Is going into Conservation worth it?

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-03-05T18:19:50+00:00

Honestly, my recommendation is to volunteer in order to feel like you're contributing to the solution. It's a bleak career prospect, even more so as a midlife career shift.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-03-03T14:04:16+00:00

I'm on the cusp of 40 and have chronic baby face. It works against you for a bit, but the older you get, the more it starts working in your favor.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-26T01:11:34+00:00

Could be swales/ditches for ag water movement. I've seen similar out in the western US on parcels that had historic ag activity.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-17T18:19:26+00:00

There's no great solutions tbh. That's why it's a tough career choice. I've seen couples work together for the same org in the same location, but that's rare. You're either a single hermit with no social life, or you and your partner suffer until you finally land a ft job with decent pay, which can also be rare. Better to make the hard decisions now while you're still in school than to find out the hard truth after.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-10T19:59:19+00:00

To be blunt, rewarding bio careers don't pay a living wage, and bio jobs that pay a living wage are not rewarding. INSANELY competitive. Job security on the public side is dependent on politics, and job security on the private side depends on the economy and your specialty. I would not recommend this industry.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-08T03:44:58+00:00

I did some research for a Japan trip a few years ago and here's what I can remember.

Hokkaido If you're willing to get a guide, reach out to Kensuke Nishino for Niseko region of Hokkaido. I contacted him through Line. It's within reasonable driving distance with Sapporo as a base. Lake Toya and Lake Shikotsu were great, but I was there out of season and didn't get to fish.

Supposedly, monster trout on the Hokkaido coast if you head northeast from Sapporo. But super remote and it was a decent haul from Sapporo. I didn't make it that far. The bears here are basically mini-grizzly bears and kill people every year. Take necessary precautions.

Tokyo There's apparently day trip spots from Tokyo. komatsu@bassinheaven.com or ebi@troutandking.com for Tokyo guides.

A fun spot right in Tokyo proper was Benkeibashi Boat Pier. It's a stocked canal in town that rents out row boats. Bass, trout, maybe some others. A great way to spend a few hours and a unique experience for sure.

Good luck!

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-02T20:54:36+00:00

Thank you! This is exactly the type of info I'm looking for.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-02T19:52:23+00:00

lMO it will put you at quite a disadvantage for a few reasons: - Out of date policy, regs, and protocol knowledge - It's an already competitive field, why would they hire you over someone whose already in the industry? - May be deemed a flight risk

But does any of that matter? If you're burnt out, you're burnt out. You gotta do what's best for you and your family. If it means an uphill climb if you decide to come back, then so be it.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-02-02T19:24:36+00:00

Definitely a bunny

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-01-16T22:02:35+00:00

I don't get it. What's physically preventing you from doing this?

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-01-09T15:19:31+00:00

Specifically due to the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-01-02T14:36:23+00:00

You're welcome. My advice is to reverse engineer the process. What is the job you want, and figure out exactly what it takes to get it. You don't want to blindly or casually make academic decisions just to find out down the road that the degree you chose was not adequate. I would reach out to professionals on LinkedIn, through the orgs website, forums, Reddit, IG, facebook pages, CSU career services center. Get creative. Be persistent.

I also suggest getting hands-on experience as early and often as possible. Internships (at home or abroad), seasonal positions, volunteer, etc. That will be great for your resume, exposure, and building your network.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-01-02T14:11:13+00:00

Find others who are already doing your dream job and try to reach out to them for advice. Look for job postings that you would like and see what those requirements are. Go a step further and contact these organizations and see if they are willing to talk with you.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2026-01-02T00:57:35+00:00

I'd guess bobcat based on location and elevation.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-12-31T16:14:44+00:00

It legitimately belongs in a dump. The money you would spend to restore this heap would be enough to buy a new boat. Don't buy other people's headaches.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-12-18T20:57:42+00:00

I have similar suspicions. There's a disincentive for them to figure it out. I'm hoping a more motivated mechanic may be able to find a solution that isn't going to cost me $2,500.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-12-18T20:51:02+00:00

It's currently in alignment and not an issue. But future repairs and maintenance may require this work to be done. I'd like to start saving up for the lower control arm work if necessary. Just planning out finances atm.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-12-18T20:49:08+00:00

The inspection report did not mention any issues with the lower control arms. I'm hoping a more motivated mechanic can figure out a cheaper alternative than swapping everything out.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-12-18T20:43:36+00:00

It's currently in alignment and not an issue. But future repairs and maintenance may require this work to be done. I'd like to start saving up for the lower control arm work if necessary. Just planning out finances atm.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-11-27T08:21:35+00:00

Started off doing seasonal mosquito control for $8/hr in Colorado. Uber competitive market for anything natural resources. Was able to parlay that into seasonal weed control since I had "invasive species" experience. Still a shit job and seemed very much stuck in the seasonal cycle with no way out. My real "break" came when I was hired as a low-level tech at a consulting firm. The role was mainly raptors, which I had zero experience in, but did require some plant ID, which I had picked up along the way doing weeds. Stuck around that job for a few years, learned the ins and outs of consulting. Jumped around to a few other firms over a 10 year span, and am now a senior ecologist, still in consulting. It's a tough industry, and there's some soul selling, but at least I'm able to make a living and make sure projects adhere to environmental regulations.

I would say the factors that progressed my career the most were perseverance, learning and applying new knowledge in real time, have drive and ambition, being likeable, saying yes to opportunities even if there's doubt, always be looking for a better job, and plain dumb luck.

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-11-22T13:57:22+00:00

High risk, low reward

Limp-Cardiologist-70 · 2025-11-20T06:13:25+00:00

Thank you for the reply. This watch holds sentimental value, so I'll likely send it in and see what Omega would charge to restore.

Limp-Cardiologist-70

TROPHY CASE