HFall1, You said you have came out here hunting in the past. I hope you don't use your time here hunting to base what life is like out here. I dont know what life is like outside the west, I dont really want or care to know. If you want to give the west a try, go for it. Just remember that the grass isn't always greener on this side of the divide. Some of the folks on here are giving you a hard time about coming out... well your gonna have to deal with folk like that here. I don't think it matters where you are, there will be good and bad people you'll have to deal with. Myself and my family live in the country. I commute 46 miles each way, to work every day ( $27 bucks a day in gas). We go to the store once a week to get "supplies", the store is 38 miles from our home. We couldn't get television or internet until about 15 months ago, Satellite wouldn't work because we are in between too mountains in a small valley. We have had snowfall from a single storm that was over 48". Have had pets killed by wildlife, gardens destroyed by Deer and Elk. No other homes close to us. Most folk that come live near here, do it in summer , make it through 1 winter and move the next summer. I wouldn't trade 1 week here for a lifetime in a city! If you think this is what you would like, there is a small cabin on 5 acres up for sale about 1 mile from my home. Once in a while someone will stop at our house and ask for directions to where so and so live. My usual response is, sorry I haven't met many people around here I'm kinda new here, only lived here for 16 years,and haven't got around to socalizing yet.If you come out here good luck to ya.