Job Responsibilities
The most important, though least time consuming resposibility is
selecting and purchasing breeding stock for the varieties of Game
we have chosen to raise. Second comes the public relations part
of the job. I must deal with sellers, prospective buyers and,
even the neighbors. Sellers want to know that thier stock is
going to a good home and will recieve proper care. Buyers want to
see clean confinement areas and healthy animals. The neighbors
are concerned about noise and smell. The most time consuming
aspect of this job is caring for the animals. I have to know what
each animal needs for optimum health and happiness. I have to
provide the proper feeds, shelters, exercise and, medications for
each stage of the animals life untill it is either retired from
the breeding pool or sold. Just feeding and watering the animals
takes 2-3 hours twice a day. I also have to groom the animals,
wheter it be cliping wings on wild turkeys or trimming hooves on
brush goats, even providing mud baths for the wild hogs. Each
enclosure must be cleaned on a regular schedule. Enclsed housing
such as nesting houses for the birds and the hog shelters must be
cleaned daily. Small corals need to be cleaned 3-4 times a week
and, large pastures weekly. All of the care needed takes 8-12
hours a day and, with live animals I don't get a day off, the
work goes on 7 days a week with no vacations.
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Job Requirements
The most important factors for working as a Game Rancher are a
love of animals and the ability to distace yourself from animals
sold to be killed in the hunt. Proseptive employees would also
need a good knowledge of general animal care and husbadry
practices as well as a willingness to learn the specifics of each
speices. A certain amout of courage is also required. You cannot
panic and run when a large billy (male goat) or a large boar
(male hog) charges you. When the sows (female hogs) have a
litter, you will risk getting bitten when you remove the piglets
to vacinate them. The work load as far as education goes is hands
on and the only grade you get is seeing the animals heathy and
happy.
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Uppers
The joys and non-monetary rewards are many in this field. The biggest reward is
seeing a new born or newly hatched animal join it's mother and venture out for
the first time. Generaly within an hour of birth. That is followed closley by
seeing an animal you help to nurture be sold to a game ranch and the pride that
comes from knowing you sold a top quality animal to your customer. There is also
the advantage of being able to enjoy the products of your animals. I enjoy meat,
milk and eggs from my stock.
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Downers
Inevitably some of the young will die shortly after birth, that
is always heartbreaking. The old animals must be put to sleep to
avoid suffering and, occasionally one will die due to illness or
injury. There are smelly stalls to clean and muddy pens to muck
out after every rain storm. I do get bitten, pecked and/or kicked
on a daily basis, afterall these are wild animals, not your
average barnyard stock.
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Lifestyle
Before you decide to work on an exotic game ranch, speak with
those already in the field. I would also advise that you speak
with a ranch owner and ask if you can volenteer for a week to do
as much work as you can and observe all aspects of the industry.
Durring this time, follow the rancher, even if there is nothing
you can do to help, if he/she is out in a blizzard so are you.
When you havr finshed this week, take a few days to decide if you
realy want to live that way for the rest of your life. Should you
decide to join the world of game ranchers, be prepared to live a
middle class life with little time or money for luxury. To be
happy in this lifestyle a hot bath at midnight should be one of
your greatest luxuries in life.
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Compensation
I have no benifits and the pay varies wildly from season to
season. During summer months as much as 100,000 can be made but
once hunting season opens, ther is no income untill spring. Even
then, baby animals don't brig nearly what adults do, so untill
July, income is limited to about 300 a month. Ther is never any
money in December or January, hunting season is over and most
people are either saving for Christmas or paying for it after the
fact. That is the lean time when, as a game rancher, you often
choose to sluaghter a few of your animals for your own use.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Before you decide to work on an exotic game ranch, speak with
those already in the field. I would also advise that you speak
with a ranch owner and ask if you can volenteer for a week to do
as much work as you can and observe all aspects of the industry.
Durring this time, follow the rancher, even if there is nothing
you can do to help, if he/she is out in a blizzard so are you.
When you havr finshed this week, take a few days to decide if you
realy want to live that way for the rest of your life. Should you
decide to join the world of game ranchers, be prepared to live a
middle class life with little time or money for luxury. To be
happy in this lifestyle a hot bath at midnight should be one of
your greatest luxuries in life.
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