Best state to take up residency

Anything bad to be said about Idaho? Seems to have enough medium sized towns and industry to sustain a career. Underrated hunting I've heard.
 
I like Wyoming and I migrated there from Colorado to marry a raging redhead, and I mean raging, LOL. After getting disgusted with the political climate in Colorado and the never ending ticket parade of new taxes, I decided no way in hell do I wanna go back even though my family roots are mainly in Colorado.

Wyoming has several benefits to consider:
1) Probably some of the best quality hunting available, much of it local to where I am at.
2) NO state income tax.
3) Minimum "hidden taxes". We have a fairly high gas tax due to WYDOT complaining about lack of funds and miles of road to repair.
4) 6% sales tax for Cheyenne area with many items exempted.
5) Lowest population density in the country.
6) Cost of living is lower than many parts of the country.

Cons:
1) Overly dependence on mineral royalties. This will eventually result in new taxes as the new generation comes in and takes over.
2) Huge layoffs on the coal fields and the oil fields. That may have a domino effect on rest of the state.
3) Wind, weather in general. You can have all four seasons happen in one day in Wyoming. Weather can go from one extreme to the other no matter the season. You face hail, heavy rain and sometimes heavy snow.
4) Employment is low. You kind of need to have a job locked up before you move here.
 
I like Wyoming and I migrated there from Colorado to marry a raging redhead, and I mean raging, LOL. After getting disgusted with the political climate in Colorado and the never ending ticket parade of new taxes, I decided no way in hell do I wanna go back even though my family roots are mainly in Colorado.

Wyoming has several benefits to consider:
1) Probably some of the best quality hunting available, much of it local to where I am at.
2) NO state income tax.
3) Minimum "hidden taxes". We have a fairly high gas tax due to WYDOT complaining about lack of funds and miles of road to repair.
4) 6% sales tax for Cheyenne area with many items exempted.
5) Lowest population density in the country.
6) Cost of living is lower than many parts of the country.

Cons:
1) Overly dependence on mineral royalties. This will eventually result in new taxes as the new generation comes in and takes over.
2) Huge layoffs on the coal fields and the oil fields. That may have a domino effect on rest of the state.
3) Wind, weather in general. You can have all four seasons happen in one day in Wyoming. Weather can go from one extreme to the other no matter the season. You face hail, heavy rain and sometimes heavy snow.
4) Employment is low. You kind of need to have a job locked up before you move here.

Their roads are pretty nice for the most part.
 
There are a lot of places that have this advantage and that. The issue is, how much time that you want to spend actually being able to hunt, and what part of it is just LIVING in hunting country? Just because animals are there, does not mean that you will be able to draw a tag for the country that you LIVE in. Everything has to be kept in perspective. Living in good country, and not being able to draw a tag, needs to be something acceptable in some areas. I live in a state with more-than-generous tags for deer and turkeys, with easy access to the western states opportunities.

Some places would be a dream place to live, but real estate is out of bounds for many people to do anything but rent a property there. It all depends upon what exactly you are looking for. I just got back from Idaho. My kid left here on a wing and a prayer and moved there to go to work for a fire crew. He loves Boise, but it is not a cheap area to live. I found that out, last week, when I went out to help him find an apartment. We accomplished the mission, and for a city, Boise is pretty good.

Your profession will expand, or shrink the realistic place to live. Once you decide what all of your desires/priorities are, THEN you can make a decision. Good luck with what you choose. The west is changing, because of sites like this that promote western hunting, as well as magazines etc. There is no free lunch and people are flocking to the west. Every year, the competition for the "good life" is getting worse and areas that have been people/crime/anti-American retoric free, are shrinking like your balls in a ice water.

Good luck with what you choose.
 
I heard someone comment years ago that you stand a better chance at landing a good job if you DON'T hunt.

Also that non-residents are more welcome than city slickers from Casper, Cheyenne, etc. Don't know how much truth there is/was to either comment.
 
I heard someone comment years ago that you stand a better chance at landing a good job if you DON'T hunt.

Also that non-residents are more welcome than city slickers from Casper, Cheyenne, etc. Don't know how much truth there is/was to either comment.

Not my experience. 90% of Wyoming residents have been reported to own guns and either fish and/or hunt. Wyoming is also a concealed carry state with no permit needed for residents. Not sure what law is for nonresidents.
 
Not my experience. 90% of Wyoming residents have been reported to own guns and either fish and/or hunt. Wyoming is also a concealed carry state with no permit needed for residents. Not sure what law is for nonresidents.

The comment about city slickers was in reference to private land access. As I said they were one person's comments and not necessarily reflective of the population as a whole.
 
The comment about city slickers was in reference to private land access. As I said they were one person's comments and not necessarily reflective of the population as a whole.

Depends. Landowners make money leasing to outfitters, so some that were inclined to allow access accepted lucrative leases from outfitters closing public access to their land off. One of my co-workers kicked some outfitters off their land and told them not to come back and I have heard from others that own significant acreages saying the same thing. Outfitters are working against public access as much as some of the landowners are. It's not so much if you are a hunter or not. People have been leaving gates open, dumping trash on private property, damaging fences and not just hunters.
 
There are a lot of places that have this advantage and that. The issue is, how much time that you want to spend actually being able to hunt, and what part of it is just LIVING in hunting country?

Your profession will expand, or shrink the realistic place to live.

I agree with what you and many others have said. I already know I will not get to spend everyday hunting so most of it will be about living. I don’t necessarily need to “live” in hunting country but living closer to it is definitely a plus. Your point on our professions narrowing down the area to live is also correct. I enjoy all aspects of the outdoors but our thoughts on moving west isn’t solely based on hunting and just mountain living. This is something we discuss frequently and it’s never always a pinpoint destination as much as it is a desire to just not live in Pennsylvania anymore as we have both grown very tired of it. I’m sure that is a possibility anywhere you go though.
 
I agree with what you and many others have said. I already know I will not get to spend everyday hunting so most of it will be about living. I don’t necessarily need to “live” in hunting country but living closer to it is definitely a plus. Your point on our professions narrowing down the area to live is also correct. I enjoy all aspects of the outdoors but our thoughts on moving west isn’t solely based on hunting and just mountain living. This is something we discuss frequently and it’s never always a pinpoint destination as much as it is a desire to just not live in Pennsylvania anymore as we have both grown very tired of it. I’m sure that is a possibility anywhere you go though.
I applaud anyone leaving leftist areas. Good luck with your decision. Do it now, as it gets harder as you get older.
 
I noticed that nobody mentioned the relentless wind in Wyoming. A lot of the people coming to Wyoming for work during the oil/gas boom left within the first year. They couldn't deal with the wind. So strong it blows semis over. It something to consider, usually it's the wives/girlfriends who can't tolerate it. And the winters. Folks come out to Wyoming during the summer and say how great it is haven't experienced the bitter cold, wind and drifting snow that closes roads even interstates down for days at a time. It's sure not all crisp autumn days spent hunting, that's for sure.
 
I grew up in South Dakota. The kids are in Central South Dakota. Relatives and friends in Rapid City. We sold our ranch near the river 2 years ago. The fuel tax is also sky high. Yea right, no income tax but everybody pays for it and then some. Ok. Hunting in a hoody after 8 feet of snow fell maybe. Not bad if you like skiing on Memorial day. If a property lists for less than 500k it is a place that I wouldn't want to live in. Slim pickens left over from the Denverites. Call a realtor and see for yourself.
Central,and eastern sd yes but the hills have a much milder climate. I have lived mu whole life in SD both east and west and the differences are dramatic
 
Central,and eastern sd yes but the hills have a much milder climate. I have lived mu whole life in SD both east and west and the differences are dramatic

I agree that the winters are more harsh in the East but the hills on average get more snow then any other place in SD. The wife just said: "Ellsworth sticks out exposed like a goose turd on a sand bar". She also said that there is a reason why everything shutsdown in the winter. Apparently you folks are willing to deal with the ice, wind and snow. We just got tired of it.
 
I noticed that nobody mentioned the relentless wind in Wyoming. A lot of the people coming to Wyoming for work during the oil/gas boom left within the first year. They couldn't deal with the wind. So strong it blows semis over. It something to consider, usually it's the wives/girlfriends who can't tolerate it. And the winters. Folks come out to Wyoming during the summer and say how great it is haven't experienced the bitter cold, wind and drifting snow that closes roads even interstates down for days at a time. It's sure not all crisp autumn days spent hunting, that's for sure.

Not exactly accurate LOL. I lived in Cheyenne for 16 years and yes semis do blow over in the 70 MPH winds that we get generally in February - April timeframe. Outside that period, wind is not much of an issue. Roads have never been closed more than a few days at a time due to snow. Most everyone here though drives SUVs and pickups. Cars during the winter are really good in the city but if you have to drive cross-country a lot, that don't cut it. And you have to pay attention to the quality of your tires in winter.
 
Not exactly accurate LOL. I lived in Cheyenne for 16 years and yes semis do blow over in the 70 MPH winds that we get generally in February - April timeframe. Outside that period, wind is not much of an issue. Roads have never been closed more than a few days at a time due to snow. Most everyone here though drives SUVs and pickups. Cars during the winter are really good in the city but if you have to drive cross-country a lot, that don't cut it. And you have to pay attention to the quality of your tires in winter.
I'm trying to find where you have pointed out the inaccuracies of that post but alas, kain't find any. I came across at least a dozen semis blown off the black ice on 80 just before Rawlins. Just a mere breeze in Whyomin'
 
Also that non-residents are more welcome than city slickers from Casper, Cheyenne, etc. Don't know how much truth there is/was to either comment.
We do accept county 1 and 2 license plates more so than greenies and ubangies, but just barely. Haha.
 
As a Wyoming resident i can easily buy 3 elk tags, 6 antelope tags and 6 deer tags (not counting the unlimited areas) each year, all for less than the cost of a single non resident elk license. Nuff said.
 
Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

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