fish/wildlife biology

[winterkill]

I am looking to find something as volunteer work that's the type of stuff fish/wildlife biologists would do. Does anyone know a number to call for it. Thanks for help.
IAN

Winterkill,

Good idea. I think you can get info from the ODFW at 503-872-5268 or 503-657-2000. The Association of N.W. Steelheaders is another source of information about volunteer help. I don't have their numbers, but some of their members are Ifish members too and hopefuly they will see this post and give you info &/or numbers. - RT

[winterkill]

Thanks for the help RT. I have to do 10 hrs of community service every semester for my school, and I would rather be outside on a river then in a soup kitchen. Plus I'm thinking about majoring in enviromental studies/ Wildlife-fish Biology in college and I thought this would be good to see if its something I will do in the long run.
Ian

[wiser]

IAN
You might try Metro at 503-797-1850. Ask for Curt Zonick or Elaine Stewart. They have been running Westerm Painted Turtle monitoring studies at Smith And Bybee Lakes and amphibian monitoring in other areas. These studies have been organized as volunteer projects but designed to meet scientific guidelines. If they can't help they might be able to point you in the right direction.
Good Luck

[Jim]

Ian,
Your path is a right one!! I did the same thing...are you in High School??

I have a degree in Wildlife Management and would love to talk to you about your plans for your future.

I sadly can't help you much...I could if you lived in Washington but I don't have Oregon connections. I have not seen this board fail anyone with an honest request...follow the advice given here!

Maybe you could do a study on the Springer allocation issue and put a little youthful victim zinger to it...play the emotions!

Have Fun!!

Jim

[rob allen]

Hmmm I don't know how to get in touch with them but Marty and Joyce Sherman run spawning surveys on the salmonberry river every weekend in march and april. They are always looking for volenteers.I will try to find out more and post it here.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Winterkill - I dont want to pop your bubble, but to inform you that you are looking at a career with limited openings. My bosses kid went to OSU and got his fish/wildlife degree. He did the job chasing thing from job to job. He did some stream surveys, did a newt study, worked on a bighorn refuge etc etc.. Each job was about 3 to 6 months long. He never could find a permanent postion and has since moved into computer repair. Maybe Ifish Special Guest could tell you more about the dues the new grads have to pay to get a job. I hate to see a dream crushed, but he just couldnt eat and support a family working less than 1/2 a year. Maybe he wasnt as bright as I think he was, dont know. Should you go into fish/wildlife I wish you the best of luck.

[Fishbulb]

As anyone who has a similar degree will tell you need to get used to eating smack Ramen and pinching pennies to the extreme. Stream surveys and the like will net you about $1500 in Oregon/$2300 in WA per month (before taxes). Unless the job duration is forcast to last some time you will get no benefits. WA makes extra efforts to never give these folks benefits but Oregon is somewhat better. But this is where almost everyone starts. Many people do this for years upon years (5-10 years not uncommon) before getting a permanent job. The lower biologist and technician jobs pay only slightly more to start than the stream surveys,ect. And for some a permanent job may never come. That is just the way the dice roll in this game. For all in the game this is a labor of love and that is why they do it, not for the money. If you don't think you can deal with the trials and tribulations of low pay (many other folks in our country get by on less) and working sometimes from job to job then think about something else. There are no shortages of people who would love to do this type of work and it makes for an incredibly tight job market. Think hard about these facts before you commit.

Good luck!

[Hoosier Daddy]

That's the key. EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO IT. I mean look at all the biologists on this board. I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. If you won't take the short term jobs and low pay, someone will. Be prepared for that, and also if you are going to go to school, be prepared to go to grad school as well to make yourself more marketable.

[Clamman]

FishBulb is correct. Expect to move around a lot before anything semi-permanent ever shows up. Doing good work and of course working hard will put you in the right direction with the upper management people who ultimately make the hiring/firing selections.

As far as graduate school, wish I had gone though it would not have helped out in this type of field as many of you would think. Experience counts a ton. In most situations, two years experience equal a masters + one year experience, and it won't get you much farther down the road in the long run.

Summer jobs are the bulk of the seasonal employment. Try the Newport office for salmon checking during the summer, they tend to hire a bunch of people. Don't ever be afraid to volunteer, that will only show you more avenues and open a few doors for you.

ISG

[winterkill]

Thanks for the info everyone. I have heard about alot about not getting work/good pay in this field. But at the same time I've heard about people getting a permanent job quickly. That is the reason that I wanted to find out about volunteer work to do, because it seems like you have to either be all out into it or not into it at all.
I know that I want to do an outdoors type of job, I hate being inside. No pun intended but I would kill myself if I had to work in cubicle hell. Are there other jobs that I could do that are along the same lines, with better pay and that are permanent?
Yes Jim I am in high school. I would appreciate it very much if you could talk to me about it. Your Line of work is what I would like to do best, wildlife management. you can e-mail me at ihilgart@hotmail.com.
What about working for companies like weyrehouser, longview finber, or wilamette industries. Do they offer many jobs as Biologists for like ecological impact of their next logging site? Thanks for help.
Ian

[winterkill]

oops that e-mail is ihilgart10@hotmail.com

[Hoosier Daddy]

I have some more for you as well winterkill. Some people do get lucky and land a permanent job quickly, but very few. In addition, I think a lot of them have grad degrees, not sure though. Working as a volunteer is a great idea. If you go to college for similar work, try like hell to find summer jobs that relate to your field. Its tough because they don't pay well, I couldn't do it because I needed more money for school. But it really will help when you get out of school if you have more work than most of the competition. This includes paid work (best), working for a grad student or college professor (second best), or as a volunteer (third).

You definitely have to go all out or go home. If you can stick it out, its great. However, a lot of people go a few years then realize they don't want to make anymore sacrifices. It can be tough if you want to settle down and start a family, etc. In addition, don't get locked into thinking you would always be outside. For the most part, yes, and you can steer yourself towards the stuff that maintains alot of outdoors work, but if you advance up the ladder, eventually you will ride a desk. How soon or if depends on your goals and what pay you may be willing to top out at. I don't mean to discourage anyone from natural resources fields, because it is great, if you can handle the "other" stuff that goes with it. If not, you may be miserable, and may end up doing something else anyway.
Timber companies do hire people to do things like you mentioned, as do other state and federal agencies like Forest Service and BLM. I had a friend who worked for Weyerhauser in Wa. as a fish biol. for years. Expect some pressure to tow the line in a job like this. Other avenues are conservation organizations, power companies (especially PGE), etc. Would be good to do as much looking as possible in these areas.

Hope you are getting some good input from the board on this matter. Good luck with whatever you do.

[This message has been edited by chnookie (edited 01-22-2001).]

[garyk]

Hey Winterkill,

I say - follow your dreams! They were saying the same negative things 25 years ago, and discouraged me from working in the field. I went on to other rewarding persuits but I do sometimes have regrets about taking the advice of the naysayers (which included the professors in college). Anyhow, while there are a lot of folks persuing positions, I doubt if there has been a better era to seek a job in resource conservation.

Don't overlook working for the tribes or becoming professional consulting biologist. Start a restoration company. Try to get on as paid staff for a watershed council or conservation group.

Look beyond the traditional state fish & wildlife agency positions.

Also, volunteer as much as you can to get in the 'network' and become a player in the field. Get to be known (in a good way). Employers hire 'people' not 'degrees'.

[superfly]

I do the same thing, community service with salmon enhancement groups. It is fun and I have learned so much about the fish it is almost unfair that I still get to fish.
All the community service I started at was not my option in the beginning, it was what the courts and the MAN told me I had to do.
But after I completed my 200 + hours I stuck with the enhancement programs because it was great giving back to the fish that I loved to catch. A very worhtwhile experience.
Peace Superfly

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If you want to run with the big dawgs then get your ass off of the porch!!

[fishchaser]

Hey Winter kill. If you are looking for some community service hours, call up to Bonneville Dam fish hatchery. They are always looking for help. To contact them get ahold of Kendra Callahan @ 503-657-2186 She is the volunteer coordinator for ODFW in the columbia regional office I think they call it the Northwest office.

Last I had heard Kendra was moving on to another job with ODFW but someone there should be able to match you up with the new Volunteer Coordinator

Good Luck in your career search