Where to live

[chow hound]

My wife and I currently live in VA and are looking for our dream location when our nest is empty in 2 years. We love hunting and fishing and just being outdoors. I love big game hunting, but am really a bird dog guy at my core. I am fortunate in that I have a well paying job that I can do from home, so employment is not a consideration. We don't mind some winter (we have lived in New England), but don't want north pole cold and snow. We have been out west many times, but have never been to ID. The milder winters, variety of birds combined with big game opportunities and fishing is what is attracting us to ID. We are looking for a small town with a sense of community and don't mind driving an hour to do our shopping. We plan on visiting this summer and I was hoping to get some advice on where to focus. From the research I have done, north central ID seems appealing - something like a circle from White Bird to Kosokia to Moscow to Lewiston. Am I on the right track? I know there is a lot of private land in this area - do you think getting permission to hunt birds will be difficult?

Also - I am not focusing on Southern ID because it seems like there are a lot of people living in the areas with mild winters and am concerned that the hunting close to town would be very pressured. Is this a correct assessment or are there places in the South I should look at?

Looking for any advice I can get.

Thanks

 

[lang]

I'm a northern Idaho guy. Cda is pretty nice, lots to do and still pretty small town feel most of the time. Lots of opportunities, but you seem to be on the right track with Lewiston, Moscow will probably give you a little more. That's the direction we all head for birds, and you get salmon and steelhead to boot down there. Southern Idaho might have a little "better" deer and elk, but that's debatable. You will see farther if you are in southern Idaho because it's high desert with loads of sage brush, but also means you have to look at sage brush all day.

 

[firebeck]

Depends what you like!! I live in Southern Idaho and love it!! I do like going north and wouldn't mind living there. I do love the wide open views!! 1/4 mile from the Snake River!! Smallmouth, trout, sturgeon, bowfish for carp, lots of waterfowl. Got upland birds 30 min drive. Deer, elk, antelope! 1 hour from Boise.

 

[Musket Man]

I think you will find places to hunt birds in that area if you get to know some people there. Its a nice area!

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I love Swan Valley. We almost moved there a few years ago. Lots of elk, deer, bear, moose, birds, fishing and some real great folks live there.

 

[ivorytip]

swan valley is where I will settle my boots in one of these days

 

[Ikeepitcold]

swan valley is where I will settle my boots in one of these days

Maybe we will be Neibors. I hope to do the same.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Swan Valley, spent some time there myself passin through, great country, and gamey. Jackson is bleeding NW into Driggs and Victor, still some time there for regular folks to settle, but not much. SV is better me thinks.