Careers and tradlife

[John Scifres]

I'm an Environmental Health and Safety guy for a small lithium ion battery manufacturer.  Been doing about the same for 20+ years.  I like the work but would rather be retired and living in a shack in the woods.  I have 8 years left until my mortgage is paid off and my youngest graduates from high school.  I can't see myself working full time after that.

[JSMOFFITT03]

Pretty neet stuff....  It's awesome how some people are able to work in a field they love and manage to keep it that way...  

Sorry for the typos,  my fancy phone I got for fathers day gets connected to the net better than the lap top at home.  Gonna have to fix that.

Bolong- congrats on the 38th that's awsome.  My wife and I knew eachother in highschool but didn't start dating till a few years later.  We are going on our 9th. Still in the newly wed stage in comparison.....

Scott sounds like an amazing career to me.  Kinda funny I'm in to the taxidermy thing too.  Just don't get enough to practice on.  I do a lot of euros but have yet to actually accomplish a skin mount.  If I wouldn't have missed that monster In MO with my wheelie bow that would have been my first attempt.  By the way,  I was checking out your lattice weave Armgard the other day... Absolutely beautiful work....  Anyone who hasn't seen it should go take a look in the classifieds....  I was going to contact you on possibly getting one made... I'll send you a pm....

Still looking for that dream job..... Tough to figure it out....

Keep them coming this is great stuff

[Bowwild]

I have been too blessed to even talk about it.

Wildlife biologist for 30 years (Purdue 1977). Worked IN, KS, MO and ended up Wildlife Director in KY.  Retired from that in 2007. Now Director of NASP.

God has answered my prayers so many times more than I deserve.

[brian brooks]

pipeline welder/pipefitter.22 years.Love my job.Probably another 10 years.Anyone want to hunt southern iowa/northern mo. contact me.I am off work the last week of Oct.-and the first 3 weeks Nov. on some monster whitetails.Contact me,Usually trade with someone.

[DWT]

Started out working in a machine shop right out of high school, decided I couldnt stand in one place for eight hours and went to college for criminal justice. Spent 3 years as a police officer and decided I wasnt making enough to baby sit every jerk on the planet, Left for New mexico and arizona for 4 months and spent every dime I had saved hiking and camping with a great uncle. Met a guy shooting eight ball one night and he offered me a job as an electrical helper, worked for him for couple months and returned home. Got into the Local electrical school and spent 5 more years going to school, now have a masters license and my own buisness also have a taxidermy studio after spending a boatload of money to study underneath a couple of the best Taxidermists in the country. I dont have the free time that I once did, but dont feel bad for me, went on 7 different hunting rips last last year including wolf, elk, mule deer, whitail,and week of walleye fishing in canada. Lifes a bitch.

[owlbait]

Joined the Navy out of high school, then a couple jobs till I hooked up at the paper mill for 20 years. Got bought by a company from South Africa that treated us like crap so froze my pension,went back to college and got my teaching degree. Been an Elementary teacher for 9 years, and I retire June2014. Love teaching, love the kids, the politics and our Governor suck!

[Rick Butler]

Graduated H.S. in 1970 then spent a year and a half in College but never figured out what I really wanted to do.  Quit school and 6 months later I got drafted.  Spent three years in the Army, got out and worked the line at General Motors. Knew right away I did'nt want to do that the rest of my life so I went back to school and became a Registered Nurse. Been an RN for 29 yrs. now and looking to retire next year. I work weekends only now so it leaves me plenty of time during the week to hunt and fish.

[RedShaft]

went to school for forestry but dropped out.    i now work for the railroad as a sheetmetal worker/pipefitter. i enjoy my work and the guys i work with, like a big brootherhood.

[meathead]

I have been a wildlife biologist for 10 years for the state of Indiana.  I can't imagine doing anything else.

[rluttrell]

Right out of high school started out working in a restaurant making pizza and speggite. I worked there for about 3 years and went to work in a manufacturing plant, I was a certified aluminum welder and supervisor there I was there 13 years but I knew I didn’t want to spend my entire life there.
I started taking PC classes at the local collage, I started working at a company that only had 3 pc’s when I left 2.5 later they had well over 300 in 7 locations. I went to work for an IBM business partner and have not left. I have been there over 10 years. I love my job and hate it at the same time. I love it because it’s doesn’t stay the same and I hate it for the same reason. Keeping up with the latest technology gets old.

[Zradix]

I design specialized furnaces and controls for growing single crystals...then use what I design to grow gemstones. Mostly rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds..that sort of thing.
Also do a bit of designing and growing technical crystals for different companies. Most of those end up in some sort of laser.

[owlbait]

Hey Z that sounds cool. Do you have any school /field trip opportunities there?

[Migra Bill]

I love what I do for a living. I am currently a Special Agent for Homeland Security Investigations. Working for the Feds is great retirement/medical benefits and it affords me plenty of time for the deer stand.
As a Federal Agent I will be forced to retire on my 57th Birthday. 11 years left...

[RookieBwhunter]

I have worked at a multitude of different professions.  From a crane operator in a copper company, AOL phone troubleshooter, Walmart Corp office building and configuring the computer systems for all new stores, and now working for the Federal Govt as a Prison Officer. I agree with Migra Bill about working for the feds.. great place. Only 9 more classes and I will have my degree for Computer Forensics and hoping to further my Fed career somewhere away from inmates!
Unlike most of the tradgang, I did not have any influences for hunting from relatives or friends growing up but a few years ago I jumped in head first and loving life. Now its about all I think about!

[Greg2201]

Grew up a hunter in a family of non-hunters. My first real job was at the local Sporting Goods store. That lead me to working for a major Sporting Goods Wholesaler and that lead me to becoming a Sales Rep in the Hunting/Fishing industry. I have had the opportunity to work for a variety of Archery and Firearms companies. I thought I would do that until I retired or died.

However, I had the opportunity to go to work for a local Tractor/Heavy Equp dealership near my house (About 1 mile) Which allows me to be home every night. That is a good thing with a wife and two young children.

[scedvm]

I am a veterinarian been practicing for 12 years.  The last 8 years I have been limited to equine reproduction, specifically embryo transfer.  My schedule is very grueling but very awesome at the same time.  I work 6 months straight all 180+ days without a day off but then I get 6 months off.  My work is Feb. 1- Aug. 1 so by this time of year I am worn out but an insomniac as well.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, however and I know elk season is coming!
I don't love where I live but I have a good career and life and do feel fortunate for what I have.

[Hopewell Tom]

This Fall is 36 years in the Forest Industry. Started as a "chopper" (powersaw operator), Graduate of the Maritime Forest Ranger School(1976), 15 years as a Silviculture Contractor, been on my own land (500 acres)and a few small lots of others since 1994. Live in the country on 250 of our acres and get to spend most days outside. Getting tougher (I'm 60), but love what I do and often comment that "I'm the luckiest guy I know."

[stykbow67]

My first 12yrs. out of high school were spent working for the city parks and rec dept. doing several different jobs due to budget cuts. Seemed like every year you were on the chopping block    My best friend suggested i try to become a lineman at the local power company so 17yrs later here i am and lovin it, As far as tradlife goes, let's just say the last wheel bow I owned was a Bear Whitetail II back in the late 80s.

[flightmedic]

this aug i will hit my 19 year as a profesional firefighter/ paramedic. and been a flightmedic on a lifeflight helio for 13 years, and still have more days off then my wife can find projects to do. 5 years to retire

[Whip]

I spent a carreer in banking, primarily in the lending area.  The job was good to me, and while it wasn't in an area that tied in to my outdoor interests, it did pay pretty well.  Part of fullfilling my hunting dreams required the money to do the trips I dreamed about, and for the most part the bank gig allowed me to do that.  

It also exposed me to retirement planning, and early on I had set a goal to retire early.  I met that goal 3 years ago at the age of 54, and am now living the dream!  I wasn't rich, but I was to the point that I could afford not to work full time, and now enjoy the freedom to hunt more than any man deserves.

Lots of jobs are trade offs between doing what you truly love, or making enough money to do the things you really want to do.  The ideal of course is to find a job that does both, but in my experience they are few and far between.