Best Place as any...

[JigginIsLife]

Well im about to graduate college here in about a year and am working on trying to get into the DNR or something related to fishing. Fishing is my passion but I have no contacts to a buisness world of fishing. If I was going to try to reach out and start somewhere what would some of you suggest. And im really not looking for anything special, but anything fishing related directions you can point me in would be excellent.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

You could try contacting the MN DNR. Ask them if they would like a volunteer for any fisheries project.

[so haaad]

What are you going to graduate with?

[JigginIsLife]

BA in Biology

Minor possibly in Ecology.

[Black_Bay]

Your options with the DNR are internships, student worker positions, creel clerk or full time jobs as a fisheries specialist. Your best shot at a full time job is to get a MS in fisheries. Some people are hired with a B.S. but not many. In the mean time contact your local fisheries office and ask about internships or creel positions. I see you have Medford listed as one of your locations. The Waterville office is close to there and their number is 507-362-4223. The Detroit Lakes office(218-847-1579)and Fergus Falls office (218-739-7576 ext 238) are the closest to Moorhead. These numbers and the other area office numbers are in the back of the fishing regs. Give them a call and find out if they are hiring summer interns. In the mean time apply to graduate schools.

[BoxMN]

I have BA in biology, minor enviro studies (but back in '89). I took the fisheries and wildlife tests, and talked to several fairly high rank folks in DNR (friends of my Dad). There are lots of folks with good scores on DNR tests, and you really need fisheries or wildlife specific class/education to do really well, IMHO. I did not have those, and scored okay but not great. Never got a call.

The DNR folks said basically the same thing that Black Bay did - good advice. Volunteer and do as many intern or other low paying jobs or "no pay" jobs to get experience. Then you will still start out earning nothing, doing task type jobs, but getting your name known and stuff to put on your resume. In the meantime, keep going to school and get your MS. Find a good advisor who can help you plan some good projects and field projects. Get published as many times as possible.

I ended up taking a temp job with Mosquito Control in twin cities, doing research on skeeters as research assistant, and ended up working there for 5 years or so, doing some cool lab and field research. But pay was a joke... literally I had a friend there laugh at me when he saw my w2 hehe, it was very ugly. I was listed under a DNR contract position, technically. No benefits for 5 years, but I got paid and got published and learned a lot, and had fun.

Now I am in a totally (TOTALLY!) different field, but still having fun and sort of using my biology background, but not really. More my writing and project management skills that I learned doing field research, and general college writing, etc.

Anyway, you will learn, as I did, that doing internships should have been done while in school. But you are young and it is not too late. You just have to be willing to be poor for a little while longer, if you really want to go down that route with a fisheries/wildlife job, IMHO. I am sure it will/would be rewarding. But I personally could not go back to being that poor again (I am not rich, but I can buy a locator or gun or used sled on a whim, without wife getting mad, for example). But take Black Bays advice and get that experience and you will for sure have a very rewarding and fun career, and in the end make some decent ca$h as well.

Good luck, and congrats on your upcoming graduation!