Warning to Transplants: The Realities of Life in Big Sky Country

It's no secret that many locals in Montana prefer minimal change. The show Yellowstone popularized the term "transplant," which I would also use to describe myself—but, of course, I think I'm one of the good ones.

Being a transplant has come up a few times jokingly, and it got me thinking about what might deter others from moving here. The following ideas target non-outdoorsy people, so you'll need to get more creative to keep folks like me from settling in.

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Here you go, local Montanans! Here's my list of five things to say to a potential transplant from a transplant!

1.) Hard Core Winters
Montana winters are no joke and not for the faint of heart. It's not uncommon for the temperature to dip into the negatives and for there to be occasional whiteouts. If they are not used to putting on the layers and toughing it out, they're in for a rude awakening.

2.) Animals are everywhere... Especially Bears
Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48. If that doesn't scare them, you can mention moose, black bears, wolves, mountain lions, and bison that can bulldoze a car (not likely, but chances are never zero).

3.) Limited Cell Service and Wi-Fi
People are addicted to their cell phones and other tech devices these days. The average person probably doesn't know what it means to be away from their phone for 10 minutes, much less for a full day! The numerous canyons and limited cell towers between cities are likely to have their devises reading "ROAMING."

4.) How far is the drive.? Well, it's far ...
In Montana, phrases like "As the Crow Flies..." translate to "you better have a full tank of gas and pack a lunch." Seriously, once you get outside the city limits, everything is a mere two-hour commitment. Meanwhile, folks from other states think anything over 30 minutes is a big deal!

5.) There is NO In-N-Out
This one is a little more specific to a particular state. Dare I say it? CALIFORNIA...
There are no In-N-Out burger joints in Montana, and the closest one is in Boise, Idaho, about 500 miles away. If the rumor is true that some Californians can't live without their In-N-Out, then this last-ditch option might be your ticket.