Best States for all-around Hunting.

[Soilarch]

Dreaming out loud here...

I'm graduating in May and the job-search/recruiting stuff is coming into full swing.  I'm single for now, so there's no "other plans" to mess with.  I'd really like to head back home after school.  Not much for a B.S. in Occupational Safety in Southern Illinois. I've got one or two leads, but I'm not sure it's going to happen.  Spent the summer in Georgia on an internship...nice place.  But not sure I want to go with that company.

If you guys were a "free-bird" what do you think would be the ideal State for hunting?

(Hunting is not the main criteria in any decisions...but I'd lie if I said it wasn't in the back of my mind.)

[John3]

Are you graduating from SIU, Carbondale? I started there in the middle 80's...LOL


All around hunting plus nature. My first choice is Idaho.

[Biggie Hoffman]

I kinda like the year round opportunities of the southern tier states.
Living in Georgia, I can go hunt big game any day of the year. Just a few hours to the east coastline, a few to the gulf, turkey, deer, bear, hogs, trout in the mountains, bass and gators in the sloughs.
I've often thought of moving to MOntana, but all of my friends who live there all come down here to hunt their "offseason" which is a looooooong time!

[Soilarch]

No, but its an hour from my house....so I've spent some good times that direction.  Middle 80's?  You never lit any fires or started flipping cars around this time of year did ya? Did they have Hair Banger's Ball back then? lol


I'm at Murray State University...about 2 hours South of SIUC, and about 20 minutes for Kenlake and LBL.

[champ38]

Im interested to hear this also, just bacame single myself-she said it was either her or the bow...anyway going to take a traveling therapy job and hopfully move some place like Idaho..thought about Alaska..?.

[redfish]

I've lived in Texas, Arkansas, and spent some time while in college in New Mexico.
Arkansas has a long archery deer season, but you pretty much have to quit hunting when it is over. There is a lot of public land there also.
You can hunt something in Texas all year long, but public land is limited.
Haven't been to NM for years so can't speak for it.

[Ybuck]

I'd say Montana

[Featherbuster]

I'll have to agree with Biggie.  I live in MS and can hunt hogs year round, plenty of deer and turkeys during the seasons and LOTS of public ground to lose your way in.  All the southern states are that way if you can put up with the heat, which is pretty much year round.

[Gehrke145]

I've thought about heading south for the year around hunting as well, I'll think alot harder about it once I get me Bighorn and mountain goat!

[SouthMDShooter]

I would love to be able to hunt year round like you can in the south, but I dont know if I could take the heat. I complain about the heat and humidity in MD, dont know what I would do in Ga haha. Id say montana

[cageman]

Ohio isn't bad.  Plenty of public lands, but like many states in these parts, the economy is hurting.  Western Pennsylvania is loaded with deer - it's where I hunt along with southern Ohio.

[hunt it]

Canada Eh!  

[Shawn Leonard]

I would love to hunt and live in Alaska, but my passion is big whitetails, so Kansas. Shawn

[Bakes168]

Michigan, it's a sportsmans paradise. Especially the U.P., but I don't know how you would do finding a job...our economy kinda sucks right now.

Bakes

[longbowben]

Ohio

[LoneWolf73]

Northern Alabama. Long seasons and reachable drives to Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, etc. for their seasons. Huntsville is the job town.

[Kingwouldbe]

GO WEST YOUNG MAN: CALIFORNIA

#1 We got year round Hogs.
#2 We got Mule deer.
#3 We got Black tail deer.
#4 We got Black beer. ( oops ) Bear
#5 We got Rocky Mountain Elk.
#6 We got Roosevelt Elk
#7 We got Tule Elk.
#8 We got Pronghorn.
#9 We got California Bighorn.
#10 We got Turkeys ( I ant talk-n-bout the people )
#11 We got world class Salt Water Fishing

[Mojostick]

Don't come to Michigan for a few years if decent employment is a part of your plan. While always possible, it's unlikely.

[Soilarch]

You make a good case or Cali...but good grief, that's gonna be a hard sell.  This little ole farmboy from a mining town wants nothing to do with the likes of Chicago, New York, St. Louis...and..and...tree-huggers!!!  (I'm kidding, but the ultra-urban setting is not going to mesh me we. Like my dad says, "I need a place I can pee off the back porch when I want."  I realize that cuts my opportunities severely.  I made piece with that a long time ago.)

I realize there is a LOT of California besides the Silicon Valley and Hollywood.  Nearly went there for my internship instead of Georgia.  Forget the specific area...something like Monsanto or something...down by San Diego I believe.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Queensland, Australia!