I left, but now I am back.

[Ely Lake Expert]

I left MN for Colorado back in February to take a job. I recently was given the opportunity to take a job with the same company back here in MN. After being gone for 8 months I realized how much I love it here and with hunting season right around the corner I packed up and left CO within a week of finding out I could do the same thing here.

Any fellow FM'ers ever leave to find out they love it here and come back?

Minnesota is truely home to me and I love it here.

[hanson]

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Any fellow FM'ers ever leave to find out they love it here and come back?

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In college, I backpacked across Europe for 9 weeks straight.

That trip taught me to appreciate ALL sorts of things- Mt. Dew, driving, free restrooms, and people who speak English.

I also learned that I really, really love where I live.

I think I'm here for good.

[Corey Bechtold]

Atta Kid!!!

I haven't traveled too far but from what I have seen I realize how special it is here.

Welcome back Ely,

Corey Bechtold.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Thanks for the welcome Corey. I had to leave my dog with my parents when I left, I'm pumped to go bird hunting with her.

[Corey Bechtold]

Grouse #'s up this year?

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[Mike L]

A long time ago, my wife advised me that she was moving back to MN, and that I could come with if I wanted.

I was doing a bridge over the big ditch in St Louis at the time. We had a brand new baby. Now that baby has given me 2 grandsons, 11 and 7.

[Eric Wettschreck]

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Any fellow FM'ers ever leave to find out they love it here and come back?

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You betcha. In 1985 I shipped out for boot camp, sailed the 7 seas, and then came back in 1995. The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence and there is no place like home.

[iland99]

I lived in Houston, TX for a couple years after college. I came home for Christmas one year, did a little ice fishing, and gave my boss my notice about a month later. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him I missed winter.......

[Northland Sportsman]

I moved south after high school for about a uear and a half. I didn't think I would miss the weather here, but after a year in the west TX sun, I was glad to be able to come back here. I don't plan on leaving again! You just can't beat the variety of weather and recreational opportunities in this State/

[danwilliams]

"Any fellow FM'ers ever leave to find out they love it here and come back?"

Yup....spent 26 years in southern Arizona. Moved back a year ago. One day my wife and I looked at each other and said.."What are we doing here?" (Tucson's population grew 4 or 5 times in those 26 years)

Guess I'm a "reverse snow bird"...got old and migrated NORTH instead of south...

[Sandmannd]

I'm from ND, moved to Omaha when I was younger and then back to ND. 7 Years ago I moved out here and love. Went home for the first time in 5 years last week and might concider moving back there in a few years. Love the upper midwest. Nothing against MN, just getting burnt out on the cities.

[papabear]

three years in ND. Found i miss trees, lakes, walleyes, grouse. Still miss the praire from time to time but never want to leave northland again.

[Queenswake]

I left MN in 2001 after graduating college to move to DC (northern VA specifically) for a job. The IT job market was starting to tank at that time and when Lockheed Martin offered me a job in DC, I could not say no. Well, here we are 6 years later, and I am still here. I made the mistake of starting a business with two other people. And made the mistake of getting a girlfriend going for her phD. So I am hoping to build he business up, sell it, and get the hell back to MN as soon as the girl is done with her degree.

I read these forums every day while I am sitting in my cubicle at work. It kills me to read them. Seeing pictures is especially hard. There is a place I go here to fish for SM, LM, and crappies, but it's not the same as fishing back home where I have many more lakes to choose from. No ice fishing here. It just does not compare.

Once a year I go back to go up north with the family camping and fishing. This year we were up at LOTW and Red and had a great time.

It's very easy to get trapped here with the good jobs and high salaries. I've ran into a lot of people from the midwest who had always intended on moving back, but got trapped here. All of a sudden 10 years go by, their kids are established here, they have good jobs, and they are stuck.

But it'll all work out. I am making good money here and hopefully I can sell off everything here and move back to MN, buy a house and a cabin, and get back to what I was meant to do -- fish. I dream of the day I can pack up the U-Haul and head west. I go over it in my mind. It's going to be great! My goal is to be back in MN in time for the opening of the new Twins ballpark.

[SpecialK]

I spent 18 years in the high mountain desert of Colorado Springs, I finally made it back almost 2 years ago. I'll go back to CS to visit my children and grandkids but this is home.

[The_Duckslayer]

I left in 74 to go out and see the world. I joined the Air Force and saw 13 different countries and every state of the nation. When I was overseas it made me appreciate the good ole US of A but when I got back here in the US and retired in 94 the first thing I started doing was looking for a way back to MN. I am here now and plan to stay, unless of course something were to open up in Alaska. I would go there but that is the only place I would leave MN for. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Grant Pearson]

I moved down to Oklahoma for a few months and then realized that I missed beer stronger than 3.2, Mr. Daniels, and the MN winter, so I packed my (Contact Us Please) up, and moved back. I don't regret for one minute leaving Oklahoma city at 6:30 p.m. in a u-haul and driving straight through in the middle of January. Besides, you have the road to yourself after 9:30 anyway!!

[fishingdad]

I joined the Air Force in 85' traveled more places than I can remember, met some of the best friends of my life. But I always took my leaves (vacations) around fishing opener and a week to ice fish in the winter. I was stationed in New Jersey and when my four years were up I drove 23 hours non-stop to get back home to Minnesota. There is no place like home and Thank God Minnesota is my home.

[Rozman]

I was stationed at Fort Carson(ColoSprgs) for 5 years. I loved it, but eventually the lack of lakes took its toll.

[gurkster]

Welcome back! I grew up in MN, then left and lived in Missouri, Virginia, California and Illinois over the next 15 years. Once I got married and wanted to start a family I came back to good old MN (as I always planned). I have been here the last 7 years with a wife and kid #4 on the way. We LOVE IT. The seasons, the people, the activities, ... the list goes on. We are truely blessed here as sportsman. All the lakes to fish and public land to hunt. It is great, again welcome back.

[SledNeck]

Ive lived a few places, did my time in the USAF. While I took advantage of every opportunity at every place I was and had a blast. For the outdoors aspect Northern Minnesota is one of the best places in the country. Our fishing and lack of crowds destroys almost every other place around the nation. But it is always good to get out and see the world. One knock on the Iron Range is its severe lack of culture, lack of good stores, horrible local cuisine and places to eat, meth problem, and obese women. Other than those minor things....it rawks!

[Ely Lake Expert]

Thanks for all the welcomes guys. I got out in the woods today with my dog, shot a couple of grouse. It was great.

[Kylersk]

If there were another state I'd live in, it'd be Colorado. LIved there when I was a kid and loved it. Hated living in Florida.. That state was a 'dump' imho..

The iron range is the place i miss now. After college, I couldnt wait to get out of the range, now 15 years later, i cant wait to go back. If there were only jobs up there......