Best area to live to maximize bird hunting?

[TrekJeff]

What would be the best Metro area to live in to put you in the heart of bird country?  Having been stationed at Bangor in the 90's I remember plenty of birds in the Olympics, but never really hunted for them back then.  Currently job hunting and weighing in the perks of geographics

[Skyvalhunter]

Grouse, ducks, pigeons ?

[merkelman]

Wenatchee or Yakima. Not so sure about Yakima being metropolitan. Lol

[bobcat]

For bird hunting, and a bigger city, I would live in Spokane.

Or Wenatchee would be good if you want to focus more on chukar.

[Bob33]

Moses Lake or Othello for upland/waterfowl.

[Hunterman]

South Dakota, unless your use to spending loads of money for very little.

Hunterman(Tony)

[bobcat]

Or Kennewick/Richland wouldn't be bad.

[TrekJeff]

South Dakota, unless your use to spending loads of money for very little.

Hunterman(Tony)

LOL...now that you say it like that...I currently live in MI and pheasant hunt..

I was into waterfowl years ago, but got out of it.  I'm more of a upland, deer, fish guy...although elk and beer would be great additions if the opportunity presented itself..

[JLS]

It's really easy to find good beer spots in WA.  Bear too

Based on what you're saying, probably the Tri Cities or Spokane.  How big of a place you looking to move to?

[TrekJeff]

Just the dog and I.  What area classifies as the Tri Cities?

[bobcat]

The Tri-Cities is Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco. Good pheasant hunting to the east, probably the best in the state.

[TrekJeff]

Great.  Thanks for the replies.  Looks like all those cities are within an hour from each other except Spokane.  If I remember correctly, a bunch of us headed to that area one year for some deer hunting

[benbo30]

don't rule out Ellensburg your within an hour and half to most of those citys as well and not to mention if you need to go to seattle for some reason your only about 1.5 - 2 hrs from there depending on weather and traffic over the pass , Ellensburg is where I live I moved here from maple valley , and I love it .

[ellensburgpo]

If you haven't picked up on the theme it's move to eastern Washington. Ellensburg would be good, the basin would be great, and I would avoid Yakima on principal alone, but there is good hunting down there.

[JLS]

I would avoid Yakima on principal alone,

I grew up there and won't argue this one bit

[wildweeds]

Don't know what you do for work but I personally would suggest Billings montana,easy drive for sharpies/huns phez,long seasons with the added bonus of antlered critters to hunt as well.Real short drive to South Dakota to see the 300 bird flush from a 5 acre corn patch feedplot in 1000 acres of CRP.Another bonus would be minimal rain if your used to wetside washington living and the cold there is a dry cold.

[fethrduster]

No birds here in WA.  Fishnfowler shot the last bird in WA the other day, so I wouldn't bother coming to WA.     Seriously though, Boise might be another possibility, or Bend, OR.    Bend is beautiful high desert.  I lived there a couple years in my 20's and it's a lot of fun. 

[AspenBud]

South Dakota, unless your use to spending loads of money for very little.

Hunterman(Tony)

LOL...now that you say it like that...I currently live in MI and pheasant hunt..

I was into waterfowl years ago, but got out of it.  I'm more of a upland, deer, fish guy...although elk and beer would be great additions if the opportunity presented itself..

If you're in Michigan and hunting pheasant you're likely hunting preserve birds or know someone with one of the rare pockets of land that actually contain them.

Seriously though, I don't know what you do for a living but if you're already in MI Traverse City is a great option since you'd be close to some of the best grouse and woodcock hunting in the country. There is also a much more close knit and established bird dog community out there. Michigan doesn't have many gems these days, but quality bird dogs and grouse, those are two it has a lot of.

Otherwise I would look at places like Bismarck, Fargo, or eastern Montana if I were you.

[10Key]

In Washington, you need to be in the rain shadow...Wenatchee (Seattle in 2 hrs), Yakima (Seattle in 2.5), Spokane or Tri-Cities are the only areas that fit your "metro" qualification. For me, if upland birds were my only criteria, I would live in Moses Lake. Tons of opportunity within 45 minutes and you can get to other awesome spots within 2 hours.

[JLS]

So are you set on Washington, and a larger city?  Just curious, because Boise would offer a lot too in terms of bird hunting.  Much more so if you were willing to buy an OR license to go with your ID license.  Lots of pheasants, chukars, quail in that neck of the woods.

[Shannon]

I'd like to live in Baker City. Not exactly a big town but surrounded by great upland bird hunting.

[JLS]

I'd like to live in Baker City. Not exactly a big town but surrounded by great upland bird hunting.

Darned pretty area too.

[bracer40]

I grew up hunting in MI. Traverse City is one of the states many, many beautiful areas. But if I were moving to the West like I did 30 years ago  and hunting was my primary consideration I sure wouldn't choose WA over  Idaho or Montana. Both of those states have liberal (a word many there hate I'm sure ) seasons, lots of weapon & game choices and somewhat like WA some pretty varied terrains.

[BiggLuke]

South Dakota, unless your use to spending loads of money for very little.

Hunterman(Tony)

uh yeah that.... SD is the Mecca of bird hunting.

[Stilly bay]

its sounding like Utah is the last frontier for upland bird hunting in the lower 48.

if I had to relocate somewhere in Wa just based on upland bird hunting it would probably be near spokane. drive north and you into great grouse hunting with ok pheasant and quail. drive south even better pheasant and quail. drive west you start getting into chukars country pretty quick. MT is just a spit away, Idaho is even closer. too bad Spokansas is such a festering *&*$ $%@#&.... maybe ellensburg would the better choice.

whatever you do don't move to the wes tside all we have is put n take pheasant, rainforest grouse that are constantly dying off from pneumonia, and mountain quail that are bordering extinction.

[fethrduster]

its sounding like Utah is the last frontier for upland bird hunting in the lower 48.

if I had to relocate somewhere in Wa just based on upland bird hunting it would probably be near spokane. drive north and you into great grouse hunting with ok pheasant and quail. drive south even better pheasant and quail. drive west you start getting into chukars country pretty quick. MT is just a spit away, Idaho is even closer. too bad Spokansas is such a festering *&*$ $%@#&.... maybe ellensburg would the better choice.

whatever you do don't move to the wes tside all we have is put n take pheasant, rainforest grouse that are constantly dying off from pneumonia, and mountain quail that are bordering extinction.

If you were a real elitist bird hunter you would embrace such minor difficulties with relish.

[merkelman]

Lol!

[eastsidemallard74]

ND, because its cheaper to hunt for birds than South Dakota.And almost the same yields.Plus you can strike it rich with oil

[wildweeds]

Actually Wyoming is probably the red hot ticket,same type of ground as montana and you never hear anyone talk about it,most likely the crown jewel.

[akirkland]

Ellensberg, Moses Lake and Othello. I personally would love to live in Ellensberg.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

If you can leave Washinton in the dust and jump the state line! Youll be happier in the long run.

[raydog]

Those grouse you used to see in the olympics, THEY GONE      as they say in Duck Dynasty, if your a fan