Wow, this is pretty disappointing. I don't care anything about local politics or fishing, but I would like to hunt without too much trouble. Are hunting licenses outrageous or is it just hard to find a spot that isn't packed with people?
Kraig, what did you mean by "the rivers and lakes are dangerous...?"
I would like to live outside town a bit. Maybe 20-30 miles. Would that make the drive/commute too time consuming?
I'll admit, I thought I'd be able to come up there, buy a little house, and venture out into the wilderness on the weekends without having to drive all day....
I hope you do not think I am saying do not move up, come on up if you desire. What I am saying is, too many outsiders who move to Alaska thinking its something from a novel or wide open land with game everywhere, plenty of access to hunting and very little to no other people. I wanted to let you know its not necessarily that way.
25 miles is not realistic, Alaskan view milepost and time not so much miles when talking getting somewhere, 100 miles one way is considered a day trip to have fun. Within 25 miles north is Peterscreek, Birchwood and Eklutna. From here is across the flats into Palmer or Wasilla. Wasilla has and is growing from anchoragites moving out. The drive is the worst part, heavy traffic and when its snows, your 45 min drive may take 4 hours. Palmer is a farming town from the 1950s when the gov moved farmers from the upper midwest to farm. It is still slow, sleepy, not very crowded, cheap but again, you still have to drive to work in Anchortown and the drive is quite bad, there is only one hwy. Stay out of the the Butte area.
Not many areas to live south from Anchorage and its very expensive all the way to Girdwood "girdweed" a very liberal community. This is the community that allowed the tree people community to live for years. Up crow creek from girdweed and its a very hostile anti living area.
I would look at Palmer, Chickaloon or Sutton but within these areas, not so much Palmer, are still antis. Alaskan are rouge, its why we live here, not as bad as the past but many of us are still stay away from me. leave me alone and my property especially when dealing with cheeks.
Hunting, you have to be a resident for one full calender year, I would suggest arrive in June, hunting license is $25. Where things have changed and I know you said you do not care about the politics but this is what changed alaska with tony knowles in the 90s. Most of the old prime hunting areas are permit now. You will have to drive hours to hunt. Not really but beware of the masses like knik and KGB. Fort Rich, the hillside have highly sought after moose permits, these are in town. If you can drive there by your 4x4, 300 miles from Anchortown, the trail head will be a congested parking lot to include dirt roads miles from the Glenn, Parks, Richardson. 13 is where most hunters go and its over hunted, 15 and 16 are next. From the trail head, its a wheeler trail for miles, some hunters pull trailers toting 50 gal of gas to reach 100 miles from the trail head. Many seasons as we sat in our camp once in complete isolation, here comes the buzz bombs right to and through our camp. This is why back pack hunting in Alaska is what I prefer. Our family moose camp and fishing hole behind the house is a housing complex now. There are walk in only areas and these are tuff, hard but rewarding but its not for every one or the soft.
I would suggest instead of like most Alaskans, not buy a ford rig, camper, trailer to pull your wheeler but instead, use the 75K and fly out to hunt. You can find more isolation but not always, depends on who flys you in and will they stack you into the area, the unit you fly to, etc.
Good luck
