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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,104 Likes: 591
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,104 Likes: 591 |
Signed up for Medicare yesterday (a sobering experience!) and am finishing-up on the processing of a small deer today. After that I'll be at loose ends again for a while (which is hard for me). Saw a great video on steelheading in Michigan this morning on the Pierre Marquette and it got me to thinking....how is Michigan for ruffed grouse hunting (as compared to, say...Minnesota)? A fellow has to be thinking about where he's going to settle for that last great segment of life, someplace where he can cast his flyrod and carry his scattergun in the beautiful deciduous woods. Now... I think Gretchen Whitmer (and politics in general) in Michigan is pretty abysmal, but as an old codger (mostly retired & just recreating there), what does all that really mean? It looks like Traverse City is the only city of any size in the region, is that a decent place? Minimal crime, good food, & decent doctors? I realize the weather can be pretty crappy in winter but that's what Arizona is for, right?
Last edited by Lloyd3; 12/03/22 07:09 PM.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193 |
Lloyd, In retirement years one has to consider medical access for sure, and Traverse City would have you covered. Karl
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,983 Likes: 298
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,983 Likes: 298 |
There’s a lot to do here. It can be exhausting.
I’m sure I can get you into trouble across multiple genre’s.
Out there doing it best I can.
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1 member likes this:
Lloyd3 |
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 906 Likes: 30
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 906 Likes: 30 |
I live in Houston TX right now. Grew up in NY. Spring 2024 Im moving to Stanton MI. Have a place on Nevins lake. I much prefer the cold over this miserable humidity. I hunted the UP this year without a dog. I also hunt Pittsburg NH every year. Ive only hunted MI once but walked up twice the number of birds that I did in NH. I'll get a dog early 2024. Thinking French Britney. Traverse city is about 2 hrs north of our place. You are right, Whitmer sucks. If MI didn't allow machine guns, the move would have been a hard decline. Medicare for me next year. My wife likes Traverse City although she hasn't visited Traverse City in a long time. Love the small town feel of Stanton/Greenville. Much slower than the Houston area. I think its going to be a GREAT place to spend retirement.
Hope this helps. Bill
Bill Johnson
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,857 Likes: 384
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,857 Likes: 384 |
Arizona is a terrible place hot all the time grumpy people I would stay away if I were you
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
Lots of good grouse hunting in the upper Western counties of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Leaving politics out of the equation, Traverse City, Charlevoix, are high dollar areas, lots of Chicago yuppies, but get away from those cities and get to know some of the locals, you'll be fine. One of the best high end gun dealers, Brian Belinski, has a first rate gun shoppe out on Airport Road, and master cane rod maker Bob Summers is on the Boardman river. Oleson's meat market is one of the best in the State, and don't miss a morning coffee and bear claw pastries downtown Traverse City at Stacey's Cafe- good for local gossip too. RWTF
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,104 Likes: 591
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,104 Likes: 591 |
Gentlemen....thank-you all! This was somewhat tongue-in-cheek but... I am seriously looking for the last good place for myself and my immediate family. Colorado (as is much of the West) is going California on me at such a high rate of speed anymore (which really bugs me). Hunting the public lands out here is also getting very crowded (at least compared to what I've been used to for the last 30-years or so, this year was pretty tough). Classic old guy lament, I suppose. My wife is more-oriented towards cooler climates (really, I could go anywhere that wasn't crowded & totally commie) and a somewhat slower pace is always appealing. The usual balancing act, right?
mc: Arizona would be only for small (month-long?), bird-hunting breaks (nothing permanent). I was doing a fairly big job at Sky Harbour in the early 2000s for several years and really enjoyed hunting the desert down there for quail.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 12/05/22 02:15 PM.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193 |
Lloyd, I forgot to mention that Del Whitman, a very good gunsmith and my go to, lives just a couple of miles west of Traverse City. Very convenient I'd say! Plus, it would be great to have you among us! Karl
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744 |
Lloyd, I think you will miss the big water, and the big public ground in Northern Minnesota, not just the one you are familiar with. The immediate problem might be the Minnesota winter, which, until you’ve done a good one, is hard for civilians to wrap their head around. The temp was 5 degrees this morning, it is about the same, now. Balmy, to the regulars. Wood heat is my friend, now that elected officials are tilting at the energy windmills.The politics are going to be a wash, same old nonsense in both places.
I saw what happened at Ron’s place, very disheartening, but, not sure a move would make it better. Higher ground, might, but, that applies anywhere.
Best of luck, hard decision to make, but, I’ll see you wherever you end up.
Best, Ted
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 75 Likes: 3
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 75 Likes: 3 |
Few random thoughts..My wife and I recently retired in northern lower Michigan, but still have a cottage on a Pere Marquette feeder river that receives all the Great Lakes fish runs. The pressure on the PM has exploded in the last five years. It’s still a great river, but the drift boat traffic has gotten out of hand. The bird hunting can be good, but again being between Grand Rapids and Traverse City the uplands receive a good amount of pressure. Real estate prices have really gone up on the west side of the state also.
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2 members like this:
Run With The Fox, Lloyd3 |
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