Stick around - you'll get there. It sure seems like you want to be out there real bad, if you don't forget your dreams YOU WILL BE.

- Just not tomorrow.

DON'T

GIVE

UP!!!

 

Scott...

No one suggested the job was "junior" forest service. The Forest Service is a government organization with rules for both high school, temporary and permanent employment. Since you are turning 17 years old this month (March), you will only be eligible to work for the Forest Service in an "office" environment and not in the field. Field work requires that you are at least 18 years old. Because working for the Forest Service in the field is NOT a "preschool class" they must have age requirements to ensure such employees are adults for liability reasons. As such, the Forest Service would be reckless in allowing a person under the age of 18 to work in the field unsupervised.

Many people, myself included, work in employment where we are supervised. Working under supervision can have both the pluses and minuses...that is just a fact of life. Even though I have been supervised in my current career for nearly the last 30 years I have enjoyed the freedom for the majority of that time to work without a supervisor always breathing down my neck...and a good supervisor will be the one who lets you do your job and who keeps obstacles out of your way. The only way for you to totally avoid having a job with no supervisor is to be self-employed...and not get married.

You are an energetic young man with a strong desire to seek out your way in life...for that, I commend you. Slow down a little and take a more steady aim at what you want. As in the movie "The Patriot"..."aim small, miss small". There is no sense running through the forest with your eyes closed...

Hang in there, tomorrow will come and much sooner than you expect.

Casey

 

very true. You talk about being supervised as a bad thing. I rather enjoyed having a good superviser to got o bat for me when I made 18 and 19 year old mistakes. you will do what you feel you have to do but slow down and really analyze the situation before you go off and do it your way. SOMETIMES these people have been there done that but don't want to take the time to tell you that. Working with a contractor will get you nothing. If you have an opportunity to work for the usfs and want to eventually be permantent with them then you need to work for them every chance you get. they will get to know you and when a perm. position comes up then you can slide a little easier on the "hey I know him" factor, and if they really like you they will write the job opening requirements just for you. Think about it. My usfs perks and bennys helped me to retire very early in life. Not a millionare but comfortable.

dj

 

I wish I was an electrical apprentice again. All the pressure, to make sure everything is done right the first time. The minute I mess up, I get my **** chewed.

 

If it were me, i would put the gun in the truck but only have it in there on the way to work while at work and on the way home from work. If you do get pulled over, and have the gun explain to the officer what you do, and why you carry the gun. Most cops are usually understanding. While yes this is probably illegal as i havent checked the local laws, i would rather have the gun and never need it then not have the gun when i do need it. Also i would not leave the gun out in the open while on the road or anything. If the cop asks to search the vehicle tell him truthfully that there is a gun, unloaded i would hope. and where it is.

 

Truckin4life...this kid is gonna be 17 this month and really could use some responsible guidance. Laws are not the same in each state but here in Washington we have what is called the RCW (Revised Code of Washington) that are criminal laws. Please feel free to read the above listed "Washington State" laws pertaining to this thread. Geez.

 

sick em boy, Those Cougs are really fighters.... Tell it like it is, we respect that

 

yes laws are laws, and if you do know there are you are going into then no i wouldnt carry the gun, but if it were a area i was unfamilar with and a possibilty of animal attack, then yes the gun would go with me. Police officers are really more understanding than people would let on. But maybe you could use something else, i would want something to make a loud noise and a bright flash. To scare the critter away.

What i have posted above is just a personal opinion while yes it is against the law, i would do it anyway, not to be a rebel, but to have it INCASE i needed it. I dont know washington laws and the above post helped me to understand them NONE. But its really personal opininon, i take a proactive action for my safety, yes i wear my seat belt, check tire pressure, brakes... and wear my helmets, and when im going into unfamilar back country territory, i always have a firearm, belive it or not, i had one in my snowboarding bag also. Unloaded of course but it was there and so was the ammo. Unarmed person vs, anrgy bear or wildcat not something i want to expierence.

I do not condone the breaking of laws, but sometimes they do need to be adjusted for "special" reasons, such as this one.

Another question for gbmudd, i belive you said you were going to be working around your grampas farm, so would you even have to go near a town, and if your clearing trails and what not, then you shouldnt be near a town, or even a place a cop should be. Another factor to consider put it in the truck in the mornin before work and take it out in the evenin after work.

 

I give up......after all it is not myself that will be (at the very least) facing federal charges. Hey ya only live once. They're right, youth is wasted on the young.

 

i would take federal gun charges over bein mauled by an animal any day.

Im not tryin to come off bad or anything, but if you think about really think about it, if you have something illegal in your vehicle wouldnt you try to stay away from the police and if you knew they may be around wouldnt you do your darndest to obey the law? I know i would, its not like the kid is passing a security checkpoint everyday, that is my point, while federal gun charges are very severe would you rather live with those than permant scarring and possible disfigurement from a mauling. that is only the point im trying to make. Is it smart to take the gun, yes and no. I, being me, belive that if taken ONLY during working hours and removed when not working hours, obey the law as not to be pulled over, makes more since then going into unfamiliar territiory where there is a possibilty of wild animals such as bears, wildcats. etc. this is just the point im trying to make.

 

It is extremely rare to be mauled by a black bear, cougar, deer, squirrel, beaver, and coyote in the woods in this state. Extremely rare. He just needs to pull buttox off head. Go Cougs...beat the Huskies again!!!

 

well than there you go, if it is THAT rare, then heck no, dont take the gun. Stay some what close to your ride, so if something does come up. go over and lay on the horn. I know from the places i ventured into in montana, i know diffrenent state, i always had a firearm of some sort with me, and there were many occasion i saw a bear or a mt lion, they just passed on along but the first time with out my firearm was all it took for me. If the stats say its that rare, then there aint no way i would carry a gun. if i was under legal age. I was speaking from what info i had and personal expierence. With my expierence's i would have taken the gun, but from what has been posted, then heck no, aint taken no gun with me, maybe some bear mace or something but even that would be an extreme.
I would like to say hey, leave the gun at home, but would feel horrible if he was that small percent that was mauled. With out first know statitics, once again as said i wouldnt risk it.

 

The area he is most likely boing to be in this summer is about 80*- 95* F sometimes hotter. Most likely he won't even see a deer. Maybe a squirrel. I carry out in the woods sometimes...just don't want to run into the wrong crowd, but then again I am of legal age and carry the proper license. Scott will be with others and probably a real Ranger too.

 

that is a good point. I understand the bad crowd part, im no longer in montana but i went up there last august and alot of loggin roads and stuff were tore up to stop people from traveling them, meth heads would take a camper up the loggin roads and cook up there meth, dumping all the nasty waste to the side, on the mountain, deffiently be packing if was up in the woods nowadays. Seems like drugs are moving from the "ghettos" and into our forests, for more privacy and there harder to find!

 

i lived in washington for 5 years, spent a lot of time in the woods and never had a confrontation with a dangerous animal.

not saying that it does not happen, but come on, its being made too big of a deal out of like it happens all the time.

someone has a greater chance of getting killed by another human out in the woods then by an animal.

what is going to be going on out there? i am picturing saws, people, cars, lots of noise. if so, i seriously doubt any dangerous animal is going to even be close to the area.

a little paranoid? no, just a kid looking for any excuse to be "cool" and carry a gun.