Career ideas?

[Hedge774]

A bit of a derailment but here's my gratuity story. I was a ranger in Alaska and returning on the bus with a group of tourists after a field presentation/hike. A nice good looking gal sitting next to me struck up a conversation. She wanted to know about my family who were about to arrive for a visit. And she talked about herself a bit too, a very successful business owner who traveled a lot. We seemed to hit it off and before we got to the ranger station she dug her wallet out of the pack. "Here, this is for you. Buy your family a meal at the lodge." No, definitely can't take that. It's against the law (unless your a politician). She insisted but I was firm. We said our goodbyes and she walked to her float plane and I headed for my cabin. On the way I stopped in at the ranger station to access satellite connected computer and check my email. Some other staff were there. "Hey, Pat, I saw you with that dolly down at the plane. Don't forget you're married!" I told them not to worry. She was no threat. I joked about her trying to buy my affection with a tip. Then I reached into my pants pocket for cabin keys as it was just a few steps outside the door ... and I pulled out a hundred dollar bill! Well, that was embarrassing. "I have no idea how she managed to slip that hundred dollar bill into my front pants pocket but I wish she'd been more clumsy about it." I put it in the donation box in visitor center. Made me wonder what she really did for a living.

Damn good story, there!

 

[fourfive8]

Hey Doc, aka Dontario Kneeshooter, Alaska, bus, tourists and floatplane… that combination sounds like Brooks Camp & Ten Thousand Smokes - Katmai NP ?? You complain about deadwood and crap floating to the top in the NPS then turn around and complain about Trump and DOGE RIFs in the NPS. Can’t have it both ways…. errrrah but I guess you can. Cry me a river, I was at Brooks Camp, fishing, this past June and watched 5 NPS employees spend the better part of two hours digging a 2 ft deep hole for a 4”x4” post with small 12”x24” sign in one of the electrified bear proof people cages there. What a show! No, they were not higher up admin, they were regular staff and not the crap supervisors you described as the ones rising to the top. I’m certain they are all well paid plus the bonus pay they get for working in what the feds call a “remote or hardship” station. Remote or hardship my butt! Nice facilities at Brooks, very short float plane ride to King Salmon or about an hour by fast, all weather water taxi plus road shuttle.

 

[Trout Tracker]

I have lived and worked in Southeast Oklahoma for almost 30 years now in the outdoor field, specifically as an independent Professional Forester. My office is my pick-up, and the wonderful forests of Southeast OK and NE Texas. For those unaware, the forest products industry in OKLAHOMA is over a $6 billion industry.

Since I've been here, our region has struggled to find competent, outdoor minded individuals who don't mind "getting dirty", "sweaty" and hustling to earn a living. Can you show up EVERY day, not be late, pass a drug test and have a driver's license...and may require staying late on occasion to finish a project? I came in late today after 8 PM because I didn't want to make the same drive tomorrow.

Don't let others steal your dream...I was brought up to believe "If the Dream is big enough...the FACTS don't count!"

You don't sound lazy...I believe with a little hustle, and possibly a degree/certificate in Forestry from Eastern Oklahoma State College, you could join our ranks in the field if you want to. Because your wife has a degree in nursing...she's set in any town in America! Send me a message if you want to learn more...

 

[WAB]

Williston is not that way anymore. Actually not a bad place to live now. Great hunting and fishing nearby. My son and his wife were there for four years with Exxon Mobil. He then went to Midland, TX and now in Houston. They would go back to Williston. Upland birds north of town. Great waterfowl along the Missouri River and Yellowstone River. Good white-tailed deer hunting along the rivers and good mule deer just to the south in the Badlands. He killed this B&C white-tailed buck along the river.View attachment 801371

Couldn’t agree more. On my way to Williston in two weeks for some bird hunting.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Hey Doc, aka Dontario Kneeshooter, Alaska, bus, tourists and floatplane… that combination sounds like Brooks Camp & Ten Thousand Smokes - Katmai NP ?? You complain about deadwood and crap floating to the top in the NPS then turn around and complain about Trump and DOGE RIFs in the NPS. Can’t have it both ways…. errrrah but I guess you can. Cry me a river, I was at Brooks Camp, fishing, this past June and watched 5 NPS employees spend the better part of two hours digging a 2 ft deep hole for a 4”x4” post with small 12”x24” sign in one of the electrified bear proof people cages there. What a show! No, they were not higher up admin, they were regular staff and not the crap supervisors you described as the ones rising to the top. I’m certain they are all well paid plus the bonus pay they get for working in what the feds call a “remote or hardship” station. Remote or hardship my butt! Nice facilities at Brooks, very short float plane ride to King Salmon or about an hour by fast, all weather water taxi plus road shuttle.

You are obviously not that familiar with how fast weather changes up there. Just forget about looking at the weather forecast. It will change every hour! The boat ride to King Salmon is longer than an hour even if the lake is calm ... which is rare. That is a nasty scary piece of VERY big water! I thought 25% COL was supposed to go away the year after I left? You need to price out groceries and the cost of getting them shipped in. Bend over! I was up the pay scale a bit thanks to education and experience but I didn't take home much at the end of the season. But I sure gave my fly rods a workout. Right elbow has never been the same. I can remember tying on a fly and looking at my watch: 3:00 a.m.!

One problem with digging anywhere at Brooks Camp is it sits on a prehistoric native community site. Look around. See all the big pits in the ground: thousands of them! Those were "basements" for their half buried dwellings. Native community was located at Brooks Camp for over four thousand years. Hike the trail up the mountain behind camp and you'll see pits all over on benches half way to the top. Those benches are the old shorelines as the lake receded. The ground at Brooks Camp is full of artifacts ... and human remains! So that's the explanation for fuss over digging a post hole. It's the law.