Some people love wearing suits and working in offices. Other people...eh, not so much. They'd rather be outside, pushing the Circle of Life in the right direction and rocking a fluorescent orange vest. And—this is the important bit—getting paid for it.

It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. You actually can make a living as a hunter/trapper. Mind you, a $33,000 salary (source) isn't Chanel money; but if you're even reading this, we're betting that you're more interested in the latest camouflage gear than you are in a white quilted lambskin bag with silver hardware. 

Hunter/trappers usually come from long lines of rugged, outdoorsy folks whose lives are planned by the times certain hunting seasons open. We're talking about people who will turn down a free trip to the Bahamas if it interferes with doe season.

 

The Circle of Life is all about perspective. (Source)

Lots of people enjoy hunting, but this career isn't just about the thrill of the hunt or providing food for your family. It's about saving the herd. We know that sounds backwards, but hear us out. In certain areas of the country, deer, elk, geese, and other animals become overpopulated really easily. Rather than letting extra herd members get sick, starve, or freeze to death, hunters thin the herd and use what they kill for food.

You need very little training to be a hunter/trapper. In fact, if you've got your gun safety and state rules training, then you're all set to get your hunter's license. Once that bad boy is in your pocket (or wherever you keep your licenses), you're good to go. Believe it or not, some people do make a living as a hunter/trapper, working themselves or for a county or state forestry and wildlife office. 

Others work as a hunter/trapper during the fall and winter—a.k.a. hunting season—and then pick up another seasonal job, like construction or road work, during spring and summer. Hey, whatever keeps you outdoors, right?

 

Think of it as grocery shopping in the really fresh food aisle. (Source)

The "hunter" part of this job is pretty self-explanatory. During hunting season, hunters go out and...well, hunt. The food that they bring back either goes into their own freezers or is sold to clients who appreciate knowing that their food doesn't contain hormones, antibiotics, or GMOs.

As for the "trapper" bit, well, that'll take a bit more explanation. In the past, trappers were people who caught certain animals for their fur to make coats, hats, and other articles of clothing. Fashion tastes have changed, and the trapper trade has changed, too. 

These days, trappers are more likely to be people who use their special knowledge of animals and their habitats to catch and relocate wild animals who've become a nuisance. Snakes, skunks, and possums are common animals that need relocating because they may get too close to homes, posing a danger to the people and pets who live there.

Hunter/trappers are environmentalists and conservationists in the traditional sense. They believe in living off the land, as their ancestors did. This belief is usually instilled at a very young age, with parents taking kids out into the woods way before sunrise so they can get set in time for the deer to wander by looking for breakfast. 

Because they're so dependent on nature, they've got to take good care of it...even if it doesn't seem to be taking care of them. If there just aren't a lot of deer around, hunter/trappers have to accept that they're going to do more trapping than hunting.

A hunter/trapper's life is rich in sunrises and fresh, organic meat, but not so rich in actual money. $33,000 a year isn't a heck of a lot. Fortunately, they've got an advantage: they fetch a lot of their own food themselves, which brings the grocery bills way down.

All the money they save by not going to the grocery store usually goes to the nearest sporting and outdoors supply store. If you want to be the part, you have to look the part, right? We doubt Bugs and Daffy would've taken Elmer Fudd seriously at all if he weren't wearing that super fly hunter's hat with the matching jacket and pants.

Is this the life for you? Sunrises, fresh air, the thrill of the hunt? We can't answer that for you; but we can solve the age old hunter/trapper's question of whether it's rabbit season or duck season.

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