Most of the time, life in a metropolis is considerably convenient. For instance, the industrialized south of Ontario provides access to services and endless job opportunities. If you’re seeking that urban buzz, find more listings on this page. But if you don’t have a particular area in mind, you can see more here and check out other places.
However, for hunting enthusiasts, this convenience might not always be the case. Living in a densely packed urban center and finding a populace of deer are not usually synonymous. Part of the thrill of hunting is the adventure of getting to your destination but travel could take up a lot of your time and money. And with the recent pandemic, health risks are heightened causing travel restrictions to be stricter.
What’s a future-proof key to this issue, you ask? Move to a city that supports your hunting passion. But, you also have to make sure you’ll be able to fend for yourself. All the necessities are more or less guaranteed from a reasonable cost of living to job security. So if you’re a hunting enthusiast seeking a new home, here are our 6 top picks for big cities to live in.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City is a major metro, covering both the largest area and population in Missouri. It also houses several major corporate employers thus landing a job is more likely. Though thoroughly developed and industrialized, Kansas City still offers abundant avenues for outdoor recreation.
KC is surrounded by the best Midwestern states that support the deer population. It has consistently produced an abundant number of monster whitetail bucks annually. An hour of travel from the city will take you to Baltimore Bend Conservation Area, a forest filled with hunting prospects. You can find abundant wildlife living in its grass-filled terrain. While famous for deer, it is also rich in rabbits, rodents, fish, and waterfowls. The large areas of croplands within the city attract huge rafts of ducks and geese.
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana might be a little town, but it’s considered to be one of the fastest-developing cities of its size. It supports the perfect work-life balance, rapidly evolving into a tech hub. At the same time, it features a majestic landscape sitting at the foot of different mountain ranges.
This terrain is a hunting paradise for outdoor lovers. Montana has supported plenty of species of wildlife in its mountains and valleys, providing game for everyone. Grouse, partridge and turkey are abundant early in the season although the city is most famous for its elk and deer population. Other species can be hunted however some require special permissions and applications such as moose, sheep, and antelope. Some of the areas that guarantee high success rates are the Gallatin National fForest and the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area.
Denver, Colorado
Like Bozeman, Denver City sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It offers more than 200 parks within its boundaries and 14,000 acres of parks. This and its surrounding mountainous terrain make way for outdoor recreation such as skiing, hiking, and hunting.
With its prospering natural landscape also comes a variety of wildlife. In the Pike National Forest, you can join major game hunting activities with herds of bighorn sheep, antelope, deer, and even bears. The state’s ratio of Pope and Young ranks one of the highest ones in the US. Denver also offers the best fly fishing on the South Platte River and Clear Creek. These bodies of water are abundant sources of trout and wapiti. The city’s reservoir serves as a breeding ground for warm water species such as pike, bass, and walleyes.
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is considered to be an exceptional city to live in. It provides lots of job opportunities and its housing prices are 20% less than the national average. It is a family-friendly suburban city with great public school options and short transport rides.
The locals are also very supportive of hunting activities, with the deer population growing exponentially in its urban front. Apart from its city center, Des Moines County provides a plethora of games. Augusta Wildlife Area, HIckory Bend and the 800-acre Big Hollow are great places to hunt small game, turkey and deer. Meanwhile, Pheasants and upland birds can be found in Wapello Bottoms and Huron Flats.
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, the capital city of Nebraska, boasts its booming economy and low cost of living making it one of the most livable cities in the country. It was also hailed as the number one city for job seekers with its low unemployment rate and low average housing cost.
Its urban development shares its roots with rurality. Nebraska has built a reputation for hunting a wide variety of wildlife. It serves as a habitat to large populations of wild birds such as waterfowl, turkey, and pheasant. It also supports big game such as pronghorn, elk, and whitetail deer, which can actually be found state-wide.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah features diverse geography that is home to rich populations of both big and small game. The variety includes mountain goats, moose, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, bison, and mountain lion. The numbers of birds and small game is also excellent, having pheasants, ducks, geese, rabbits, grouse, and wild turkeys to name some.
Salt Lake City in Utah is considered one of the best cities for jobs not only in the state but in the entire country. The city’s unemployment rate is only at 3.9% and the median household income comes at more than $50,000. It is also a great place for outdoor enthusiasts, with its terrain producing the biggest mule deer bucks in the country. Waterfowls are abundant along the Pacific Flyway like tundra swans and teal. The Great Salt Lake alone has 30 ducks clubs and 100,000 acres of public land for hunting. There are also great fly fishing opportunities for trout and salmon in the renowned Green River.
Final Thoughts
Living in a big developed city does not mean you have to sacrifice your passion for hunting. Some of the best cities offer even far greater hunting opportunities. The key is just knowing where and how to look.
