Old Elk Hunter Retirement Home

[WapitiTalk1]

Just for kicks, riddle me this batman. If you're done with your career (careers) and are finally at a point to retire for good in XX state, where would you choose? I know family, where you may have grown up, roots, etc. have a bearing on these types of decisions but for the sake of this ultra scientific poll... where would you decide to hang your final hat and retire if all was well on the family front and it was your final wish and desire to retire in XX state.. Just curious RJ

[JJ Overkill]

does it count if ive already made the move? my family moved to co this past yr. my wife wanted a warmer climate and I wanted more hunting opportunities. I didn't want to make a move when I was close to or retired. I figure by that time in life I want my house, cars, paid off with no debt.

so to answer your question we picked CO. for now

[easeup]

I guess I am DQ on this one.

I'm staying put in a state where men marry women, God is great, our guns are ours, and friday night lights are still king.
but I am still an elknut.

[Slim jim]

Idaho without a doubt. The sportsman package that residents get each year is awesome and the country is beautiful with a lot of wilderness.

[Bartfrncs]

Without a second thought ALASKA!

[bnsafe]

i had always thought colorado and still love the state, just not sure i wanna live in such a liberal state. personally i would be good with idaho, montana, or new mexico. my wife might go for new mexico but the other two would be to cold for her. she likes warmer climates.

[Indian Summer]

Part of me wants to say Alaska but it's just so far from home. Home being anywhere in the lower 48 where there are elk! Therefore... Jackson Wyoming area. Maybe Alpine.

[Da White Shoe]

That's a tough one for me.
My first thought would be Alaska, but man! It'd be a long trip to visit family... pretty tough livin' for an old dude, too!
I love Wyoming... always seemed like the bow season was way too short when I lived there though.
Sounds like Idaho and Montana have too many wolves for me.
New Mexico and Arizona are too tough for a resident to even draw elk tags.
I've never spent much time in Utah or Nevada... can't really comment on those.
Colorado would be perfect... but, the direction they're taking lately has me worried.

I think I'll just retire in Hawaii and catch a ride to the Rockies with Trophyhill every year!

[Trophyhill]

I think I'll just retire in Hawaii and catch a ride to the Rockies with Trophyhill every year!

you seem to be the type of guy that catches on to everything quickly. bring your surf board and your ukulele and drink mai tai's

[WapitiTalk1]

That's a tough one for me.
My first thought would be Alaska, but man! It'd be a long trip to visit family... pretty tough livin' for an old dude, too!
I love Wyoming... always seemed like the bow season was way too short when I lived there though.
Sounds like Idaho and Montana have too many wolves for me.
New Mexico and Arizona are too tough for a resident to even draw elk tags.
I've never spent much time in Utah or Nevada... can't really comment on those.
Colorado would be perfect... but, the direction they're taking lately has me worried.

I think I'll just retire in Hawaii and catch a ride to the Rockies with Trophyhill every year!

No elk in MT or ID.. They are all gone
I told you guys, the wolves aren't a problem.. You just throw a stick, whistle, and say "come here boy, come on" and bonk em on the head when they get close... MT Lions? Scratch your finger in the dirt and say "kitty, kitty, kitty" and again, bonk em on he head when they get close
Reminder, there are no elk to speak of in Alaska.
The Hawaii with Trophy thing isn't a bad idea. Not sure how long he'll be able to bear those golden beaches though... and, there are no elk there
I agree with you on CO... Damn shame for sure.

Perhaps we should establish an Old Elk Hunters retirement home and invite everyone there. Is anybody a multi-millionaire that cares to fund this project?

Me? Idaho or Montana.. Last of the true Mountain hunting states in my opinion. Good folks, good hunting, and great fishing.

[montanabrown]

Already live in MT, so i think i might just plan on retiring here then i don't have to worry about learning all that new country when i get to old

[WapitiTalk1]

Already live in MT, so i think i might just plan on retiring here then i don't have to worry about learning all that new country when i get to old

Sound wisdom. I may end up back there if things work out.

[wideangle]

I have lived in several western states. I have retired in Oregon. It has a decent elk population and quite a bit of public land. Good fishing. It has a coast. No sales tax and modest property taxes. It is fairly close to two foriegn countries: Canada and Mexico.

[Swede]

I am not sure where the Lord will have me in the end, but until something changes, I will stay here in Oregon. I am ok with the liberals. Just like all the rest, they need Jesus.

[CrazyElkHunter]

I love Colorado and would move there in a heart beat. I have hunted it for over 40 years. Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Arizona would work for me. I have been retired for 10 years, and still stuck in Calif. I hate this state and have lived here all my life. Wife is cold blooded, 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren that pull me back when I start dreaming of moving to my dream state. Guess I will just be wishing, dreaming and making the 2200 mi round trip til father time says no more.

[WapitiTalk1]

I love Colorado and would move there in a heart beat. I have hunted it for over 40 years. Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Arizona would work for me. I have been retired for 10 years, and still stuck in Calif. I hate this state and have lived here all my life. Wife is cold blooded, 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren that pull me back when I start dreaming of moving to my dream state. Guess I will just be wishing, dreaming and making the 2200 mi round trip til father time says no more.

I feel your pain CrazyElkHunter. I retired from Army life 9 years ago in Washington state and despise it here.... but, due to relatives, work, etc., it's the cards I've been dealt. Back to business old elk slayer, if the cards on the table were all on your side, where would you choose to go for your final sunsets, west facing covered porch setting, and elk battles? RJ

[Da White Shoe]

I think I'll just retire in Hawaii and catch a ride to the Rockies with Trophyhill every year!

you seem to be the type of guy that catches on to everything quickly. bring your surf board and your ukulele and drink mai tai's

I already know how to drink pretty well!

[Da White Shoe]

[quote="Phantom16
The Hawaii with Trophy thing isn't a bad idea. Not sure how long he'll be able to bear those golden beaches though... and, there are no elk there

There's no elk in SD anymore, either!
Might as well live where it's warm enough for girls to be in a bikini 12 months a year!

[WapitiTalk1]

Might as well live where it's warm enough for girls to be in a bikini 12 months a year!

For the record, I don't like you or David very much

[Da White Shoe]

Might as well live where it's warm enough for girls to be in a bikini 12 months a year!

For the record, I don't like you or David very much

I'm very married, but I could still look.... if I wore very dark sunglasses!

[BrentLaBere]

For me, my first choice would have to be Montana. Heck, I wish I could go now! Anyone hiring?!

[llewokj]

I'm already old...I'm still working on perfecting the Elk Hunter thing. It will be a while longer, I think.

[Vanish]

I'm far from retirement age, but part of my plan was to live where I want to LIVE! That's why we're in Colorado. I never considered myself a Liberal, but the politics don't bother me here.

I think Bend, OR is probably next on my list if Colorado explodes. I'm lucky to have an uncle in AK ... not cheap to take advantage of it though!

[Waygoner]

I'm already there... been living in the heart of elk country since 1999. The day will come when I can't stand the winters anymore, but I imagine I'll be too old to hunt by then anyway.

[dotman]

RJ, I vote MT for you mainly for selfish reasons, it's cheap for me to get my tags there . Gotta have 1 cheap state to hunt if I want to hunt multiple states.

As far as my retirement, CO is still top on my list and I still have hope for the state, once away from the front range it is a great state.

[bnsafe]

yep, just get away from the front range. not good here. its still a nice place to live. i would consider goin back to mo someday, but not back to northern mo. nevada mo would be my first choice there

[bnsafe]

although the hi thing sounds pretty good if the boys got an extra room, i will learn how to mix mai tais

[blackwolf]

Been researching some myself as I plan on moving west from Wis in 2-5 years. Really like Montana but looking at weather, airports, shopping, healthcare, gyms with pool, etc; I am seriously looking at Grand Junction,CO area. My wife wants sunshine and low humidity and they have 300 plus days of it. We plan on vacationing there and Bitteroot Valley before deciding. I would also be able to work part time in retirement if we go with CO.

[BarW]

My wife and I have been planning this for awhile. We have a cabin outside Gunnison that sets just over 10k feet elevation in prime elk country ( saw a 7x7 there in 1996 with a heard of cows on August 21 but that's another story.) the plan is to stay in Texas until end of may when the crappie fishing gets slow then head to Co before it gets hot in Texas, trout fish and scout elk on mules until elk season. Bow hunt elk then head back to Texas by the last week in September to catch the start of whitetail season and spend the winter in east Texas. This has been my plan since I was 14 years old. Luckily my wife is on board. If Colorado winds up getting to liberal I may have to sell out and go to Montana instead.

On a side note WTH does the spell check on an iPhone capitalize every state name but Texas?

[Da White Shoe]

My wife and I have been planning this for awhile. We have a cabin outside Gunnison that sets just over 10k feet elevation in prime elk country ( saw a 7x7 there in 1996 with a heard of cows on August 21 but that's another story.) the plan is to stay in Texas until end of may when the crappie fishing gets slow then head to Co before it gets hot in Texas, trout fish and scout elk on mules until elk season. Bow hunt elk then head back to Texas by the last week in September to catch the start of whitetail season and spend the winter in east Texas. This has been my plan since I was 14 years old. Luckily my wife is on board. If Colorado winds up getting to liberal I may have to sell out and go to Montana instead.

On a side note WTH does the spell check on an iPhone capitalize every state name but Texas?

Everybody knows... Texas is a verb!

[Migolito]

Phantom, Funny you should ask cause I'm looking now. I'm basing my relocation on taxes and weather and its gotta have a coast. I grew up and currently live in California and although the weather is probably the best in the world, the taxes are the highest in the world. I've used the Kiplinger website to search the taxes and I'll save a cool $10,000 annually when I relocate to a retirement tax friendly state. Keep in mind that relocation only needs to be 6 months plus a day to establish residency, so, I could be a "snowbird" or "Hunt bird" if you will. Next week the boss and I are flying up to Washington (Puget sound Banana belt) to take a look around. However, my guess is she will be too cold, so next is various areas in the Gulf Coast- basically Alabama to Florida and Hawaai (very friendly to retirees.) Having said that Wyoming is probably the best state when it comes to lack of taxes on retirees. As far as my kids, and future grand kids, thats why god invented jets.

[RockChucker30]

If I hit it big in life (probably not gonna happen) then I'll have a summer cabin in Alaska, plus a place for the fall in Colorado. Then back home to the farm my Great Grandfather bought in TN for the rest of the year.

If I'm not rich then I'll settle for the farm in TN year round except for a trip or two a year.

[pointysticks]

as an old guy, i would hate to shovel snow. and i imagine living near great public transportation and doctors would be a plus.

this is a tough question..i'll just let the winds of life blow me about till i die.

[Fullabull]

So if I was not married I would move to CO when I retired and live on the west side of the mountains

But reality says, I have two kids in college and they like it here in WA so wherever they end up is where the grand kids will be and where we will be because my wife won't have it any other way and if I want to afford hunting it's best to stay married At least there are elk here in WA and thanks to Elknut I'm able to find elk every year. Notice I said find, not harvest We do OK but could do a lot better in a state with more elk!

[WapitiTalk1]

I've got it! I vote that "The Elknut" builds an enormous log cabin, really a log "mansion", on his property in Idaho for retiring elk hunters. Once we get too old to understand these dang fangled, ding nabbit computer thingies, and can no longer see the screen to type, how else can we communicate and talk about elk hunting? I'll tell you how, we'll all live at Paul's Old Elk Hunter's Retirment Home and sit around and talk about elk and the government.. Good idea, yes?

[Trophyhill]

Might as well live where it's warm enough for girls to be in a bikini 12 months a year!

For the record, I don't like you or David very much

Tell ya what........ Bring your boat, put some real rod holders on it and let's go catch some Ahi while Zane bartends and is in charge of the tunes

[Migolito]

I've got it! I vote that "The Elknut" builds an enormous log cabin, really a log "mansion", on his property in Idaho for retiring elk hunters. Once we get too old to understand these dang fangled, ding nabbit computer thingies, and can no longer see the screen to type, how else can we communicate and talk about elk hunting? I'll tell you how, we'll all live at Paul's Old Elk Hunter's Retirment Home and sit around and talk about elk and the government.. Good idea, yes?

Thats actually a great idea

[CrazyElkHunter]

I've got it! I vote that "The Elknut" builds an enormous log cabin, really a log "mansion", on his property in Idaho for retiring elk hunters. Once we get too old to understand these dang fangled, ding nabbit computer thingies, and can no longer see the screen to type, how else can we communicate and talk about elk hunting? I'll tell you how, we'll all live at Paul's Old Elk Hunter's Retirment Home and sit around and talk about elk and the government.. Good idea, yes?

You have my vote! Close enough to Calif., for family visits. Just bought a Toy Hauler, travel trailer from Blue Dog RV in Idaho. I can live in it while Paul builds the" Log Mansion"

[Swede]

I can think of nothing better for Paul to do with his time and resources. Brenda would love us too. I am surprised Paul has not already set the foundation.

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Hope this works. I think I need a retirement home!

[one_elk]

let the nay sayers have at it but been living in Colorado for going on 50 years, the other 8 in Montana, as far I know I will be staying here a while longer....

[Mikeha33]

yep, just get away from the front range. not good here. its still a nice place to live. i would consider goin back to mo someday, but not back to northern mo. nevada mo would be my first choice there

bnsafe, why Nevada? I spent the first 22 years of my life in Ft. Scott, about 15 miles W of Nevada, and couldn't imagine that being my choice of places to go back to. Over in KS, we have exceptional whitetail hunting, but that is about the only draw to the area. Drugs and poverty have taken over my hometown, and it's not looking good for the future.

[bullrub]

Very Good post Phantom16,
For me I was born and raised in Eastern Oregon and will most likely retire here, because my(wife says so). But if I did retire to another state it would be Idaho.

[planebow]

If it was not for my wife and her family I would move back to eastern Oregon. I was born and raised up there but quess I will stay here in nw Montana