Thinking on moving to Denver, CO

[grouseshooter002]

I lived in Boulder and worked in Denver. This was forty years ago and I just hated that place. I can't imagine anyone wanting to deliberately move there. You had better think about joining a sportsman club because permission to trespass is non existent and BLM land is crowded.

Regards,
Grouse

[stevem]

I lived near Denver's west side and moved away 8 years ago.  Too many people for me.  My lasting memory is coming back to Denver on I-40 on Sunday afternoons- traffic backed up for miles and miles.

[old_goat2]

You guys with all the gloom and doom, it does suck sometimes but it beats a lot of the places I've lived before when you add in the work and play that's available! I get to see the Rockies every day!

[kadbow]

I was born in Denver and lived there for almost 40 years. Too many people moved in so I moved to the west slope 13 years ago. I wouldn't go back.  Once you get out of Denver there is lots of public land. If you don't have to travel on the weekends you will be ok getting up to the mountains.

[old_goat2]

Ok, write this down so you don't forget, as soon as you know your moving here if you do, get on the waiting list to join Golden High Country Archers an outdoor 3d archery club, either that or find a place within the city limits of Golden to live. Golden residents aren't subject to the membership cap.   www.ghcarchers.org

[johnnyk71]

Imagine that, a Coast Guard guy in Denver, haha! miss you, buddy. My shooting and Dave's have gone down the crapper without you to compete with!

[el greco]

Thank you guys. Mixed responses so far.
Well John, this Coast Guard guy faces a dillema. Stay in the C.G till retirement or get out in 2 years and finish my degree? If I decide the latter, the only 3 cities that would work between my wife's job and my degree would be either Denver (or up to an hour away towards west where the CO School of Mines is) or Houston - or Austin. So if I got accepted by any of the colleges on these towns my wife and I would be happy. I was looking at what people had to say, as my undesrtanding is there is not much public land near Houston?

[el greco]

As far as shooting goes, it can't be worse than mine John. I am lost in an ILF labyrinth, changing combos constantly, never mastering none.

If public land is what you need to hunt, then CO will definitely be the better place for you. Tx has some public land, but it is not near as much or near as user friendly as CO public land.

My son lives in Denver, and other than the fantastic views, it is really just about the same as any other gigantic metropolitan area.

Good luck!

Bisch

Bisch

[kadbow]

I lived in Denver for 39 years and went to School of Mines. Wouldn't go back to either       .
I would easily take Denver over your other options.

[skilonbw]

The School of mines is in Golden, which is on the west side of Denver and is a nice area to live.

[centaur]

Fortunately I don't have to make the choice, but between Houston, Austin, or Denver, I would choose Denver. Still way too crowded, but Houston is even worse, not to mention flat and ungodly hot and humid, and Austin is 'eccentric' to put it as PC as I can. It is also hot and overcrowded. Last time I looked, I believe that Texas is around 98 percent private land. Denver is far from nirvana, but given those choices, it would be the best option for someone who enjoys the outdoors.

Originally posted by centaur:
Austin is 'eccentric' to put it as PC as I can.

I live 30 minutes from Austin, and avoid it at all costs, because of this eccentricity you speak of!            

Bisch

[old_goat2]

Yeah, I hear Austin is kind of like Boulder Colorado and we say Boulder is ten square miles surrounded by reality!

[Centex]

Austin has not hit Boulder status yet but its heading there fast.  I would not hesitate to move to Denver, it's a heck of a lot better than most major cities its size.

[highPlains]

Denver can be whatever you make it. There are every kind of people you want, and every kind you don't.

Within an hour or two you can be hunting public land elk, whitetail, muley, bighorn, moose, mtn goat, pronghorn, bear, turkeys, and a plethora of small game. Of course a few of those species are tough to draw a tag for. You can count on hunting elk, deer, pronghorn, turkeys and bear every year if you choose. And of course plenty of small game, upland birds, waterfowl, and lots of fishing if any those things tickle your fancy.

Our public lands are getting more crowded all the time. Although half the people you run into in the elk woods will be from Wisconsin, half from any other state, and an occasional Coloradan.  

The only thing I do not like about it is that I cannot deer hunt out my backdoor 3 months of the year, like I could when I lived in the mid-west. But Kansas and Nebraska are both a stone's throw away, and the public land out there is plentiful as well. I envy those guys that can walk out their backdoor and hunt deer to their heart's content, but I don't think I'd trade it for the variety that Colorado offers. The High Lonesome is in my blood, I couldn't live anywhere without elk bugles echoing off of high mountain basins.

I personally do not like driving the main highways during rush hour, but I choose not to let traffic dictate my mood. It is what it is. There is a big part of me that desires a small town life. However, I would feel very limited in what I could pursue. I like where I'm at, and feel that I'm a comfortable drive away from every outdoor activity that I want.

You will never be bored or run out of things to do. You can have a bow in your hand every month of the year depending on what you want to do. There are a million things to do outdoors or in town. Like I said, it will be exactly and whatever you make it. There are tons of trad guys around. You shouldn't be hurting for good company.

There are lots of good folks on here who would be happy to give you advice when the time comes. My parents are both realestate appraisers and can really help you get a lay of the land. Give us a call here at RMSGear when the times comes. We'll help you figure out the different parts of the city depending on your criteria, and of course help get you plugged in with some great trad folks. Good luck!

[el greco]

Thank you all and thanks high plains!
I am going to print these 3 pages, so I can have all your guys info when the time comes.

[MnFn]

I worked in Denver for about three months on an auditing team, and my son and his family live in Centennial.

I love visiting CO, as it is soo different from ND.  I have hunted elk the last four years there and enjoyed it. But there has always been other hunters each area we have tried.

The city has a lot to offer, I think I could live there, but my son says it is expensive - especially for people moving there are a fixed budget like retirees.