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Montana or Wyoming?

SarahZ

New member
Hi all! Just found this site a couple days ago. I would love to hear any input y'all might have regarding differences/preferences between living in WY vs MT...hunting-wise, politically, socially, etc.

I'm not trying to stir anything up here, but my husband and I have found ourselves in a bit of a quandry. A little background...I grew up in Bozeman, Geoff worked for a time in Deer Lodge. We met and married in Indiana, and after 20 years of talking about it, we are finally going to move out this summer...our place is currently for sale! So we went on a trip in February all through Montana...of course we love it ALL! It is where we have planned for years to be, however, on our return trip, we stopped in Cody to visit the BB Historical Center, and found ourselves, to our great surprise, SMITTEN! So now we're about to move, and find ourselves, at the last minute, wondering about Wyoming! So we thought maybe some "native" input/comparison would be helpful, if anyone here is so inclined to share their thoughts. Thanks!
 

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
I like that country around Sheridan Wyoming quite a bit-it's all pretty darn good. Buffalo, Wyoming is the friendliest little town I've ever been too. Alot of good country and folks in Montana though too.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
Sheridan Wyoming is nice. I really like west of Bozeman. However it would greatly depend on what I was going to do.........retire or not, age I did move etc.
 

TXTibbs

Well-known member
Sheridan Wyoming is where I'm waiting for the schmuck who is there to retire so I can get his job!!!! haha

I love that country around Sheridan.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
TX, I hope you don't take this personal, but I think I would almost rather be unemployed and homeless in Sheridan than be in Midland. But heck I guess you have a lot of oil around there.
JK
 

TXTibbs

Well-known member
passin thru said:
TX, I hope you don't take this personal, but I think I would almost rather be unemployed and homeless in Sheridan than be in Midland. But heck I guess you have a lot of oil around there.
JK

I didn't take it personal Passin Thru...you speak the truth! This country sucks.....and the oil....well....It don't do me a damn bit of good! I don't get any money from it!

Yeah...your right....homeless and out of work in Sheridan would prolly beat Midland/Odessa :shock: :D 8) :p :roll:
 

ranchwife

Well-known member
Sarah---sorry to hear that you grew up in Boze-Angeles :lol: :lol: kidding...sorta!! :wink: I grew up in Deer Lodge and still own a home there...my dad worked the prison there for 23 years....cannot even imagine the things he saw!! :shock: We now live south of ennis toward cameron and west yellowstone!! BEAUTIFUL country but getting way outta hand price wise!! Too many wealthy/movie star/type retirees like steven segal and ted turner!! driving the prices up well outta the way of working folk!! The hubby grew up on this ranch and has family here and many in the bozeman/belgrade area!!! Lived for awhile in the Saratoga area of wyoming and simply LOVED it!! Really nice folks there and still with the small-town atmosphere!! Good luck in your decision making and keep us all posted!!
welcome to the family!! :D
 

SarahZ

New member
Hey, thanks for the replies!

Ranchwife...Bozeman was a great place to grow up in the late 60s-early 70s! It was still good when I returned to go to MSU in the early 80s...but I agree, it's nowhere I want to be now! If I wanted to be around that many people I would just move to any old city around here! LOL! but I've got lots of good memories there!

We aren't looking to retire anytime soon. Our 2 boys are at a great age to appreciate the space, atmosphere and experiences the West has to offer. We are big into hunting and figure the cheapest, and best, way for all of us to get some western game is to just live there! Wyoming resident hunting fees are at least double on everything compared to MT, and the regs are somewhat daunting to decipher...I imagine that when you live there, it's easier to figure out. Of course at double, they're still WAAAY better than...(eek!)non-resident!!

We love central Montana, south of the CMR...those broken hills with meadows and scattered pines!!! So,we'll see! And we'll keep you posted! Thanks! SarahZ
 

sw

Well-known member
Sarahz, we are somewhat fond of our area, should not be telling you any of this, we usually tell anybody that this place sucks, we do not want to be Bozeman, we don't have the trout streams and high peaks so that will never happen, what we do have is this.

bullelk.jpg


And this

turks.jpg


And this

daysend.jpg


I can hook you up with the realtor that is going to have a new listing this week that is our nearest neighbor.
 

ranchwife

Well-known member
passin thru said:
Ranchwife, are you inundated with tourist traffic. I would bet it would be terrible there especially in the summer.

the 9 mile commute to town each morning is gonna start to get a little worse each day now as the hordes of Winnebagos and tour busses start coming through!! Our narrow little 2 lane highway just cannot handle it anymore....had a nasty accident this last week down south toward west yellowstone with one of those ever charming bicyclists.....he apparently thought the road was meant for him and him only and drifted into the path of an oncoming vehicle....not sure of the ultimate outcome, but lifeflight was called in from idaho falls!!! My favorite thing about summer is when ya getta move cows down the highway and ya gotta go through one of those groups of bicyclists!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
ranchwife said:
passin thru said:
Ranchwife, are you inundated with tourist traffic. I would bet it would be terrible there especially in the summer.

the 9 mile commute to town each morning is gonna start to get a little worse each day now as the hordes of Winnebagos and tour busses start coming through!! Our narrow little 2 lane highway just cannot handle it anymore....had a nasty accident this last week down south toward west yellowstone with one of those ever charming bicyclists.....he apparently thought the road was meant for him and him only and drifted into the path of an oncoming vehicle....not sure of the ultimate outcome, but lifeflight was called in from idaho falls!!! My favorite thing about summer is when ya getta move cows down the highway and ya gotta go through one of those groups of bicyclists!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
:shock: Oh your a nasty girl...love it :lol:
 

sw

Well-known member
FH, the realtor lives in Shepherd, the place is our nearest neighbor, we actually surround the place. It is just a small piece that used to be a part of this ranch, it was bought by a doctor from California who realized that living out here in the sticks is great but the pay is not up to California standards so she went back there and we have been taking care of the place for her. She had it listed before and nearly sold it to some less than desirables that I would not want to have for neighbors, so I am more than willing to help her sell it :wink: . I would love to buy it myself but the price is a little on the high side for a tight wad like me.
Ranchwife, you should know by now that the cyclists always have the right of way. One time by Manhattan we had to move some cows down the Frontage road and met some bicycle group coming the other direction. That was good clean fun. :D
 

SarahZ

New member
sw, your place looks like the best of montana, as far as I'm concerned! With our initial move out, we will have to be somewhat near a town that has some real estate moving, but not a city. If you really want to help sell your neighbor's place, you might drop a few more details...like acres, price, location, realtor, etc...we're pretty much tightwads, as well :)Central MT may be a few years down the road. Thanks again, all, for your thoughts. SZ
 

RoperAB

Well-known member
Wyoming has less taxes and less people than MT.
Lots of Mormons in WY but the ones I knew were a great bunch who loved guns and beer. In Wy the economy basically stops during the first week of hunting season. Great horse country in WY. The also have antelope hunting second to none if your looking for a trophy.
Eastern MT would be my second choice.
Western MT is to crowded.
Good Night im off to bed :)
 

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