West Virginia and Kentucky

[Mule 11]

Thanks a lot those are some good points I never would have known to consider. Also. Glad ya got up on the right side of the bed today🕺🏿

[Dee]

One consideration you should take into account is that almost all of the land is privately owned. Like to go out and prowl around in the boonies? Like to hunt without paying for a lease? You can do very little of either in Texas. Then there are property taxes to consider. NM has a ton of federal and state land where you can roam around to your heart's content anytime you want to, no dollars to anyone required. Property taxes are lower here also as long as you stay out of Santa Fe County. Sales tax, vehicle purchase tax, and registration are cheaper here. Yeah, we have a state income tax but even taking that into account you come out ahead unless you have a large income. I don't know how long the tax thing will last as the current regime was crowing about what great shape the state was in financially this year and then raised taxes on a lot of things. We have always had open carry although I seldom see anyone doing so and concealed carry which isn't difficult to get for quite sometime. Your vehicle including two wheeled ones is considered an extension of your home and you can carry what you want where you want loaded or not in it or on it. Crime is pretty low except for the larger towns. Most of the state is sparsely settled as it's not productive. If not for oil in my county there would be more cows than people in it.

I know that some people need to be around large towns and we don't have many. I'm one that prefers less people and that is a big part of my liking. I can get off a main highway and sometimes not see another vehicle for hours or maybe not at all on weekends.

I didn't know that New Mexico had that much more public land than Texas. Amazing,

[30calflash]

 Many new points here, having some land to hike around and explore is good. Access on land to hunt would be good and I'm used to getting a tag and walking onto designated areas in the NE. Not a city dweller by any stretch, even if medical/hospitals are a little further out. I'm reasonably healthy, so 20+ miles away isn't a deal breaker. But like everything else that could change.

 I've been west a couple times for vacation, once 40 yrs ago in Phoenix area and 6 years ago near Bismark ND. Always enjoyed the scenery and the folks I met. The latter trip brought me as far as Sheriden Wy but then I had to turn back and return. The time required to get there nixes it for this year, hence the WV & Ky interest.

 Several cities in good states are having a rise in crime and everything that goes along with it. It is becoming more common and unless these places are run by people who care they will slide into the pit pretty quick. The large cities tend to drag the rest of the state down and eventually run and ruin them. Look at PNW, Pa, I'm sure there are others. Which is too bad as they are beautiful places, or were once.

There other states closer that could have been a possibility but the politics of those areas leave me with the idea that 3, 5 or 10 yrs down the road it will be like where I'm now. In those cases I'm not interested.

 I've read where sometimes some small towns aren't that friendly, for whatever the reason but the next town over the hill is fine. I've not spent enough time in a search for a possible place to live so I have not experienced that.

 Much of what has been posted will be used to help in my search. Thanks for all the valuable input so far.

[Dee]

I'm actually about 11 miles from all the public land I could ever hunt. Deer, turkey, antelope, and fishing.

[Mule 11]

That adds a different perspective. Ya tryin to recruit well trained conservatives?

[Dee]

Nope. I'm actually hoping more folks will tire of the low population, and move away from here.

[Mule 11]

Can’t say I blame ya...

[oldandslow]

A quick google search turned up these numbers:

Texas consists of 268,597 sq. miles of land and contains over a million acres of public land.

New Mexico consists of 121,697 sq. miles and contains 9 million acres of National Forest and 13 million acres of BLM land. I found no numbers for state owned land but there is a bunch.

Yes, it IS amazing in the difference between open land in Texas and NM. Lakes I don't want to talk about. There is an old saying about where I live and fishing. I live in the middle of great fishing. You just have to drive 350 any way you go to get to any of it.

[Goldie]

Well O&S I don't have the lake problem like you. Pretty close to fishing here. Our problem is the lakes, mead, havasu, and the rest drying up with the drought.

[30calflash]

 Bumping this as I'd like to hear from some with experiences in Kentucky.

 A fellow I know is moving there very soon and I'll be in touch with him after the move. He's going to the Lexington area.