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If you could move anywhere in the states....

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
This is more of a for fun thread and a thread for myself. Once I pass my PE exam (hoping I do) next spring I'm looking at getting out of Ohio. Because of my job I need to live near a city and Columbus isn't cutting it for me. Some of my thoughts were Denver, Austin, Little Rock, Baton Rouge, Cheyenne, Albuquerque or Boise... I want to be where I can hunt and fish. I grew up fly fishing trout in PA, tying my own flies and fishing all the different hatches as well as the spawn and would love to get back into that. I thought about moving back home but it's such a small town my parents actually suggested not because they tell me go where the jobs are for now. There's always time to move back later (I'm 26 also as an FYI).

I think I'm being pulled to Denver... I grew up snowboarding, downhill mountain biking, and rock climbing on top of hunting and fishing and it seems like Denver would have all of that. I think it fits my active lifestyle...

Where have you guys been and where would you go if you were in my shoes. I can virtually go anywhere, my parents are kinda pushing me to go explore even though they say they'll miss seeing me as often.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I've been in Appalachia my entire life minus the 10 months I lived in Kent and worked in Akron. I'm good right here. If I was forced to move (and drug testing wasn't part of my new job) I'd go to Denver. Otherwise, I'm cool with good old Washington County, Ohio.
 

Curran

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,971
172
Central Ohio
I don't blame you one bit. I've always wanted to move west but there is no convincing my wife of anything other than Ohio. It's something cool to think about. If I were doing it, I'd base my decision (like it sounds you are) off of the outdoor activities nearby. Look at public land availability, overall career opportunity and any online ratings of the caliber of women in the region. :smiley_crocodile: Places like Colorado and Montana have always been near the top of my list. Bozeman actually has a high number of outdoor industry companies that could be of interest to you.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Good luck in your thoughts. Denver appears to be controlled by gun hating whacos. I passed on a major job promotion in 1980 to Denver. I never liked the looks of the city just driving though in the 1960-1970's to go deer hunting.
Flagstaff, AZ would be my choice as it's far enough from the heat of the desert and high enough for serious snow.
Cheyenne, WY is a nice area if you can stand the cold winter and the damn constant wind.
Albuquerque NM was too damn hot even just to pass through on the way to Flagstaff.
Never been to Boise but it up there high enough that it sounds interesting.
 

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
haha I like what you're thinking with the drug testing jesse!

Sean yeah I'm hoping with an active town like denver the "scenery" will be just as nice lol

Frank I hear ya on CO, that's my only beef with that place, the liberals.

As far as jobs go there are plenty and I shouldn't have an issue landing one, and the pay would most likely increase. I actually worked for the one company that's in Denver when I was down in DC working.

The only thing keeping me from boogeying is all my friends are settling down buying houses with their gfs and they were basically insinuating I should be doing the same... But my thought is there's time for that later, I feel living in the West would be a helluva experience.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
If I was jobless/retired and didn't have any family.....I could probably be found somewhere in Alaska.

I didn't think about Alaska before but that would be in the top of my list right after the western USA. But I could handle mid FL during the winter months only.
 

antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
Colorado Springs, if you can afford the housing and don't get sticker shock in grocery stores. Like $4 strawberries.

If you want very cheap housing, and just parts of everything, head for Ohio Pa. Border., I hate to say youngstown.

YOu have tons of fishing in Erie, the Ohio river, and a zillion reservoirs, lakes and ponds. Between Ohio and Pa, and WV, you have hunting for virtually anything. the main problem is finding a good paying job.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Don't settle down until you are ready. I'm a homebody, so I stayed put. If your roots aren't deep enough you can't uproot them, then pull up stakes and see something different. I highly doubt you'll regret it. With your degree, you can work anywhere in the country, so you can always come back.

What industry are you most wanting to work in?
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Alaska or Colorado for sure. Too much going on for me to leave Ohio, and I love it here but either of those two states I'm sure I could find something to keep me busy.
 
If I were young again I'd live in Berkeley Springs WV. With a long range rifle you could kill a deer in WV, MD and PA off your back porch (not quite, but you get the idea). You can fish rivers, streams or the Chesapeake Bay within a few hours drive. Mountains, beaches and large cities all within a few hours drive.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I've lived outside Boise for a year, lived in Houston for a year, and I lived in Anchorage for 10 years… All that to figure out my roots belonged here in Ohio. I didn't realize this until I had 3 kids of my own that we were trying to raise. I then realized that the people in this great state more than make up for the lack of other things. No one could tell me this though, I had to go figure it out for myself. I've made the money, caught the fish, hunted this and that, and I wouldn't change a thing. I live pretty much broke now and don't do much, but I spend every day with my kids and think I've finally started living the good life. Nothing wrong with any of the places I've lived outside of Ohio (I really really loved Alaska) it was the people I hated.

Good luck to you on wherever your adventure takes you.
 

angelzd28

Junior Member
Couer D'aLene, Idaho would be my choice. Having lived in Spokane Washington for 4 years, Couer D'Alene was just across the state line. My wife and I would go over there all the time to boat, fish and hike around. One of the best small cities with access to all the outdoor needs you could want. Plus the gun laws in Idaho are much more in line with me then WA.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,735
274
North Carolina
I've been too most of the states here in the U.S., except for Alaska.... But I've stayed here in Ohio because of my job and cost of living being reasonable for the most part.... With that being said, the wife has moved around a lot when we were younger and before and when she was first pregnant with our son...lb she had too pack a whole house at 5 months along with him and then again when he was less than a month old.... I always told her that when I retire she can pick a place too live and we'll move there for the remainder..... She likes north/South Carolina.... And we're currently looking there for a house too call home.... Beach within a couple hours drive, mountains the same.... Lots of lakes too bass fish and I can fish year round if I'd like.... Hunting is a different story but I can always come home for the deer hunting so that's not a real issue as well....
Boise is a nice area, little rock is as well I lived there for 3 years and you duck hunters would be in paradise.... Colorado.... You can have that,moots of hunting and fishing but all those California folks that relocated there has done nothing but fugg up that place royally.....
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
My sister is a Hippie and she now lives outside Denver and calls those people Hippies. She actually says it's annoying to try and even buy food with all the Hippies around pushing whatever is on the agenda for the day.
 

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
THat's what worries me about denver... the hippies... Little Rock was on my list mostly for duck hunting but I really wanted somewhere to be able to hunt multiple species of big game.

Giles, did you like boise? Did you hunt out there?
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
Gulf coast.

Jobs, access to a completely different lifestyle (ocean living) and a short trip for other stuff.

I would have a 32 foot center console and a Carolina skiff.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Mule deer, antelope, pheasant, chukar, jack rabbits, and whistle pigs… I'm not a big city person, but it was ok. Mountains are right at your finger tips. Weather is hot and dry with an occasional sand storm. Leave Boise in East, West or South and you fall into Simplot/cow shit. They have some pretty nice slopes in the area. Fishing is pretty good too! You can catch sturgeon fairly regular and the reservoirs are stocked with good numbers. We used to smash the yellow perch and JUMBO bluegills. Idaho has a lot to offer a sportsman and the bordering state have anything else you might need. As long as you can handle a hot blow drier blowing on you for half the year…100*+ was not uncommon at all.