Gonna miss the hunting here but........

STOMPER · Apr 19, 2023

I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

Zim · Apr 19, 2023

STOMPER said:
I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

Ya I lived in Houston and mostly Austin, Texas areas from 1985-1989 and was very happy to return home to Indiana due to the public lands in all the Midwest states. First hunts were on TX leases my father-in-law bought. It was even routine for us to leave good & water by the camper so the smugglers would not break in. Since then I appreciate not having to lay down $10k every season for a lease. Plenty of public around here. I used to own some quality IN private but I’ve found public holds better quality if a guy enjoys scouting a lot, which I do.

SWHunter · Apr 19, 2023

STOMPER said:
I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

You could always hunt in Oklahoma. Fair amount of public land a few hours drive from Amarillo way cheaper than TX leases.

khunter · Apr 19, 2023

STOMPER said:
I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

I left Texas in 1995 and never looked back as relates to horribly expensive and limited hunting opportunity based almost completely on pvt land. Great people, overall crappy hunting and public land access opportunities from my perspective as compared to being a resident of a WESTERN public land state. Apparently places like Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin and some others are officially 'Public Land States' as well.

Could not fathom ever living anywhere but a public land state, so Colo with its many issues not unlike some of what NM has going on is fine for me and provides what I value most.

Most of my relatives are from NM (and greater four corners region) so have deep roots and have lived there as well.

vichris · Apr 19, 2023

STOMPER said:
I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

My daughter and her family all live near the Ft Worth area and have pressured us to move to TX as well. There was no way I was ever going to move there for the exact reasons you mentioned. I also know there are lots of other great Christian communities in other states that also have great hunting/fishing opportunities. To each their own. I've never hunted TX but I have hunted OK, KS, AR, NE, AZ, & CO. Had the most fun and success in OK and NE.

T-minus 9 days and counting until our adventure begins.

Good luck on the draw guys.

vichris · Apr 19, 2023

SWHunter said:
You could always hunt in Oklahoma. Fair amount of public land a few hours drive from Amarillo way cheaper than TX leases.

Agreed, OK is a great state for deer hunting. And we even got permission to hunt private land a bunch of times too with NO trespass fee. Other hunters there were always friendly and gave us tips on other areas nearby to hunt. TX has lots of really nice people but OK has just as many, and WAY better hunting and fishing

STOMPER · Apr 19, 2023

SWHunter said:
You could always hunt in Oklahoma. Fair amount of public land a few hours drive from Amarillo way cheaper than TX leases.

Im gonna have to look into that

vichris · Apr 30, 2023

Just an observation. I rented a car trailer from U-Haul so I could tow our Corolla to the Midwest and finally making the long arduous 15 hour drive to our new home in the Heartland. I had a conversation with a very conservative customer service rep @ U Haul. He mentioned that he liked my bumper sticker that says " Are you an American OR a Democrat". So I was asking him if there were more people moving to NM or more people leaving. He answered there were more people moving to NM. BUT he said they were mostly people from California and leftist coming from RED states. Lots of LGBTQ types, encouraged by NM's leftist governance. In his own words,.... "things are only going to get worse in NM". He is in U Haul Management and has asked to transfer to Oklahoma.

Rie bread · May 1, 2023

It’s strange New Mexico sided with the union even all those years ago

roadrunner · May 1, 2023

vichris said:
Just an observation. I rented a car trailer from U-Haul so I could tow our Corolla to the Midwest and finally making the long arduous 15 hour drive to our new home in the Heartland. I had a conversation with a very conservative customer service rep @ U Haul. He mentioned that he liked my bumper sticker that says " Are you an American OR a Democrat". So I was asking him if there were more people moving to NM or more people leaving. He answered there were more people moving to NM. BUT he said they were mostly people from California and leftist coming from RED states. Lots of LGBTQ types, encouraged by NM's leftist governance. In his own words,.... "things are only going to get worse in NM". He is in U Haul Management and has asked to transfer to Oklahoma.

It's going to be funny when NM's economy tanks because the influx isn't sustainable and the paydirt industry consistently gets chipped away at.

Pot and movie making ain't gonna cut it...

vichris · Jul 16, 2023

I dunno, it's different here in the Heartland. I don't think I'm gonna miss the hunting near as much as I thought I would. At least here I'll be hunting every year and for a different bunch of critters. I can't even begin to express how much I love it here and how happy I am to be out of that NM hell hole.

Here's The regulars that hang out in my neighborhood. I call them "The Rat Pack". Just a few minutes from my front door. And a completely different pack from my back door near the lake.

Zim · Jul 16, 2023

Lol ? looks like you found some!

NMPaul · Jul 16, 2023

STOMPER said:
I left 4 years ago. Born and raised there. I live in Amarillo TX now. No more oil field and liberal government. I have job stability with the DOE and all my coworkers are surprisingly conservative.

Draw backs?..... I can't afford to take my kids hunting, much less rabbit hunting. Texans want a lease fee to shoot anything. Wanna go shoot a rabbit? that will be $2000 for a lease fee. I don't like the confinement of Texas but there are morals and really good people here.

This is probably the most Christian community I have ever been in. So there's the good and the bad. I will gladly give up my outdoor freedoms to give my children a shot at a solid moral foundation based in the bible, founded in truth, and aimed at a life of my kids following Jesus Christ. If my kids are going to get a good chance at that I want them to have more than just a father being an example. I would like as many examples around them as possible and NM just wasn't giving me a very good feeling at all.

I noticed NM got slightly better when you left. LOL

BUGLEnmIN · Jul 17, 2023

vichris said:
I dunno, it's different here in the Heartland. I don't think I'm gonna miss the hunting near as much as I thought I would. At least here I'll be hunting every year and for a different bunch of critters. I can't even begin to express how much I love it here and how happy I am to be out of that NM hell hole.

Here's The regulars that hang out in my neighborhood. I call them "The Rat Pack". Just a few minutes from my front door. And a completely different pack from my back door near the lake.

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That’s badass!

Zim · Jul 17, 2023

Chris, I still think it’s kinda paranoid you want to keep your new state a secret. ? Everyone knows the +\- of each Midwest state. There’s millions of people in each. They’ve been there long time. Of course I won’t mention it, but it will likely be much more benefit when exchanging info down the road. Are you seriously concerned about other conservatives following you? Or maybe in some witness protection plan? Either way hope you continue to enjoy acclimating. I’ve never lived there, but hunted there for 30 years and love everything about it. Ranked #1 in my book, including the people there.

2lumpy · Jul 17, 2023

vichris said:
I dunno, it's different here in the Heartland. I don't think I'm gonna miss the hunting near as much as I thought I would. At least here I'll be hunting every year and for a different bunch of critters. I can't even begin to express how much I love it here and how happy I am to be out of that NM hell hole.

Here's The regulars that hang out in my neighborhood. I call them "The Rat Pack". Just a few minutes from my front door. And a completely different pack from my back door near the lake.

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Glad you’re enjoying the new home. Hope you feel the same way about it ten years from now.

I certainly understand your reservations about revealing its location. Finding honey hole takes a lot of work coupled with some good fortune. The term honey hole is not limited to big game…….. not by any stretch.

Nice to hear from you again and see your pictures.