What would you willing to do, to move to a very rural life in hunting country?

[goldeneye]

What the heck, think I'm made of money?

The taxes alone on that place would kill the average guy:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Throw in one of those Buck Skin coats and you have a deal.:thumbsup:

 

[M. R. Byrd]

That is perfect Maynard, I don't need plumbing I'll bathe in the creek and squat in a hole.

You like dust baths?

 

[captaincoot]

I'm moving where the real wildlife is THE CITY My plan when I get older is make my way south every year hunting the different states on my way. Ducks and pheasant are going to get it

 

[mnmthunting]

I could definitely see my self living in a shack in the woods with 5 or 6 good bird dogs and not much else. Like gustav I am a young single man and would love to move somewhere teaming with game. Anybody hiring in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, or Colorado? I have a class A cdl, and have experience operating heavy equipment (road grator, skip loader, back hoe etc...). I already miss out on most holidays during hunting season anyway so my family would understand me moving away.

Q H, Do you have any idea how fast you could get a very good paying job in the energy producing areas of ND, MT and WY.
Bring you own living quarters.

 

[BrowningCitori]

Been there...Still there...

I grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota, not many pheasants but I could walk out the back door and hunt for pheasants, rabbits, ducks, geese, etc. Wouldn't trade that for any "opportunity" I missed in the city. Went to college in South Dakota (thought I had died and gone to heaven). My last fall semister we rented a farm house near Arlington on 160 acres that abutted a section of public hunting land. Used to shot roosters in the yard!!! The 'lawn' hadn't been mowed and was actually 2' tall brome grass. Not sure how I ever made it to class, had to drive by game all the way to town. I currently live where I can still shot birds within site of town, sometimes home before lunch with a limit. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[njp158]

I'm struglling with a similar situation to this right now. There may possibly be an opportunity for me to take a job training hunting dogs, doing a little guiding etc. The salary is 15k a year plus an apartment with paid utilities. Also comes with health insurance put no pension or anything like that.

I'd be giving up a 55K a year job, pension, 401K etc., etc., I'm 31, so while I'm not to old to start over, It's not like I'm just starting out either. I'm not married but do have a fairly serious gf who most likely would not be coming. On paper it sounds so dumb. But I don't think there is anything else I'd rather do.

It's easy to sacrifice things you don't really have yet but it's a lot hard to make sacrifices once your life starts rolling in a certain direction.

I reallydon't know what my decision will be, but it sure isn't an easy one.

 

[Wirehairs]

I'm struglling with a similar situation to this right now. There may possibly be an opportunity for me to take a job training hunting dogs, doing a little guiding etc. The salary is 15k a year plus an apartment with paid utilities. Also comes with health insurance put no pension or anything like that.

I'd be giving up a 55K a year job, pension, 401K etc., etc., I'm 31, so while I'm not to old to start over, It's not like I'm just starting out either. I'm not married but do have a fairly serious gf who most likely would not be coming. On paper it sounds so dumb. But I don't think there is anything else I'd rather do.

It's easy to sacrifice things you don't really have yet but it's a lot hard to make sacrifices once your life starts rolling in a certain direction.

I reallydon't know what my decision will be, but it sure isn't an easy one.

When I made the move I didn't sacrifice anything moneywise, benefits of a job in agriculture. My sacrifices were familiy, friends, and everyday things a lot of people take for granted(restraunts,shopping,pro-sports). Heck the nearest Wal-Mart is almost a two hour drive. To me your decision isn't a hard one. Stay where you are. 15K a year you will never be able to retire. Take a lot of the the guys on this board, that are retired and still having a blast hunting. 15k doesn't buy boats, 4 wheelers, guns, hunting/fishing trips (even when you live in a hunting area trips are still fun). 15K doesn't even buy much in the way of gas, groceries, and beer. It sounds like you have a decent job and if you plan it right and be conservative, "retiring" at 55 should be no problem. Then take the kind of job you want, training Dogs and guiding. You don't want to be 70 years old and have to work to make ends meet do you? Of course if you hate your current job that is no way to live either. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the saying and money doesn't buy happiness, but being broke makes the pursuit a little harder. You would be better off looking for a career you can have in a rural area.

 

[nstric]

When I made the move I didn't sacrifice anything moneywise, benefits of a job in agriculture. My sacrifices were familiy, friends, and everyday things a lot of people take for granted(restraunts,shopping,pro-sports). Heck the nearest Wal-Mart is almost a two hour drive. To me your decision isn't a hard one. Stay where you are. 15K a year you will never be able to retire. Take a lot of the the guys on this board, that are retired and still having a blast hunting. 15k doesn't buy boats, 4 wheelers, guns, hunting/fishing trips (even when you live in a hunting area trips are still fun). 15K doesn't even buy much in the way of gas, groceries, and beer. It sounds like you have a decent job and if you plan it right and be conservative, "retiring" at 55 should be no problem. Then take the kind of job you want, training Dogs and guiding. You don't want to be 70 years old and have to work to make ends meet do you? Of course if you hate your current job that is no way to live either. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the saying and money doesn't buy happiness, but being broke makes the pursuit a little harder. You would be better off looking for a career you can have in a rural area.

I second this. Do not leave for 15k unless you're unhappy with your current situation.

As for me, I live 3 minutes from a city of 550,000 and all attractions one could desire. Yet I'm 20 minutes from prime pheasant ground, and deer run through my backyard. Best of both worlds from my perspective.

I've toyed with guiding bird hunters, but found it's not for me. I didn't enjoy mixing business and pleasure. Now I train bird dogs, for fun, not pay, and my guiding is limited to United Way and Pheasants Forever's benefit - I just donate my time, run my dogs, provide access to the land, etc. I find this much more enjoyable.

 

[danier]

This is a neat thread. I live in Wisconsin and live in a town of about 5,000. I've been married for a little over 1 year. I did a game farm hunt today and got some good bird work in for my dog. Can it compare to wild birds...absolutely not, but there is no way I would uproot my family and move them just because of better bird hunting. If I was single, it might be different. But you still have to make a living and my wife and I are doing very well where we are right now, plus all of our family lives somewhere within the state and leaving that behind would be too much for me(and my wife) to handle. Now I just plan a hunting trip to SD and look forward to every minute of it. We also have some very good bird hunting in our state as well...just not pheasants. Deer hunting for the most part is really good. I wouldn't change what I have for anything.

To conclude, I would never uproot my family simply because I wanted something else. They had to give up a few things in their life...I certainly can do the same. I don't want this to sound rude, it's just what I believe.

 

[swellcat]

Everything I have now was a result of following my passion in life, which was skiing at the time. You just never know what might happen when you follow your passion. But, you'll be happy doing it usually. Just another way to think about it.

Nice story and sentiment.

There are tons of "ski bums" out here that are older than you making that amount of money or less. Also, the fly fishing here is world class and there are bunches of "trout bums" too.

Cool. How, though, does one live on 15 grand in the Jackson Hole area? Four or five guys to a crib?

 

[Ranger Rick]

I became a forester because I loved stomping in the woods, hunting, fishing, etc.. One summer I worked on the Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona, adjacent to the Grand Canyon. We lived in little cabins in the mountains. A summer I'll always treasure.

After returning for the fall semester of school, I met my wife. A few months after we married, we pulled up stakes in Wisconsin and moved to Florida to take a job with the state. After 3 years we had enough and wanted to be back closer to family and the nature Wisconsin has to offer. When we gave our notices, her boss, who really didn't want to lose a good employee, offered to send me back to WI where I could live in the woods in a shack with my dog and he would pay for me to fly down to visit my wife twice a year.

We live in a subdivision on the edge of town, with town creeping farther out each day. I'd much rather live away from civilization, but have made concessions because my wife doesn't want to live that remotely. We all make compromises in life and I've made mine. But no regrets, either. We've been married going on 27 years, raised two great kids and are still happy together.

It's not like I miss out on many opportunities. Within 5 minutes of home I can be in the woods with my dog. Our place on the lake is 1:40 drive away. We have a ski hill here. A really fine golf course that we belong to. I feel like I've got the world by the tail.

More power to those of you who venture out, take a chance and do something you really want to do. If $15K makes you happy because of what you are doing, then go for it. You never know what doors might open. My first salary in Florida was $10,800 annual, with a college degree. We scrimped and saved and made it work. I wouldn't want to start over that way again, but don't for a minute regret taking the chance.

 

[cheesy]

If I could afford it, I'd love to be in the middle of prime hunting. But, I've got a good job here, and there are plenty of hunting opportunities. We live 30 miles from a metro-area of 60,000. Our house is on 12 acres on the outskirts of a very small town (<700), closest grocery store is 20 miles away. Last night I was working in the garage, looked out and had a small 8 point across the road watching me. Usually have deer in my backyard, as well as turkeys and coyotes. Good dove hunting is close by on one of many state owned properties, including some really good fishing.

Its not my ideal spot in life, but it sure isn't bad.

 

[henhenROOSTER!!!]

I do have to say, Gawd how I miss the days of having excellent deer, turkey, duck, goose, dove, hog & predator hunting literally right out my back door or within 15-30 mins of the house on-&-off throughout the years depending on where I lived at the time (sure made it a lot easier to slip out & go hunting morning and/or evening throughout the season, rather than the current all day or longer affair I face right now)...Oh well, at least I still live where I can observe lots of wildlife in the backyard from elk/deer, coyotes & foxes to birdwatching - even if I can only look, not touch! :thumbsup:

 

[AtTheMurph]

Man i would live to get out of the 'Burbs and into some openness but wive thinks where we are at is almost too far OUT! She wants sidewalks and neighbors four feet away because she doesn't want to feel isolated.

I tell her she doesn't like the neighbors now and doesn't talk to them anyways so moving wouldn't be any different other than she wouldn't have to worry so much about the a-holes drivers speeding 100 feet from the house.

I own some land in SE WI that is terrific multi=-opportunity hunting ground (pheasants, turkey, deer, ducks and geese) and I have a spot with a million dollar view (maybe a little more!).

I'd love to put up a house and look out my back window at 5000 acres of wildlife refuge, and be able to see 20 miles across the rolling hills but I'm locked in here in Indiana. I'm close to excellent pheasant hunting, good quail hunting and if I want to deer or waterfowl I head to 'Skonny and slay them and get away.

Maybe when I retire.....

 

[Mild Bill]

If I can find a decent, respectable job with the right pay it would not be a problem.

And I am looking.

 

[kansasbrittany]

If I could afford it, I'd love to be in the middle of prime hunting. But, I've got a good job here, and there are plenty of hunting opportunities. We live 30 miles from a metro-area of 60,000. Our house is on 12 acres on the outskirts of a very small town (<700), closest grocery store is 20 miles away. Last night I was working in the garage, looked out and had a small 8 point across the road watching me. Usually have deer in my backyard, as well as turkeys and coyotes. Good dove hunting is close by on one of many state owned properties, including some really good fishing.

Its not my ideal spot in life, but it sure isn't bad.

I'll say that my situation is quite similar. I want to move out W badly. I like the flat sand roads, waves in the summer wheat fields, the best sunsets I've ever witnessed, and the obvious bonus of seeing roosters run across the road regularly. Driving the backroads watching wildlife is a hobby of my wife and I, but we can enjoy that where we live....minus the roosters. Even the species I don't hunt are very special to me (lots to see on both sides of KS).

For now the wife and kids are perfectly content here on the E side of KS. We live in a very small town just off the interstate. If you draw lines to 3 great reserviors around us, we're pretty close to the center of that triangle. Not a single road heading out of town is w/o a thriving creek. The Kansas River is about 12 miles from our house. Fishing opportunities are extraordinary and I spend more months out of the year fishing than I do hunting. We take day hikes down the local creeks that we've gained access to over the years, where we find critters, food, neat rocks/fossils, and serenity for the wife and I....oh, and the dogs love those creeks too. All things considered, I'll most likely stay here (or within an hour of here) until the kids are grown. They wouldn't have the same opportunities for sports if we moved out W.

Finally, if I were a single man, I would've already taken a %50 cut in pay and moved out there. Since I'm not, I'll continue to appreciate the fact I'm not stuck in the big city and I only have to drive 2-4 hours for some good bird hunting.

 

[Belo]

it took my wife and i 6 months to find a house i liked. yes I said "I". no burbs for me. as a result, I commute 35 minutes to work. this may not seem like a lot to most. but there are plenty of decent burb houses within 20 minutes of work around here.

also to live in rural areas, your house isn't usually as well equiped and a little dated for what you pay. as a result you get more land and less neighbors.

i'll take it.

oh and if that's not enough, i turned down a nice promotion to morristown, NJ. booo!

 

[njp158]

Well, to anyone who may be interested, in response to my original post I was officially offered the job I spoke of last week. The offer was 18K a year, free room and board, 2 weeks vacation and the opportunity to work with pretty much a blank slate and try to build something really cool. I thought the offer was pretty fair considering what they were hiring me to do, but I was a little worried what the plan for the future was. My background is in accounting and finance. I proposed taking their initial offer, but setting a precise plan for taking over their financial, accounts payable, payroll etc. The financial responsibilities would shift to me over a year period. I felt this coupled with guiding and dog training was worth somewhere in the low 30's per year. After year two years I felt that I could be fully trained to their standards as a guide, dog trainer etc and still also complete their monthly and yearly financial obligations. I felt this should all be worth somewhere in the low 40's by that time. Obviously this post is fairly broad as the details were more specific in terms of tasks, pay, etc. They still seem to be interested as they have set up another meeting for this week, so we will go from there. Obviously there is a big difference between 18 and 40K, but I think being responsible for all the accounting, financials etc., of a company of this size that would be a pretty fair agreement for all parties involved.
The way I proposed all this to them their is little risk involved for them because they don't have to pay me those amounts until certain milestones are met by me. It also will give them the time to get to know me and gain some trust in me before taking over their financials. Anyone out there own their own small to medium size businesses? Does this seem fair to you? I guess in the end I'm willing to take the 18K a year if I feel I have the opportunity to really expand upon that.

 

[Wirehairs]

njp158,
Sounds like you will be happy if they agree to the plan. Tightening the belt for a couple years wouldn't be too bad if you know what it is building to.

 

[Matt D]

NJP - That sounds like a lot better situation then first described. If you have a good plan lined up with them then to me that makes a big difference when looking at the big picture of such a move. I would say of you are comfortable with the details of the plan and with them as people and there is nothing holding you where you are then go for it. If you have to get by for a year or two with less in the long run it should all be worth it. I can tell you that if your personal life will allow it now then do it. Once a wife and kids enter into the picture it is a whole different ballgame when it comes to this type of stuff.

Good luck with what you decide and keep us posted.

Matt D