Where do you live? And why?

I was born and raised in Kansas and currently live in NE Kansas. Many parts of Kansas are low population density and great hunting. I shoot everything from squirrels on a 2600acre ranch in the NE part to p-dogs, coyotes, pheasants, doves, mule deer in the NW part. There are whitetails everywhere and lots of turkeys. It has what I treasure...lots and lots of solitude. The only sad thing is, we have lost our once abundant quail population.

Rusthunter, I agree. The perfect retirement area is further north. And than further north of that.

I live in Southern Maine. It's perfect! I want to go to the ocean 15 minutes I want to go to the mountains, 40 minutes. Boston is 2 hours south and miles of wilderness is 2 hours north.

I live in Laurel, MD. Raised in Silver Spring, MD and I work in Rockville, MD.

Why? Well, I was born here and my family is here. Work is here, and I haven't lost my job yet during this Great Recession of ours. Thankful for that and it keeps me put. Great company.

I'd love to venture out elsewhere, maybe west or south, or both. Frankly, I'd be worried about finding steady income.

Despite the nastiness of our politics and the rat race here in the DC Metro, MD is a nice place that offers a lot, geographically speaking. There are also a lot of great things to do, with respect to the shooting sports, believe it or not. We've got something for everyone- practical rifle, 3-gun, F Class, benchrest, IDPA, CAS, everything. Its a damn shame that you have to spend damn near $600k to get a decent home in a decent neighborhood with decent schools that isn't a 4 hour commute to work.

I don't know. Planning a cross country road trip next year. Hopefully I'll find something.


Jim- thanks for starting this thread.

I've lived in most of the southern states at one time or another. Finally made it to Texas where I lived for about 45 years, retired and moved to New Mexico. The weather here is soooooo much better, no humidity, have 4 actual real seasons, imagine that. Fishing and hunting are great, gun laws are great, weather is great, taxes and cost of living are great, gun shows are....well, good. Lots of public land to use for whatever shooting I want to do. What's not to like?

I'm a little bit surprised, really maybe not, by all the New Yorkers and Californians who want to move. My advice to you is to find a gun-friendly place and move there. Life's way too short to live in an overly restrictive place. Get out and have some fun.

I am an oil & gas landman, so I have to move around quite a bit.

Born in Oklahoma (my home and my home base is still there), worked and lived in Okla., North Dakota, Montana, Kansas, New Mexico, West Virginia, Ohio and Texas.

I currently work in Ft. Worth, TX, but commute back home to Okla. on most weekends.

Thankfully all of the states I have worked in have been reasonably "gun" friendly.

I live in Tulsa,Oklahoma.It is a pretty city and we have the wannamecher gun show twice a year.It is 11 acres of guns and i can spend all day there.The summers do get hot and humid but the winters aren't bad like the north.Unfortunately like the man from Kansas the quail numbers have really declined.I would probably live in Oregon or Utah if i didn't live here.

small town in south central Nebraska, moved here from a smaller town 35 miles away just over a year ago.

Been in Nebraska since summer of 1980, cuz my parents wanted to be closer to my grandparents........least thats the "official" version of the story

I live in Illinois; a little to close to Chicago for my taste but this is where I was born and where I lived for 3/4 of my life. That said I plan to move just across the border to WI or a bit further out from the city in the next 2-4 years.

I have visited a lot of places; Lived in Florida for 7 years and would go back if I could find a job that would let me maintain the same quality of life but thats not an option right now.

Born in Oklahoma, grew up in Kentucky, stationed in Japan, California, Germany and Turkey, and reside in Michigan.

I live here because it is where my family is from. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all still live here.

Born and raised in MT (about 90 miles northwest of Yellowstone NP), and grew up on the family farm and ranch there. We lived 15 miles outside of a town of 1200 people, had 2 miles of river front, and 3000 acres to run around on. At 17 I joined the Marines because I wanted adventure and to see all the exotic places that my dad and brothers saw when they were in the military. What I saw was MCRD San Diego, Camp LeJeune, NC, Okinawa, and 29 Palms, CA. Got out of the Marines in 1996 after my 4, and moved back to MT. Just in time for the job market to take a down turn.

I spent 4 years of doing alot of different jobs in both western and eastern MT, northern MN, and worked on a custom harvesting crew in SD. SD was ok, but we traveled from the Red River valley of TX/OK to far northern MT, so I got to see alot of this great country of ours! In early 2000, I joined the Navy and spent 9 years between WA and CA. With some side trips to Pensacola, Biloxi, and Japan.

When the military began a round of cutbacks a few years ago, I got out and moved to AZ for school. Because what I have chosen for my profession, the choice fell between Flagstaff and Phoenix when it came to getting a degree. I've traveled through AZ in the past and loved the contrast that this state has in its natural beauty from north to south; and also all the history here. The ultimate decision came down to which city had a community college that offered an Associates degree that would feed into my Bachelors. That decision made Phoenix my choice. Growing up it was a 30 minute drive to town. Now I live 20 minutes from work and school, a 5 minute walk from the cigar shop, and with in an hour's drive I can be at some of the best hiking spots in the Sonoran Desert! And being at the southern most edge of Phoenix, it doesn't feel like I'm living in the city.

Now that I'm down to the last few months of school, it is job searching time and even though I'd love to stay in AZ, anywhere east of CA/OR/WA and West of the Mississippi River (with a few execptions) is fine for me. I've learned that one can't compare one part of this country to other parts of it if it is going to be used to call something "ugly", "beautiful," or any other descriptor. Every place has its own uniqueness that makes it what it is. So I'm fairly content with anyplace I live.

What makes living here enjoyable is:
The Office:


The Classsroom:


And time off of course:

Fairbanks, AK. Because, well, it's Alaska!

The land of sky blue water.

I live in Florida. I was raised a bit west of Tallahassee and my family is still there. SPent youthfull summers doing agricultural work and heading to Mexico Beach (Red Neck Riviera) I now live close to Gainesville as this is where I came after the service and have had no good reason to leave. Spent a year in Palatka. I do not like snow for more than a bit ( and hated when Uncle Sam made me sleep out in it) and I like humidity.

Gun laws? We don't need no stinking gun laws! Well actually there are some but the shall issue CWL is nice and no one cares about our magazine capacity except when hunting migratory birds.

Actually like many raised in my part of the state we thought the cross Florida Barge canal bondogel was a good idea until we found out we could not put jacks in the canal and push away south Florida. It is much like two diferent states.

Any adults living in the Orlando area might want to check out the Central Florida Rifle and Pistol CLub. When my wife lived down there when she was in private practice she got her range officer cap and would occassionally go shoot her guns there. There are some indoor ranges out on South Orange Blossom Trail....and may folks think you need a gun down there anyway....

-kBob

Born and raised in Oregon, miss it much. Great fishing, hunting, scenary. Moved to Arizona to start a business. I like the neighborhoods in the area I live. Really do not like the summers, too hot. Lots of places to shoot in AZ, no real fishing. Would like to live in Arizona in the winter and Oregon in the summer.

Zach

Born in Swaziland which is a Kingdom and borders South Africa to the west. Delivered in a mission hospital run by the Church of the Nazarene. Grew up on a farm but came to S.A. all to early, returned to the farm at least twice a year until the age of 16. My love for the bush and outdoors was developed here.

Parents moved to Johannesburg and surrounds so we as kids had to follow. The money is here and that is why I stay, the kids and grandkids are here that is why the wife won't consider a move. Have considered moving without her nah she is great.

If you like animals then Africa is it, can't see myself moving too far away from this prime hunting country. Would love to move due to the political instability, the crime rate and governments stated objective to disarm the public (how else will they retain power after having destroyed the country).

@ Andrew Leigh

"governments stated objective to disarm the public (how else will they retain power after having destroyed the country"

That's beginning to be in USA now.

I'm very worried.

Dad retired out of the AirForce and wanted to move back home to East Tennessee and the mountains. I however wanted to expand my horizons, and moved off soon after high school. Moved around the country for a few years and came back to the Smokies been here since 1975 and will stay here. All the siblings are in Florida, they don't like the winters here and I don't like hot flat ground and the beach is OK for a day or two and then I've had enough.

Born in Tenn. grew up in central Fla.drafted in 71 spent two years at West Point N.Y. move back to Tenn. after service, have lived in Mich.Nev. Mo. now live in the mountains of n.e. Ga. on a beautiful fresh water mountain lake.Small town no traffic jams very little crime good gun laws.Life is good!

MrValentine said:

I live in northern California because my parents moved here when I was a child. One day, I will leave.

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You have to do it man, you can't wait or it will be to late. I WASTED 42 years of my life in NJ.
My parents moved us out of the NE part of NJ to the Jersey Shore when I was 8 or ten or a better life, by the time I graduated it was just like the big city, lights every 100 yards for miles, no place to shoot, everything was crowded.
Moved to Jackson,NJ and bought acreage and after 5 years was no better, couldn't shoot or the law was there with in minutes, started my sons mini bike once and the law was there with a copy of the NEW ORDINANCE saying no motorized off road vehicles allowed, even on private property, another time I had a small barrel burning twigs, business papers and such not only did a helicopter hover over but nearly every fire truck in the township showed up. Then when my taxes hit nearly $8,000.00 per year and we had septic, well, no side walks and a half paved road I knew it was time to go.
Sold everything I had, shut my business and me and the kids headed out looking for a new home. We settled her in the Western Part of NC. I can sit on my deck and never see anyone go by but one neighbor, I can shoot off my deck, and can open carry and not have swat called, I can carry concealed and only wait 3-4 weeks for a permit, now don't even have to wait for a pistol permit. My taxes for the year are what I paid in 2 weeks in the NE. Now I wonder why I waited so darned long.
Just do it and don't look back!

Southeast Oklahoma, born and raised here. Probably be here when I die.