making a living in the outdoor?
 

is there any good careers in the outdoors?

I make a living working outdoors, but it is in agriculture.

Have you not seen the hunting shows? they make good money and all they have to do is go hunting, and not mind being a celebrity of sorts.
I think you may find getting your foot in the door much harder than finding out if its a good bis to get into though. Show biz is like that.

yeah there are great careers in the outdoors, but it takes a hell of a lot of footwork to get there.

You could become a conservation officer.

Mike

Forestry is another field that gets you out there as well.

As far as the comment about the hunting shows and all you have to do it hunt... it's waaaaay more than that.

I use to be a sponsored 3-D archer. It changed the game for me so much, my last year I gave 2 brand new bows back to the company because I lost focus why I began shooting bow to begin with.

iSnipe

Garbage man... :)

Those hunting shows make it look easy but they shoot footage for many long days to compile 5-10 minutes of useable film. I have a young cousin who has hunted on camera and hates it. Delivering lines over and over until you get it right sucks, he says. When you see the outtakes it looks like they're having fun too, but at some point it gets tiresome and it has to be done right. Plus waiting for the cameraman to give me the ok to fire would not work for me. Passing on a huge buck cause the camera guy wasn't ready, and hoping you see him again would suck!
Going into game or park management could be ok, or working where they raise trout looks good to me, cause it would save me driving to the trout stream before and after work. I have talked to a lot of guys in Missouri's trout parks, from the guys who maintain the campgrounds to the guys who raise the fish, mow the lawn, and the park cop. And they all like their jobs.

Plenty of 'em.;)

The last I heard, the Alaska State Troopers are actively recruiting.
That is about as "outdoors" as you can get.
Check their website, & good luck.

I agree with isnipe, a forester works with the harvesting of trees and soil erosion, making sure forests are properly growing/managed. Also, a wildlife biologist. They study all the habits of animals.

thank for all the responses, anyone have a job in the outdoors, they could give me details about what they do?

I wish I could say I made a living outdoors and I do make a good supplemental income as an outfitter, but I still have to work 40 hrs too. If I get my wish I will be hunting and fishing for a living in the next ten years.

what do outfitters do

game warden
State Park Police
conservation officer
park ranger
wildlife biologist

what i have it narrowed to

I'm a forester. My responsibilities include writing and implementing management plans for the management of forests. This includes setting up and administrating timber sales, cruising timber (estimating the volume of timber in a stand), an understanding of soils, wildlife, and plant communities. I also work with the public in communicating what we do and dispelling common misconceptions about what forestry is and isn't. I'm also qualified to fight forest fires and work with prescribed fire (intentional burning for management purposes), and depending on where you work, this can be either a seasonal or full-time job.

I spend a great deal of time outdoors...and it's definitely work (ie. it can be tough at times). But I love it and don't regret my career decision. Know that it requires that you be in great shape and not be bothered by the weather or terrain. If you like being outdoors under any conditions, you could do well in forestry. I've met many people that love to hunt, camp, etc. but prefer that it's on their terms...in forestry you have to go when and where the job is. It also requires that you go to school, at least a 4-year degree if you want to get anywhere. You could get a 2-year tech degree and mark timber or have a job that has a very narrow focus, but if you want variety you really need the 4-year (or higher). There are no shortcuts around the education requirement if you really want to be a forester.

If you want to see firsthand what forestry entails, my advice is to visit a US Forest Service office, state forest extension office, or university that offers a forestry program.

Realize that in most cases, you need an advanced degree (Masters or PhD) to get far, or get paid much, to be a wildlife biologist (or ecologist). Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I've met a few potential students right out of HS that had illusions that this is an easy job to get. You'll likely be working in a government job, either for a university or state or federal agency so this means there are fewer jobs in this role than in other outdoor jobs.

Not trying to discourage you in any way here...just pointing out that out of all of your suggested choices, this one will require the most schooling. Probably over half of the students that I know that started off with a goal in wildlife management eventually transitioned over to another field later one because it wasn't what they expected (too much school, different type of work than they expected, etc). Many biologists spend their 'field season' outdoors, and the rest of the year in an office crunching data. As I mentioned with forestry, my advice is to find an agency that does this, and go and meet with some actual professionals to see what they really do every day.

uphunter
you got my attention about forestry

i think the best career you can pick, if you love the outdoors, is one that gives you plenty of vacation time during the season you love the most. My buddy is a taxidermist, he must be in his shop all day and night to accept deer for mounting during deer season, he hasnt hunted in years.

One thing I haven't read yet is if you get into the police aspect of the outdoors you may as well give up hunting. Being a regular city cop or a consercation officer you are either working all the time and don't get to hunt or you are working every day during the deer season. Trust me on this one. I know what I am talking about.

As far as those guys who hunt on the Tv shows. Does anyone know how they got that opportunity? For an example. Did Michale Waddale just happen to know Bill Jordan or did he apply for the job?

Totally agree on this! The opposite can be true if you find the right job like a guy I know that works for the state. He helps landowners set up their land for the Managed Forest Law (MFL) program in Wisconsin. In exchange for tax breaks, MFL land is open to the public for hunting. So this guy is able to do his scouting while he's setting up the land for the program (cruising timber, etc). What a sweet deal! Needless to say, the bugger seems to have a primo hunting spot every year...I'm totally jealous because I can't hunt the stands that I manage (they're tribal).

they probably crossed paths somewhere along the way. im sure both of them worked to make themselves a brand. you meet the right people that way.

True about working outdoors. It's is work and not always fun. As an outfitter and guide I spend all the hunting seasons every year dealing with people more than hunting. I love scouting land and stand sites and meeting new hunters. I don't mind helping them secure lodging and tags and picking them up at airports and showing them my leases and walking some of them to stands in the early mornings. Going out after dark to haul in deer in bad weather sucks, but I like to see their deer and know when and where they got him. I don't sleep deer season anyway so a couple weeks not sleeping and working full time plus hunting is normal. But I hate that I do all this work for them, so that they have a great hunt and I seldom have time to hunt. I am happy for them when they tag turkeys and huge deer, and proud that I did my job well. But a little jealous still when they get to have all the fun while I work. The compensation of coarse is cash for me, but I wonder sometimes if it's worth it. My goal now is to hire more guides an be able to quit my 9-5 someday to take the pressure off me, so I can hunt more. But first there has to be enough money.

So if you love to hunt, don't pick a hunting job or any job that makes you unavailable to hunt. Take a job, any job that allows you the time and money to hunt.