I am 17 and have one year of High School left then i am off to college. i was wondering if i major in wildlife management, or wildlife biology if they are good jobs...i mean hunting and fishign, are my passions, but are they good enough to support a family and what would i do in these jobs...i mean i have an idea, but i really never thought about doing one of these till now....just curious

BassMan,

With a college education designed around the outdoors, you will have a good start. But I want to warn you, you have to be dedicated. If you opt to become a game warden, remember, you will be working all through the open seasons. there's goes your hunting and fishing. And it takes a lot of schooling. If you know a game management officer, talk with him about what all it takes. It's an important job with a lot of responsibility. Here in Mississippi, a game warden has more power than a state trooper. Troopers are limited to where they can go on their own, but a game warden can go just about anywhere he wants in his line of duty.

As far as the other jobs in conservation, maybe some others can fill you in as my knowledge about them is limited.

Russ

Not sure how crowded that line of work is. Other than a game warden, you might be able to get on with a major paper company, a company like the Quality Deer Management Association or some of the big ranches out west. The way I look at it is that you would be doing a job you enjoy and a lot of times that is as important as a little more money.

Bassman, you have a fantastic opportunity to do whatever you want. Look further into all your possibilities.
Civil Engineering gives you a lot of time outside. But so does working for the highway dept.
You know what I would look into? Surveying. Awesome opportunity to fill a definate gap in a well paying career. I would choose a college with a good wildlife management and soils program. My major would be Land surveying (which may be civil engineering) with a minor in forestry and soils.
That way you have a job that pays you well and gives you the ability to own your own business and also allows you to have a side business consulting landowners on wildlife issues (harvest strageties, food plots, timber management). Landowners don't usually have a clue what to do with their land unless they grew up on a farm.
Name your hours, make good money, spend a lot of time in the woods, talk about deer and other game EVERY DAY! Be the expert that every guy turns to for advice and even charge a modest fee for walking around their land.
If I could go back.......

Brian

I have a degree in wildlife management. I would warn you that the field is very competitive. There are ALOT of people with wildilfe degrees and it can be tough getting a permanent job. Even a CO job can be hard to get. There is alot more opportunity in fisheries right now and you do alot of the same things. Also zoology or just general biology can be good. Conservation biology also has alot of opportunities. I would warn against getting a wildlife degree unless you can keep a 3.5+ GPA through college.

Bassman,

I just completed my undergraduate degree this past May at Texas Tech University. My degree was agricultural and applied economics, but I took my electives in the range and wildlife department (both in the college of agriculture). I was also on the plant team. If you like the outdoors, this degree is very good. Most your fellow students are also hunters and fisherman. I cannot say the same for the degrees in biology or the like, which is in the college of arts and sciences. There tends to be more animal rights activists and environmentalists.

As far as jobs are concerned, there are a lot of good jobs out there. I did an internship with the NRCS-USDA for two summers. They are always hiring quality applicants here in Texas, and the pay was good. Although not all of my time was spent outdoors, probably 35% or more each week was doing something outside. The hours were also great. But that is not the only option for a range or wildlife major. There are many opportunities, not only in the government, but in the private sector also. The one thing I recommend more than anything else is doing internships. They are good experience, will allow you to make more informed decisions regarding your career, and usually result in job offers.

For more information, go to http://www.rw.ttu.edu/dept/. Also, the college as the Agricultural Recruitment and Career Center. They recruit potential students and have a lot of good info on different careers. Call them at (806) 742-2808. Ask for Angie. She can help you out.

My other option was to major in video editing and stuff along the lines of that, and minor in something along the lines with wildlife, in hopes to land a job and film hunting shows and stuff, but who know...

I would just like to say that I was going to get into wildlife management for college this year. I was going to go to Hocking College in Southern Ohio, but soon learned that wages would be tough for any job I received after getting a degree in that field. I'm not telling you to give up your dream(like I did), I'm just saying you should think about it. You have a good amount of time to think about it. Just for a check-up, I am a starting freshman at Bowling Green State University and majoring in their Exercise Specialist program.

I read this quote in a book by John Eldredge titled Wild at Heart last winter, shortly before jumping into my internet adventure.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie


Good Luck