What states have the best out door fun?

I love the wilderness areas in the Northeast, but plan on retiring in Texas, it has a bit of everything.



"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
Arkansas, Missouri region. Trees galore. What kind of water do you want to fish in ? Big rivers, small rivers, lakes. You can take your pick.
 
I'm now living my dream (or close to it) in WV. To avoid the appearance of bias, I will just say "The Appalachian Mountains and foothills" to include Eastern KY, SE Ohio, Central PA, Eastern TN and Western, VA, NC and parts of GA.

I would also give props to Upstate NY (Adirondacks, Finger Lakes area), FL (Everglades and Big Cypress) and Upstate Lower Penninsula MI. I've also enjoyed a little of what CA has to offer, and I would say that Alaska should at the very least be visited by anyone who loves the outdoors- with the caveat that it might spoil you for any other place on Earth.

There are others, I'm sure- but I'm only commenting on places I've been.
 
Rockywolf said:
Minnesota does pretty well in the beauty department. Lots of wooded areas and of course, a lot of lakes.
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+1 on Minnesota.! :thumbup: From my house in central MN I can reach priaries (2-3 hours west), bluffs and river valleys (2 hours southeast), the Great Northwoods (2 hours straight north) and the Lake Superior north shore
(2 1/2 hours northwest).
Minnesota is a camping/hunting/fishing/backpacking mecca. Just bring your long underwear, it was -12° F yesterday. :D
 
I would suggest anywhere in the south, lots of woods ,water,hunting, fishing ,gun friendly i currently live in texas which is nice,low cost of living and it has a bit of everthing except those brutal winters . i grew up in western N.C. very beautiful. I have a army buddy in the florida panhandle and plan on relocating there very soon .I have to agree with another on w.Virginia absolutley beautiful .----------yea this is my first post , I love these forums great information,discussion,and people
 
Welcome to the best outdoor forum around. We will look forward to your input.

Weather wise, I would not recommend North Dakota to anyone. four months of spring, summer and fall and eight months of winter. We have been blessed with several pretty mild winters but this year it has returned to ND standards.:thumbdn:
 
i'd have to say alaska. i currently live in montana and love every second of it, however when i was in alaska i didn't want to come home! my wife and i spent 3 weeks and 80 miles in the moose river widerness area canoeing and fishing for coho. plan on moving within the next couple of years.
 
Dbl, there are lots of trees here, you just have to leave Casper. :D I love the Bighorns and the Winds as nice as well.

My favorite place in the country is probably the Black Hills. There is good hunting, lots of outdoor opportunities, not a huge amount of people once outside of Rapid City and plenty of trees.
 
I spent some time in the Black Hills while visiting the Dakotas, it was beautiful country. You guys are making me drool thinking about my upcoming trip to Alaska.
 
steeljhp said:
yea this is my first post , I love these forums great information,discussion,and people
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Welcome to the CampFire 'Ol Bud, the guy's here on this forum are Top Notch guys & are very kind & helpful. Lots of knowledge floating around in this section of BF!
 
I am starting to research the same subject.

I am not sure which states are best yet, but THE WORST has to be my home state of NJ.

Lived here my whole life and they are the most unfriendly place in terms of outdoors. What little wilderness that's left is patrolled by the most arrogant, horrible Conservation Officers anywhere. I have never been written a citation, but I have been harrassed several times in the last 5 years and have witnessed high dollar tickets written for some petty BS. I have hunted in several other states and always had positive experiences with those Game Wardens/CO's I have come across so this isn't a problem with athority on my part.

Seperate liscences are required for Shotgun, Bow, Muzzloader.

On top of your regular Firearms liscense, you need a seperate permit for each of the following and each comes with a fee. Keep in mind, we are not talking bighorn sheep, elk or pronghorn here:

Muzzleloader requires permit for each deer after the 1st
Shotgun Doe day
Pheasant and Quail
Turkey (Lottery and set up by zone)
State waterfowl stamp (set up by zone)
HIP number
The zones and restrictions are so numerous, I can't begin to explain. The laws are so complex, it takes a seriously concerted effort to not break any laws.

Firearms laws are ridiculous.

NOBODY can get a concealed carry permit (CCW) unless they are a retired LEO. (Presumably LEO's are the only ones worthy of defense and the rest of the population is just considered "Victims")

You need a Firearms ID card for all long guns and you have to pay another $15 each and every time you buy one for a NICS check to supposedly determine whether you became a raving lunatic between the time they issued the original permit and when you actually buy the gun.

Airguns are considered firearms and also require a Firearms ID card. INCLUDING a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. And yes you have to pay the $15 NICS check.

You need to show your Firearms ID card to buy ammo and they record all info on who purchased what ammo and how many rounds of each that you purchased.

Our "assault rifle" ban is the harshest in the country.

I don't even belong to the NRA any longer, they have abandon us and do nothing for NJ at all any longer.

There is a clear and present movement to disarm the citizens of NJ and a obvious desire to eliminate hunting throughout the state.

When I move I am going to have the following criteria:

State MUST allow CCW (Concealed Carry)
State must not require a permit to purchase Long Arms
Minimal Lotteries and permits required for hunting
Must have Forested areas
Must allow posession of standard AR-15 pattern rifle
 
PrimitiveMan said:
When I move I am going to have the following criteria:

State MUST allow CCW (Concealed Carry)
State must not require a permit to purchase Long Arms
Minimal Lotteries and permits required for hunting
Must have Forested areas
Must allow posession of standard AR-15 pattern rifle
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Welcome the the SouthEast 'Ol Bud - East Ky, Tenn. WVa.
Spotrsman/Outdoorsman Paradise :thumbup:
 
Primitive Man, North Dakota doesn't look so bad after all. Thanks for the reminder. I have a small farm down by the Black Hills. When the wife retires we will be back down there.
 
Coaldigger,

Thats where I have been thinking.

My mother is from Western NC and I like that area of the smokies.
 
It was seriously humid last time I was in KY. It was near summer, and I was in Louisville, but it was nice and green though. Does it snow there in the winter?
 
PrimitiveMan said:
Coaldigger,

Thats where I have been thinking.

My mother is from Western NC and I like that area of the smokies.
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The Smokies are Awsome too :thumbup: we usually take a trip to the smokies (Tenn.) every year. have been doing that for the last 10yrs or so. It's about a 4hr drive from my house to Sevierville Tn.
 
I live in Wyoming, and there is plenty of hiking and hunting, but there isnt a damn tree in this whole state.
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:confused:

Are you sure you're in the same Wyoming that I'm thinking of? The Tetons? Yellowstone? Wind River Range?
 
We love north Georgia. We have the mountains and several large lakes. It is also as far south as you can live making for a milder climate, but still experience all four seasons within an eastern mixed hardwood forest.

If you want to stay out in the western U.S., I would look at Flagstaff and northern New Mexico ~ but again, that is just my opinon.

Good luck!
 
i have been all over the western US... focusing primarily on the more mountainous states....i love colorado, idaho, montana and oregon... lots of big mountains and open country...:thumbup:
i am quite content here in California... we have a little of everything here, with amazing weather to top it off...:cool:
 
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