Considering buying a place in Vernon - how's the hunting/fishing?

[jlirot]

With crazy Vancouver prices my wife and I are considering buying a place around Vernon. We're unfortunately priced out of Vancouver. We have found a couple of nice places - 3x the size and 1/3 of the price of Vancouver. We have to stay in Vancouver now for some personal reasons but it would be the 2nd home with an eventual move.

Vernon is towards the top of the list right now. I need to be an hour or less from an airport for work for the foreseeable future. Wife and kids like to ski so being close to silverstar is a plus. I would consider being close to big white instead but haven't looked over there yet.

How's the bird hunting? I saw a pheasant and a few quail just driving around Armstrong so it looks promising. Thoughts?

And, I'm more of a stream or river fisherman. Looks like there are a few trout streams around - pretty good fishing? I don't mind dredging lakes with a chronomid once in a while but much prefer skinny stream water.

Also, looks like deer hunting would be pretty easy peasy....

The only problem with having a spot in the Okanagon is the 6 hour drive....

[Backwoods]

I moved from reg 8 to 7b 6 years ago, sure miss the hunting down there and the lakes! Beautiful country, great game and fishing on all the mnt lakes and big lakes throughout the valley!

[dakoda62]

Lots of hunting and great fishing, however it is very busy.

[Dannybuoy]

I lived in Vernon from 1982 -2015 and know the area very well . While there are some pheasant left , getting permission to hunt them is very difficult ,ducks an geese is somewhat easier .
Very little stream/river fishing .... Shuswap being one of the few ...
Still fairly easy deer hunting , anyone going out more than a few times should be able to tag out on either Mule deer or WT with the any buck season , 4 point Mulies are bit more of a challenge .
There are some area's in Vernon that it would be wise to stay away from due to the increase in druggie population /crime, do your homework in that department .

[Chopper]

i find with hunting these days ... dosent matter where you are, the further you are from the city center, The better it is. I think Vernon is a nice central launch pad to go to other places. Id probably rather live in Kamloops or Kelowna

[mike31154]

Pretty good synopsis from Dannybuoy. I migrated here in 2004, the Okanagan was on the radar for a place to retire since my folks moved to Penticton in the mid '70s. I wasn't a hunter when I arrived, but have been trying to bag a deer for 2 seasons now. Got me a duck last season up in the Monashees on a beautiful remote lake.

I chose Vernon for the ski hill, real estate prices, small city feel & access to 3 lakes. Things are changing rapidly though, I fear Vernon may end up bursting at the seams like Kelowna in the not too distant future. Traffic is insane in the summer tourist season, although to a lower Mainlander that may seem trivial, comparatively. It can be tough to get out of the valley in the winter since making it over a pass is the only way out in almost any direction. There are plenty of closures due to snow, avalanche control work & just plain nasty winter weather. Drive to the Kelowna airport from Vernon is about 40 minutes on a normal day with good driving conditions. I wouldn't want to do it daily, especially in the winter.

Daughter moved back to Vernon after pursuing better employment in the LML for a few years. She brought her boyfriend, now husband back with her. Son in law's Dad as well as Aunt & Uncle escaped to Vernon from the LML last summer. It's a growing trend. Seems like most newcomers to the area in the past were from out of province, now it's predominantly folks from the LML. Better hurry if you want to beat the rush. Personally I'd like to see the growth slow down or even stop, things getting a bit busier around here these days.

One more thing, water rates are among the highest in the valley. City Council/Regional District can't seem to get their act together in that regard.

[mike31154]

i find with hunting these days ... dosent matter where you are, the further you are from the city center, The better it is. I think Vernon is a nice central launch pad to go to other places. Id probably rather live in Kamloops or Kelowna

Launch pad sounds about right, it is great in that regard, not only for hunting/fishing, but also skiing & backcountry skiing. Must disagree about the city center thing though. Damn Mulies raid my garden regularly throughout the year & I'm a 10 minute walk from Vernon city center. Too bad there's no GOS in town, since I haven't been successful out in the boonies around these parts!!!

[Dannybuoy]

Good points mike , and you are right on about Vernon quickly becoming a mini -Kelowna ...but I suppose compared to the LML it would be an improvement .
I am happy to slow things down in the WK :grin:

[Moe.JKU]

I was looking into Vernon as one of my picks to sense I got the go ahead to work remotely. Looks like a good investment as it seems like its growing, however i'm still looking around the Trail, Creston, and Castlegar area right now as well as that is more of what I want in a city. But not really any change to make money as a investment.

[jlirot]

Thanks for all the comments! We're actually leaning towards Armstrong. A little smaller - still quaint. And just a few minutes to shopping or restaurants in Vernon.

One requirement is being near skiing...

And, I would look at it as a launch pad. I've got no problem driving a couple hours to get to good fishing or hunting. Driving from Vancouver sucks. It's great after Hope...

[jlirot]

Those look like nice places - but too far out for my wife. And, I need to commute back and forth to Vancouver for the next 8+ years.

[Salvelinus]

Have you considered Kamloops area, esp north towards sun peaks?

Kootenays sound like they'd be better for you (minus the bird hunting) after you move, but too far for you to get out for weekends in the interim

[Amphibious]

Been in the Vernon area for about 8yrs now. Fishing/Hunting is meh compared to other places in BC. WAY to busy these days. Soooooo many Albertards and LML Douche flooding in every summer. Best trade-off is my house value has about Doubled.

There is some great grouse hunting if you're willing to climb, and you're a short drive from some excellent Goat hunting. If you're into deer (meh) there certainly are plenty.

Can't believe how much busier it's become since I first arrived.

[mike31154]

Thanks for all the comments! We're actually leaning towards Armstrong. A little smaller - still quaint. And just a few minutes to shopping or restaurants in Vernon.

One requirement is being near skiing...

And, I would look at it as a launch pad. I've got no problem driving a couple hours to get to good fishing or hunting. Driving from Vancouver sucks. It's great after Hope...

Armstrong is a cool spot for sure. Highway has now been twinned all the way into Vernon, so that commute is a snap, but if the destination is the Kelowna airport, getting through Vernon can be a choke point, depending on weather, time of day/year. Might be worth your while to check out Lake Country, south of Vernon. Also take a drive along Westside Road. It runs from Spallumcheen all the way to Kelowna. A bit windy & narrow plus the north part is Reserve land, but south of that there are some awesome properties. Dumps out south of the bridge across the lake though, so airport access would be a nightmare thru Kelowna.

Have you been to any of the ski hills in the Okanagan? Of course I'm partial to Silver Star, as mentioned it's one of the main reasons I chose Vernon over Kelowna or Penticton. There are some local nicknames for the hills, they are quite apt, Big Whiteout, ScrApex, Revelsoak... don't actually recall the one for SStar, but it was considered a bit of a hokey family hill in the past. These days with new terrain opened up it is actually near the top with respect to the amount of skiable acreage in the province if not the country. The snowpack is reliable, check the webcam, downside is winter operations shut down after the 1st weekend in April. They could keep it going to the end of the month most years, but locals are busy golfing & gardening by then & it's not cost effective to run the lifts with insufficient out of town clientele. Commute from Vernon up the hill is about 25 minutes, Big White & Apex both longer drives from Kelowna, Penticton respectively.

http://www.skisilverstar.com/my-mountain-info/mountain-conditions/webcams

2 world class Cat Skiing operations within an hour's drive, Monashee & Mustang. Another officially opened at Keefer Lake this past season & yet another K3, operates off Hwy 1 near Sicamous. Sol Mountain Touring, 5 star backcountry lodge also up in the Monashees, staging off Hwy 6. They have a summer program up there as well, mountain biking. Did I mention SStar is getting more than a little attention from the mountain biking world these days? Beowulf, new trail opening this summer. Since the hill is closed for skiing, I might take a drive up to the Monashee Pass & earn a few turns like I did in November, shortly after deer hunting season....

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[AgSilver]

Half grew up in Coldstream. Nice place. Good access to the airport (as you're on the south side of Vernon and it's easy to get out of). Good access to various areas going East (Lumby, Cherryville, etc).

But definitely getting busier in Vernon. Not really in a good way, either. Although, did the hike up Middleton Mtn when there last time and was shocked at how low some of the nice places at the top were priced.

[bigredchev]

I lived in Vernon from 1982 -2015 and know the area very well . While there are some pheasant left , getting permission to hunt them is very difficult ,ducks an geese is somewhat easier .
Very little stream/river fishing .... Shuswap being one of the few ...
Still fairly easy deer hunting , anyone going out more than a few times should be able to tag out on either Mule deer or WT with the any buck season , 4 point Mulies are bit more of a challenge .
There are some area's in Vernon that it would be wise to stay away from due to the increase in druggie population /crime, do your homework in that department .



Any specific areas to avoid would be appreciated. If you feel a pm is more low key that works too.

I too am considering the area, although I'd like to begin the outskirts on 20 plus acrea

[mike31154]

Any specific areas to avoid would be appreciated. If you feel a pm is more low key that works too.

I too am considering the area, although I'd like to begin the outskirts on 20 plus acrea

Not sure there really is a specific residential area to avoid other than downtown near the Upper Room Mission. That's where most of the societally challenged folks hang out & other than apartments, condos etc. not much worth buying or investing in. It is still a relatively small city compared to where you are. The real bad actors are mobile & get around, so IMO you're not much safer in one area as opposed to another. I'm in an older area a few minutes walk from downtown and the only trouble I've had was one crackhead who tried to break my car window with a piece of wood some 6 or 7 years ago. Vehicle is in a carport, I heard a loud thump in the night. Went back to sleep & saw the evidence next day. Person must have been too freaked or stressed to try another blow at the window with a stump. Apparently the area I chose to live was called crackhead hill at one time.... No problem since then & there have been raids in newer neighbourhoods/developments busting drug/crack houses.

[pg83]

I moved the family to Penticton 2 years ago and it was the best decision I've ever made. Direct flights to Vancouver/Calgary if you need them. 40 mins to Apex. 40 mins to Kelowna. It's a little dead in the winter, but that hasn't bothered me one bit. Lots of animals to chase and plenty of diverse terrain within an hour of the house. It's busy with tourists in the Summer, but that's the same anywhere in the Valley.

[lostmind]

This is always an interesting question. I'm luckily in the housing market in the lower mainland, made the sacrifice when I was young and am grateful I did because pricing jumped so tremendously. Now I am house rich, wallet poor... but how do you capitalize on that house equity? Could move somewhere else, but I hate snow. In some way, I envy those of you who enjoy winter sports...

[Dannybuoy]

Any specific areas to avoid would be appreciated. If you feel a pm is more low key that works too.

I too am considering the area, although I'd like to begin the outskirts on 20 plus acrea

If you are considering acreages , the only concerns you should be aware of are : water ... ie up towards silver star = no water on some parcels (dry wells)
and I am not sure what has been going on the last year on the land between Armstrong and Vernon ( contaminated water?)
the areas to stay away from IMO in Vernon would be towards the OK Landing ie sewage plant , Happy days store ... that area , Alexis park area ... lower east hill and downtown area in general , just because it is easy access for the lowlifes .

[Tuffcity]

Surprised no one has mentioned the Lavington (even Lumby) area. Easy access to a ton of mountain lakes, lots of creeks into the Monashee's. Close enough to Vernon and the hwy south.

RC

[finngun]

Jilrot....dont buy anything before ya check blind bay,,,,bit over hour to airport,,skiing little more,,city salmon arm 25 km..
good hunting near,,fishing right here shuswapa,,,,,,vernon very hot dry summers...boiling........house market good here,,
i know really good thrustworty realto here...giwwme shaut...f..g

[Dirty Steve]

I'm in Armstrong and I love it. You can still buy an acreage for under $500K, it's only 12 minutes to the north end of Vernon and there's some amazing hunting around here. Crime in Armstrong is pretty much no existent, the worst think that happens is the odd grow op in the hills. Awesome place to bring up kids!
Westshore Estates, Killeny beach, Estemont ( all down Westside Rd ) are all awesome places with killer value! It's a bit of a drive to Vernon ( 30 mins ) but there are still amazing houses for $400K
Lavington Lumby is great value also and gateway to the Monashees, Aberdeen plateau etc...
Each area has some killer hunting!
The real estate market in Vernon has gone nuts in the last 2 weeks, almost everything is going to multiple offers and well over asking price. Some of the outlying areas aren't quite as busy but there is a major lack of inventory in the North Okanagan right now that is driving the market.
Let me know if you want some help, I would be happy to send you some listings and have a good chat. I'm with RE/MAX in Vernon.
Brent 250-549-0023

[souwester]

Good luck with your move.Something i cant stress enough is that once u actually move and decompressfrom big city having to drive 2 or 3 hours nust to deer or bird hunt alone is going to start bothering you.
Doesnt seem bad right now but trust me your outlook will change.
Good luck.

[bigredchev]

Now don't everyone go and say it's good because then it will become a Hotspot and be like Kelowna. I'd like it just big enough to fit in my back pocket

[jlirot]

Thanks for all the good comments. I agree that driving a couple of hours for outdoor 'activities' is a pain. But, I have to compromise with the wife. She wants to be near a town - and near skiing.

Dirty Steve has hooked me up with some properties to look at. I'm hoping to go see some in a couple of weeks.

[jlirot]

Wifey found a place in Lumby she really likes. It's in 'town' and no outbuildings - but it's nice...

[Salty]

I like Lumby nice lakes and hunting in about any direction. And Vernon's only a half hr or so away for better shopping to keep the wife happy. Silverstar not far away there's the odd deer nearby too I've heard ;) Buy the house ..

[britman101]

I am very familiar with the Vernon area as I grew up there. Thirty to forty years ago, it was still a good place for upland bird hunting both pheasants, hungarian partridge and quail. But urbanization took care of that along with stringent no shooting laws as you cannot discharge a firearm within the the city limits, of both Vernon and Coldstream now. Fishing can be fair to good, but all the mountain lakes have increased pressure on them. However, if you are into skiing and golfing there are plenty of areas to do that within the area. Just make sure if you buy a house in the Vernon area, to get one with air conditioning, as it will make the hot summers bearable. My two cents worth.

[S.W.A.T.]

Thanks for all the good comments. I agree that driving a couple of hours for outdoor 'activities' is a pain. But, I have to compromise with the wife. She wants to be near a town - and near skiing.

Dirty Steve has hooked me up with some properties to look at. I'm hoping to go see some in a couple of weeks.

2hrs from Vernon for outdoor activities?

My daughter lives there and you can drive 10min and be miles away from everyone. Good place if you can stand the heat and no shortage of outdoors and outdoorsman.

[Moose63]

Have you considered towns near or at Comox, Vancouver Island?

Near an airport. Excellent river and tidal fishing nearby.

Mt Washington has a ton of snow.

Decent deer hunting.

Mild weather all year long.

[jlirot]

I'm good with VI - my wife isn't. I would have already have bought something in the Comox valley. But, the skiing is iffy and wifey hates the ferry ride...

Lumby is HOT. But, what the hell.

I just really want a nice outbuilding. Gotta check the zoning stuff to see what I can do.

[Salty]

While you're checking stuff jlirot find out how the property did for flooding this spring. Hopefully its high and dry but there were some homes flooded in Lumby iirc with the spring floods this year (and all over the Okanagan).

[RadHimself]

I grew up about 3 blocks from the sewage plant... ok landing in vernon, we never had problems. Dont attract attention, dont receive it.

Ill put it to you this way... compare the valley, especially kelowna to a toilet bowl... in the bottom, the sh!t is switling in a whirlpool... gotta get up on the outside edges away from it and life is good.

the place is beautiful... the people leave alot to be desired

[jlirot]

I hear banjos out there - but that's ok. I'll only be there part time for now.

House is on a hill overlooking (way in the distance) the shit pond.

[thepitchedlink]

Lumbys cool. I've been here 10 year now. Lots of hunting pressure, but lots of area to get away from it too....Drop me a PM is your coming to look at houses. I live on the "hill" as well

[jlirot]

Tell me about Barriere and Lake Pinantan....:D

We've mostly cut out the Osoyoos area from consideration and opened up the front on Kamloops/Sun Peaks. I'm looking at places tomorrow. Seems like a bit more bang for the buck.

[bigredchev]

when we went to make our push into the interior we found kamloops and surrounding area is 15 to 20 percent cheaper prices when comparible and ever better when you have acreage. also, kamloops has more jobs which was a huge push for me.

vernon area is great, its defiantly and up and coming in the interior as the dowtown shows but i feel its more a retirement and destination area so the prices reflect that.


you cant go wrong with both. when i went to lumby to look at places, i really liked the trinity loop. that area was ideal for me, 35 mins to vernon and your own slice of heaven.