No Profanity *** No Flaming *** No Advertising *** No Anti Trappers ***NO POLITICS
No Non-Target Catches *** No Links to Anti-trapping Sites *** No Avoiding Profanity Filter


Home~Trap Talk~ADC Forum~Trap Shed~Wilderness Trapping~International Trappers~Fur Handling

Auction Forum~Trapper Tips~Links~Gallery~Basic Sets~Convention Calendar~Chat~ Trap Collecting Forum

Trapper's Humor~Strictly Trapping~Fur Buyers Directory~Mugshots~Fur Sale Directory~Wildcrafting~The Pen and Quill

Trapper's Tales~Words From The Past~Legends~Archives~Kids Forum~Lure Formulators Forum~ Fermenter's Forum


~~~ Dobbins' Products Catalog ~~~


Minnesota Trapline Products
Please support our sponsor for the Trappers Talk Page - Minnesota Trapline Products


Print Thread
Hop To
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447560
02/01/19 07:49 AM
02/01/19 07:49 AM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 92
Central IL
P
Page Offline
trapper
Page  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 92
Central IL
I'm with Eagleye on this one. I was actually enrolled for forestry and about to quit my job for school when I saw the pay scale...
My wife is a surveyor and civil engineer, lots of time outdoors, good pay and opportunities to go in many different directions.
Good Luck! Regardless of what you do go all in and don't give up on it.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447564
02/01/19 07:51 AM
02/01/19 07:51 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
P
pcr2 Offline
"Twerker"
pcr2  Offline
"Twerker"
P

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
you have a love of the outdoors and some experience in nature.never make a biologist.









Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447633
02/01/19 08:55 AM
02/01/19 08:55 AM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,082
east central WI
D
Dirty D Offline
trapper
Dirty D  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,082
east central WI
One last point thats hinted at but has not really been answered.

Is ones past experience in hunting/fishing/trapping worth anything on a resume?
Logically you'd think so but for the most part your dealing with Gov't employees.
The higher up usually means more education, these are the ones that do the hiring.
They put more value in education than experience. Its not unique in Wildlife Biology.

So I'd bet between 2 applicants the one with more experience in the outdoors and less formal education is at a disadvantage to one with less outdoors experience but more formal education.

Maybe some of the guys employed in the field could give their .02 on this.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447661
02/01/19 09:22 AM
02/01/19 09:22 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,593
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline
trapper
waggler  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,593
Alaska and Washington State
^^^^^^^^^^
I think you're onto something there. Nearly all of the government employees I've dealt with in any natural resource oriented job seem to be outdoor wannabes. Many of them actually view folks the like us with a degree of disdain.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447688
02/01/19 09:45 AM
02/01/19 09:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,898
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,898
Idaho, Lemhi County
Obviously I'm old school. Yes, I have multiple degrees in wildlife management. Started professional field work when I was 15 on large predators. Have been in the game nearly 50 years. Through the years, I've been on many hiring teams or singly responsible for hiring technicians and professional biologists, even hiring of "bosses". To me, the university education is important for the applicant just to qualify for the job. However, most important to me, and absolutely why I have hired those that I did, was 1) their field experience, and 2) whether or not they were indeed consumptive users of the resource. Not how many degrees they had. There are many thousands of PhDs and Post-Docs out there that, in my book, are absolutely a joke, as they don't have the practical knowledge that one gets only from the field. As Waggler has stated, nothing but wannabees. I recently was on a hiring team for a state Fish and Game Department. The candidate that was hired as the statewide Furbearer Biologist was not the one with the most university education, but was clearly (to all of us on the hiring team) the one to hire, as his trapping background was infinitely superior to the rest of the field. Although I've been paid (meager) wages by various governmental entities, I like to think that I've never worked for an agency. I've always worked for the resource.

Keep that in mind Nikolas, and you'll do well.

Jack


Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447721
02/01/19 10:19 AM
02/01/19 10:19 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 129
ohio
R
rod-dog Offline
trapper
rod-dog  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 129
ohio
Find a path you want to take, don't look back you've already been there...keep your head up and start hustling... I've always told my kids that as long as your feet are moving after everyone else has stopped...you will have success regardless of the the occupation you choose....p.s. don't blink...you'll be 60...Rod

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Gulo] #6447737
02/01/19 10:33 AM
02/01/19 10:33 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,989
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Online content
"American Honey"
Sharon  Online Content
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,989
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Originally Posted by Gulo
Obviously I'm old school. Yes, I have multiple degrees in wildlife management. Started professional field work when I was 15 on large predators. Have been in the game nearly 50 years. Through the years, I've been on many hiring teams or singly responsible for hiring technicians and professional biologists, even hiring of "bosses". To me, the university education is important for the applicant just to qualify for the job. However, most important to me, and absolutely why I have hired those that I did, was 1) their field experience, and 2) whether or not they were indeed consumptive users of the resource. Not how many degrees they had. There are many thousands of PhDs and Post-Docs out there that, in my book, are absolutely a joke, as they don't have the practical knowledge that one gets only from the field. As Waggler has stated, nothing but wannabees. I recently was on a hiring team for a state Fish and Game Department. The candidate that was hired as the statewide Furbearer Biologist was not the one with the most university education, but was clearly (to all of us on the hiring team) the one to hire, as his trapping background was infinitely superior to the rest of the field. Although I've been paid (meager) wages by various governmental entities, I like to think that I've never worked for an agency. I've always worked for the resource.

Keep that in mind Nikolas, and you'll do well.

Jack





Very well articulated , Jack. This is also very true for a number of other occupations in life ....thank you.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447744
02/01/19 10:44 AM
02/01/19 10:44 AM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,132
Asheville, NC
C
charles Offline
trapper
charles  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,132
Asheville, NC
Find someone who has your dream job. Ask them if they will talk to you about their career progress and opportunities.

Most National Parks have a biologist. They get moved around but probably get paid well and have excellent benefits. Pensions become very important in your later years. Paid health insurance is breat bebefit too.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447777
02/01/19 11:30 AM
02/01/19 11:30 AM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 438
South Dakota
R
Rhino7 Offline
trapper
Rhino7  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 438
South Dakota
There are plenty of jobs for young people with a Wildlife Management/Biology degree. BUT, you have to be willing to move around. It amazed me how many guys thought they would get the "dream job" in their hometown or right down the road-it doesnt work like that. Ive lived in many different states working for different Gov agencies and doing alot of really cool stuff, but it sure as heck wasnt in my hometown. Get your degree and work your butt off to do what you. Spraying weeds for a summer might sound terrible but its about the connections you make along the way and showing people that you have a work ethic. In the big scheme of things the wildlife world is pretty small and good word can spread fast. Also, good work experience CAN count more than education if you've got good references and have the right experience. Good luck and remember that hard work does actually pay off

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447801
02/01/19 12:12 PM
02/01/19 12:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,631
Armpit, ak
D
Dirt Offline
trapper
Dirt  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,631
Armpit, ak
Since you are good at math, and if you like probabilities and statistics, look at becoming a biometrician.

Although you mentioned you like social studies, this should help you if you chose to become a bio-politician. Ton of work for these.


Who is John Galt?
Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Rhino7] #6447806
02/01/19 12:16 PM
02/01/19 12:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,906
East-Central Wisconsin
B
bblwi Offline
trapper
bblwi  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,906
East-Central Wisconsin
I received a degree in wildlife ecology and natural science and minored in dairy science. I worked on a farm for 2 years and taught technical school farm management and UW ag extension for 37 years. I would have liked to have been a wildlife biologist with an agency but the number of applications during the early 1970s was huge. I have been able to use my wildlife and natural science background considerably even if I was not directly employed in the field. Having a consumptive use background would be a great asset in the wildlife and biology field but we also have to understand that with the current state of state and national attitudes toward the value of science at many levels you take what is available for the jobs that are listed. I got to know many biologists in agencies over time and we shared much about our careers and the politics within mine and theirs.
I also feel that the trend toward softer natural science if you will shows the cultural shift in our society of many wanting to share in the outdoors but not be consumptive users. We do however have to instill in all the need to manage populations and ecosystems for the good of all and that in many cases includes managed harvests.

Bryce

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: bblwi] #6447812
02/01/19 12:25 PM
02/01/19 12:25 PM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,941
American In the Pyrenees; Fran...
S
swift4me Offline
trapper
swift4me  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,941
American In the Pyrenees; Fran...
Lots of good advice given, especially from the likes of Gulo. I graduated in 82 in Fisheries Biology at a time that jobs in California were like hen's teeth for white males. I was a fly fishing guide at the time and stayed with that track and it worked out well for me and my future bride. Out of several room mates I had at the end of college, two ended up doing well in Wildlife jobs with USFWS as refuge managers, two did well in range management and one other found another road instead of Fisheries. That said, none of them, even my brother after 40 years with the Forest service ending up at a high level, ever made as much money as they would have in other lines of work as mentioned by others. In my case, I would have never had the chance to make what I did in a government fisheries job.


At least in California, but no doubt other states, there is a huge lack of real outdoor experience in Fish and Game employees. Your life experience so far and that you will continue to gain will be a plus.


It is a decision along the way and not the last. Do what feels right and continue to be hungry. If another opportunity shows itself you'll know what to do at the time.

Good luck.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6447825
02/01/19 12:49 PM
02/01/19 12:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,593
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline
trapper
waggler  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,593
Alaska and Washington State
One thing you might want to do is to take a year off after high school and seriously look into several different fields. Don't just look at the year as an excuse to play, but have a serious plan, don't waste the year. Maybe go to Alaska during the summer and work at a fishing lodge, early fall work for a guiding outfit, later in the fall see if you can shadow a fish or wildlife biologist in your home State, get a hold of one of the mineral exploration companies working in the northern Midwest and see if you can shadow one of their geologists in the spring, etc, etc..

This may sound like a lot of work, it is, but it's better than spending four or more years racking up a bunch of student debt, and then find you have a degree in a field that you don't really like working in. I've known a lot of young folks over the years who have made hasty decisions right around high school graduation time just because they felt pressured to "figure out what you're going to do with the rest of your life". IGNORE THAT PRESSURE.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6448076
02/01/19 06:55 PM
02/01/19 06:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 328
Southwestern PA
C
coalminer7755 Offline
trapper
coalminer7755  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 328
Southwestern PA
I have a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries biology. I worked with my degree for about two years. I never made any "real" money, but job satisfaction was high. I couldn't afford to go back and get my master's degree so started pipelining and now I've been in the coal mine for about 15 years. Like everyone has said job satisfaction faction will be great, monetary not so much. Follow your heart and do what you love to do. I wanted a house and more and realized I'd never afford it working seasonal technician jobs.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6448104
02/01/19 07:31 PM
02/01/19 07:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 133
Minnesota, USA
B
BORGY Offline
trapper
BORGY  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 133
Minnesota, USA
Go with your interests, especially if you are not financially committed to anything in life yet. You will be so much happier in life doing something you have interest in, than something that pays well. So many different avenues you could go down.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6448463
02/02/19 12:53 AM
02/02/19 12:53 AM
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 882
NE NE
W
Wife Offline
trapper
Wife  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 882
NE NE
80 % of the folks working in the U.S. are NOT doing what they were either schooled at or want to do. The capitalistic system we live in affords a good wage for those will marketable skills in all fields - no brainer there. So lots of folks cast aside (or change) their chosen profession for a bigger paycheck which is not bad in my view. Once you become attached to a governmental agency you will have to make some political compromises that benefit political agendas and probably put the resource needs at a distant 2nd,,, so you may as well condition yourself for that. Telling it like it is biologically may not help your career (ask Major Boddicker). Privately you will start at the bottom or below and work up even with a masters degree so be prepared. With a degree in F&W management from MSU in 1980 I was in one of the last true science classes utilizing Bio-stats, Integral Calc, organic Chem. and all types of wildlife anatomy to gain some hard data for estimating wildlife needs, numbers, and trends (any of you old guys on here remember T-tests, paired T-tests, F-tests and how about the intrinsic rate of natural increase?). Heavy in math and stats. You may end up working with T&E species and watching "useful" wildlife go by the wayside as it is not "fashionable" in the current climate. Privately you will have to please the boss by showing some results that increase what he/she wants (more is better right?) so you will actually manage the habitat to mange the fish and wildlife. Never ceases to amaze me that people don't know the 3 categories that make up habitat and can't equate that 1 of those is limiting a population number. If truly interested in this job type, get to know the folks at the local government F&W agency and try for a summer job ----if you have to volunteer for a few hours/week then do so as when the time comes they will know who you are in that candidate pool. If interested privately do the same but you will be asked to multi-task more so some industrial arts classes will help get your tech skills polished. I just retired after 34 years w/USDA in the ag sector but handled a lot of projects (design and funding) that were F&W oriented. Prior to that I worked on a private fish farm and for a County Conservation District. Not much money but a heck of a ride..... the mike ......P.S. Harvested some fur along the way too!!!!!

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6448487
02/02/19 03:05 AM
02/02/19 03:05 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,898
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,898
Idaho, Lemhi County
Don't let school interfere with your education...


Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Gulo] #6448519
02/02/19 06:35 AM
02/02/19 06:35 AM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 443
West Virginia
S
Sshaffer Offline
trapper
Sshaffer  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2017
Posts: 443
West Virginia
Please do not take this negatively. I wish you the best in whatever your endeavor is.

My high schools days ended at 11:00 am in 1975. Yes I graduated. I went to work at 12 noon that day. Dead end job @$2.35 hr.

For the next 12 years I kept working and looking for a better job. 12+ years later I landed a job with great pay/benefits.

While there I turned my vacation (trapping) into my vocation (nuisance wildlife business).

I kept my full time job.

I retired 5 days short of 56 yrs. old. I have not one dime of debt. I was married 3 times so I had some financial setbacks.

Point is while higher education is great. It is not necessary. If invested in stocks, the amount of money for college would return a ton of money when you are retirement age.

Fact: 8 of every 10 millionaires are now created through 401KS. Average time: 25-28 years.

That said if you make a career out of something you love it can take away some of the love from that activity.

I wish you well.

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Sshaffer] #6448647
02/02/19 09:19 AM
02/02/19 09:19 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,906
East-Central Wisconsin
B
bblwi Offline
trapper
bblwi  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,906
East-Central Wisconsin
The idea of taking a year off to find one self is a luxury many of us that graduated HS in the mid 60s or early 70s could not afford. The draft was a real factor in our lives. I enrolled in college in 1966. I was poor and needed to work 24-3 hours per week while attending the university. So I did learn how to work and study so in some ways it was a valuable lesson for me. Ninety percent of life is how you deal with what happens to you not what happens to you.

Bryce

Re: Marketable wildlife biology [Re: Nikolas] #6448853
02/02/19 02:17 PM
02/02/19 02:17 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,119
WI
N
nimzy Offline
trapper
nimzy  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,119
WI
I took Gulos advice and never let school interfere with my education. Although been trying to find myself for 30 years.

Some things can’t be taught...happiness. Trapper Jake claims, good woman, good dog and a good horse is all a man needs.

Passion is a powerful commodity I followed my heart after testing “traditional” means of living. It worked out for me, even managed to collect a few dollars along the way.

Life is too precious not to enjoy.

Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread