AZbywayofWI
Active member
I would never rule out Wyoming, I have hunted there a bunch and have a uncle that lives near Sheridan; but I don't think I could talk her into that one.
Montana or Colorado?
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AZbywayofWI
Active member
What scares you exactly? Influx of people?
LuketheDog
Well-known member
In 9 years most of Colorado will have moved to Montana anyway, so it's either live there with the Coloradans, or live in Colorado with the Texans...
i dunno, enough texans move here maybe we can will the public to bring back spring bear
AZbywayofWI
Active member
Copy that. In Phoenix, we have on average 200 new people a day move to the city. 200 a day, which is roughly 73,000 new people a year! So unless there is 200+ Texans moving into Colorado per day, than it will still be in the running!
BirdManMike
Well-known member
Ya, Gallatin Valley sprawl is such that in a few more years Bozeman, Four Corners, and Belgrade will all be connected and essentially a single town/city even if they arent named such. Outdoor pursuits will still be extremely close and of high quality (in the grand scheme of things) for the most part (with some exceptions) even if there are more people pursuing them.
Id say the banana belt of Montana is actually west of the divide, ie Missoula, and not so much Livingston -> Billings. Its true the snow doesnt stay long with the Chinooks coming thru - during Novemeber -> March if its not snowing, its blowing, and the blowing IMO is worse than the snow, typically 1-4/week of 30+ mph sustained winds - and I do mean sustained - with some of those days as high as 50mph and sometimes gusts over 80.
There are a lot of worse places to be, but there is a reason more and more of the boomer generation here are moving to, or at least spending their winters in, Arizona.
Id say the banana belt of Montana is actually west of the divide, ie Missoula, and not so much Livingston -> Billings. Its true the snow doesnt stay long with the Chinooks coming thru - during Novemeber -> March if its not snowing, its blowing, and the blowing IMO is worse than the snow, typically 1-4/week of 30+ mph sustained winds - and I do mean sustained - with some of those days as high as 50mph and sometimes gusts over 80.
There are a lot of worse places to be, but there is a reason more and more of the boomer generation here are moving to, or at least spending their winters in, Arizona.
AZbywayofWI
Active member
Yup, I see the boomers in Arizona every year. We call them snowbirds. Thanks for the reply!
rustneversleeps
Well-known member
The influx of people bringing their cultures and way of life from where they were coming from. Traffic, littering, abusing our resources, etc. People joke about it, but don't call Bozeman "Bozeangles" for nothing...
AZbywayofWI
Active member
I understand your frustration but we have 7.7 Billion people on this planet with 328 million living in the US and those numbers are not declining, until there is some crazy new invention that eliminates the need for millions of cars, traffic will always be there. Unfortunately littering and the abuse of resources occurs everywhere, this things are not isolated in one area or another. But there are people like me and you who pick up after ourselves and even pick up after others, educate the less knowledgeable about conserving our resources, and instill respect in the land into others. It's a balance, one that I hope we can tip more toward the conservation and preservation side of the spectrum.
AvidIndoorsman
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Born and raised in CO and did some years in MT. Both states have a lot of transplants, depending on where you are good and bad sides to that coin.
CO - better jobs, obviously much better airport access, traffic is horrific and almost impossible to escape. I'd say LA is the only place I've been that is worse.
MT- Longer hunting seasons, lower cost of living. Harder to leave the state or have people visit.
Too many different factors that are going to vary person to person.
I'd avoid the Denver - Colorado Springs - Boulder metro complex if you can.
CO - better jobs, obviously much better airport access, traffic is horrific and almost impossible to escape. I'd say LA is the only place I've been that is worse.
MT- Longer hunting seasons, lower cost of living. Harder to leave the state or have people visit.
Too many different factors that are going to vary person to person.
I'd avoid the Denver - Colorado Springs - Boulder metro complex if you can.
AvidIndoorsman
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Also... don't let the jaded locals get to you 
AZbywayofWI
Active member
Thanks buddy, I won't!Also... don't let the jaded locals get to you
geetar
Well-known member
Sounds like Texas is gonna be the place to be if everyone is moving out or are all the south of the border folks moving north too?
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
For reference I’ve lived in CO and on the MT/ND border on the ND side. If I was in your situation I’d move to mountains in AZ. I get escape the heat, but you’re already sitting on a good outdoors opportunity area, and if you think Sedona or Prescott is crowded/overdeveloped/expensive don’t expect mountain West anywhere else in the US to look all that different...
AZbywayofWI
Active member
Copy that.
Northern AZ is nice but we want out of the state altogether!
Griztrax
Well-known member
Born and raised in Colorado and moved to Montana 35 years ago and never plan to leave. I do love Colorado and my Broncos but all the people drive me nuts. I'm in Helena which has a Target, good elk hunting, the Missouri River and 3 reservoirs full of walleye and rainbows just minutes from my house....I'm pretty happy here. Prices of homes in Bozeman are already insane and Missoula close behind. Starting to get bad in Helena too. Billings is not my favorite place. Lewistown is a pretty cool place and I like the Flathead too where you can still live in the sticks but Kalispell is close. Good luck with your search.
diamond hitch
Well-known member
Billings is the petroleum town. Great falls has more gas wells. Missoula is overcast and foggy for most of the winter with a liberal vocal majority. Bozeman makes more snow but attracts yuppies and has lost the Montana flavor. I avoid it at all costs. Helena has a metallic political flavor especially every other year but better restaurants than Bozeman. Bozeman traffic sucks. Missoula isn't much better. Butte is cold but friendlier and more affordable.
Jobs are scarce everywhere and pay is light. I suugest looking at the smaller towns, rent for a year and get used to 100-150 mile trips. Its a big state with a tremendous diversity. The west side and far eastern sides are hotter in the summer. Higher is colder (would you think?).
My job threatened to reassign me to Denver - I quit. Fairplay seemed nice.
Jobs are scarce everywhere and pay is light. I suugest looking at the smaller towns, rent for a year and get used to 100-150 mile trips. Its a big state with a tremendous diversity. The west side and far eastern sides are hotter in the summer. Higher is colder (would you think?).
My job threatened to reassign me to Denver - I quit. Fairplay seemed nice.
Havre Montana
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To Become a Montana resident you must agree to inform "Non Residents" about the following (Or something close)...
- WINTER starts in October & ends in May (Every year)
- SNOW (Likes to blow around a lot making it hard to see AND will eventually drift your driveway in)
- ROADS, during the above stated winter months, can & WILL become impassable (So we encourage not traveling...)
- WIND (we have the days where it blows and then the days when we pick our grill covers up in North Dakota)
- MOISTURE is the Same every year (Too much AND Not enough... at least according to our farmer/rancher buddies)
- DAYLIGHT HOURS (gets dark at 4ish (December, January & February) so if you have to work get used to coming and going in the dark)
- DEER all seem to be getting CWD (seriously not a joke though)
- Summer time mosquitoes carry small dogs away on a regular basis AND they all have West Nile (But if you give the Mosquitoe-Spray-Truck a 6 pack he'll drive slow through the neighborhood)
- Etc., etc., etc........
- WINTER starts in October & ends in May (Every year)
- SNOW (Likes to blow around a lot making it hard to see AND will eventually drift your driveway in)
- ROADS, during the above stated winter months, can & WILL become impassable (So we encourage not traveling...)
- WIND (we have the days where it blows and then the days when we pick our grill covers up in North Dakota)
- MOISTURE is the Same every year (Too much AND Not enough... at least according to our farmer/rancher buddies)
- DAYLIGHT HOURS (gets dark at 4ish (December, January & February) so if you have to work get used to coming and going in the dark)
- DEER all seem to be getting CWD (seriously not a joke though)
- Summer time mosquitoes carry small dogs away on a regular basis AND they all have West Nile (But if you give the Mosquitoe-Spray-Truck a 6 pack he'll drive slow through the neighborhood)
- Etc., etc., etc........
Funny you're asking, I live in Montana and if I was to move, Arizona would be one of my top picks. I definitely wouldn't want to live anywhere near Phoenix though. I have also lived in Wyoming and I could definitely live there again.
406dn
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Actually, the only opinion that matters is your's. Your decision is years away. Use the time to winnow various locations you identify as possibilities. There is no place that is perfect in every regard.
If you are going to need to continue to work,, use the years to get your balance sheet in good order. Most areas that have fantastic outdoor recreation do not have an abundance of good jobs.
If you are going to need to continue to work,, use the years to get your balance sheet in good order. Most areas that have fantastic outdoor recreation do not have an abundance of good jobs.
