Have any of you ever taken time off from work with out pay to hunt? I usally end up short on the vacation time towards the end of the year and havea couple of times taken time off with out pay...I get 3 weeks per year. The company I work for usally has mandatory down time that never matches with my needs so it burns up the time. What do you do?

Being self employed ,that is the case every day I take off. Now that the kids are grown and I do not worship the cash as much ,I now take most of the hunting season off.I am just as poor as when I was young but much happier. Those high priced hunts I did like 3 tripes to alaska I had to work for 2 years straight and every other weekend to cover the expense of a DYS hunt for moose or caribou,but would do it again if I had to save for a hunt like that .I do not know how I will ever do a required guided hunt like grizz, sheep or goat but I'll find a way someday.My next dream hunt is for goats.Keep working and dreaming and You can do it.


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Im also self employed. My busy season just happens to NOT be during the hunting season. Its great.

I am also self employed and I have free time, sometimes too much free time[:@]

I think that this is going to be the case for me this year. I have an elk trip planned in September and that is going to take all of my personal time. I cannot miss the Michigan rut so I have to find a way to make up some time or save some cash to make it past the 1-2 weeks I take off during the rut. Can't wait!!

The company I work for had restrictions on vaca. time, not to be taken from April 1 - Aug. 1. I, however have a gobbler chasin' addiction thatrequires at least a week every April. It took 3 years of unpaid timebefore they eventually realized I wasn't gonna be a team player . . .they now make exceptions for hunters.

I go hunting. If they wanna fire me so be it.

I'm all about time off w/o pay. I really think our culture is way too work oriented, I love when someone's excuse is I have no more vacation time left, of I only have a few days left etc...whatever the bs is, and yes i know some people have to work, though really they could reorganize and gain some days I'm quite sure. Course I don't have many responsibilities, so when you can't tell the boss to shove it, you're kinda stuck in a dilemna.

PS- I took almost 2.5 weeks last fall, NM elk. Though I don't plan to do that again.

I havn't taken days off w/out pay, but have bought an extra weeks vacation
several years in a row.Whatever it takes to get more days off for family and
my time hunting.

PS- salukipv1.....how are the saluki's going to look this fall?