Buying a House for hunting fishing

[Hunter66]

Hi, planning to buy a second house for hunting and fishing in MT, that could became my retirement allocation in the next future. Must be in a city of at least 50k people (with restaurants and shopping for my wife) and with public or accessible land around, for good upland hunting (first of all: birds and rabbits), big game and fishing.
I was thinking about Great Falls.
Do you agree with me or do you have other prefer cities also outside MT as your first choice (if you would be in my shoes) and why. Thanks to all.

 

[Highvoltage]

you better like wind if you are going to live by Great Falls.

 

[Alaskan swamp collies]

Don't know about living there, but we usually start our MT bird hunting trips out of there.

 

[Hunter66]

Highvoltage wind is not a problem at all. If GF is a city that can be called city, with shopping and restaurant for my wife, and good upland birds, rabbits, big game and fishing, around town (I mean in a 40 minutes radius, especially upland birds) to me is more than enough. I came from the middle of the Dakota's prairie.

 

[Highvoltage]

I think you have found out what the city offers on the internet. I don’t know much about it myself other than it is one of the windiest areas around with its location to the mountain.

 

[Hunter66]

Yes you are right. But internet can be a good or bad source. That’s why I’m trying to have first hand info from hunters that live in the area. Not easy.

 

[Goosemaster]

Yes you are right. But internet can be a good or bad source. That’s why I’m trying to have first hand info from hunters that live in the area. Not easy.

There's birds around GF.Lots of rubes and conservatives. Yes its windy, but the houses cost about half of what Bozeman is.

 

[calamari]

This is an old post but just saw it. There are only three cities in Montana that meet your requirement of 50k population size. Great Falls...59K, Missoula...71K, Billings...110K. Because of the population your hope to find good hunting within 40 minutes drive is a very long shot. Billings is an oil refinery town with flaring stacks and refinery smell. Missoula I've never been to but it's in the west where it's mountain grouse pretty much and college kids with time on their hands and a gun in their truck. Great Falls has hunting around it but it's pounded. The pheasants at Freeze Out Res. get shot off quickly for example. Like by the second day of the season.
Plan on driving much father for what you want than 40 minutes.