Ever considered a career change to hunt more?

daltrix99

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My buddies and I shoot the breeze on this topic all the time. How can we find a legitimate career that allows us to take the entire fall off?

My two best friends and I are all single, so it's fun and a little more realistic to consider, but will not likely happen. We work in medical device sales for a great company, and it would be too much of a good thing to give up (as of now). That's why the brainstorming is a fun challenge; of course one could go take seasonal jobs and get this done. But what about that magical job with good pay, and good benefits, and retirement, that includes three months off in the fall?

As far as compatible professional careers go, Big Fin seems to be pretty close. Additionally, I work with surgeons, and they have quite a bit of vacation freedom, especially towards the ends of their careers.

My best friend and I come from a demanding military community, and our best idea is to do seasonal overseas paramilitary contracting. The money is outstanding, and we could find contracts that don't involve the fall. It's not off the table, but we also want families soon (I'm 30, he's 28). Not exactly great for that life. Gone for 6-8 months of the year, high risk, etc.

Entrepreneurship is the other obvious path, albeit with the massive caveat that it actually be viable. Oh and winning the lottery of course.

Anyone else ever brainstorm about this? This is a healthy relationship with hunting, right? ;)
 
I think about it everyday at work. I work 6 days a week, so my hunting days are Saturday evenings and Sundays. I'm not the best hunter but it doesn't help my struggle at being successful in the field.
 
So what you're saying is: high paying job, 3 months off in the fall. First idea is own your own company. Let employees run it in the fall. Lawn care business?
For me as a DVM, I have 4 partners so time off is no problem. The issue is whether I want to take 3 months off. I'd go nuts being away from work for 3 months.
Just my ramblings.
 
So what you're saying is: high paying job, 3 months off in the fall. First idea is own your own company. Let employees run it in the fall. Lawn care business?
For me as a DVM, I have 4 partners so time off is no problem. The issue is whether I want to take 3 months off. I'd go nuts being away from work for 3 months.
Just my ramblings.
Yeah I’ve never been away from work for more than a week or so either, so it could be crazy. But if that time was spent bouncing from tag to tag with a couple buddies?

Also, the post is obviously somewhat tongue in cheek, and the more pragmatic solution is a career that allows a higher degree of vacation freedom than most others.

I agree owning a business is the realistic way to go. I’ve never had the right idea for that route.
 
My buddies and I shoot the breeze on this topic all the time. How can we find a legitimate career that allows us to take the entire fall off?

My two best friends and I are all single, so it's fun and a little more realistic to consider, but will not likely happen. We work in medical device sales for a great company, and it would be too much of a good thing to give up (as of now). That's why the brainstorming is a fun challenge; of course one could go take seasonal jobs and get this done. But what about that magical job with good pay, and good benefits, and retirement, that includes three months off in the fall?

As far as compatible professional careers go, Big Fin seems to be pretty close. Additionally, I work with surgeons, and they have quite a bit of vacation freedom, especially towards the ends of their careers.

My best friend and I come from a demanding military community, and our best idea is to do seasonal overseas paramilitary contracting. The money is outstanding, and we could find contracts that don't involve the fall. It's not off the table, but we also want families soon (I'm 30, he's 28). Not exactly great for that life. Gone for 6-8 months of the year, high risk, etc.

Entrepreneurship is the other obvious path, albeit with the massive caveat that it actually be viable. Oh and winning the lottery of course.

Anyone else ever brainstorm about this? This is a healthy relationship with hunting, right? ;)

Lots of farms around here that need pollination. All the guys I know that run bees are hunters because the off season is in the fall and early winter. Instead of sitting around the house for months they go on big out of state hunting trips.
 
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My brother was a boilermaker. He made more in five months than the average person makes in a year and then would be done for the year and would take every fall off hunting.

He did eventually get sick of that lifestyle after a decade or so.

A friend’s father once told me:

“ Marry into money and learn to love.”

😂
 
Marry a professional (doctor, lawyer, c-suite) then be a stay at home dad. Then do some amount of work, preferably from home that allows you to earn enough so that in the fall you can afford an au pair.
This is always on the radar!
 
This is always on the radar!
The lifestyle is not without its drawbacks. You likely will need to be ok living in a major metro area and willing to pick up the pieces of someone with a very demanding career, folks with a fear or being a de facto single parent, doing most of the cleaning/cooking/finances/ etc should not apply.

Marriage is a partnership and you have to earn your time in the woods every fall.
 
Hard to beat a public sector job with a flexible schedule when it comes to time off. I've been in my current job for 3 years now, and this year I'll have taken 6 weeks off and still bank most of my annual leave.
 
Having a spouse that is supportive of a hunting lifestyle is important. Marrying someone to finance your hunting lifestyle is a risky proposition, although I'm still jealous of the guys I know who hunt year round, don't work, and live off their sugar momma.

Most avid hunters are best off having a career that you enjoy and works best for your family, and then figuring out how to best pair this with a hunting lifestyle. I love my job, so it doesn't feel like work - not everyone has this luxury, but if you can swing it, it's the way to go.

As a married father, I spend the greatest percentage of my time sleeping, then with family, work, and 4th is hunting. Even so, 90% of my hunting is 5 to 25 miles from my house, and I get out 40+ days a year due to a public sector job with lots of vacation and ability to use it whenever I want. This couples with good retirement benefits so I can retire at 55.
 
I think about this all the time! I took two years off after college (because I didnt get to hunt) to elk hunt....which back fired because I still havent gotten my first one (we have a week left right? Miracles exist...I think). The original plan was to go to medical school...but the lifestyle doesnt afford a lot of hunting time. I get a little dissuaded everytime I talk to a doctor that hates their job/life (which has been quite a few). As to being a business owner, my parents own a business and they work insane hours...so it really depends on the type of business and how you run it. Finding a decent paying job in Montana is a real struggle.
I'm still bouncing around options.

Now winning the lottery sounds like the ticket!
 
There's a number of guys that are union electricians and/or linesman that are paid very well, are laid off all fall but still get unemployment, and hunt a ton. One of them left here in September and still hasn't come home, he's been hunting and couch surfing in the west and midwest all fall going after everything that walks, runs, or flies.
 
I'll be honest, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at.

100% self employed, so flexibility and time off are non issues. BUT I've got to make 30-40k more than the next guy because
of ZERO benefits. No dental, no eye, no 401K match, no tuition reimbursement. If your not very good at saving money, I don't recommend self
employment at all. I've met very few people that save as much of their income as I do. But honestly they don't have to, due to great
benefits.
 

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