If you could live in any state for hunting, where would you live?

[beendare]

Hands down; British Columbia

sure its a province...not a state...and its Canada but you can hunt almost all big game species in North America except a few. Heck, you can hunt 3 species of sheep without a guide if you are a resident.

Vancouver is a beautiful big city...great fishing too...i could live just outside there or in Victoria in a heartbeat

[Sam McMichael]

I am pretty satisfied here in my home state of Georgia. Primarily, I hunt whitetails and sometimes hogs and turkeys, so I don't need to travel out of state to do it. If I moved to another state, the hunting opportunities would not be the reason. However, lack of hunting chances could keep me from going there. If however, I left Georgia, my choices would be Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I am on the same page as whip. Some where in the midwest with liberal deer seasons and relatively close to places to hunt the western planes and mountains. also you would be relatively close to GA and SC for hogs. I am all for having options and relatively mild winters.

[tom cunningham]

You sound pretty grounded and I would bet that your going to do very well. At your age you still have a number of chapters to go through. Most of these great recommendations come from people who live or get to visit those places a lot.  I like the theme of going to a number of places..and let it unfold.  I'm a SoCal guy but the Pacific Northwest brings an awful lot to the table...must be a reason there are so many bowyers there....best of luck,  Tom.

[PUDDLE JUMPER]

One thing to take into account is climate. That's something you have to deal with daily. I like the hunting in Southern Il and Ky because I am mostly a deer hunter. But the summers can be brutal with humidity.

Not a day goes by I wouldn't rather be in Wyoming summertime. Also if looking out west you need to pick a region as much as a state. That seems to open up a lot more opportunity. I do favor Wyoming. But the winters are hard.

[BAPilot2]

Like Jonny Horton said, "Way up North...North To Alaska!"

[Michael Arnette]

So far nobody has mentioned Oklahoma...hmm. Makes me wonder why I'm still here. Some good input here. Given your background, I'd give Colorado, Arizona and the west coast a good look! Hunting is great but there is more to life.
I spent my childhood years in Northern CA...it felt like we were a few miles away from everything! As a lawyer you should be able to own some land set aside for special trips. I'd recommend Texas or Kansas for that, land is still cheap and the game is plentiful!

[warpedarrow]

I have invested most of my money and twenty five years of my life buying and developing my own little ranch in Texas.  I love whitetail hunting and now I live in one of the highest whitetail population density areas of the nation.  It is not uncommom to see in excess of twenty deer on every early season hunt.  I can shoot deer without even getting out of my yard (no fun) and can get up twenty minutes before dawn and not be too late to hunt.  I love it and this is my foundation.  That being said,  I love muley hunting in New Mexico, pheasant hunting in Iowa or Nebraska, and elk hunting in New Mexico or Colorado.

I think the ideal place for any hunter to live is where the animal you love most lives.  That is where nearly all of your time will be spent as work and family will demand your presence.  You can always plan vacation hunts to add some variety to the hunting menu.

[Gil Verwey]

Alaska. As long as I can live somewhere warm in the winter. Their winters are too long and too cold for me.

I would love to be a resident, to be able to hunt Dall sheep and Mountain Goat DIY. Not to mention caribou and moose.

[Kevin Dill]

Have spent tons of time in Alaska, but not my choice of a state to live in. Summers are very short and fall is even shorter unless you live in the far southeast...then it's a long ways to good moose and caribou.

Hawaii would be great. Sheep, goats, deer and pigs...often with no limits and year-around hunting. Fantastic fishing any day you want. Outside 365 and no snow. Stranded on an island would likely turn into a negative in time.

Arizona...now you're talking. AZ has it all from high mountains to desert sand. Snow and sweat...whatever you like. Gun friendly politics. Outstanding scenery and lifestyles...many cultures represented. Big game hunting most of us dream about. Just about every freshwater fish known to man. Hop the border to Utah, NM, NV or CO. Somebody pinch me!

[fujimo]

x2 beendare- i live on the queen charlotte islands, BC.
9 month deer season- 15 tags, also got rooseveldt elk , and big blackies. i think we have one month a year where there is no hunting! world class fishing. love the island style!
mainland has everything else      

[KentuckyTJ]

I'm with Kevin, AZ would be amazing but something tells me if I were away from my whitetail for very long the grass would be greener on this side again.

[Tajue17]

Hmm with me its not all about hunting every day of the year I need a variety of things to do,,,, that's why I'm retiring in West Virginia or Maryland maybe NC.. I seen more deer when hunting these states than I ever did in my life anywhere and  all within easy bow range I'm talking 14 deer under my stand at once,,, not huge bucks but I don't care about big bucks I want meat and skin not heads with horns.

property prices are very affordable, friendly people I blend well with, the laws are great, yeah without a doubt WV, MD and NC a close 3rd,,,, if I had to still work It would be the mid-west maybe Colorado but no work then I head south from Taxachusetts.

Kevin Dill,,, I'm pretty heavy into saltwater fly fishing and Hawaii is the best for fishing,, huge bonefish on the flats and even peacocks in Wilson lake, pig hunting in the hills..  Hawaii is an awesome place if we hit the lottery I promised the wife we'll buy a house there but for now its trips only.

[Mr.Vic]

I'd give up Iowa for a state with more and bigger game if i had the chance. Altiman94 posted some good reasons why. The deer herd is going fast as is the good places to hunt. Most of the big boys you see were taken on tied up lands. You want to try it i know a small acreage (10 acres) with a nice home for sale. Plant some trees and a food plot you might have a chance.

[el chupa nibre]

Just wanted to say thank you again to all that replied. It's been great to hear other peoples' insights!

[Hud]

Wyoming...

[Zbone]

Another vote for Arizona, my gameplan is to retire there someday...

BTW, didn't Jack O'Conner reside in AZ?

[John Havard]

Simplest question ever:  Alaska

[Gooserbat]

Farther north and west than Oklahoma but not CO.

[JDow3]

Great thread guys and thank you OP for starting it. Sorry to hear about your divorce,even if amicable it's never easy. Prayers for you bro.

I appreciate the responses as I've been contemplating this myself. I have been blessed the last 3 years to have a friend with a 300 acre farm with about 60 acres of woods. He let my buddy and I hunt these grounds. Not a lot of deer but Indiana public land can get dicey. Anyway, the landowner has decided that the cost of soy bean and corn being what they are, the trees have to go so he can plant more.

So now I have to explore some other options. I work from home and travel for my job. I cover the Midwest and Northeast so I can live in any of those states. The wife hates winter and wants to move to the south, southeast or maybe the southwest. She'd definitely settle for Hawaii though lol.