A move south-a-ways

L

littlephil

New member
Hello all, I'm wondering how many of you live in the southern U.S. and which states in particular. I live in Ohio currently, in a small town/county called Coshocton. I've lived here my whole life, and I'm quite honestly sick of it. I've wanted to move south for several years now and have been trying to convince my fiance to move for just about as long. I've been thinking about Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Florida, etc. (Pretty much anywhere but here) I'm curious about the kind of economies these states have, job opportunities, etc. Just let me know what state you live in and how you like it. Any comments are appreciated and thanks in advance.
 
I'm in the Raleigh/Durham area of NC. A great area to live, IMO. Lots of good jobs, education, healthcare, affordable homes, temperate weather, midway between the beach and mountains, great college basketball, and reasonable gun laws. If you want to shoot on your own land, you'll have to live well outside any of these towns, but finding a range or a match to participate in isn't a problem.
 
In-laws, who were life-long Illinoisans moved to SE Tennessee about 3 years ago and absolutely love it. It's an absolutely stunning area with mountains, rivers, hiking trails, hunting, good food and nice people.

Having spent my entire life in the Midwest (Born/raised Detroit, 20 years Chicago and 11 in Milwaukee), I can say with authority that I am MORE than ready to move south. Especially if we have another winter like we had last year.

Life is too short to be miserable. Get out and explore the world.
 
MrBorland, that sounds like everything Ohio doesn't have (my area at least). :rolleyes: And I definitely don't mind being away from the cities.

Wishoot, that sounds like a great area too. Don't get me wrong, I love Ohio about 2 1/2 seasons out of the year (the landscape that is, people still not so much) but when it starts to get cold and we get that first snow, I'm ready to fly south! I'm glad we share the same belief about being miserable, and that's what I keep trying to tell my fiance. Her excuse is that we won't know anybody if we move, I tell her that's the point. :D
 
Texas is home for me and no place I'd rather be!
If you get tired of your surrounding here just move 300 miles and it is like being in another state.
A gun friendly state, good hunting, fishing and outdoors.
No state income tax, low cost of living and the gulf coast in just down the road.
 
When I got ready to retire I spent a lot of time checking out different areas and states. I traveled quite a bit through states between California and Texas. I found a nice small town in Texas and have been here about 11 years now. Lots of advantages in Texas and I virtually hunt daily....all year around. Sometimes I only hunt in the mornings, and fish in the afternoons..but a guy has to have some diversity in his life.
Texas is my home now and I have no regrets.
 
That's funny, you want to move south and I am sick of the summers here in south Alabama. Too Hot! I guess I've gotten to the age that the heat just hurts too much. Might I suggest North Alabama or Tenn, they both have a bit of a winter.
 
olddav said:
That's funny, you want to move south and I am sick of the summers here in south Alabama. Too Hot!
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Before NC, I spent 12 years in Dallas, and I felt like I was living in an inferno in the summer.

Seems the gun laws get looser the further into the deep south you get, but so do the summer temps. I personally think the states in the "upper" south (e.g. NC, TN, VA) have a good balance.
 
Don't get me wrong, I love Ohio about 2 1/2 seasons out of the year (the landscape that is, people still not so much) but when it starts to get cold and we get that first snow, I'm ready to fly south! I'm glad we share the same belief about being miserable, and that's what I keep trying to tell my fiance. Her excuse is that we won't know anybody if we move, I tell her that's the point.
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I'll miss Spring, Summer and Fall in the Midwest no doubt about it. But I have no use for snow. Ever.
 
Madmo and stony, I've heard good and bad about Texas. I've got a buddy stationed there with the army. His advice was to avoid west Texas but the east was ok. Though I do like what I've heard about the gun laws and such.

Olddav, I believe you about the summer heat, I know sometimes it's bad enough here. I've got a line on around an acre of land here real cheap. If I can get ahold of it, I'm gonna put up a pole building and set it up to live in, then I'll have a place to stay for the summers up here. Of course it all sounds good in my head, hopefully it'll work out that way. :rolleyes:

So what kinds of hunting seasons does everyone have? What types of game animals and nuisance species? And most of all, any crazy gun laws I should know about?
 
Texas summers can be hot but the mild winters make up for it IMHO.
West Texas is hot, sandy and barren, central Texas is hilly and east Texas is like the piney woods.
Like I said you can drive 300 miles and find a different climate and landscape.
The biggest problem with Texas is it's size.
You can drive 10 hours and never leave the state.
I live in north central Texas (DFW Area) and love it.
July and August is as hot as a frying pan but the rest of the year it is very nice.
 
I left Minnesota for the Air Force when I was 17 and I have lived in the SW & SE ever since. My brother (10 years my junior) stayed in Minnesota (mechanic for Ford). Over the years I told him to come South but he was always afraid as the union reps told them they couldn't make spit. In 2002 he came to visit us in SC and went by the local Ford dealer to check it out. The dealer offered him a $3 an hour pay raise on the spot. He moved down a few weeks later and does not miss the North even a little bit...
 
NE Alabama, the northern 1/4 of Georgia or the mountains of east TN or western NC are a pretty good place to live. I live in the NW corner of GA and spend a lot of time in those areas. I could be just as happy moving anywhere in the area. Lots of good hunting, fishing and outdoor opportunities with lots of public land to play on. Hunting opportunities are good, fishing is good with both large lakes and mountain trout fishing. Deer seasons are long and bag limits generous. 12 deer/year in GA, one a day in Alabama. Seasons are from mid September to mid January in both states. Not sure about TN and NC.

The summers aren't nearly as hot as farther south or on the coast. The winters can be cold with snow in the mountains, but they are short. January and February are usually the only really cold months.

Lots of rural areas and small towns to live in and still close to lots of large cities, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Atlanta, Asheville and Huntsville if you want to visit or live in a large city with their advantages. You can be on the Atlantic or Gulf coast with a 6-8 hour drive from anywhere in that area
 
Wishoot, sorry to hear that about the dear season there. Our gun season starts Dec 1st, but the weather shows rain off and on for the next week here too.

Madmo, I'll definitely have to visit Texas sometime, it sounds like it would at least make a good vacation sometime. Although I imagine it could be overwhelming trying to drive to different places in the state.

NGIB, glad to hear that your brother seems to be happy with the move. My uncle wants to move south too, but he's afraid that he won't be able to find a job, or some such nonsense. He's worked at the same place for almost 18 years driving dump trucks and operating heavy equipment, I'd put money on it that he could have a job in just a couple days with that kind of work record. But I'm trying to be the one to actually follow my dreams in hopes that others of my family and friends will follow suit.
 
Jmr40, I think I'm sold! :D That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. One of the worst parts about where I live is the lack of things to do. (Not to mention the lack of good jobs or affordable housing) We have public land to hunt and fish, but each year it gets less and less. And that's causing it to get crowded, especially during deer season. Do any of the areas you mentioned have any strict gun laws or ridiculous emissions laws or anything of the sort?
 
Littlephil, what JMR40 says about the beauty and outdoor opportuntity in NW Ga is right. Fantastic area if you already have income. However, if you need to make a living then there can be a whole lot of empty land between areas of economic prosperity.

What kind of work do you do? That might help others lead you in a realistic direction.

Late edit: While most of N/central GA is fine, you couldn't pay me enough money to live in or anywhere near Atlanta.
 
I'm from Cleveland. I live in Alabama now. the winters are mild in comparison but the summers are brutal. the economy is bad for blue collar in most of the south unless you get a job at a car manufacturer, though its nothing as good as it was up north.

if you have I.T. skills that's another story as white collar jobs are not effected as much by region demographics.
 
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