2nd Government Trapper Job Opportunity

The South Dakota program has another Wildlife Damage Specialist position available, this one is located in Belle Fourche SD.

Deadline for applications is 4/07/2022

NOTE.. This is a second position and is completely separate from the one in Ft.Pierre. You must apply for each one individually.

You can contact the Supervisor at 605-391-1576 with any questions.

Apply online at the link below..

https://sodakprod-lm01.cloud.infor.com:1443/lmghr/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=HGE

Thank you for posting this. This is the district adjacent to mine, I am pretty familiar with the area and workload if anyone has any questions feel free to message me as well. Hope we can get a good guy in there fast so I don’t have to cover it all summer!

TTT

Up for the Sunday night crowd, all of these pictures are from the same county that this position is located in just to give an idea of the terrain.

Nice it look's like it might be pretty decent mule deer country.

I have reviewed the compensation packages and job duties that was posted. It seems there is considerable turnover in those positions. Many are stating compensation packages are not high enough. What other aspects of the career may also cause frequent turnover. I don't know if there is a tier system or ladder of up word movement in these government positions or not, so I don't know what most would be leaving to do or is there up word potential?
Thank you,

Bryce

I don't get it most people think this is such a low paying job,38K to 45k for doing something you love to do is a decent wage.Cost of living is moderate,work truck,gas card,work traps and snares etc.Yes there will many long days and lots of windshield time some stress,but what job doesn't have that.Yes you can get a $45k to $60k or more doing a lot of different jobs,but will you be has happy and rewarded by helping rancher's etc.Hope you guy's get a good person to fill that job!

The reason this position is opening is because the guy is transferring to another duty station closer to family, and that station opened because that guy took a full time gunner position in Pierre.

oh to be about 25 again and land that job

Might want to check with HR on policy with trapping on personal time if a fur trapper applies? It has been forever and a day (20 years) since I looked at the government trapping jobs in this area. The pay was a joke and not permitted to trap on personal time unless on extended vacation in a different part of the state from assigned area, etc. Also, not supposed to keep any fur caught on the job for personal use/sale.

If I was in better health I would apply.

Kids, houses, gas, food, vehicles, saving/investing for retirement ect is more and more all the time. Especially in the past year. 40k used to be decent, but it is entry level unskilled pay now in a lot of circumstances. Thats not meant as an insult to anyone, its just a fact. It’s an undervalued position that deserves more. Hopefully someone realizes that and gives it to them.

Took these this morning just north of there, to give you an idea of what the country looks.

Big country with few roads.





This one looking down the river, the next road is 16 miles distant.




Even have a tree here and there.

Are you using No BS footholds in those pictures?

No.

I run a lot of #4 Monty’s this time of year before the ground gets hard again and I’m making more trail sets.

Mostly run #3s when the grounds hard, which is about 11 months of the year here.

Yes, one downside of this position is the fact that you’ll be in close proximity to a dirtball such as Boone.

Boone I thought you were in North Dakota?

I’m everywhere.

Lol change that to Montana

Boone thanks for posting those pictures. I sure miss that country where your at. Spent a lot of time up there in my younger years.

So if trapping during trapping season can you keep them for fur?

Most of the time no from what I understand. But you can give them away so they don't go to waste.

All fur taken on the job goes into our budget. You can fur trap on vacation.

Up for the last time, job closes tomorrow.

Chris, do you know how many applicants there typically are for these positions? I imagine it varies quite a bit, but seems like a good opportunity for an outdoors person. Seems to me that a lot of those positions were held for years by the same person. Has that changed also? Thanks!

Old coy, yes it varies wildly. I've seen from as few as a dozen to over 60. I believe it depends a lot on the district, remoteness of the duty station, species worked on, local housing cost, job opportunities for wives etc.. Years ago it was considerably higher... coming out of the "fur boom" in 88 when I hired on I was told there were over 200. With the crash in 87 lots of full time fur trappers were looking for a way to continue trapping for a living. Not so much anymore.

You are also correct that the "old guard" stayed in these positions for decades. It was their life style. We went many years without any vacancies. The younger generation seem to move from job to job and even switch careers far more often. It appears to me this reality applies to all trades not just these trapping jobs. Times change.

BTW, today is the deadline to apply for this position.

Chris, thanks for the info. I am only a bystander now, retired 4 years ago, and only thinking about past decisions. Half my family came from the Rapid City area. We left when I was in grade school and we moved to Nevada. Some still live in the area. My dad worked for the state in Pierre for 30 years. Lots of water under the bridge I guess! Anyhow, I hope you all get some great people hired!