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ADDITIONAL INFO
	See our gallery of the Top 10 towns HERE. All scores are on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being better. We started by combing through every population center in the United States with more than 4,000 people. We gathered comprehensive data on the overall quality of life the towns offered. Some of the factors we considered were the growth rate of the local economy, the unemployment rate, the degree of taxation, the time it takes to commute to work, the crime rate, housing prices, median household income and even the variety of cultural opportunities within easy driving distance. Then we looked at how the towns stacked up purely from a sporting perspective. We rated them on the fishing and hunting opportunities each town offers, the trophy quality of the sporting opportunities, proximity to land, the restrictiveness of the gun laws and whether fishing and hunting is good year-round. We put all this into a massive database and developed a formula that gives slightly heavier emphasis (60/40) to the sporting opportunities than to the quality-of-life rankings. --John B. Snow

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Top 200 Towns for Outdoorsman

By Andrew McKean

Mar 11, 2008

Think your hometown should top this list next year? We want to hear from you!  Head over to www.outdoorlife.com/yourfavoritetown, and enter your favorite hunting and fishing paradise. Winning towns have the chance of being featured in the magazine and online!

Top 200 Towns for 2008

1          Mountain Home, AR   

POP: 12,215

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 8

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.8

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

2          Lewiston, ID   

POP: 31,293

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 9

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 6.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

3          Sheridan, WY 

POP: 16,429

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 10

4          Cody, WY      

POP: 9,217

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.5

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 7

GUN LAWS: 10

5          Pocatello, ID   

POP: 53,932

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 9

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 6.6       

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

6          Lewistown, MT           

POP: 6,083

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 9

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 7

GUN LAWS: 10

7          Marquette, MI 

POP: 20,488

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 8

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 4.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 8

8          Dillon   MT     

POP: 4,056

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 9

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 10

9          Page, AZ         

POP: 6,827

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 8

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 7.5

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 9

GUN LAWS: 9

10        Bismarck, ND 

POP: 58,333

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 6

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 4.5

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 10

11        Richfield, UT   

POP: 7,104

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 5

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.9

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

12        Logan, UT       

POP: 47,660

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

13        Livingston, MT

POP: 7,279

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.3

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 9

GUN LAWS: 10

14        Fort Collins, CO          

POP: 29,467

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 6

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 6.2

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 9

15        Cedar City, UT           

POP: 25,665

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 4

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 8

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 6.1

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 9

GUN LAWS: 9

16        Helena, MT   

POP: 27,885

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 5

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.6

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 7

GUN LAWS: 10

17        Rifle, CO         

POP: 8,446

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 7

FISHABLE SPECIES: 6

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.8

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 9

GUN LAWS: 9

18        Williston, ND  

POP: 12,303

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 8

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 4.3

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 8

GUN LAWS: 10

19        Bemidji, MN   

POPULATION: 13,291

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 6

FISHABLE SPECIES: 8

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 7

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 9

GUN LAWS: 5

20        Rogers, AR     

POPULATION: 52,181

HUNTABLE SPECIES: 5

FISHABLE SPECIES: 7

TROPHY POTENTIAL: 6

YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES: 5.7

PUBLIC-LAND ACCESS: 7

GUN LAWS: 9

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Comment on This Article At 4:59 PM, 2008-05-01, Raquel Mark said: Kirksville, MO made #53 thats like 30 miles away from me and where I go to school..but really all of Northeast MO where Im from is great for hunting and fishing, but I will admit Arkansas has better scenery Flag this comment as offensive At 1:40 PM, 2008-04-29, Nathan said: This is great Poteau has many area for both hunters and fisherman, I love living here Flag this comment as offensive At 5:08 PM, 2008-04-24, todd said: I think that Broken Bow, Ok and Talihina, OK should have made the list Flag this comment as offensive At 2:16 PM, 2008-04-23, eddie said: I just returned from Mountain Home. It is beautiful and great fishing. Great choice. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-05-16, steve R said: Gunnison Co. is the best place for sportsmen in Colorado. World class hunting and fishing, along with a huge amount of public lands that fit everyone. I cannot believe Gunnison did not make the top ten list. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-05-16, Billy Bob said: Pierre, South Dakota is a great place for an outdoorsman to live. There is the river right there and many hunting spots nearby that house some wonderful game. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-04-15, Keith said: I realize there must be thousands of noteworthy sites in the U.S.A. but did you ever visit my home town or Greenville ME.Both of these towns trump your other Maine picks in every catagory except shopping malls. Flag this comment as offensive At 9:55 PM, 2008-03-30, Late Bloomer7bbg4 said: I lived in Pocatello[5] til age eight, went turough high school in Kirksville[53] and have lived in Quincy[66] for 38 years. How lucky can one guy be? Flag this comment as offensive At 3:29 PM, 2008-03-30, Dylan said: I think you should look at Newport VT. Not the city but the town. There is easy access to lake Memphis and planty of land to hunt deer, turkey, moose, and varmint. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Jeff said: Duluth is beautiful, but if your into hunting and fishing you'd probably spend alot of time traveling away from that area to do it..Living in Bemidji there's no way I'd travel to Duluth to hunt or fish... Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-05-16, anonymous said: ARE YOU KIDDING! NO DULUTH, MN!!!!! LAKE SUPERIOR, NORTH SHORE, SOUTH SHORE ETC!!!!!! Not to mention all the public land, state campgrounds, state forest and endless beauty all within a short drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-04-15, Michelle said: All 200 states are listed. On the first page you can view the top ten, then you have to click next to view the following pages. Can't say I agree with the choices, unless your into hunting, fish and concerned about guns? Tyler, Texas Flag this comment as offensive At 1:17 PM, 2008-03-27, anonymous said: We have a cabin near Bemidji MN and I agree it is one of the best places to hunt fish ETC!!!!!Yearround outdoor fun. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:41 PM, 2008-03-23, Turtle River Whitetails said: I moved AWAY from Marquette Michigan to Saskatchewan!!!! Much better here. Flag this comment as offensive At 9:52 AM, 2008-03-22, Art Boebinger said: Kentucky has more restrictive gun laws than Ohio? No Way! What criteria were Wused? Flag this comment as offensive At 12:30 AM, 2008-03-19, anonymous said: Mountain Home AR does not have more huntable species than many of the western towns. Nice try though. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Jeff said: Anyplace that rates less than an 8 on GUN LAWS has no business in the top 1,000. If that means we loose all of California, Maryland and Massachusetts, that is just fine by me. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Cody Danielson said: The population of Fort Collins, CO is listed wrong. I currently see it listed as 29,467, when its more like 129,467. BTW Fort Collins rocks! Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-05-16, Green Card Lottery said: Win a Green Card go to http:\\www.greencardlaw.us and sign up for the Green Card Lottery. 55,000 green card will be given away. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, sherry said: We don't cotton to hunting in Evergreen, Colorado -- unless it's land developers. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, David said: I can't believe that Broken Bow, Oklahoma is not on the list! Especially since Poteau, Elk City, and Enid, Oklahoma are. Poteau maybe. But Broken Bow has those others beat hands down. Someone didn't do their research. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Toby Bridges said: There are more reasons to leave Illinois than move there! With the restrictive gun control laws in that state, it should be renamed..."The Soviet Socialist Republic of Illinois". I just left it for Montana, and I may never go back to visit. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Jack said: Seems rather strange that North Carolina's gun laws are "more" strict than Ohio's???? Somehow I think the author got this one mixed up. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-04-15, Cari said: Must be getting desperate by #98-Wichita Falls TX?? What in the world would you hunt or fish there? Rattlesnakes? That can't be real!! Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Josh in Idaho said: Yup keep driving south right to UTAH. We got plenty of people showing up to hunt. Kinda spoiling it. Pocatello is the Armpit of Idaho. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, Ross Thomas said: Soda Springs, Idaho. If you stay in Pocatello, you will drive to Soda to hunt and fish. Flag this comment as offensive At 12:00 AM, 2008-03-31, MaryAnn said: Interesting and very true, these places you can step back and appreciate the REAL world. Flag this comment as offensive Your Name: Enter the following word: Your Comments: Please keep comments focused on the subject (and profanity-free) or we may delete your post. Do not enter more than 10 lines. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us.

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