If You Could Live Anywhere

[Bullwinkle]

Red Lodge, MT for me..

[Steelheadfred]

Bend, OR see pretty dam nice to me.

I live in the other place I'd live.

South East Alaska but not much for economy.

[Big Al]

Florida in Winter and Spring. Montana in the Summer and Fall.

Oh wait I already do that. If I had to pick one it would be MT. I lived in MI until I was 35 and I thought I knew what good hunting and fishing was. When I discovered MT in the 90s I found out that MI was a hunters apprentiship and MT was where the journeymen went. Oh BTW the winters are better in MT than they are in MI, but not as good as FL.

If I was a young guy asking the question you have asked I would settle on Bozeman.

[Tiger MT's Carter]

Pretty hard to beat Battle Mountain, Nevada. The bird hunting is pretty good and if a person wants to make some money the gold mining industry provides plenty of high paying jobs. Not to much fishing, but there is some.

[Kansas Big Dog]

Norton and Norton.

Norton, VT in the summer and Norton, KS in the Winter  

[Shadow]

right where I'm at

grew up on a resort south of Bemidgi, Minn-

grouse, ducks, deer, and trapping- skiing- water/snow-dream fishing summer/winter

moved to Lawrence, Kansas after college-

the quail hunting and bird dogs were to die for

almost stayed in Alaska- could have made decent money teaching- hard land inland- would have missed bird dogging

tried Florida- couldn't handle the no change in the seasons

bought land in Colorado- set a motor home up-

expensive!! to build- not a whole lot of hunting actually- private lands are claimed and shut tight- public lands can get quite stressfull if one isn't prepared

sold out

house in Lawrence- here on the farm- best of both worlds

couple of poor years arround here- but awesome country for bird dogs- quite life- lots of farm country that changes as the seasons go- the easy life- may you all find what sits well with you when you get up in those years

[CC setter]

Big Fork, MT.

[Huntschool]

OK, so its pie in the sky (almost)...

Wife and I have actually talked about this.  We dont have any family left so its just us.

I would have a place (perhaps rental or time share) in MN or WI for the summer and early fall. Grouse and woodcock hunting and fly fishing with available trips to related sites.

After Thanksgiving, back to Southernmost IL until after Christmas and then somewhere south like central MS down to LA.  Quail opportunities and WC.  I might be able to trade quail management consultation projects for some hunting ability etc.  Winter fishing etc....

Other thought is Texas but only after Dale Rollins and TAMU get the quail problem fixed.... LOL

[Dick Sellers]

I've been lucky to have that option several times in my life (divorce and no kids can provide that freedom).  First time I chose Alaska and lived there for 26 years, the last 22 on the AK Peninsula.  No doublt that was the smartest move I ever made, both in terms of my career and the outdoor recreational opportunities.  When I retired I chose MT (a no brainer for me).  I have no desire to live any place else, although a change of scenery come winter has some appeal.

[charlo slim]

June through mid-Jan  -- western MT.

Mid-Jan through May -- western OK.

[Greg Hartman]

While working and saving toward retirement for many years, I planned on living in a house with wheels for at least 6 months out of the year when I was finally able to retire.  I thought that would be the best of both worlds - the ability to live pretty much anywhere for as long as I wanted; and the ability to leave when I wanted - plus keeping my beautiful, paid-for land and home with its workshop, library, nearby lifelong friends, etc, for when I felt like nesting.  No need to pick just one place.  I went so far as to acquire and pay for my home on wheels.  It's like a small upscale condo on the inside.

Then, exactly 30 days before retirement, I became an involuntary housebound caregiver, so I never got to try out my plan or to enjoy the fruits of 40+ years of work.  My house on wheels now sits and rots and so do I.  I have not sold it because, if I can somehow escape from what appears to be a life sentence, I will proceed with my plan, except that selling the land to reduce obligations and responsibilities and just living full-time in the MH with the dawgs is sounding more and more attractive.

[Kansas Big Dog]

except that selling the land to reduce obligations and responsibilities and just living full-time in the MH with the dawgs is sounding more and more attractive.

Go for it if you can Greg.  

[Craig Doherty]

I would stay right where I am in Northern New Hampshire and travel to Texas or further west for a couple months in the winter.  Last year was the first time since 96 that I didn't make at least one trip to Texas to quail hunt.  When (not if) the birds come back I'll try to get back to Texas.

[Dogwood]

I've got to tell you.. I've lived a lot of places in my life, I'm not sure I want to be anyplace other than coastal new england.... north of Boston, mass or Nh..... great saltwater fishing.. great freshwater... deer all over... grouse and woodcock  in big numbers... plenty of access to millions of acres easily within 2-4 hours..... great east coast skiing, lots of hiking...bla bla bla .....

All true based upon my 3 years in Hingham, MA 25 years ago, except I'm figuratively reminded of the famous Jaws scene when the sheriff is chumming off the trawler and the shark lunges out . . . . "gonna need a bigger wallet!".

[E Pointer]

Walker MN for me.  14 years of work left.