Retirement Elk State

[WapitiTalk1]

Allrighty, the choices are either Montana or Idaho.  You've done your time in the working world and are starting to plan your final retirement spot which will occur in the next few years.  Which state of these two would you choose and why?  Yes, it's about me  .  I've done my Army career and will be able to retire from DoD civil service within the next few years (at a reduced rate cuz I'm not staying around till I'm social security age).  Either east ID or west MT is my destination.. Which would "you" choose and why?  I'm originally from MT with relatives in the NW part of the state so it's either MT or ID.  Thanks in advance for chiming in.  RJ 

[coachcw]

I absolutely love the salmon area and a guy can get good dollar value elk deer and fishing. Aswell the Hamilton area is beautiful  but costs more . The Jackson hole area is stunning tough choices . Proximity of family  is a big factor as long as you get along with them . 

[Rainier10]

Tough call for sure.  If it is just about you I am thinking Montana.  If you are thinking about hunting buddies coming to visit I am thinking Idaho.

[xXLojackXx]

Nothing but wolves and grizzlies in either state. Better move to Colorado 

[JimmyHoffa]

Both great.  Idaho has about a half a million more people than Montana.  Seems Montana has more private land available (if you wanted to take up ranching).

[ridgefire]

Tough call. I hunt idaho every year so i would say idaho but Montana has better fishing. Get a retirement home in both states and your set.

[Bean Counter]

Both great.  Idaho has about a half a million more people than Montana.  Seems Montana has more private land available (if you wanted to take up ranching).

  Wow  I didn't realize how much more pop dense Idaho is than MT.

[Bean Counter]

RJ Thanks for your service

Cheers to a great retirement

[Duffer]

RJ Thanks for your service

Cheers to a great retirement

Ditto on both these

Idaho is not as tax friendly for retirement.  You don't have to live in the state you hunt. Weigh the costs. Being close to family would be big for us btw.

[Special T]

I would look at closeness to family and compare the 2 on taxes, cost of living and future political changes. MT is likely better on taxes but ID is doing more to protect freedom

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Idaho.    I like the pro sportsman state it is. Unlike the anti sportsman state WA is.

[baker5150]

I really like the Kalispell / Whitefish area.

It has everything an outdoor enthusiast could ask for from a landlocked state.

I could spend years just exploring Glacier National Park.

[vandeman17]

I would go Montana. Hunting overall is similar but the fishing in Montana is much better. With that being said, I am a sucker for Montana and it has always been my dream to live there and I will eventually.

[Special T]

I really like the Kalispell / Whitefish area.

It has everything an outdoor enthusiast could ask for from a landlocked state.

I could spend years just exploring Glacier National Park.

I have a customer from there. We talked about how Californians are invading MT and its becoming more liberal ESPECIALLY in the Western part of the state. That would be my only big concern about MT... If they did more things premptively Like ID to require supermajorities to change certain things they could stave off the Komifornication of itself.

[WapitiTalk1]

All great comments guys and food for thought, thanks for chiming in.  I'd like to say it's all about the hunting/fishing/scenery but some of it is to get closer (but not too close  ) to family, and some of it is to move to a more conservative part of the country.  I have lived in many of the NW MT towns growing up (Kalispell, Polson, Columbia Falls, Libby, Missoula, Thompson Falls, etc.), and they all have their charms and disadvantages.  Special T, you're right on buddy.  The money has really moved in to the Flathead Valley and has skyrocketed home/land prices way out of control (which ironically, is where my relatives are located closely to).  One of my considerations (not my wifes, lol) is that last year, ID started offered reduced rate OOS tags for vets with a certain disability rating and I met the criteria.  That said, it'd sure be cool to have a resident deer/elk tags in my pocket for MT, and, discounted tags for ID  .  I could walk the state line and hunt whatever I see/hear on either side  .  Of course, that's just the hunter in me talking.  Home/land prices (I want to try and get some acreage), taxes/cost of living, and relatively close proximety/driving distance of big town facilities (full service hospital as we're not getting any younger and will need that stuff at some point so sais wifey) all are considerations.  BUT, to hunt two states almost for the price of one would be cool