be a difficult place to sell a house in some area's if you decide to buy, since so many seasonal places are for sale. Right around my land, many seasonal places that were for sale in 2009 are still sitting there.
If you like to fish or duck hunt and don't mind traffic and the hustle and bustle, SE Detroit can actually be OK, as long as you're away from Detroit and the inner ring of suburbs, that now are no place to move to.
Port Huron has a station. You're close to Lake St. Clair, maybe the best fishing in the country, there's world class duck hunting and Canada for bear isn't far. For deer, you'd need to do legwork to find private ground there, but you're only a couple hours drive from 1,000,000's of public acres, although that deer hunting is also fairly spotty unless you do lots of homework and scouting.
As far as northern Michigan, the Frankfort, Ludington and Frankfort posts would be really nice, if your wife is stay at home or has a skill for a higher wage job. If she can work at a hospital or get into management of a resort or golf course, you can do well.
The UP posts would be beautiful for the 6 weeks of Spring, Summer and Fall, but while snow is fine, I don't want to live in feet of it from November to late April. LOL
QuoteOriginally posted by Rick Wiltshire:
I am from Illinois and have NO idea why anyone would want to move here. VERY little public land and a State legislature that has run the state into financial dysfunction. If you move to Chicago it would be, in my mind, even worse. I am looking forward to getting out of the state once my kids are out of college.
i
I am partially with Rick. Chicago would be completely off my list. Illinois would be a great place if we could make Chicago its own state.
The CG stations in Alaska are very near good hunting for deer, black bear, brown bear, goats and waterfowl. Fishing is great too.
This has already been well covered, but I remember in the Marines they said we could request a duty station when we left Vietnam. I requested Kodiak Island, and they sent me to Camp Lejeune, along with most of the other folks returning from Vietnam. Request and Get are two different words.
First off, thank you for your service. I sometimes regret not following my dream of the CG.
Second, where you live is what you make of it.
Third:
NC coast
Michigan
Jacksonville, FL
Chicago puts you within driving distance of IL, IN, MI
Here's a link of pics of Michigan posts...
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Coast+Guard+Stations+in+Michigan&FORM=HDRSC2
Chris,
Wherever you choose I'm sure it will be fine as long as the Wife is Happy lol.
If I don't see you again it's been great knowing you!
I may get a chance to make the Pre-Spring again this year but it sounds like you may not?
Hey John as mach as I would like to come to pre spring I will still be attending training...What a nice group of people we have there every year..
My wife works for Southwest Airlines and although they fly everywhere they hace to start from either Orlando,San Francisco(actually Oakland),Baltimore, Las Vegas(no Coast Guard there),Houston(lots of CG in Galveston),Chicago.
So as much as I would like to go Alaska or Hawaii it is a nono. For this past 3 years se has to drive once a week from Mobile Al to Orlando(that is 8 hours one way...)
X2 Jacksonville!
I would try to get the Seattle nesu station or Oregon. Plenty of places to hunt and fish.
I'd vote Jacksonville also, that way you have all that north florida public land to hunt for various game, including hogs, deer, turkey, and I think even bear in some places, awesome shot at fishing, and your wife could travel for work easier.
Dave
Considering your wife's job, I would say Jacksonville is the best bet. In addition to the opportunties others have pointed out, Ft Stewart is a couple hours north, and has some excellent hunting.
What about the pacific northwest? Portland or seattle? might be good for wife's job too and I'd imagine theres a ****load of land up there.
My son is a Senior Chief in the Coast Guard and currently the Officer in Charge (OIC) at Coast Guard Station Annapolis, MD. On the wall in the house hangs a plague that says" home is where the Coast Guard sends us". Below that are attached smaller plaques for each duty station documenting nearly 20 years of service. Started on the USCG cutter ACTIVE out of Port Angeles, WA. Sometimes you get what you ask for sometimes not, make the best of it. Advance as quickly as you can, learn to be a leader and grow. It will be tough at times, rise to the occasion at work and home.
You may get to hunt along your journey.
Semper Paratus
Best wishes
58
Lots of CG stuff in Alaska. I would pick Kodiak Island.
Of your other spots, Northern California is one of the most beautiful places around and there is tons of public land up there. Pigs, deer, and some of the largest black bear in the world.
Michigan would be good if you want to fish, hunting here is terrible, unless you have access to private land, and even then is fairly depressing. LOTS of better choices.
Yup, Coast Guard Station Kodiak. Life on the Rock isn't always great, but there are blacktail deer, brown bears, and mountain goats around you. Phenomenal saltwater fishing for chinook and coho, halibut, and rockfish. Still some crabbing, and clam digging. Good salmon and Dolly Varden fishing in freshwater.
Try this link.. Find Your Spot (http://www.findyourspot.com/)
Dana Ind. has a Loran station staffed by Coasties, but it doesn't seem your rating is needed there. ;)
If you want the life time dream try Alaska! Hunting , fishing ,coastal lower part of the state not as cold and you will always be able to say "WE LIVED IN AK" my son worked in Denali and has been trying/dreaming about living in AK sence
(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/th_011-2.jpg) (http://s441.photobucket.com/user/bloodtrailer7/media/011-2.jpg.html) (http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/005-3.jpg) what other place can you hunt and fish like a bear (http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/012-2.jpg)
Sure wish you guys weren't leaving, but if you end up in Jacksonville, Dave and I could drive down in the summer and we could hunt pigs and bowfish.
Chicago and northern Illinois has few public land acres, however Wisconsin is just north of there and, heck, EVERYBODY from Chicago comes up to Wisconsin to play in our millions of acres of public land.
:eek:
ChuckC
you know I didn't read past the first page but I'm a bit surprised Alaska wasn't on the list.
Kodiak?
Sitka?
Juneau?
etc
Lets see..you could live with the big bears, hunt them in a year, blacktails out your back door. Mt goats. Some great salmon halibut rockfish fishing plus some awesome steelies. hmmm
back door, not an hour away....BACK DOOR! lol.
The fact that you are an MST opens up some unique assignment options. Lots of small towns in fairly low cost areas. Anywhere on the Western Rivers is going to be close to decent deer hunting.
Alaska is wonderful but not for everone. And the hunting can be expensive, even if you live there. Travel and weather play a much larger role than in the lower 48. The AK members can expand on that.
I retired 2007 as a GMC and have lived in every region of the country. When it comes time to choose; something will likely stand out.
Just make sure you are both onboard with whatever you select. As a general rule the closer to the coast the less hunting opportunity; with the exception of AK and PNW.
QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
If CG dream sheets are anything like the Army, you will probably be in Kansas.
Which for a bowhunter wouldn't be half-bad
Thanks to all that have replied.I am now at the school, studying and having agreat time.Our instructors here are awesome.My wife is pushing for Tampa area Fl, so got to keep the wife happy..Hopefully there will be something there!
Savannah
Be sure and think in terms of a geographical area. Not just the state or particular city you reside in. If stationed in Washington state you may find better hunting in Oregon closer to where you live. Travel cost often exceed non-resident fees.
If you are stationed close to your home of record, you may be able to hunt two states as a resident. Also, take leave to hunt rather than visit family.
Check out the Hawaii thread on the main forums.
Sometimes the not so obvious.
Just a note some states offer free hunting/fishing lic. to members of the armed service :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Christos, my sister lives in St. Pete. if y'all end up there, hopefully we can still get together some.
Tampa has great fishing, bowfishing, and not to far from good pig hunting and gator hunting. Besides if the wife works for Southwest, they fly to some awfully good areas with public land hunting. :)
Chicago would be VERY close to the LAST place I would go. I'd choose NYC over Chicago.
northern ca the eureka area is an area that has a lot of timber co land and since they can no longer hunt bear with dogs they are everywhere.
Don't rule Oklahoma or Kansas out. Both have great bow only public lands, especially Oklahoma. In Tulsa or OK City your going to have about 100,000 acres of bow only public land within a couple hours.
Should you land in Houston, Texas is one of the few places you can hunt these...
(http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u532/chase_el_p/Mobile%20Uploads/photo-9.jpg) (http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/chase_el_p/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo-9.jpg.html)
In all seriousness; Texas is pretty hard to beat, Michael Arnette makes a very good point too. Good luck to you and your family.
Best Regards
Chase makes a point about Texas, however the jackalope capitol of the world is Douglas, Wyoming. However, we have very few Coast Guard stations in Wyoming; theTexas gulf coast would be easier to be posted to.
Jacksonville