the best state to move to for trad hunting??

[caleb7mm]

the wife and I are thinking about moving again. This time we don't know where. We are basing our decision on two things:
1) ample places for me to bowhunt.
2) ample places for me to waterfowl hunt.

Where would you go and why??

top picks for us so far:

Washington state (over 100 day duck season)  

Wyoming

Iowa

Illinois

Missouri

[Cody Schnettgoecke]

I live in West-central Illinois, and I would suggest to you Calhoun County, Illinois. It is between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, so there is pretty much unlimited waterfowl hunting for you. There is also great opportunities to hunt whitetails, turkeys, and small game. The scenery is great, and so are the people.

[Billy]

I will be watching this one....

Western Kentucky??

[bow-guy]

I live in Spokane WA and previously in Woodstock GA, and raised in AL.  I don't duck hunt but do deer hunt.  WA is very skimpy on their deer season, it basically sucks.  I bow hunt deer and elk during gun season because all my friends are gunners. I will never move back to the deep south, I really like where I live now.

Best of luck

[George D. Stout]

Somewhere near Wenatchie, WA., and the Columbia River Gorge.   You have mountains...you have high plains, you are close to elk, mule deer and blacktails.  And the apples aren't bad either 8^).

[Doug in MN]

Minnesota? Mid Sept. to End of Dec. 3 1/2 months of deer hunting, more than a few Turkeys, good to great waterfoul hunting depending on the part of the state. Good amount of upland hunting to be had. Some of the best fishing on the planet.

Bring warm clothes it gets cold in January.

If it was me getting to move number one thing would be HOGS !!!!!!!!!

NO HOGS IN MINNESOTA

DD

[Chester Thompson]

Unless you have a lot of money to spend, I would not go to Texas. Lots of hunting, year round, but unless you are lucky and find somebody with land, you will pay to lease, or pay to day/weekend hunt on places.

[Chester Thompson]

Originally posted by Doug in MN:


If it was me getting to move number one thing would be HOGS !!!!!!!!!

NO HOGS IN MINNESOTA

DD

Just wait from what I have heard they moved in to southern Wisconsin, and if that is true, then they will be in Minnesota soon.

[highcountry]

Not Arizona! Nice country but you will need a tag to play in the woods.  

[wtpops]

Arkansas, I dont know very much about the seasons but thay have a good fly way, one of the largest black bear populations, turkey, hogs here and there, a lot of public land and of corse whitetail, ill be heading that way in about 4 years when i retire, ( all my kids and grandkids live out there). If you concider Arkansas dont let me comming out there in 4 years change your mind, i wont slum it up to much.

Oaklahoma, Kansas and Missouri close by.

[Shaun]

Duck hunting died in the 70's limit 3 a day now. Mosquitoes eat you alive in the early duck season for teal. The Wensels chased all the deer over to Pike Co, IL.

[leewillis92]

Looks like you have two pretty good reasons to move.  I'd probably go to Wyoming for the scenery and high altitude elk.

[L. E. Carroll]

George.
Sounds like you like Wenatchee WA.  Happy to hear it, as thats where I was born.  Great place for sure.  I have lived here in WA state most of my life, and have always hoped to move back over there.

I do have a retirement home 50 miles from there, in Ephrata, but thats pretty desolate compared to Weatchee. Hard to believe the differance in just 50 miles.  They have Beautiful Mountains, rivers and you can't beat nearby Lake Chelan.  

Great hunting !!  However, un-like many States back East we normally are only allowed 1 deer and 1 elk  per year.  I think we can take 2 bears and cougars however, that might even be up to 3?  

Cougar and bear populations are way out of check. Since PETA and the tree huggers in the Seattle area, [ largest Democratic ie: "Liberal" population area in the state ] have started doing the work of "Fish and Game" by getting hound hunting and bear baiting abolished by popular vote. [It's no wonder the people on the East Side, would like to split the state.]

Regardless, We have a beautiful area, with plenty of outdoor activities to go around for all of us here to be pretty happy.

In fact, where I now live here in SW wash, I have 7 Salmon and Steel Head Rivers within 50 miles. Deer, Coyotes, rabbits, Racoons, and an occasional Bob Cat or Porcupine in the driveway and back yard.  It takes me a drive of 15 minutes to be hunting Elk.

YES it's a tough place to live but somebody has to live here.      

[Zbearclaw]

I would move to AK for a year and declare residency then buy the lifetime license.  Then move to MT and do the same, then....

CO
Wy
OR, so on.

Then live in an RV wherever the best season is open.  You could hunt everywhere as a resident and be living the life we all only dream.

[toddster]

Alaska, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois.  At the begining of the tradgang video, Terry summed it up, "if you don't live somewhere where there are hogs, MOVE!".  Nothing Like shooting hogs on the off seasons.  I love illinois for the animals, political B.S. is bad in this state.  But, I have spring tukey season, bowfish spring to middle october if I want.  Squirrels season opens Aug. 1st.  Really I only have Jan and Feb. with nothing to shoot.

[suzie_shooter]

If you decide on Calhoun or Pike IL let me know i live just north of the calhoun border and hunt alot of both counties and know alot of people in both. we do quite a bit of waterfowl hunting here as well as have the big deer and small game.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Forget all those...come to Georgia.
year round opportunities for fish and fowl as well as big game. Catch trout or Redfish, hunt quail or ducks, deer, bear , turkey and hogs.
The gulf coast is near as well as the Atlantic and the barrier islands.

Why do you think I stay here????

[robtattoo]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:

Why do you think I stay here????

Catfish & hush puppies!        

Biggie's on the button, to my mind. Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee or Missouri are all good,if you can handle the heat & humidity! (Not sure I can   :eek:  )

[Maxflight]

One state to avoid is Pennsylvania. Every knows there ain't no deer here!!  

[Don Stokes]

I live in MS, but I'm partial to the southwest part of Missouri. I go up there every year to hunt turkeys, mushrooms, and deer with friends. One of my best hunting buddies from Florida is in MO this week, closing the deal on 40 acres of prime whitetail habitat, secluded with water and power and good neighbors, for $1500/acre. My other best buddy already has his 40 in the same area, with a cabin and a 4 acre pond that draws ducks. Ducks and geese are plentiful in the area. Lots of land available, and the price is right. If I had about $60K that I didn't need...