Careers and Hunting Time

[GatorGar247]

Second vote on the govt job. I’m an Environmental Project Manager for the state. Started with 4.5 weeks off a year plus 2 weeks holidays. I can grow up to 7 weeks off pretty quickly. I meet my deadlines so I have no problem getting an additional 2-3 weeks off unpaid if I want. If going the government route, you need to get a high level job through experience or a degree. Even with my PM level job, I still took a pretty big pay cut from the private sector. But I’m home every night with my family and they encourage time off instead of my private sector job that begged me to use vacation in January instead of peak hunting and fishing times - aka field work times.

I worked as a biologist at F&G for 5 years early on and was so broke I had to buy used tires for my POS vehicle - fly out hunting wasn’t even a consideration.

Rotating schedule can seem like a good deal but it’s not all rainbows. I worked a 7/7 schedule roughnecking. Everyone was divorced. A lot would start out there single, get married just fine because their spouse liked the $$$, then the dudes couldn’t take a 50% pay cut and restart a career once kids came and she would need him to walk away so it would end up in divorce. Also, how is your wife/future wife going to handle you working 7, hunting 7, then back to work 7. The same could be said for a shorter schedule where someone works 4, hunts 4, then works 4. I guess I’m just saying make sure you take into account your family/future family needs. A spouse’s attitude towards being away changes (understandably) QUICKLY once kids arrive. She may be cool with it at newlywed stage, but not once exhausted with one on the hip and one on the way. Will you be willing to potentially take a pay cut and career change to save your marriage in that case?

I almost forgot, it helps to marry a Dr. if working for the government!

I told my wife before we got married .There's 3 things I love .. Hunting ,fishing, and women.. she could pick 2 of the 3.. I've never heard 1 word about hunting or fishing in almost 20 years... A Hurricane will hit us on Wednesday night .. As long as my house don't flood I'll be headed to Colorado Saturday or Sunday .

 

[willfrye027]

ER doc. Lots of random days off during the week when wife/kids are busy, and the mountains are not crowded. Full time is around 30 hrs/week. Those hours are a grind but it’s (going to be) worth it.

Major downside is 7-8 years of post college training with very little freedom.

It’s all a trade off..

 

[midwestwi]

Hospital Security, the bigger the system the better, i’m maxed out at 39 days of time off per year. Takes 14 years to get that much (i am coming up on 18 years) But even starting out you accrue 7.5 hours every two weeks so 24 days/year. I work as much OT as possible and then take the whole works in oct, nov, dec.


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[Gobbler36]

I’m in sales with a company that offers a great base salary and commission in an industry that I make sales even when I’m not in the store and if I do a good job selling in programs before hunting season I can typically be really flexible come September, October, November.

 

[burlap]

Also recommend gov work, but as a defense contractor. You get a little less time off, just 4 weeks, but the money is close to double. Retirement options are better, too.

This is something left unmentioned. Retirement. What's getting you to your goal the fastest AND is the most advantageous to your desired lifestyle? For me, working Business Development allows me to be on "the hunt" 24/7.

 

[NY16ga]

Totally agree with what others are saying about the tradeoffs. I'm not sure there's perfect solution. It's been about five years since I quit my last 9-5 (really 8-7) job to be self-employed as an education/nonprofit consultant. I was amped to be able to hunt more and I definitely do have more flexibility now, which has allowed me to go on some great trips since then. Prior to that I was still working in schools and district central office roles so it was tough to get away in the Fall. The tradeoff is that there are peaks and valleys in my work now and it's tough to really be on vacation mentally, knowing that I might miss a big unexpected opportunity that equals months of income. It has helped when I plan carefully and work off of the few things that I can predict though, which probably applies to lots of professions. Of course, education budgets are decimated now due to the pandemic so I might be swinging a hammer again soon!

 

[Poser]

I’m in sales with a company that offers a great base salary and commission in an industry that I make sales even when I’m not in the store and if I do a good job selling in programs before hunting season I can typically be really flexible come September, October, November.

Similar here as well. To compound that, sales jobs with residue revenue built in as opposed to one time commissions.

 

[Elk97]

Working on the North Slope, either oil or environmental. A friend has spent his entire career working various jobs up there and makes great money and generally works 2 weeks on and 2 off and has paid vacation time as well. You can live pretty much anywhere, he's in WA.
I didn't have much time off at all during my working days, owned a business, long hours. But through hard work ( and some luck) I was able to retire at 58. Lots of time for hunting and other hobbies now.

 

[robtattoo]

I will tell what not to do. Don't go into the dairy business.

Any animal production sector. The cattle don't care that you want to hunt.

Any animal sector, period, full freaking stop!
Hell I own a boarding kennel/grooming salon & I can barely set foot out of the place!

 

[Opah]

When I was with the Post Office I had 6 weeks a year mandatory leave, and had maxed out my banked leave and sick leave. When I took the time off I was off for a year but still received a full check every two weeks.
Yes it was a sweet deal.

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

I do agriculture research. I am wide open from April till August. September is slow enough to take a week or two. I spend a lot of time in a tree stand. It is a salary position for a large ag company, so set vacay time, but my boss is flexible due to long hours in the summer. Its also home office based when not in the field, so time for gear, arrow building, etc. between emails and while on conference calls and such

 

[Mtnboy]

I don’t have that exact policy, however, I will say that it’s pretty loose for being structured PTO. I was promised from the get go that requests for time off would never been denied and that every employee is encouraged to use all of their PTO annually. Seeing how I have the freedom to come and go from the office at will, have never been asked how many hours I’ve worked in a week, etc, I can’t complain.

Do you have any trouble getting the time off you want/need?

Nope, I have about the same deal with my boss/company. Never once been asked how many hours a week I work or what I do all day. We work from home so as long as the results are there, I'm all good.

 

[SURVEYOR]

Professional Land Surveyor here. I have 0 employees and I work a 12 + hours a day 7 days a week when I’m busy but usually end up taking about 6 weeks off a year for hunting/ fishing and kids however the phone is usually on for 4 of those weeks. I’m also very selective about my projects and clients. Which I have found to be the key to a good bottom line and time Off.

 

[butcherboy]

If you are self employed it all depends on what you do. I own a commercial meat processing plant. On top of processing domestic livestock, we process wildgame and in the west our hunting season here starts in August and doesn’t stop until February. We are slammed right now with domestic and are booked through the end of January. It will be the first time that I will be turning wild game away. Looking to get out of processing wild game. With a good crew and good manager/supervisor, I can actually take the time I need when I draw a hunt if only butcher and process livestock.

 

[Oregon]

I always dreamed of a job that didn’t have any requirements during fall and winter.
Found it. Charter boat captain.
Last trip is Sept 30. Start again March 15th.

 

[bowhunter307]

Tax accounting. To a lesser degree, small business owner.

Unless you're like me and have a crazy busy extension season. Sucks.

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