Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I was just thinking a bit about my future and where I will end up once my girlfriend graduates. I like the state of Pennsylvania, and the abundance of rural land in my area. However, I don't believe my girlfriend wants to stay, and I know she'll never move to the midwest for my love of hunting, so I'm wondering where I could move and still enjoy being able to hunt as much as I do now. Maryland is attractice due to the lengthened season and liberal bag limits, but I don't think it will compare to PA (no offense MD people).

So, for all of you guys who are now well established, how far are you from your hometown area? Did availability of hunting ground/quality of hunting influence your move at all? If so, how much? I'm curious, because I believe many of us are very serious about this sport, and enjoy it immensly, so it would only make sense that it would influence our decisions on where to move to. Let's hear your thoughts...

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I've been thinking about moving also. Just to do it. Live in a new place. I am lucky enough that I can move to just about any state in the US and keep my same job....I just transfer.

I thought about the midwest for the obvious reasons, but i don't think i could live in a state with such "harsh" limits and seasons. I am used to SC. we don't have limits and our season is four months long.

Then theres KY.....big deer...decent limits...not that cold...not that hot...

i am given it more and more thought everyday...

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I am originally from Huntington, WV which is about 8 hours from where I currently live in Jacksonville, IL. Upon graduation of college I realized I was gonna have to relocate to find a decent job. I Had a interview for a sales position in St. Louis, MO. After I interviewed,I was told that I had my choice between three locations. They were South Haven, Mississippi, St. Louis, MO, and Jacksonville, IL. I had never even heard of Jacksonville, IL being from WV. I quickly looked up Jacksonville on a map and that pretty much made up my mind for me. I realized it was only 20 miles from the infamous Pike county, and you know the story, if you are an avid deer hunteryou haveheard of Pike county IL. I was stoked and immediately let my new manager know of my decision to go to J'ville. So, to make a long story short, the only reason I moved to Jacksonville was because it was located in West Central IL. Since then Jacksonville has become my home. I love it here. The people are great and remind me alot of back home in WV. I'm happy with my choice. I have put two P&Y class deer on the ground since moving here and I have also met my wife to be. There are many things about J'ville that I love and it's funny to think that the only reason I chose to move here was for the deer hunting.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

This is going to sound pretty pathetic, but I consider myself pretty close to my family, and a fairly nostalgic person, so change isn't easy for me. Did any of you who moved far away from home have trouble doing so? I've grown so attached to the family farm and the area in general, that it would be very very strange leaving it...and I think it would be very hard for me. Especially since hunting with my father is a big part of a tradition that we wouldn't be able to share anymore.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

That is definitely the toughest part of moving away. My family and I are very close as well. My dad has always been and always will be my favorite hunting and fishing partner. Hell, he taught me everything I know. It's going on a little over 4 years since I moved out here. To this day, everytime my parents come to visit or I go visit them my mom cries when we have to say goodbye. It's definitely hard. But, both my parents realize I did it for good reasons (to get a good job). My dad and I still get to hunt and fish together occasionally. Thats what I miss the most is the time we spent together outdoors. As I mentioned it's definitely tough at first but you eventually get use to talking about things on the phone, instead of seeing them everyday. I suppose is't just part of growing up and getting out on your own.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

You still have vacations and holidays that you can go hunt with your father.

I miss home. Eventhough I didn't move that far, I recently moved to take my job. I know every road, every turn, every tree in my home county. I know no one down here. Its hard to find a place to hunt b/c this is the number one deer county is SC. Leases are up to $45/ac for land. Its crazy.

However, this area does have some of the best public land in the south east.

like i said..i think more and more everyday bout moving to another state....the way i look at it is that if you don't like it, guess what you can do? MOVE BACK!!!:D

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

hey buddy i live in md and love it look at the eastern shore

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I've heard their's rural areas along the eastern coast, but I would probably want to live in the western part of the state. I've only ever been to the beach when in Maryland, so I have no experience otherwise. I've heard their are some beautiful portions. What is the bowhunting situation like their? Mostly public land hunting? Private land access. Leases?

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Matt,

MD produces some good bucks, perhaps not in the numbers that midwest may, but good numbers and some real big deer. Although, if you look at PA is producing these days, it's hard to say it's a bad place to live, from a deer perspective. Considered OH? Although I'm partial to KY, land can bea little hard to come by.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

You should consider Ohio man. Columbus is a great place to live, ya, it's in the midwest, but the city is thriving. . .lots for her to do, and great hunting in bordering counties for you!. . . I once had to choose between my lifestyle and a woman. . . .still miss hersometimes ; )

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Haha, don't worry, I'm not necessarily choosing between her and my lifestyle. She knows I'm obsessed with hunting and will never make me move to an area where I can't do it. She's even accepted the fact that we're going to have to end up on a decent chunk of land:D I just think she wants some change, but that could also change in the next year or so, so who knows. I wouldn't mind moving to western PA...land is more available, and generally lower priced (as long as I stay away from Pitt). She loves the ocean, so I think that's her biggest reason for not wanting to move anymore inland than we are....problem is...that's where the hunting starts getting really good!

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

The market is in a little bit of a lull right now, but I'm not so sure how cheap the land is going to be over here on the western side of the state. If this is cheap, then man I don't want to know what it costs over there.

I faced your dillemma when I came out of college too. We never moved too far from home, 2.5 hrs away and ended up coming back after a year because she missed the family. But truth is, even though we are "home" its not like we see them all that often anyways.

Is there an option(and maybe I am way off here) of moving inland, but swapping the ocean beaches for the great lakes?

Good luck choosing.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

couple questions for you. What do you and her do/going to do for a career? Why do you have a problem with the 'burgh?

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I LOVE lakes. My parents have a lake house on Sharbot Lake in Ontario. I've been going there since I was 3. She loves the lakes as well, but loves the ocean even more. Land prices are going up everywhere, but the few chunks I've found out in the Western part of the state seem to be going for a little less than my immediate area. The trend certainly could be switching though.


Ron,
I have nothing against Pittsburgh, my girlfriend even went there for her first semester of college. Amazing city. I just assumed land prices would be highest when getting close to Pittsburgh.

As for careers, I am a Technology Education teacher, so PA is one of the best states for me career wise (pay is higher, benefits are unmatched, etc). She will be a pharmacist, so she can go anywhere, but she prefers to work in a pharmacy that makes the drugs, and researches certain drugs...these are generally only found in the southern states (Virginia, SC, NC, MAYBE MD). Who knows...it's going to be a really tough decision no matter what happens.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

just about 2 hours drive south, maybe a little more is a good spot. I live in Chambersburg, PA. Housing isn't that bad of a price, but if your looking for land, there you may pay a little more then your looking for. About the 'burgh thing, just messing with you.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

In 2003 I had a Job lined up in KS, I was going alone said Mrs. Germ:eek:

In my second life I am going the road of WKP Todd[8D]

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Man, that sounds familiar, except I was moving to Montana.

Definitely worth the trade... at least 10 months out of the year:D

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Nope, no good deer in MD, better look elsewhere. [8D]

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

If you have a family farm in PA,it would be really hard to leave, if you like being there do not move for a woman.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Yeah yeah, I didn't mean in terms of quality deer:D I meant availability of land, large rural tracts, etc. Great buck by the way...private or public ground?

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Don't come to Indiana, we have small bucks and the women are ugly...;)

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

guy ky starts bow sept 4th ends jan 26 i think you get up to 6 deer i think

indiana is oct 1st to jan 6th andyou get four deer in a my county and can go from county to county and get p to like 400 does in a season

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

It wasn't that long ago that I was in the same situation as you. What I did, was set my priorities in life straight. Even as important as hunting is in my life, family, god, and personal life is still a higher priority. So I decided, that I want to eventually raise my kids and live in a rural area. I wanted to become a part of a community both personal and religious reasons. And personally I was much happier being in the country, in the slow lane, and getting back to some of the basics of life that I grew up with as a farmboy. And after all of that there was hunting... my biggest passion outside of all of the above. Everything pointed back to one place.. my hometown area in rural Kansas.

The hardest part was finding a good job(which I eventually did).But I stillcould be making twice money in the city working for some big corporation...but that wasn't my biggest priority. If I had to give any advice, I would say, first get your priorities in line. Then make a choice which would accomodate all of those the best. Then try hard to make it happen. It'll be tough, but worth it all in the end. Good Luck.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Lilly is in Indianapolis is a huge drug maker.
Where I teach, my health insurance is $1.00 per year. Vision is $5.00 per year. Dental is $7.50 per year. You start out around 33-34,000 and after 20 years you are maxed at 65,ooo but you still get the yearly pay raises that are around 2.5 to 3 %. Not all schools are like that but some are better around Indy. Plus the nice deer.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

indi is a nice place, i live in appartment there most of the time. but where i really live, SW michigan by the lake is a nice place. the lake is beautiful and there some good deer...but i dont know how they compare to the deer in other areas. taxes suck tho.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Yeah, no big deer in MD, move along, nothing to see here folks,


good luck, hope you find what you are looking for

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

I can always appreciate a fellow hunter wanting to be set-up with some good hunter ground, but I think that you can find good hunting ground pretty much anywhere and maybe other things such as your job opportunites, standard of living, the climate you would like and relationships that you have such as your girlfriend would be more important factors in deciding where you live. :eek:
Kevin1 stole my response, as I was going to say that you would hate MN, but I can't lie, it is a great place to live, great people, 4 seasons, white christmas's most of the time, tons and tons of public land, much private land to purchase inexpensively and IMO, the best combo of hunting and fishing in the U.S! ;):D 10,000 lakes is just the start for fishing and 3 million acres of state forrest just the start for hunting.

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

What a sleeper State...geez

I may be the only guy in the world planning a trophy buck hunt to MD. ;)

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

It is hard to beat the land of 10,000 lakes in the overall quality of life...andyes there are alot of big bucks to be had in this state with almost endless land available to the public

RE: Moving to a new area/state due to hunting.
 

Yep, my relationship is more important, which is why I may end up moving:D I really like it in my area...lots of rural tracts of land, miles upon miles of trout streams, high pay (for a teacher anyways), etc. I know this isn't the only place like this though, so we'll see.