Decisions of a 23 year old/2019 Hunts

[Elksniper]

Go for it you’re only young once and if you enjoy the outdoors you will have the best job around.

 

[isu22andy]

More time is lost in indecision then making the wrong decision . Go west you can always come back. I cant imagine living in New York .

 

[Azone]

If you're hell bent on guiding then by all means go for it. But, and the big but with guiding is, is that most of your time in the field if not all of it will be dealing with people in the mountains you have just met in the last few days. I've never been a professional guide but I have a couple friends that have and the stories they have about some of their clients are mind boggling. Can't shoot, can't walk, it's to hot, it's to cold, carry my pack, shoot my deer for me, etc, etc. If you're a patient person and do well with different personality types then it may very well be the experience of a lifetime, but if you catch yourself getting short tempered sometimes, then add in strangers who have learned everything about elk hunting from a Google search, moody horses, and some shit weather and it could be the recipe for insanity. But you could also meet some awesome people along the way.

As far as debt goes knock that out ASAP, if it means one less hunting trip or piece of fancy name brand hunting gear so be it. Debt will not be a monkey on your back, it will be more like a 500lb gorilla that just runs you over when you least expect it or want it to. If you have a good paying job right now I would be dumping every dime I could spare into knocking out that debt and then stash away a few months salary. Then pack up the rig with all the important stuff and set a course out west.

Good luck to you!

 

[Jbehredt]

If you're hell bent on guiding then by all means go for it. But, and the big but with guiding is, is that most of your time in the field if not all of it will be dealing with people in the mountains you have just met in the last few days. I've never been a professional guide but I have a couple friends that have and the stories they have about some of their clients are mind boggling. Can't shoot, can't walk, it's to hot, it's to cold, carry my pack, shoot my deer for me, etc, etc. If you're a patient person and do well with different personality types then it may very well be the experience of a lifetime, but if you catch yourself getting short tempered sometimes, then add in strangers who have learned everything about elk hunting from a Google search, moody horses, and some shit weather and it could be the recipe for insanity. But you could also meet some awesome people along the way.

As far as debt goes knock that out ASAP, if it means one less hunting trip or piece of fancy name brand hunting gear so be it. Debt will not be a monkey on your back, it will be more like a 500lb gorilla that just runs you over when you least expect it or want it to. If you have a good paying job right now I would be dumping every dime I could spare into knocking out that debt and then stash away a few months salary. Then pack up the rig with all the important stuff and set a course out west.

Good luck to you!

Good call. Also have a couple guide buddies. The way they tell it the only elk they get to kill anymore are ones that have been wounded by fat Pennsylvanians.

 

[Jsmokerbuilds]

So many opinions! Good luck on whatever you decide. You'll have to let us know what u do!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Hello all! I need you guys to help me decide my future. As a little background, 23 years old currently living in Western New York. I have a full time job as a construction project manager which is very comfortable for me. I travel out west several times annually to hunt and I know that NY is not where I want to live my entire life and I have always felt a strong need to move away from home. Earlier this week I received a message from an outfitter who I have hunted with several times in Colorado. He asked if I would be interested in coming out this August and learning to guide for elk with his outfit. Currently have no wife, no kids, and I am not getting any younger. I know I want to work hard and do something I really love doing, which I think for three months of the year this opportunity would be it. The only thing holding me back is the rest of the 9 months of the year. I have a significant amount of debt from school that I am handling just fine with my current situation, but that would change with a big move.

If you were in this situation, what would you do? I know that I will end up regretting not making a move early on in my life. Any advice is appreciated!

Man, that's a tough decision for sure, and there's been a lot off good suggestions made here already, so I won't add any. What I will say is that I was in a somewhat similar situation a little over 30 years ago. I was born and raised in northern California and knew that I didn't want to live there, so, when I was 20, I quit my job and left. I ended up traveling around the country for a few years working odd jobs and literally just being a trout bum (basically only went to places that had good trout fishing). I made my way up to Alaska when I was 23 and never left. Ended up going to school up here, starting a family, yada, yada. Best decision I ever made was leaving CA and ending up in AK.

 

[Elk97]

One of the most important things you will ever do is to get out of debt. Guiding isn't going to do that for you. Most of the time a business based on a hobby that you love doesn't end up being so great, and sometimes ruins your love of whatever it was that got you started (voice of experience here). There are several areas in the western states that are booming and have a need for your qualifications so you could get a good paying job and be in an area that you love. I'm familiar with some areas in MT, both my sons live in Bozeman (builders), and there's a shortage of experienced construction personnel there and in Whitefish/Kalispell.

 

[Newtosavage]

Hello all! I need you guys to help me decide my future. As a little background, 23 years old currently living in Western New York. I have a full time job as a construction project manager which is very comfortable for me. I travel out west several times annually to hunt and I know that NY is not where I want to live my entire life and I have always felt a strong need to move away from home. Earlier this week I received a message from an outfitter who I have hunted with several times in Colorado. He asked if I would be interested in coming out this August and learning to guide for elk with his outfit. Currently have no wife, no kids, and I am not getting any younger. I know I want to work hard and do something I really love doing, which I think for three months of the year this opportunity would be it. The only thing holding me back is the rest of the 9 months of the year. I have a significant amount of debt from school that I am handling just fine with my current situation, but that would change with a big move.

If you were in this situation, what would you do? I know that I will end up regretting not making a move early on in my life. Any advice is appreciated!

I was literally in your situation at the same age. The year was 1988 and I had the same offer. My choice was to stay with the career and pass on the guiding job. I have no regrets.

Pay off your debts, secure your finances and go hunting when you have the time and money.

Remember, this is a hobby. Yes it's fun and sometimes intense, but living on unemployment is intense and not much fun.

 

[BadDogPSD]

Follow your dreams. You'll never know unless you try.

 

[buckwalleye]

Man lots of hate on New York! I'm born and raised western New York too, it's not THAT bad! I think a lot of people hear New York and get an immediate association with NYC. I've never been, nor do I have any interest in, going to the city. We live 400 miles away from there and that's just perfect! My wife and I are fortunate to both have good jobs and live in a small town that's great to raise a family. We have 2 small children (4 and a newborn), both our parents only a few miles away (blessing and a curse!), and a nice chunk of ground where I can walk out my door and go hunting. Our roots are here. I'll use my vacation hours for out of state hunting and vacations with the fam.

If you have a burning desire to get outta here, only you can decide. Lots of things to take into consideration. But do it while you're young. I love my family more than anything but it definitely throws a wrench in certain things.

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[Cml5895]

Man lots of hate on New York! I'm born and raised western New York too, it's not THAT bad!

I live in a little town in Genesee county and I would venture to say that we have some of the best deer hunting in the state. I don't hate where I live by any means, but there's more out there for me!

 

[Cml5895]

Well I have done some research, was given some names of companies who may have openings, did more research and finally applied for three positions in my career field out in Northern Colorado. I don't know if anything will come of these but if not, I will just continue on with the search.

 

[zacattack]

Well I have done some research, was given some names of companies who may have openings, did more research and finally applied for three positions in my career field out in Northern Colorado. I don't know if anything will come of these but if not, I will just continue on with the search.

Good job. I’ve been reading this thread and was curious as to what you decided. I advise college students and people your age on their careers all the time. I always tell them to have a job that will benefit their career before they move anywhere. Dont listen to the people who say you can’t move later in life. You can pick up and move at any point in your life if you want to. The people who say you can’t are just scared about moving. I’ve made several moves in my life for my career and with each move I was able to have more and more opportunities to pursue my hunting and fishing hobbies. Mostly because each move was a pay raise. Good luck.

 

[Wallace]

I'm 32, when I was 23 I was given the opportunity to go work/guide in Argentina. I had student loans, a car payment, and no wife or kids. I was just laid off from my last job, I have a college degree and lining something else up wouldn't have been a problem, the job in Argentina paid hardly anything, probably less than minimum wage if I tallied up all of the hours I worked, it has no guarantees for after the 6 months I was scheduled to be there ended, but it was an adventure. I ended up curtailing that into a job I like, that pays very well, and I had the time of my life exploring the country. I had no clue how my life would end up when I made the decision to head to South America, but I did know that I would regret it for a long, long, time if I didn't do it.

You're young, take chances, you have the rest of your life to figure everything else out. If it doesn't work out, start over. If you had a wife and/or kids, I wouldn't be saying the same thing ... If you're single with no kids, take a chance.

 

[buckwalleye]

I live in a little town in Genesee county and I would venture to say that we have some of the best deer hunting in the state. I don't hate where I live by any means, but there's more out there for me!

Nice area. Your a couple hours north of me. My wife has some family in Warsaw. I've done a little hunting in holland.

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[Cml5895]

Was able to sit down with my current boss yesterday after work and let him know the position I am in. This was one of the things I was dreading. I am lucky that he is an avid outdoorsman who travels to hunt but only when his wife and kids allow it. So he understands getting out there with no ties. He has my back and that is a great feeling for sure. Phone interview today for one of the jobs I applied for!

 

[rkeaton]

Move before you get locked down anywhere, and pay down that debt ASAP.

 

[Tobe_B]

Been following along on this post quietly. Good luck with your interviews, seems like you’re taking the sensible approach. Guiding elk hunts seems like a fun prospect at first, but it will seriously cut out time you have to hunt for yourself. If you’ve got the itch to move, then move. Best advice I ever got was when my mother told me to get out of my hometown and experience life in different places and not just settled down. Since then I’ve moved 4 times in 8 years, over 1,000 miles each time. Each time I had acquired more possessions and the moves got moved expensive, moving isn’t cheap when you’re transporting horses. That said, I wouldn’t trade the experience or lessons I’ve learned for anything. New York isn’t going anywhere, the jobs there aren’t going anywhere. If you want to go back in a few years if the west just isn’t for you, then go home. Don’t give up living and experiencing something new if that’s what you want now.


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[ChrisAU]

Was able to sit down with my current boss yesterday after work and let him know the position I am in. This was one of the things I was dreading. I am lucky that he is an avid outdoorsman who travels to hunt but only when his wife and kids allow it. So he understands getting out there with no ties. He has my back and that is a great feeling for sure. Phone interview today for one of the jobs I applied for!

Keep us posted! We are living vicariously through you haha

 

[archp625]

Take this for what its worth. I am 33 years old, Married with a 1 year old boy. Go and go now. I don't have a ton of regrets in life, but the one I do have is not moving or traveling our west when I was your age. With my career, wife and child it is really hard to get away. I was fortunate that my parents paid my whole way in college including room and board. They always talked about saving moving and not taking out student loans. If I were to go back I would have taken a $10,000 student loan in a heart beat. I would have traveling out west and hunting animals that I may not be able to now. I would have paid that $10,000 off by now and had a ton of memories and possibly a few taxidermist heads. Instead I say one of these days I will go out there and do this and that.

I know this is more about me just going and traveling and you are wanted to move out there. You are young, with not a ton of responsibilities. You can always move back or anywhere you like. My advice is do it now when you are young. Money comes and goes, Memories last a life time.