Trying to decide on new state

You just described Texas.

Living in Illinois, I know exactly how you feel.

Well, I hate giving up my favorite fishing hole and hunting spot, but I suppose it doesn't really matter because the entire state of Idaho is a good place to fish or hunt. The other cool thing about Idaho is that you can have desert if you want it or you can have lush evergreen forest. And then there is the palouse area where I live.

I live in SC. Since BMW came to town it is getting more and more liberal. I love kanab Utah. Flagstaff AZ. anywhere but CA NY MASS and Il you will be OK.

I was born and raised downstate in New York (Long Island). I've lived in NY, ME, VA, NC, SC, FL, CA, TX, IL, & RI, and I got some news for you...

NY is better than you think.

On Long Island- liberal, suburban Long Island- there are more good ranges closer together than anywhere else I know.

Yes, the NYS AWB sucks, but everywhere else has it's own brand of suckage.

You'll also find that while cost of living is lower most places, wages are lower, too- and it often doesn't scale well.

All that said, NE Florida, or Tidewater VA (the area south of and around Norfolk & Virigina Beach) are the areas that I'd consider in your shoes.

Ive even considered moving somewhere and living out of a van for a while until I can get a place to live (yeah I want out of NY THAT badly lol)

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Don't blame you. Anywhere is going to be better than NY, gun law wise except maybe Illinois or California.

The Sarge said:

You just described Texas.

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Sounds like it.

I live in SC. Since BMW came to town it is getting more and more liberal...

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The first BMW was produced here in 1994. 2 year later, SC passed the current right-to-carry law. So, I don't think the alleged liberalism is hurting 2A in our state.

Further...

A 2008 economic impact study by the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business found that BMW is indirectly responsible for 23,000 jobs in South Carolina. That’s 10 times more than the initial projection of 2,000 jobs BMW made when it announced plans to locate in South Carolina.

Also, the study estimated that BMW generates $1.2 billion a year in wages and salaries throughout the state
http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/41218/print

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To be sure, a lot of those jobs belong to Europeans, which, by comparison, undoubtedly are more liberal than the native population. And there has been notable migration from the midwest automotive areas to SC. Is it a surprise that there is a strong correlation between globalism and liberAlism, especially in areas that historically are conservative? But given that we make those choices via voting and spending, the complaint department is in the mirror over the bathroom sink.

The biggest problem with Texas is almost zero public land. Forget about finding a place to hunt, walk or target shoot unless you pay the landowner. It is about the last place I'd want to live.

Most of the other Western states are near, or over 50% public lands, so finding a place on public land to hunt, hike or shoot for free is much less of a problem.

I won't say Georgia is the best, but there is still lots of National Forest land in most parts of the state where activities are easily done. The only 2 months where there is not an open huntng season on something are June and July. Deer season runs from mid September until mid January with a 10 doe and 2 buck limit on private property. Deer killed on WMA's do not count toward your bag limit so you could legally take 2 dozen deer if you play your cards right. Small game season ends the last day of February. A good population of black bear if your interested. We get about 2 weeks off before turkey season starts, which was today this year and runs till mid May. Still have about a 6 week waterfowl season during December and January. Lots of good trout fishing in the northern 1/3 of the state and great fishing for most anything else in the rest of the state.

Gun laws, are not perfect, but much better than most. A carry permit is as easy as passing a background check. No classes are required.

I live in the NW part of the state. Can be in Atlanta or Chattanooga in an hour if I need something from a city. Can be in the Smoky Mt NP in 3 hours or at the beach in 6. Can be in Denver CO in 24. Made that trip driving straight thru while swapping drivers several times.

No NY is not better than I think... I haven't always lived here and I was much happier when I lived in Indiana... Id hate NY even if I wasn't a gun owner

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Ok- that does make some difference, IMX- I just get real tired of people who have never lived anywhere else bitching about my island, yanno? I'm even tireder of those that did move, and now piss and moan about where they are, and how they can't afford to move back...

What part of NYS are you in?

Northern Virginia, Lots of jobs here!
Plus Permitless OC!

A carry permit is as easy as passing a background check. No classes are required.

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That is one thing Georgia should change! I think the classes should be mandatory if you CC....

I live in SC now...used to live in NC! NC was actually going to get BMW, but the state would give no tax revenue breaks or incentives. And that is when we needed that kind of manufacturing. Then they built in SC, and people I worked with moved to SC after getting a job with BMW.

I held out for years....then economy tanked and it sucked in NC! Great place for firearms related laws, fishing, hunting, hiking etc. but you got to feed your family and your hobbies! Never worked for BMW but I did move more than doubling my salary around 2001.

I do not know what other state I would look at if I were to move from SC?? But for sure gun laws would play a part in the decision.

Jmr40 is correct about the public land in Texas.

Moved to Scottsdale, AZ from Manhattan in November - could not be happier.

Best thing about Phoenix is that just 1.5 hours north there are pine forests and snowy mountains - its great.


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penn,new hamshire,vermont?

Dazen said:

Jmr40 is correct about the public land in Texas.

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It's true I wish we had more public land, but he's also looking for strong economy and he's going to be relying on the economy more than places to shoot.

There are some metro places out in the western states that have good economy's so he's on the right track, but I gotta have a beach.

The biggest problem with Texas is almost zero public land. Forget about finding a place to hunt, walk or target shoot unless you pay the landowner. It is about the last place I'd want to live.

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Percentage-wise, no, Texas does not have a lot of public land. But if you consider the size of it, there is a good bit. There are also many places to hike and camp where you aren't allowed to hunt.

.....and saying Texas is about the last place you'd want to live? Well then you just haven't talked with many Texans. It really isn't that hard to find private land to hunt on, even for free. Make some friends and they will be happy to invite you out to their land to hunt, fish and target shoot in the same day.

Tidewater VA (the area south of and around Norfolk & Virigina Beach) are the areas that I'd consider in your shoes.

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Thats a big Roger that. Came here from MA in 98, nice place.

Got any skills? Maybe I can help direct you.

My college roommate grew up on Long Island, about 15 years ago after heart surgery he decided that his continued survival was a sign that he should do what he had always wanted to do with his life. After recuperation and fulfilling what he considered to be a personal obligation to his employer by staying at his job for another 5 months or so he loaded everything he could fit into a Plymouth Sundance and drove to Oregon along the Columbia River. No job, no place to stay, just a desire to live in that part of the country. He got an apartment, found a job, and he's quite happy with his decision.

His motivation wasn't firearms freedom per se, it was more a desire to be in a place that was more fitting to his lifestyle and tastes.