I work at a job that I despise, BUT, I get 4 weeks vacation and the daily hours thatallow me tohunt just about everyday of bow season. There is the potential that I may get a new job that would be much tolerable, but the hours and vacation would not allow for much hunting. If they do not negotiate on vacation to the point that makes me happy I will turn it down (assuming I get offered it to begin with). Am I nuts that I would stay at a job I hate, only because it pretty much allows me to hunt as much as I want? If I worked at a job(no matter how good) that didn't afford me the ability to hunt like I do now, I would go insane.

You have to weigh the pros and cons of each... I completely understand your predicament. Do you have a family? What is best for them? Will you be benefiting in any other ways other than the tolerance level at the new job? Better pay? The possiblity of more vacation time w/ length of service? I don't know your personal situation, so I can't give you my honest opinion. Young single guy? Keep Huntin'! Married family man w/ lots of other responsibilities.... Tough call.

Good luck either way!

Rybo:

This is always a tough decesion. Not to be too philosphical, but: It boils down to where you find enjoyment in your life and what is most impotant. Is it pay, benefits, vacation, hunting, family? If work drives you crazy and you can not enjoy teh hunt b/c of work, then less hunting and a better job may be best. In today's work environment, I'd think that secuity, benefits, stable and fair salary, and enjoymetn of ones job would all be important factors. How quickly can you accrue vacation at the new job?

From my personal stand point, my family has chosen to have my wife stay home from work to be the primary care giver. This increases my responsibility to work harder and be a better provider. I know I have friends that are able to hunt more than me, but that is a choice we made. I enjoy me job, but I work a minimum of 50 hrs a week. The opposite side of this is that my children are being raised by tehir parents and I do get to hunt some on the weekends. Additionally, my careeer coupled with all of our family living out-of-state, has providedme the luxury to do some out-of-state hunting.Familyvacationshave becomehunting and fishing trips for me.

Basicvally, it is a life decesion. What is important to you and will you be happier in a job you hate and hunting more or a job you MAY like and hunting less?

I'm willing to be the grass wouldn't be greener on the other side of the fence for long.

I'm not single but also have no kids. Money really isn't that big a deal either way, yes I'd like to make more, but I'm not sure broke. I am very good at seperating work from life, the second I walk out of the building, work is forgotten. While I don't know exactly how much the vacation the new job builds over time, I'm guessing it's not very good. The HR person recognized that as a big drawback of the company. I know my job now is rather generous with vacation, and I realize many places I'd go would be less, but I stillhave a minimum level I'd accept, and this place wasn't even close to hitting it.
Thanks guys I guess I just needed to hear some opinions from others who understood how I feel.

I don't think you are crazy at all Rybo,but how crazy does thejob you hate drive you? That would be the only thing I would consider.Ongoing stress is not worth itto me or my health. But if you just dislike itthen it would be worth it to me so I can run for the trees every time and anytime I want to. Thats a great freedom.
I wish you well my friend.

IMO if you're not happy, you're nuts.

I'll explain, Working is something you do to provide for yourself and family. Hunting is something you do for yourself. Missing hunting season or part of it this year but in the long run it'll likely be better for you. Instead of being happy durring hunting season when you have time off and don't have to think about work you could be happy year round.

If you truly unhappy I would keep looking even if this job offer isn't the one you want to take. Look at me. I hate my job and have had trouble getting an entry level job in the field I want to work in so I've quit my job and will be attending school full time this fall. It's never to late to change course, espicaly in the pursuit of happiness.

Good luck!

I guess it all depends on how much you hate it and how well you deal with that. I personally just work to have money to do the things that I enjoy doing. No job is going to be perfect and they are all going to have their issues so the one that will allow me the most time to do the things that I enjoy and still pays me well is the one that I am going to go with. I typically handle stress pretty well and don't really ever take work home with me. Work rarely even crosses my mind when I am off. My wife on the other hand is different and would rather work somewhere that she enjoyed working for less money. I think you just have to do what is going to make you and your family happy. For me being able to hunt and fish more makes me happy and a job is just a job. Good luck!

Rybo,
I can only tell you from my experience. I am single and dont have any kids. I am about a week away from getting out of the Marine Corps and just returned back from a 2 year tour in the middle east. I can not tell you how much in a deer hunting craze I am right now. After two years with no venison and no fresh hunting memories to look back on, I feel like I am loosing my mind waiting for hunting season to come. I would have never imagined, and maybe some of you can agree with this, that deer hunting was that important in my life. Almost an addiction. When I returned back to Marine Corps Base Quantico for seperation, the doctors told me that I need surgery on my left hip because of damage that was done when I was in the middle east. This was a HUGE choice for me.I was going to loose out on hunting again in the 2005 season. After alot of thought, I decided that I have lived with the pain for the past few months, so whats a couple more?? I decided to hold off surgery till February 2006. I know some may see this as a unwise decision, but for me I see it as a way of getting back to my normal life. From my experiences I have learned that jobs often suck, nomatter what they are (unless your a hunting guide or something cool like that) but its what you do on your off time that defines you as a person. I guess you just have to judge how much your hunting time means to you. To me its worth the pain of waiting for surgery, rather than listen to you guys ramble on about the monsters that you got this year while i am sitting at home trying to devise a trick how I can get in the woods with my crutches. I believe everything happens for a reason, so good luck in your decision, and I hope everything turns out well.

I understand the position your in completly, just remember if your hip can hold out with medication until feb do it, if it will do lifelong damage one year is not worth the next 40 if you can't walk! Thanks for keeping us safe back here at home, we love you for it. Be careful in your decision. LouLou