• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Work/Free (hunting) time balance

Hardly_Hangin

Hardly_Hangin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Messages
426
Location
Jasper, Ga
Wondering if anyone on here is living the dream for me - who's got the best job schedule here for hunting? What sacrifices/compromises did you make to have that ability?

Scale from 0 to 10, how much time does your job allow you to not be there

0 = basically none, youre on call all the time and cant enjoy/take vacation

5 = weekend warrior, with 3-4 days PTO scattered around just for hunting

10 = You just have it made and can hunt literally to your hearts content
 
5-6 , I get out strategically usually leave early once a week & Hunt weekends if I have good conditions. I do side work like a maniac through the summer & before turkey season. Then I hunt when I can, also make sure I take a couple days & plan to go hunting then just stay & hang out with the family it’s fun & great points! Just don’t be a martyr about it......
 
Same as above for me. I'd say 6. Lots of time I can schedule off but family comes first. Chasing pine goats is a very close second though.
 
Probably a 7 or 8. I work three 12s a week typically. So I can hunt a couple couple days during the week and most weekends. Usually burn a couple of weeks of PTO during deer season. Downside is that I have to work some holidays and weekends. Having a newborn and clinicals this season will complicate things a bit. But my wife doesn't mind if I'm gone a weekend here and there to hunt.
 
I hunt after work a time or two a week early season untill daylight savings. Then it’s mostly weekends but I take a trip out west 10-14 days every year. I’d day I’m a 6 of 10.
 
I would have to say 7 or 8. I do AC work in Texas, it does not get too cold here and I put my busy time in during the summer. My schedule is pretty flexible during the winter. We only have 2 seasons in Houston...... summer and next summer!
 
I typically work 6am-2pm m-f so up until day lights savings time I'm able to get in the woods 3-5 times during the week plus Saturday(hunted 6 straight days 3 weeks in a row last year). After that I'm forced to be a weekend warrior but will sneak out a little early to get a hunt in. Currently have 8 pto days set aside for November. I'd say I'm 7-8.
 
My job is flexible. I never use sick leave or vacation and have plenty comp time to take off when the surf is good or when our freezer is getting low..... but maimly my life is dictated by a 18month old and my wife.... we both work full time so the only day we have together as a family is sundays. If i hunt i have to take off when we have childcare during the weekdays.

Balancing work, family, and personal time is a juggle im still trying to figure out... any tips?
 
I have 80hrs vacation each year....I rarely miss any work so I usually save all that for hunting season but this year I've used up almost all my time with this stupid rona virus and school being closed....I hoping to change occupation sooner rather than later and get lots more time shooting at critters
 
Hardly_Hangin said:
Wondering if anyone on here is living the dream for me - who's got the best job schedule here for hunting? What sacrifices/compromises did you make to have that ability?

Scale from 0 to 10, how much time does your job allow you to not be there

0 = basically none, youre on call all the time and cant enjoy/take vacation

5 = weekend warrior, with 3-4 days PTO scattered around just for hunting

10 = You just have it made and can hunt literally to your hearts content
Click to expand...

Good feedback - right now on this scale im a 5, but my commute is an hour one way so no hunting weekday evenings unless i leave pretty early.

The main reason i asked, if i get promoted then its a slippery slope down that scale. Right now im a project manager and its a rat race, but if i go into sales its nonstop. It seems like the only way to be successful at this company is to work yourself to death
 
I'm about 7-8. In fact this week I have been planning out my vacation time to officially submit it.

Right now I'm looking at taking 3.5 weeks off for hunting scattered throughout Archery and Rifle and in two states.

Although I have the vacation time to use, the part I'm struggling with is the nightmare of what happens while I'm off and things get piled up or handled improperly. Unfortunately I'll probably spend my mornings and evenings afield but the rest of the time sorting through work email and dealing with emergencies.

So, I agree with your thought that if you have a position that isn't just 9-5, it can really affect your ability to hunt even if you have the vacation time.
 
My old job was probably a 7 and I recently downgraded to a 6. Lost a couple days of PTO and some flexibility with a 15th month close deadline every month I can't blow off. 15 PTO days really don't go very far when you fish also and waste spend a week at the beach to keep wife happy. I can get out a couple days a week after work and all day Saturday. I am more "limited" in a sense by having a young family than I am by my job. I hope within 10 years or so I am in a position to basically take a month off during the season and ramp my travel hunts back up.
 
Hardly_Hangin said:
Good feedback - right now on this scale im a 5, but my commute is an hour one way so no hunting weekday evenings unless i leave pretty early.

The main reason i asked, if i get promoted then its a slippery slope down that scale. Right now im a project manager and its a rat race, but if i go into sales its nonstop. It seems like the only way to be successful at this company is to work yourself to death
Click to expand...

The rat race, I learned a long time ago that chasing the money, or in my case the scientific publications, is not worth the time you get to spend doing the things you love whether that's hunting, fishing, hiking, spending time with family. Or all of the above, as is in my case. I have an amazing relationship with my 9 year old, and hope to build the same with my 4 week old because I decided that my happiness was more important than a huge paycheck or scientific prominence.

As for your scale there is more to the decision than just work. As. college professor with hunting grounds as close as 45 minutes from me to 20 hours, I could hunt weekends and several days during the week. But I also have to take into account time with my woman and time with my boys. Fortunately, for me, My woman knows what time in the woods means to me (and she really wants a bear rug) so she actually encourages me to get out into the woods.

I would say I am a 5-7.

Good idea to get people to reflect on this. I try to maximize my time to the best times to be successful. For bear that's early bow season, for deer that's the rut.
That;s just me though.
 
I used to be a 7/8 as my last two positions I was able to negotiate 4 to 5 weeks of vacation when I started. However, about a year ago I took a new position and the company policy is two weeks of vacation from the top down, regardless of how long you have been there, no negotiating.

It was a tough decision but I like what I'm doing a lot better and I still have the ability to work from home on occasion, which allows me to get out for an evening Hunt. The ironic thing is my new position is a resource manager for a large aggregate company, which opens up literally thousands of acres of private land for me to hunt, I just don't have time now.
 
I am super lucky, I have 5 weeks vacation now and my work schedule is very flexible. I do cover a lot of shutdowns and long shifts, but they are mostly scheduled so I know when they are coming. I work a lot of hours, and I can bank time easily and do all the time. As long as the work is getting done, my boss is cool.

This year here is my plan:

Sept 26 - I have a week long fly-in moose hunt in Northern Ontario (~north east of Lake Nipigon)
Oct 1 - archery deer opens (various hunting outings around my house will begin)
Oct ? - Up north annual duck hunt for a 3 day weekend
Oct 26 - I take the full week off to archery hunt the beginning of the rut around my place (before the gun hunters run the woods down)
Nov 2 - shotgun opens and I will join the orange army for a couple of days
Nov 8 - I head up to near Algonquin park to rifle hunt for 4 days at the greatest possible hunt camp
Nov 13 - I drive over to Bancroft to hunt with my close friends (this is the social end to the northern rifle hunt)
Nov 16-> Dec 31 various local archery, small game and duck hunting.
 
I'm probably an 8. Been in my current job for 30+ years so I have a decent amount of vacation available which I save for hunting season. In addition I have a very understanding wife who is okay with my disappearing for a while (she refers to it as her vacation).

I take Fridays off all through Oct. and travel to hunt three day weekends remote. I then take the first 17 or 18 days of November off and camp remote for that as well. Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks get me some more time in the tree. I also have some good hunting within 15 minutes of work so I can hunt the occasional evenings after work in Oct. Per my log, the last two years I've had between 80 and 90 sits.
 
I’d like to add to all you guys roughly 20-40, when your kids are growing up it’s a complete bonus when you get a lot of time in the woods. Most of your time is invested in taking care of your family & doing kids activities. Don’t wish it away, you’ll have a ton of time to hunt as they get to late high school & into college. Not preaching, just would’ve had a little different perspective if I had it to do over again.
 
Was a 7-8 when I was working as full time firefighter because I worked a 48 on 96 off schedule. No matter what you make sacrifices especially when you have kids, so alway make the most of it and just enjoy when you can get in the woods!! It’s a 10 now!! Retired last September and can go as I please even though I work part time as a substitute teacher. Have a great season no matter what!!:grinning:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top