I was born and raised in Idaho. Been pretty much all over the state trapping, fishing and hunting, along with work in most parts of the state. Very diverse habitat from one place to another. After nearly 30 years in Alaska, wife and I retired to Idaho. Overall, really miss Alaska, but I don't have to wear a headlamp all winter down here in the Lowest-48. Obviously, we like the country.

On the other hand, one of the main reasons I now live in Idaho is the relatively low density of people. Sorry, but it seems counterproductive to me to sing the praises of life in Idaho and to encourage others to move here. I'm selfish. I would love it if 90% of the people moved back to California or wherever.

There are three counties in the state that vote Democratic. Latah County (University of Idaho), Blaine County (Sun Valley/California), and, in the recent election, Teton County (again, California immigrants). Rest of the state still votes Republican, although, as has been said above, Boise (and parts of the Tragic Valley) and Coeur d'Alene vicinity are becoming way too liberal as well. For the wage rate, cost of living is high. Non-resident hunters, at least in our area, are like fleas on a coyote. However, there are still places you can get away from the masses.

Coeur d`alene area seems to have the most jobs to offer. Could a person commute for work and escape some of liberal thinking or has it spread to the suburbs as well?

Teton valley looked awesome but seemed to have less job opportunities.

Both areas seem very appealing from a recreation point of view.

I'm 80 miles south of Couer d'Alene. Beautiful area. Lots of recreational opportunities. Plenty of small towns to live in.

Downside - lots of Californians are moving there. Housing prices are being driven upward. New residents trying to impose their ideas. And it is only going to get worse. If I was relocating to Idaho, I would pick a different part of the state. Coyotes are semi-heavy and C colored. Lots of casty belly cats. Some marten in certain areas. Quota system on otter. Wolves are there but nothing outstanding as far as pelt quality goes.

If you don't mind commuting across Fourth of July Summit on I-90 everyday you could live in an affordable area and work in Coeur d' Alene. There are tens of thousands of people on the west coast (Seattle) who commute farther each day.

As has been mentioned, there are places out of the way, another world from those few areas , too much in distaste .

As for the panhandle, I have lived there over 20 years , have seen those changes to CDA, Sandpoint, etc. Though the ST. Joe river , and eastern areas near Montana are nice, out of the way . I also like Bonners Ferry, and the Priest River towns.

As to real nice country, and my affinity with larger mountains, the forests of hi way 12 - north and south are a marvel, with my favorite conifers - the same as in NW MT where I am. There is no other place in the country that has the variety in conifers as does the northern tiers of Idaho and Montana.

I will forever be enchanted with Stanley . When I went there years ago, I was transfixed, and had a couple job offers from outfitters while I was visiting there , to work their horses, and in transporting them .

As Jack stated so well, there are places tucked away that one doesn't feel so much politics, neighbors who frown in hearing gunfire, who appreciate what trappers do for the habitat, enjoying the life of generations of true westerners before them.

Just the same as any western or far northern state , in likeness.

Montana is very much the same as Idaho , and we are good neighbors for each other. Again , as Jack stated, the vast majority of counties are all pro hunt, trap, and enjoyment of firearms .

There are places that have the best of both worlds.....isolation and convenient amenities in the enjoyment of life.

With the influx of people with opposing opinions, would it be still be worth considering moving a family all the way across the country for an opportunity to live the western experience? Would there be other areas in the west that would be better?

I left the Oregon coast 3 months ago and bought 20 acres near Plummer. I had plans of running my portable sawmill, but am now looking for a time clock to punch As mentioned, the local government don’t seem to be to nosy, but other than a decent price on my land, I don’t see the cost of living being any lower than Oregon was. There are a lot of jobs out there for $10-15/hr especially in cda, but it’s pretty hard to convince myself to work the first 2 hours of the day just to buy fuel to get there.

You need to come here and check it out. Southern and Northern Idaho are quite different. Both are nice but different. Might want to come twice. Once in the summer and once in the winter. We have 3 - 4 months of winter every year. Lots of people don't seem to know that.

Hopefully the next few winters are harsh and the people from California move back. I hate to see such a great state as Idaho turn blue

I've heard that the largest percentage of the people moving from California and Washington to Idaho are conservatives escaping from the socialist west coast.
Do you think there is any truth to that?

No. I recently drove through the area north of Boise. It is appalling the amount of construction going on there and what has happened to housing prices in that area. The other growing problem is that the infrastructure around that area can't handle the traffic. '
But the reason I said NO is because these people are moving into the Boise area.......the center of government and the university. If these were mostly conservatives I would expect them to move to more rural areas. Sure the jobs are in the urban centers but I'd suspect a lot of these folks don't need a job.

For welding and electrical work I would suggest Blackfoot, Idaho. There is a family-owned steel fabrication company there that frequently advertises for welders to make things for Idaho National Laboratory and for agricultural needs. That company appears to have a high turnover rate, so be fore warned. From Rexburg, Idaho Falls, Blackfoot, and Pocatello there are many contractors that do work related to aforementioned laboratory and for other needs. Upper Snake River Trappers Association (USRT) will have a fur sale near Blackfoot on January 25-26, 2019, if you are free to visit then.

A little inside information from someone already here...

It is absolutely true that the western part of the state is booming, but it's not just the west. Eastern Idaho is growing like crazy too. Rexburg to Idaho Falls and Blackfoot are getting more and more congested, and there's talk that Pocatello will double in size with many multi-million dollar developments planned and talk of several huge companies moving in. More opportunity you say? Sure, it'll be easier to find a job. But, as I'm sure you folks that live in or near big cities can attest, this is bad news. No doubt that liberals are way worse for many reasons, but even if most new-comers are outdoorsman like us, it is already getting very difficult to get away from the crowds, be it camping, hunting, fishing, trapping, or whatever, so that'll get worse. And yes there is a lot of public land in Idaho, but in most areas access points to that land is limited. So, you'll find every Tom, Dick, & Harry crowding into those access points making it a congested joke when you're trying to simply get away and enjoy the peaceful outdoors.

Others from Idaho may chime in saying they don't see it this way. These folks may say that they still have areas to themselves and believe there are plenty of other areas here for more people to fill. I would say that these folks should enjoy what they have now, because it's going to change. As long as this state keeps growing like it is, even those remote areas are gonna be found and the old, family hunting and trapping grounds are going to turn into a competition with the crowds.

Born and raised here and I'd like to stick up for it and tell you there's no better place to be, and maybe that was the case 30 years ago. But if I was looking to simply move to any state I wanted, for everything I love to do, I'd probably choose Wyoming. In my opinion, they have the best hunting in the lower 48 (been buying points and paying the high-dollar nonresident prices to hunt over there the last several years). From what I can tell, trapping looks to be great there as well. A lot of that is because Wyoming has the least amount of people per square mile (last I heard).

Proud to be an Idahoan ...but I sure do miss the old-days.

Boy Howdy ID Trapman. I agree with everything you've said above. Times are changing way too fast. I too, was born and raised in Idaho, and I sure miss the old days before this state was "discovered". My recollections from the 60s and 70s are WAY different than we have nowadays. Might go back to Alaska before I get too old.

Jack

Now you're talking !!!

Appreciate the comments from everyone. You've pretty much talked me out of it . I hate it for everyone that's already there. It seems like there is no escape anymore. All i want to do is go to work, hang out with my family, and be left alone. Sounds pretty hard to come by any more. And I know if I found a place like that, the word would get out and I would be back to square one . I may actually try to go out for a little while just to look around. Pretty big decision for me. Don't want to screw it up. Thanks again

Oh Come on !!!!! Get out of that "east of the river" mind set. Go ahead and go !! Grab it while it's there and choke the life out of the West !!! None of us should live east of the Mississippi

I have been out west a long time....and there are peaceful out of the way places to be enjoyed.

Yes, there are changes in certain areas of any given state . That happens everywhere , including Alaska.

But there are still places that have the best of both worlds , peaceful and quiet , yet commutable to be able to live , get things done, without spending a fortune.

The advantages of remote living, and all the advantages of town , whichever is needed to move between the two , for quality of life. The plusses in the important things outweighing the minuses.

Any place will have plusses and minuses....the ones that line up in your scope to tip the scales to a good life will out shadow the minuses , and those can be dealt with because you are happy with the important things.

One of my friends was a worker in hospice for many years. She liked to say, that in assisting hundreds of people in their dire times, there was a very telling, common theme she heard over and over, no matter who it was.

It was the things they didn't do in life that they saw was an open door to happiness attained, that they didn't choose . The regret in not reaching for real happiness - taking that worthwhile chance , instead, allowing lesser obstacles to stop them . Not seeing all the gain to enrich their lives by looking forward out the big windshield , but instead, looking too much in the rear view mirror at the things they allowed to hold them back.

When they were at their life's end, those obstacles suddenly were not so large or important.

A life in an exciting new world dreamed of....a 180 degree change in occupation ......finding the love of one's life....any of the new road taken , leaving behind the old rutted roads and not looking back.

Things they didn't do that they regretted in tears ....all those people in hospice helped my friend to learn much in how to reach out to enjoy life and not let those rare, once in a lifetime opportunities slip by .

There is a reason that the windshield is much larger than the rear view mirror. The rear view allows us to glance and be reminded of where we have been, only briefly...to learn from.....but the windshield is where we look ahead to happiness attained and life truly lived and loved.

It is worth, every mile.....

Well said Ms Sharon !!!!!!!!!

To add, I made that same decision in 1979 - packed up everything into my truck and headed out from South Florida, where I grew up, and drove out west , settling in North Idaho for many years, to finally Montana.

I received overwhelmingly negative comments from others , not only in disagreeing with my wanting to go west, as well as what they thought of the western places I wanted to see, everything from poor work compared to where I was, to "cold awful winters", and everything in between .

I didn't even know anyone where I wanted to go. I just went. It all worked out brilliantly.

Knowing which way was north, was the best decision I ever made , because that led me to the most wonderful life I could ever have imagined.... never look back in acquiring your happiness in a move in life- even across country.