Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Advocacy, Agencies, Access => Topic started by: Tjajwilson on January 27, 2015, 10:34:13 AM

Title: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: Tjajwilson on January 27, 2015, 10:34:13 AM: I'm only 28and I've been thinking for a while now on what I want to do when I grow up. :chuckle:
I love being outdoors and I love working with animals in the wild. I have a family of 4 and I make 40,000 a year on salary. I would love to get into working for the DNR or WDFW but I don't want to have to take a pay cut to get my foot in the door. Does anyone have ideas? I'm in the Spokane area and as long as I don't have to move to Seattle I don't mind where I have to go.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: headshot5 on January 27, 2015, 10:37:30 AM: What do you do right now? It will give us a little information into what your current skill set is... :dunno:
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: Tjajwilson on January 27, 2015, 05:08:58 PM: Right now I am an Assistant Store Manager for North 40 outfitters (Retail). I have been a butcher for 5 years off and on (mostly on the side, but full time for 5 years). I worked on a private unfenced game ranch for 6 years now cutting deer trails and planting crops for better deer hunting. we also planted pheasants and chuckers for hunters.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: bobcat on January 27, 2015, 05:30:28 PM: Pretty tough to get hired with either agency without a college education. The only thing I can think of is you could go into wildland firefighting. The hourly pay is probably not as good as you would like, but you'd more than make up for that in overtime pay. Also it's seasonal- about 6 months at best. But perhaps you could work as a butcher or get back into retail the other half of the year. It would be a good way to get your foot in the door.

They're taking applications now:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/dnr/default.cfm?action=viewJob&jobID=1011813&hit_count=yes&headerFooter=1&promo=0&transfer=0&WDDXJobSearchParams=%3CwddxPacket%20version%3D%271%2E0%27%3E%3Cheader%2F%3E%3Cdata%3E%3Cstruct%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27CATEGORYID%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%2D1%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27PROMOTIONALJOBS%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27TRANSFER%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27FIND%5FKEYWORD%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3C%2Fstruct%3E%3C%2Fdata%3E%3C%2FwddxPacket%3E (http://agency.governmentjobs.com/dnr/default.cfm?action=viewJob&jobID=1011813&hit_count=yes&headerFooter=1&promo=0&transfer=0&WDDXJobSearchParams=%3CwddxPacket%20version%3D%271%2E0%27%3E%3Cheader%2F%3E%3Cdata%3E%3Cstruct%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27CATEGORYID%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%2D1%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27PROMOTIONALJOBS%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27TRANSFER%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27FIND%5FKEYWORD%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3C%2Fstruct%3E%3C%2Fdata%3E%3C%2FwddxPacket%3E)
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on January 27, 2015, 05:34:05 PM: The more hunters to become wardens the better ...I think everyone who wants to be a warden should be a hunter in my opinion :tup:
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: Naches Sportsman on January 27, 2015, 05:35:20 PM: There is a pretty darn good school to the south of you
http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/majors-and-options (http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/majors-and-options)

If you want to work outside, I would suggest getting a temporary posisition in the summer working outside for either WCC or any agency and going to school in the off season.

You need experience and schooling to really advance in pay.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: idahohuntr on January 27, 2015, 05:43:08 PM: Quote from: Naches Sportsman on January 27, 2015, 05:35:20 PM
There is a pretty darn good school to the south of you
http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/majors-and-options (http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/majors-and-options)

If you want to work outside, I would suggest getting a temporary posisition in the summer working outside for either WCC or any agency and going to school in the off season.

You need experience and schooling to really advance in pay.
The best! :tup:

As bobcat stated, you must have a college degree...4 yr as a bare minimum and really a Master's or Ph.D to be remotely competitive. And to make any reasonable salary you will be at a desk for a good chunk of your time.

Probably the best route for decent salary and no graduate degree and lots of field time is to become a warden...very competitive though...and not sure if LE is at all desirable to you. :dunno:
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: Man Tracker on January 30, 2015, 05:16:03 PM: If you are flexible about where you live, state or tribal fish hatcheries might be a good place to look. They have entry level jobs, and lots of room to advance. You might even be able to do on-line classes towards a degree. It gives you a chance to see what happens in a resource agency.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: GurrCentral on January 30, 2015, 05:35:05 PM: If you don't have a bachelor's, that would be my advice, pursue your education.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: sakoshooter on January 30, 2015, 06:22:07 PM: :yeah: :tup:
Quote from: GurrCentral on January 30, 2015, 05:35:05 PM
If you don't have a bachelor's, that would be my advice, pursue your education.
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: Bofire on January 30, 2015, 06:26:21 PM: :) :) Yep, BS minimum for sure, better a Masters. but a BS and as much experience as you can muster will help. LEO or Washington academy grad. will help also. Both together and good at interviews, lots of folks want those jobs and budgets get tighter every year.
Go for it!!!
Carl
Title: Re: Working for DNR or WDFW
Post by: HUNTIN4SIX on January 30, 2015, 06:54:50 PM: PM sent