Career Goals - Hunt Every Day in September

[I90west]

Don’t feel guilty.
Your employer would have the job opening posted before your body is cold.

Do your job but take every opportunity you can.

I need this posted on my desk as a constant reminder.

I’m also very lucky for a supportive wife who has been begging me to a get a wall tent, so she can come a long to be camp cook and do her thing. She’s honestly pushing for this more than I am. So there would certainly be non-elk hunting days throughout the month.

 

[bz_711]

I average 5.5 days to hunt elk each year currently...definitely wouldn't mind a few more days but really I'd hope that I'm tagging out and running meat home in a week or so. I'd like multiple elk hunts in Sept at some point, could be a combination of my tags and/or kids tags...but don't ever really see myself not checking in at home every 10 days or so.

My goal is probably more about trying to get a full week hunt/fish/adventure on the calendar each month year round...so many things to do and so little time.

 

[alecvg]

I did close to 7 weeks straight last season on a good draw tag. I just called into the office every day, or every other day, and walked guys through any questions they had. I did have to run home for a day to deal with an employee conflict, but aside from that, went pretty well.

 

[Dos Perros]

If you can't spend your vacation days how you want them are they even really yours?

I have a 'big important job,' but my time is my time. I go when I want and that is not up for debate or negotiation with my employer (wife and family, for sure). Like @BRTreedogs said, you are completely replaceable. Hell, we recently had a team member abruptly leave and I picked up her stuff so now I'm doing two jobs until we can find and train a replacement (months away). If any one business can't survive for a full FMLA duration of any one employee then that business should consider investing in standing up good processes that are agnostic of the individual.

 

[CB4]

Im slowly trying to work my way up to this as well. However I work in the office pretty much every day but do have the ability to work remotely as needed. Also in a managment role. This year will be my first year taking two trips out west, one in Sept and one in Oct. Both of good duration.

My plan is to eventually rent a house wherever I am hunting for a month and bring the family out. My wife stays home with the kids so it would be great for them to see some of these places as well. I would see if I can work on the weekends and maybe one day during the week and spend the rest of the time hunting.

 

[I90west]

If you can't spend your vacation days how you want them are they even really yours?

I have a 'big important job,' but my time is my time. I go when I want and that is not up for debate or negotiation with my employer (wife and family, for sure). Like @BRTreedogs said, you are completely replaceable. Hell, we recently had a team member abruptly leave and I picked up her stuff so now I'm doing two jobs until we can find and train a replacement (months away). If any one business can't survive for a full FMLA duration of any one employee then that business should consider investing in standing up good processes that are agnostic of the individual.

My job has “Flex Time Off” rather than PTO. You can take as much time as you want as long as your work is getting done.

Sounds great on the surface but really makes you feel like you need to work while you’re off and compare how much time off your peers have taken. I’d much rather have PTO.

 

[jgilber5]

My job has “Flex Time Off” rather than PTO. You can take as much time as you want as long as your work is getting done.

Sounds great on the surface but really makes you feel like you need to work while you’re off and compare how much time off your peers have taken. I’d much rather have PTO.

Have been in a similar situation. "unlimited" PTO is a scam.

 

[cnelk]

Unlimited PTO only benefits the employers.

That way they dont have to pay out any 'Vacation' time if youre terminated or leave.
Typically employers are required by law to pay out all unused Vacation time.

 

[Dos Perros]

My job has “Flex Time Off” rather than PTO. You can take as much time as you want as long as your work is getting done.

Sounds great on the surface but really makes you feel like you need to work while you’re off and compare how much time off your peers have taken. I’d much rather have PTO.

Oof, that sucks. Sounds like the policy is working exactly how the company intended it.

 

[5MilesBack]

2- Hunting elk a whole month is a grind. Big time.

No doubt about that. These days I have no problem taking days off from hunting. I've had the ability to hunt all of September for quite a few years now, but even with my best tags I'll average only 20 days in September. Most years I'll just pick a 2 week window and go.

 

[5MilesBack]

My job has “Flex Time Off” rather than PTO. You can take as much time as you want as long as your work is getting done.

When I first started working a full time job decades ago, PTO was a foreign concept to me. I just couldn't seem to grasp being paid when I wasn't working. To this day, I still would have been OK with time off without pay. My time off is worth more to me than the pay.

 

[shootnrun]

I am also a firefighter. The ability to trade shifts, combined with vacation and comp time will allow for a full month. That being said, I like to hunt lots of things, and dedicate about 2 weeks in sept, then several 1 week hunts for other critters through the fall. A full month is a grind..

 

[ndfb35]

I'm full-time military and between leave and remote work I'm able to hunt all of September but like others, I also need a few days off to break up the hunts or it isn't enjoyable.

 

[willfrye027]

I could schedule my shifts to get a month off, but that is a really long time to be away from family. It turns into a grind unless you really need a full disconnect from society for an extended period. Everyone’s different but my itch gets scratched with a solid week of hunting.

Much better to schedule 3 different 10 day hunts IMO, spread out through the season. Less demanding on the family, more anticipation, and time between hunts to reflect and plan

 

[Dos Perros]

When I first started working a full time job decades ago, PTO was a foreign concept to me. I just couldn't seem to grasp being paid when I wasn't working. To this day, I still would have been OK with time off without pay. My time off is worth more to me than the pay.

Four years ago I was 12 minutes late taking a COVID test at work (I'm one of those dirty unvaccinated types). They suspended me for the following week. It was third week July and I knew the Wyoming cutties were eating hoppers...didn't have to tell me twice the take the week off!

 

[WCB]

I sacrificed for a year at my job and made sure I carried over 80hrs. And do every year as padding for a certain scenario of getting a sheep tag or some special hunt to burn a ton of PTO on. On top of that I get 4weeks plus 88hrs of "holiday" and can buy 40hrs of additional time off. So if I ever choose to 3-4 weeks wouldn't be a huge deal for me. But like others have said...After a couple weeks of nonstop it just turns into routine and if I had my own tag in my pocket I wouldn't take it in knowing "hey I got a month" and I probably wouldn't concentrate from the start.

Now until recently I have had the option of working remote and some of my trips I would scout/hunt in the mornings and evenings and work during the day. Then even jump back on and hit some emails after hunting in the evening. That is a better option...then if I run late or just don't feel like putting in a full day of work I take hrs of PTO and not automatically a full day.

 

[TaperPin]

Having 30 consecutive days hunting is right up there with pie in the sky idea moving west will provide better hunting. 30 days straight will never be as productive as two two-week trips, or four one-week hunts, because you’ll be pacing yourself differently, ESPECIALLY if you plan on taking time out of your day to work. I have to work or don’t work, but some are trying to be all things to all people including themselves and at the end of the season it shows. They avoid the big tough ridges, or the grind to hunt multiple places, or the grind to be in position early and late. If I had to leave enough in the tank to have an entire second job, I’d end up telling them all to FO, or my performance would be so half ass I’d be invited to under perform somewhere else.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Have been in a similar situation. "unlimited" PTO is a scam.

Only if you don't take advantage of it. I have it and will end up near 300 hours taken for the year.

 

[AZ8]

This year I have a tag in the unit I live and work in, so I'll have every late afternoon/evening and both weekends. Won't cost me much in PTO.

Normally, I take 3 weeks off, with 15 days of hunting and the remaining days in travel/camp setup/scouting/camp tear down.

 

[I90west]

Having 30 consecutive days hunting is right up there with pie in the sky idea moving west will provide better hunting. 30 days straight will never be as productive as two two-week trips, or four one-week hunts, because you’ll be pacing yourself differently, ESPECIALLY if you plan on taking time out of your day to work. I have to work or don’t work, but some are trying to be all things to all people including themselves and at the end of the season it shows. They avoid the big tough ridges, or the grind to hunt multiple places, or the grind to be in position early and late. If I had to leave enough in the tank to have an entire second job, I’d end up telling them all to FO, or my performance would be so half ass I’d be invited to under perform somewhere else.

Totally agree with you from a productivity standpoint. During our two week trips now, we leave no gas in our tanks and have found success as a result. There’s no way to hunt at that level of intensity for a month.

The month long trip would be for greater immersion in the experience. I want my wife and son to come. I want to take time to play in creek with him and cook supper with my wife. I want my kids to grow up with the tradition of traveling west for elk camp each year.

I’ve killed a few elk now and I’m not quite as blood thirsty as I once was. Don’t get me wrong, I want to fill my elk tag. But I think it’s going to take longer than two weeks to get the experience I’m looking for.

Not discrediting the fact that this could sound a lot better on paper than it actually playing out in reality.