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forestry technician job advice

Started by jlc123, September 18, 2014, 01:54:45 AM

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jlc123

so, I had my first day as a junior forestry technician today. It was awful! I am used to forestry work, I have done a season of tree planting, and many years of working with a tree faller. The forest is my favorite place to be. Today was different though. Firstly, I am nervous as I will be working alone, not completely alone, someone else will be out there... somewhere within a few km's... A guy on our crew almost got charged by a bear today too. Second, my knees are not very good. I have had issues with them before, but i thought they would be better as I have been doing lots of running lately, but they are super sore tonight.

I am really scared, and nervous, and unsure of my skills. I am looking for reassurance, and stories of people who have never had a bear or cougar encounter. Also, any suggestions to help with the knees would be greatly appreciated. Or maybe the job isnt worth it?

CCC4

If it were me, I would stay away from running and use either a seated or bike frame stationary bike. If you already have bad knees, the running or jogging is going to make them worse to where as a stationary bike will strengthen and tighten your knees up some and have zero jarring to already damaged goods.

Tips for keeping interest in indoor biking...set your bike up in front of a tv and put in videos of back country driving on country roads. Also, no matter what music you prefer, use something with a quick pace and lots of bpm's...this will all make sense after a solid week or so of indoor biking. I used to race XC motorcycles up till a couple years ago, I would train 3 to 4 months solid prior to Ironman 9 hour races. Trust me on the videos and music...hard to pedal in one place at 40 min intervals 4 days a week!

As far as the bear and or cougar, if it were me I would be packing a large magnum on my hip. You can get bear spray also. Hey, have a little confidence in yourself...if you stay all your life in your comfort zone as far as employment...you aren't advancing.

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Hang in there, and you will get more used to being out in the woods and not finding a bear behind every tree. You don't say in what country or area you are working or what your forestry tech work involves.

About the knees, I agree with CCC4, cut out the running. You don't say how old you are, but the knee problem may lead you away from the type of work you expect to do as a forestry tech.

Don't make huge decisions after just one day about whether the job is worth it or not.

Did you like the work you were doing?

What led up to your getting the training and applying for a Forestry Tech job?

Filling out your profile with more complete info will help get you some good answers, and look forward to hearing more about the specifics of your dilema and job.   8)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

ST Ranch

First day on any job is nerve racking. My dad always said that being a bit nervous keeps you on your toes.
As far as working alone in the bush, yes it can be a mind bender and you need to overcome this fear. Carrying bear spray is always a good idea and a handgun or short barrelled 12 gauge is a nice luxuary, but you need to have experience using them.
I have worked for 30 + years in the Rockies, which have big populations of bear and couger and never had a bad experience, just need to keep your whits about you when in very high population areas.  I only carry a gun [old winchester lever action] on very rare occasions, if working in grizzly habitat.

Once you have been out a few times, you will get used to it and gain confidence and as others have said, do not give up now - you will do OK

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Tom
LT40G28 with mods,  Komatsu D37E crawler,
873 Bobcat with CWS log grapple,

jlc123

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am a 29 yr old female, working in the southern part of British Columbia, in the Okanagan area. The reason I got into this job... well, I have  a diploma in environmental studies, and instead of going to work in the north, in the tar sands, I have decided to stick it out here and wait for a job. I have been working two part time jobs, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to work one full time job, in a field of interest. Since I have prior forestry experience, I thought this was a good choice.

I was very overwhelmed after I got home from the first day, It was just a training day, I dont go back for 5 more days as I am finishing up my other jobs. Most of the job involves cutblock layout. I will be doing riparian assessments and other stuff, which I have no clue about. There was lots of bush whacking, lots of waiting around for the gps to get the right coordinates, it wasnt bad, but I was with someone else. The job only goes until end of November, and starts back up in April, I might go back to school in February for a trade.

pine

Agree with the others about minimizing the unnecessary repetitive shock abuse to the knees. 
I know from experience what it can do to you.  I no longer can run, but I can go up and down hillsides all day long. 

Try Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements.  For many folks they really help the joints and for folks that insist on abusing their joints (for whatever reason) it can minimize/reduce the long term effects.  For most folks it seems to take about 3 weeks after start to show positive effects however so do not expect instant results.  Does not work for everyone but for some it is a real lease on life as far as joint activity.  Look around for options as far a joint supplements.

As to the critters. Most cats will avoid you if they can.  As to bears, blacks will avoid unless you get between a sow and her cubs.  Browns are a bit more unpredictable.  Noise tends to keep them moving.  Bells on your pack to jingle, talking, even to your self, is noise that can be effective at keeping them out of your way.   A startled bear is more likely to be a problem, if one is going to be a problem, thus letting them know you are there well in advance of actually being there tends to get them to move out of the way.

curdog

Nobody is going to be familiar on their first day at a new job. I'm hoping I'll be there right before I retire. But stick it out. You said it last until November,  that's not that long, and if nothing else it will be experience to put on a resume.
As far as bears and cougars,  we don't have grizzlies,  but we do have black bears and I see them, they see me and we all go on about our day. Well they probably see me more than I see them. But eastern nc has a huge population of black bears and probably the largest in the world, with no problems of them attacking people.  Now cougars, the few encounters I've had with them I've just had to tell them I've got a girlfriend and I'm not interested. ..... oh not that kind of cougar. Then I've got nothing :D
Good luck, I really enjoy the technician side of forestry.

BargeMonkey

 Stick it out a while, to many people make an assumption about a new job and regret it later. We see this all the time with the children coming out of school, 2 wks on the wrong boat and mommy + daddy just threw good money away on an 4yr education they will never use.
My forester said he was on bear #12 this yr he has ran into, unless its springtime your pretty safe. Bear spray is cheap and easy, but I dont leave home without something larger than .30cal anyway.

jlc123

I know you are all saying to give it a try... but this is my 2nd day off after my first day, and my knee is still sore. I have had major anxiety over this as well. I am 95% sure that this is not the job for me. I have worked forestry before, so it is not really like I am giving up without trying... right? I appreciate all your opinions, but this job just doesnt feel right. I am very disappointed, I thought this was a career for me. I am glad I found out sooner rather than later. It is not like I was unfamiliar or scared of learning, all the stuff I was taught was actually quite easy, and I know I would've caught on quick. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about this job.

North River Energy

I had a similar feeling about a tractor I recently 'acquired' for loading out firewood.  After the first load I felt it was the wrong tool for the job, and I was wasting time.

After a fashion, I realized the tractor was actually a bit faster than the skid steer I used previously, and was much easier on the operator and on the site itself.

Of course, there was no wildlife trying to share the operators platform with me...


Point being, sometimes our first impression is correct, and sometimes not.  If you have nothing to lose other than your sense of immediate satisfaction with the job, then stick it out for a bit.


Regarding the knees, two things:
Footwear really matters. You want something that provides agility, with a heel height appropriate for your bone structure.  Heels too high will stress the knees from the front by way of the quadriceps group, while heels too low will stress the knees and lower back.  Somewhere in between is the right shoe for you, whereby the muscles at the front and back of the leg are not constantly under tension.

Unfortunately, this takes a bit of experimentation.  What suits your best friend/co-worker might be completely wrong for your body and where you plan to take it.

Most shoes today are garbage, designed to meet a style and price point.
Avoid shoes with squishy, wide soles, and more or less anything from China.

Second.  If your feet are not supported by way of either a custom orthotic or quality off the rack insole, excess mobility of the bones in the foot will also stress your knees.  Generally speaking, women have more foot flexibility than men, and this, combined with skeletal geometry (hip width, the angle at which the femur rests on the tibia etc, etc,) can aggravate the knees as well.

Anyway, the job may not be right for either your head or your body, but there are ways to mitigate your immediate concerns.

Good luck whatever you choose.

Ron Scott

Have you had much time in the outdoors? It's an environment that one needs to get use to along with the bears and cougars. You may just need a mentor to help you get adjusted to it and give it a little time. Seek a coworker or someone with outdoor experience that you can relate with. You'll find that working as a Forestry Technician or Resource Specialist it can be a great experience.

The knees may need to adjust for awhile to hiking the rough terrain, especially if you have been hiking on a lot of rocky terrain. I'm going on 79 years old and still work in the woods mostly alone regularly. I've also had surgery on both knees though  ;) and use a walking stick which helps me stay upright and avoid many falls. ;) I also put on a knee brace when in rugged hilly terrain.

Also just don't depend on the GPS unit, always carry and use a compass as a backup. Use the compass and be able to read your aerial photo. Also carry a quality bear spray as your best all around protection when in bear country and learn the habits of the various wildlife species so as not to fear them. 
~Ron

mad murdock

Welcome jlc123.  The daily grind in the woods isnt for everybody.  If you are giving it a go, I could not overstate the necessity to have proper boots.  That makes all the difference in the world when you are "bushwhacking".  Poor footwear, will bear out in the way of sore feet, sore knees, and so on.  I would have a real hard time were it not for my boots!   Good luck in whatever choice you make.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

BradMarks

Have you taken anything for your knees yet, something as simple as ibuprofen?  Physical work, when not used to it, takes an initial toll on the body. Went to a gathering last night and some old colleagues from years ago were there. We talked about the old tree planting days, and how the first few days of the new season just beats a person up. And after that you started getting in shape for the 6 month grind. Like others on this Forum, I've had back surgery, elbow surgery, double hernia surgery and have a bad knee. Heck, I even wear a knee brace when bowling. Like everyone is trying to say, don't give up after one day, the outdoors can be a very rewarding career.

enigmaT120

I don't understand how what you're doing now could be harder than tree planting. 

I've substituted bicycling (real bike, not stationary.  I made it part of my commute a couple of days a week.) for some of my running, and my knee pain is gone. 

Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

jlc123

Thank you everyone for the input. It's really helped... I'll give it a few more days I think. We have to wear cork boots out there and they really twist the knees, plus i just changed the spikes so theyre super grippy right now.

Tree planting was definitely harder than this job, were really only out in the bush for 6 hrs the rest is travel time and waiting around for ppl to get their edited by admin together in the morning. So getting paid 10hrs for 6 hrs work? It's worth a try...

SwampDonkey

Strap a brush saw on for a week.  ;D  Just kidding there, if they ask you to, run.  ;) But, anyway I know how those hills and terrain can work on those knees. I know you have to wear the chaulks but I always found it easier to stand up in them when on slippery logs and goose goo for mud on the hillsides. They sure are not the most comfortable boot to wear though.

As far as the bears, I probably see 20 a year along the roads and not very often walk into one in the bush. Probably 3 real close by in 20 years, but I won them matches with the bears running off. Bears can't see too well, just smell and hear the best. Carry the mace or a noise maker. I don't carry any here in the east, did when in Prince Rupert and the Islands around there.

Myself, I've worked alone for years for part of the year, then with others for most. These days I thin with a brush saw and GPS and flag thinning blocks. So I'm not in tall canopy, but it can be 30 feet tall, mostly a lot less. Part of the day the constellation of satellites can be a pain, might have to wait a few minutes before carrying on with the GPS. I use a Trimble.

Anyway, hopefully you'll figure out what you want to do. Woods work is usually quite physically demanding. Not everyone wants to do it. Maybe your being thrust into a position that has some expectations that you lack experience in. I saw a lot of that during the beginnings of the FPC's era out there. Then it all collapsed in 4 or 5 years because it was always a work in progress with not a lot of experts really, but a bunch of learn as we go.

Anyway, good luck, and have a good day.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

CCC4

Don't give up just yet...you may not be doing the same thing in a couple months and it may turn out in the good! Try (2) Aleve a day and see how that works. As far as corks, I wear the Hoffman fallers and being as I normally wear cheap crappy boots....I find my corks very comfortable. Funny you think they might be hurting your knees, I always found that they work calf muscles and can make them sore when first getting used to corks.

Don't give up gurl...give it some time, all "new" things that set you out of your comfort zone can add anxiety...but it will probably be temporary.


32vld

Bad knees best to get into a pool. Great workout with little stress on the knees. The local community college has gym memberships that includes the use of their Olympic size pool. This has worked out great for my son.

Being jobs are hard to come by. You want to stay in the area. The job will be over in November. Are the best reasons to stick this job out. Hard to base the job on a short time. Also this job can lead to better jobs. Saying you worked somewhere for a week does not help build a resume.

ST Ranch

JLC - Ron Scott has given you some very good advice - it takes a little time to get comfortable with a new job and the surroundings, but I think with a few days of success, hopefully it grow on you.

I remember my first big slash burn fire escape that I was put in charge of and I had NO experience at fire fighting.- after 1/2 day of running here and there [like a rabbit] ribboning fire lines for the cats and trying to organize the crews [who knew more than me and didnt need to be organized], a old faller [powersaw operator] took me aside, fed me a cup of coffee and a sandwich and kind of calmed me down and gave me some advise as how to manage the situation I was given.  I followed his advise, turned to him when I had a question and it worked OK in the end. I have never forgotten that gentleman [a fellow named Tony].

That said, can you share with us a bit more why have a bad feeling about this job? Is it the health of your knees or possibly more related to the job itself or possibly the fear of working alone?

Also just wondering why you "must wear cork boots"?  Are you working on some steeps slopes or on a bunch of windfall or something?  And if so, are they rubber slip ons or good leather lace ups?  I only ask because of the knees and to the best of my knowledge they are not a WCB requirement for layout crews [is it a company policy?] If they are required lace up leather will be better for your feet in the long run.

Again good luck, and look forward to hear how it goes.

Tom
LT40G28 with mods,  Komatsu D37E crawler,
873 Bobcat with CWS log grapple,

SwampDonkey

When I worked in the coast Islands chaulks were required by the WCB. Everthing stepped on was slime if it wasn't a rock, and most of them were moss covered.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

jlc123

Why am I a freaked out so much? I dont even really know, I guess because it is something new, and I havent worked in the bush for five years or more. I am going to ask if cork boots are required, or if I can wear steel toed boots. There is a lot of wind fall though, and those logs get mighty slippery in the rain.

40% chance of rain tomorrow... cough cough... sorry boss, im sick  :-X ..... jk jk.

beenthere

I don't see where steel toed boots would take the place of caulks (corks). But your reasons may vary.

Your approach to this job suggests you are not interested in performing up to the level of your boss's expectations. Maybe that is just the way you make it sound.
It is up to you to step up to the plate and plan to give it your all; .. to hit the home run, or at least make it to first base.

Wish you well.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

CCC4

You're not going to like steel toed boots in steep ground. When I skid with draft horses in steep ground, I usually pulled down hill, when I would get home the toes of my socks would be bloody from the tops of my feet hitting the steel toe section. For that reason, I will never wear another pair of steel toes, those outside the boot protectors..yes, but not steel toes. What brand of corks are ya wearing anyway and what height boot?

katiekruk23

Quote from: jlc123 on September 18, 2014, 01:54:45 AM
so, I had my first day as a junior forestry technician today. It was awful! I am used to forestry work, I have done a season of tree planting, and many years of working with a tree faller. The forest is my favorite place to be. Today was different though. Firstly, I am nervous as I will be working alone, not completely alone, someone else will be out there... somewhere within a few km's... A guy on our crew almost got charged by a bear today too. Second, my knees are not very good. I have had issues with them before, but i thought they would be better as I have been doing lots of running lately, but they are super sore tonight.

I am really scared, and nervous, and unsure of my skills. I am looking for reassurance, and stories of people who have never had a bear or cougar encounter. Also, any suggestions to help with the knees would be greatly appreciated. Or maybe the job isnt worth it?

How many minutes do you usually run?  Maybe you just overdid it or you could be just experiencing the 1st day on the job nervousness.  Only suggestion I can make is to relax and don't overdo your exercises.   :D

jlc123

Well, I have finished my fourth day... and I am really enjoying it. Lots to learn, lots and lots to learn, but I think I am getting the hang of it. Being out in the woods is amazing, even though its been raining EVERY day! I was working on my own for a bit today, and at the end of the day, I was able to use the compass and find the truck... yay for not getting lost... haha.

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