Retirement State

[WapitiTalk1]

Allrighty, the choices are either Montana or Idaho. You've done your time in the working world and are starting to plan your final retirement spot which will occur in the next few years. Which state of these two would you choose and why? Yes, it's about me . I've done my Army career and will be able to retire from DoD civil service within the next few years (at a reduced rate cuz I'm not staying around till I'm social security age). Either east ID or west MT is my destination.. Which would "you" choose and why? Thanks in advance for chiming in. RJ

[Lefty]

Well I moved to Idaho to end my working career. However I know I cant define my whole years worth of free time to chasing just elk. I want more.
Depending on what my daughters do. There is a place where Montana would meet my needs. Lake shore property, relatively very low population density. good summer and Ice fishing, mountain hunting minutes. away. great ATVing, public lands big private ranches, good trapping and great goose hunting within an hour a couple directions
Even better my wife thinks its a great place.
It is sort of conditional. My in-laws need to die first
However if Im on my own; its ND lake country for me,.. Ill drive to Montana to elk hunt

[jmez]

Whichever one has lower taxes. Pretty much equal outdoor opportunity in both.

[MTLongdraw]

MT and here is why. 6 weeks of bow hunting, 5 weeks of gun hunting. Its truly strategic because ID non resident tags are about half as much as MT but then again ID is the only other state I want to live...well other than AK.

[Indian Summer]

Allrighty, the choices are either Montana or Idaho.

Wyoming.

Because from there you can hunt all three. It's easy to get a Montana license. It's easy to get an Idaho license. But not as easy, or cheap, to get a Wyoming NR license. Plus you can hunt WY wilderness as a resident. Also you can buy OTC mule deer licenses in killer areas that are a draw and require 3 or 4 points to draw as a NR.

[jmez]

Montana license sales are up! I got an email about a week ago telling me not to forget to apply as the NR online applications were up 20% from a year ago and there was still over a week left in the application period.

[pointysticks]

I'm jealous. My wife was born in the tropics. Retiring where it gets cold ain't gonna happen.

I'll write you guys from Hawaii

[Swede]

RJ, I do not know your wife's interests, and what you will do other than hunt, but I think you would do well to consider Post Falls or Coeurd' Alene Idaho. It is close to Spokane and Cabelas. Drive right past Cabelas on your scouting trip, and pretend you do not notice it. Just talk about the great shopping in Spokane, and take her to the lake for a picnic. Sure she will know she is being conned, but neither of you should care about that. You can check out the area on a good warm weekend.

[WapitiTalk1]

Swede, thanks for chiming in. Anywhere in WA is probably not in the cards when I do decide to retire/move (I pay $3700 property taxes in WA state for a home and 5 1/2 acres; it's a third of that in MT for a home and 20 acres). ID isn't bad on their taxes, cost of living, etc., either. My wife does like the CDA and Sandpoint areas in N ID, and, the plus of living close to Spokane (has an active military base). I'm also starting to look a bit further south, as far as NW WY but so far, it's a hard sell to Mrs. Phantom cuz of the constant wind, and, it's pretty far from my few relatives that I have living in NW MT. Probably not gonna pull the plug until at least next summer, perhaps even the following. Want to squirrel away a bit more savings before we make the trek out of the Evergreen State.

[CurlyTail]

I like the Wyoming idea. Where in Wyoming would be the best retirement town/area? Please don't say Jackson Hole.

[ishy]

I would think Montana might have a slight edge hunting wise, but I'm pretty sure our winters are easier too at least up North.

[Swede]

RJ: How close to your current Idaho hunting haunt is Post Falls? I have always liked the Post Falls area, and sometimes wish I could live there. If hunting was my whole life, and I had no one else to consider, I think parts of Wyoming or Montana would be my top choice. Life is always more complicated than that. Best wishes for your retirement and relocation.

[Fridaythe13th]

RJ work your magic, see if you can live on the Montana, Idaho and Wyoming boarder and get a resident tag for all of them. As far as land goes buy what you can afford they don't make anymore.

[WapitiTalk1]

Swede (John), Post Falls is pretty close to the area in the panhandle I've been hunting (and I agree, is a pretty nice area). Here's a point of interest.... ID started a new program last year that allows vets with a certain percentage of disability to obtain a NR tag at a much reduced rate (I meet the criteria). So for hunting/budget purposes, it would benefit me more to not live in ID as I can get my tags there at a reduced rate already. Soo, MT is appealing and if I can get Mrs. Phantom to consider it, WY. Friday (Eric), yep... gonna try to get as much land as the budget can afford (timbered preferrably).

[jmez]

I like the Wyoming idea. Where in Wyoming would be the best retirement town/area? Please don't say Jackson Hole.

Sheridan

[elkstalker]

It's hard to beat western Montana for it's beauty and access to excellent hunting and cold water fishing. I've lived in both states however, and do appreciate the variety we have here in southern/southeast Idaho (where I currently reside). I can fish for walleye, smallmouth, and cast a fly to a rising trout all in the same day, or I can hunt ducks in the morning and chukar or pheasant in the afternoon. I also think Idaho has a better draw system set up for big game.

[vertical limit]

If I were to retire in WY, I would seriously look into the Bondurant/Pinedale areas. Bondurant is about 35 miles south of Jackson Hole and only 2 hours (I think) from Idaho Falls. Lots of shopping in IF. Bondurant has LOTS of trees, mountains and elk hunting area. My grandparents call this place home and I have a house there as well. I grew up hunting elk, deer and antelope there. I make it back there for hunting season every chance I get. We have taken several quality animals within 3 miles of the houses. Fishing is also great in the area with the Hoback, Snake and the Green River all within a 30 minute drive. Not to mention all of the mountain streams and ponds.

Pinedale can be a bit on the high end of prices as far as housing, but Bondurant is a bit lower. Check it out.

[WapitiTalk1]

Well, it appears that Idaho is getting the nod. I wasn't quite ready to pull the plug (wanted to do this next year at the earliest) but I asked Mrs. Phantom to poke around for homes/property where she would be happy living in one of several mountain states and she's locked in like a pitbull with a bone on the Sandpoint, ID area. Geesh, asked her to do some initial "shopping around" and she's found a place. We may be putting an offer in "if" our realtor comes back with our questions answered to our satisfaciton. Will keep you cats posted.

[Elkduds]

Sandpoint, this place has it all! Lake Pend Orielle, Schweitzer Basin skiing, mucho public land, and the town is charming.