Working or Hunting

[MichiganMike]

It would be awesome if hunting paid my bills.

You have made a statement that is often not the true goal.

I would rather not give hours of my life towards creating income. My hunting is being shortchanged by spending time on the job.

These statements are true for me. Are they true for anyone else?

I understand that. It was a tongue in cheek comment trying to have some fun. Didnt mean for it to open up the philosophies.

[phade]

I'm probably the definition of what most of you labeled - working in leadership in a large company. I took on massive debt in my early 30s due to a home flooding issue, which was compounded by a large student loan of nearly six figures that wasn't going away any time soon. I could have easily went through bankruptcy at that point and nobody would have judged - water tables changed around my home and it flooded with 4-5 feet of water 1-3x per year from 2013-17 before we got out of it. I'm talking my washing machine would be bouncing off the ceiling bobbing in the water - yes, 1-3x per year.

The company gave me opportunity to advance and quite frankly out-work my problems. Now, I have material funds in 401k and investments and a positive net worth. I also started my own company selling trail cameras because it is a passion of mine within the hunting space and it afforded me some "luxuries" such as being able to pay for the cost of going on out of state hunts. I'll be in three states this year.

By August, I'll be down to just paying the mortgage in the home we bought in 17, and we have solid equity in that already. No student loans, no car payments, no nothing. Just monthly expenses and the mortgage. If all else stays constant August of 2023 the mortgage will be "paid off" per say with non-retirement investments in the market that outpace the expense side of the house and my focus will be on income generation of some sort so I can start backing down on my corporate job. I'm turning 40 in less than 60 days and I'm wore out.

I wish I could have lived a simpler life, more fun life in my 30s, but I'm making sure that they at least paved the way for me to enjoy my 40s and 50s much more than having to worry about bills. Next thing up is making health and family a priority.

Whatever it is you seek, go find it, even if the path is what is enjoyable.

[Thesouthpaw]

I'm pretty lucky. I love my job, so I don't mind going to work every day. Plus, I am able to hunt pretty much every evening during bow season, and get the whole first week of gun season off because my school shuts down for it. I also take a few days and travel to the midwest every season. I can't complain at all.

[bigredneck61088]

All I know is when I’m on my death bed I will not be reflecting on memories of work or wishing I can punch a time clock one last time.

Fact of life is there is no guarantees. I might kick the bucket tomorrow that’s why I’m gonna have fun today!

My thoughts exactly, as long as I can support my family that’s all that matters to me, memories with them are more important than a few extra bucks

[briar]

I havent taken a full vacation day other than 4 for my honeymoon in 11 years. I dont regret a second of it as i feel financially secure in my mid 40's....somehow someway i still manage to get a buck that makes me happy most years. I have no need or desire to hunt one second more than it takes me to punch that tag.

With that vacation payout over those years we just redid our home and that was satisfying to pay in cash. Security, not free time makes me happy....everyone is different.

[seazofcheeze]

There is no law that says we have to go to work every day and follow our employer’s orders. Legally there is nothing to prevent us from going to live in the wild like primitive people or from going into business for ourselves. But in practice there is very little wild country left, and there is room in the economy for only a limited number of small business owners. Hence most of us can survive only as someone else’s employee.

-Theodore J. Kaczynski

[Uncle Lou]

Balance is key. Of course we would all like to live like either a caveman or a trustfunder. Reality sucks sometimes, but the bill and tax man cometh and taketh

[Sadams719]

I’d love to spend every day hunting, scouting and hiking but need to support my wife and kids. I think I’ve struck a good balance. My job as a firefighter gives me plenty of flexibility and has put me in a position to retire in my early 50s. There’s something good to be said for a modest local government job, I’ll never be wealthy, but I get to spend several weeks a year in the woods with retirement just around the corner.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 20 years of emergency work it’s that there’s no guarantees for tomorrow.

Pair down your life
turn down the overtime
money comes and goes.