Career choices for the outdoorsman-What should i do?

I forgot to mention, one thing about certain jobs is you need to be near a city. In the specific discipline I work in, I need to be near a major city centre to make any decent amount of money or I have top start fresh with another discipline (still possible, but not good). however there are lots of trades and technologist jobs in rural places and small towns, mining has them. when I started my career the outdoors was not priority.
I started my career in London, ontario, and have since moved to Cambridge to work in Mississauga/ T.O since the money and opportunity is much better (and my company pays my gas to work). but there are different things you can do with any job in different locations. again it is what you make of it. I still get out hunting almost every weekend in southern Ontario, and have lots of vacation to go up north or on fishing missions. But now that my family is growing, hunting will be less of a priority, but I still have some really nice spots right nearby so I can get out when I want.

Also, I did land surveying in college (actually just layout, but similar) and it was fun. but I like to be in the outdoors on my terms. when you have to show up to work outdoors everyday and need to bust your balls, no matter what that is a different thing than liking recreation in the outdoors.
it was a good job, and licensed OLS surveyors get paid well, but it was not for me.

just some more thoughts on the subject...

If you are interested in mining take a geology degree at university. With geology you can work almost anywhere you want to. Also it is a multidisciplinary field so if you like physics you can do geophysics, if you like chemistry focus on geochemistry etc. If you are interested in mining economic geology or mapping is where to focus. I recently graduated with a B.Sc. and M.Sc from Carleton geology and I did 3 summers of Arctic fieldwork, went to Europe multiple times and went to Antarctica for a field course. Geology will take you where ever you want to go.

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Originally Posted by Useless

If you are interested in mining take a geology degree at university. With geology you can work almost anywhere you want to. Also it is a multidisciplinary field so if you like physics you can do geophysics, if you like chemistry focus on geochemistry etc. If you are interested in mining economic geology or mapping is where to focus. I recently graduated with a B.Sc. and M.Sc from Carleton geology and I did 3 summers of Arctic fieldwork, went to Europe multiple times and went to Antarctica for a field course. Geology will take you where ever you want to go.

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Even the apparently thriving metropolis of Cornwall ON.

[QUOTE=Danny20gauge;864978 Im either thinking of mining or something in health care, because where people go so does health care so somthing like a nurse or x ray technician.[/QUOTE]

My GF is a nurse in Sioux Lookout,they are allways looking for people in health care.
She works 4 on (2 days,2 nights) than 5 off.
Trades people are also allways in demand in NWO.
If you like to hunt & fish,you will love NWO

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Originally Posted by Bluebulldog

Even the apparently thriving metropolis of Cornwall ON.

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Actually yes. Is that a problem?

Not at all.

A tad ironic however.

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Originally Posted by Bluebulldog

Not at all.

A tad ironic however.

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I guess that proves my point about geology being a fantastic career opportunity. Even in a "thriving metropolis" such as Cornwall, there are jobs for someone who has been educated as a geologist.

btw I don't see the irony.

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Originally Posted by Useless

If you are interested in mining take a geology degree at university. With geology you can work almost anywhere you want to. Also it is a multidisciplinary field so if you like physics you can do geophysics, if you like chemistry focus on geochemistry etc. If you are interested in mining economic geology or mapping is where to focus. I recently graduated with a B.Sc. and M.Sc from Carleton geology and I did 3 summers of Arctic fieldwork, went to Europe multiple times and went to Antarctica for a field course. Geology will take you where ever you want to go.

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The problem with geology is that when you want to settle down... I have a friend who (at 50) went back to Carleton and got a degree in geology - but he's been out of work for a year now because he doesn't want to travel more than a couple hundred miles for work.

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Originally Posted by Useless

I guess that proves my point about geology being a fantastic career opportunity. Even in a "thriving metropolis" such as Cornwall, there are jobs for someone who has been educated as a geologist.

btw I don't see the irony.

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OK, and only since you asked....

The ironic thing is that you are a recent graduate with lots of "field placement" experience while you were a student. You're advising the OP about a geology degree taking him anywhere he wants to go, yet you live 100Km from where you took both of your degrees. The last time I checked, there is no active mining taking place anywhere near that, unless you count the geologic studies being done for the river energy project.

Werner is however correct about the field. I have a few colleagues who eventually went to the Civil Engineering side from geology because they basically said it was a lot of travel ( often out of country), unstable as many of the placements were contract based, and sporadic.

health care, the military, police work - look for something with a pension - not sure if they will always be there, but as long as they are - you might as well take advantage of it....Not that I did though. And my girls aren't following that advice either....