What do you guys do that work for yourself that you can afford to take off a ton of time to go hunting.

I am thinking about figuring out some kind of independent contracting gig. I had some other ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
What do you guys do that work for yourself that you can afford to take off a ton of time to go hunting.

I am thinking about figuring out some kind of independent contracting gig. I had some other ideas.

BWW: I started a software company and later a real estate investment business (using profits from my SW company).

I don't do billable work myself, so the time I take off doesn't impact my income per se.

We have an unlimited vacation policy: basically you take as much time off as you want. No one abuses that, incuding me. I suppose I could say "Screw it, I am the boss" but I do feel somewhat guilty sometimes. In 2016 I spent 14 days hunting in Africa, a week billfishing and scuba diving in Mexico, two weeks moose hunting in Alaska, and a week of deer hunting in northern MN. That is about as much hunting as I want in a year - I devote a lot of time and money to my long range shooting hobby; in fact, I know I spend more time shooting than actually hunting over the course of a year.

I will say that work is actually fun for me. I sure don't dread Monday mornings.

I have a hunting pal in Colorado that is a painting contractor; I think he has one guy helping him. He is always taking off to go on some kind of hunt.

I would encourage anyone to become self-employed.

I've done it, and it's definitely a balancing act.

The three biggest factors I've seen are:

1. You need to have a very low run rate and enough cash in the bank to sit out extended slow periods that don't coincide with hunting season.

2. You have to manage your pipeline so that clients know you'll be away during hunting season without encouraging them to hire someone else because you're not available. You'll have to end some projects early and pass on others because you won't be around. If your pipeline isn't healthy enough for that, then you'll be working for the man again pretty quickly.

3. Know how the fiscal year of any major employer in your area affects local activity. For instance, Microsoft has a huge influence where I live. Their FY ends on 30 June, so everything tapers off starting in late April, and May and June are completely dead. A lot of local businesses that do business with them hire and lay off people based on that pattern and on other patterns of activity that correspond to recurring events within the company.

YMMV.


Okie John

I think it's 100% dependent upon the business:

I'm self employed provide a service to farmers and taking time off can be a pain.

I have one client every week, two that are every other week so I try to schedule my time off so I only have to change one farm's schedule and not schedule any of my other customers for those times. Even then I try to keep my trips under 10 days and just do more 3-4day weekends

Tim629 has got that correct about type of business.I believe too many owners micro manage their employees to the point that employees are afraid to make a decision.Then the owner also considers himself indispensable and the business would fail with out them.That maybe true to a point, then again there is a lot less pressure on employees when the boss is away.I have a whole list of situations that could go wrong while I'm gone and my right hand man takes care of most of them.Bottom line is plan B for everything and I don't 2nd guess or criticize the outcome to an employee.I have 7 employees and trust all of them.I've been gone up to 30 days @ a time and maybe check in on a sat phone every couple of days. I've never cut a hunt or other vacation short due to an emergency that includes a death or sickness.I look @ it this way,go visit the grave or if their sick they might be better when I return.That may be harsh to most people but my family knows what to expect and have lives with it.Expect to lose some money in your absence due to customers or new clients wanting to speak to the owner and going else where.There are trade offs,can you handle that? Make your hunting trips a priority and plan way out and stick to the plan.I've got money down on hunts 3 years out and my trips close to home as in montana are block out on the calendar in january for the coming year,most of the time I don't know where I'm going but time is set aside.Btw I've been self-employed for 40 years and run 3 businesses and I'm 62.

My retirement pays our bills, and allows for a small fun budget.

Everything else I earn comes from my current vocation.

I am thinking about finding a line of work I can get into that pays about $60,000 plus a year that I can have more time to enjoy the outdoors and family.

I have a bachelors in wildlife management, but don't work in that trade. I work in safety.

Safety is more lucrative, but not as fun. Wildlife management jobs pay nothing.

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I am thinking about finding a line of work I can get into that pays about $60,000 plus a year that I can have more time to enjoy the outdoors and family

You and a lot of other people 60 thou is a full time job with lots of over time for lot of people.

Working for most fish and game department you would be hard press to get that starting out.

That is why I don't work wildlife management now, I have literally zero experience. Because the jobs don't pay. I don't really have a lot of resentment, just thinking about doing something else.

Like that cow with it's head stuck on the other side of the fence trying to get the sweeter grass. Probably just full of shit, just thinking out loud.

in the end, I made hunting my business, but it took 40 years with a real job to keep it going and 20 years still going full time to get that done. I wouldn't change a thing. Ive hunted the world made good money, Im now in what you might call simi retirement, quit the show circuit, no more advertising but have a built up clientele of old curmudgeons over the years that have hunted with me for years and still going, I figure I'll keep booking until they kick off or I give up the ghost, but not working at it as hard as I used to. Busy roping steers competively with my kids and grandkids, and doing more local hunting and fishing, got back into muzzle loading recently and Im on my own..Smelling the roses, earned it, not to say I don't pick up a few new clients that call me from time to time, I will book them, but not looking for business anymore.

Would I recommend a young man today getting in the booking or hunting business, I don't think so, maybe if he is single, but the internet has hurt the hunting business I suspect as most any Safari Company or guide service is just an email away and folks today mostly go direct, albeit many meet with some disappointment as they are vunerable.