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Old 09-24-2010, 08:59 AM
 
22 posts, read 67,074 times
Reputation: 13

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I've been here in Grand Junction for a week now. I love it.. I love the people, weather, scenery, and the hunting scene. But I can't seem to find work, which ultimately will cause me to move on. I've been trying to find work on a ranch, but it seems info online is not updated enough to do any good.
I'm reliable, very presentable, very personable, strong, and an expert marksman. Do you have a Prairie Dog problem?? I have a remedy.
I can promote any hunting ranch and double their money. I'd be an awesome guide as well.
In don't want to leave here, so any input would be greatly appreciated. You guys on this site have helped tremendously before.
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Old 09-24-2010, 11:11 AM
 
8,317 posts, read 29,367,714 times
Reputation: 9305
The problem you have is that there are literally hundreds of local people available to apply for any of the relatively few such jobs available. Those locals usually have the advantage of being a "known quantity" to the rancher hiring him or her--maybe a relative, a neighbor's kid, a friend, whatever. The locals often have the advantage of "knowing the country", which is a big advantage when doing ranch-type work.

None of that changes the fact that the pay is usually very low--low enough that relatively few people will choose to try to live on it. Because of that, ranchers always have the fear that an outsider may move on as soon as a better paying job comes available. That is less of a problem with locals who have strong family ties to the community.

I know all of this because I used to be in the ag business in rural Colorado. The locals were always more stable employees to have around--and everyone I knew in the business pretty much said the same thing. I suspect that is why you are having such problems finding any work. You can call it nepotism or just the "good ol' boy" network, but it still is quite common in rural Colorado, especially in the ag industry. Just the way it is.
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Old 09-24-2010, 11:32 AM
 
26,116 posts, read 48,720,528 times
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Johnny, if you haven't already tried it, put an ad on Craigslist. Look for any group that even resembles a chamber of commerce, rancher's club, co-op, big box hardware or farm supply store, etc, and ask ask ask for leads or post a card on a bulletin board; talk to people shopping in such places who look like they might be ranchers. Talk to girls who ride horses, they can be a source too.
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Old 09-24-2010, 01:43 PM
 
Location: Bend, OR
3,296 posts, read 9,652,928 times
Reputation: 3343
I think this is why many of us tried to discourage you from making the move until you had a job lined up. It's just so hard with the economy the way it is. However, it would be a big bummer to you if you had to move again since it sounds like you are loving the western slope. Have you looked for other jobs out there? You might check with Powderhorn ski area to see if they have anything since the ski season will be starting soon. You might also look into oil & gas jobs, although I'm sure those are not as easy to come by as they were when I lived there. Good luck!
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Old 09-25-2010, 01:06 AM
 
168 posts, read 380,094 times
Reputation: 138
Maybe you might want to expand that search, to the north or south or east?
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Old 09-28-2010, 10:05 PM
 
Location: On the sunny side of a mountain
3,602 posts, read 9,014,461 times
Reputation: 8244
Ranch Hand needed (http://rockies.craigslist.org/lab/1979102016.html - broken link)

It's not Grand Junction, but Gypsum isn't too far. Good Luck
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Old 10-01-2010, 11:24 AM
 
Location: Houston area, for now
948 posts, read 1,382,026 times
Reputation: 449
Most of the Ranches are family owned and run. Sometimes they hire out but not often enough to pay the bills. When we lost our place near castle Rock I had to stop cowboyin, thank god for the Air Force.
You might try hooking up with an hunting outfitter. Do trail rides in the off season.
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Old 10-01-2010, 12:28 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,121,390 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewmik View Post
Most of the Ranches are family owned and run.
Damn homesteaders with their barb wire!
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Old 10-01-2010, 04:37 PM
 
18,609 posts, read 33,180,797 times
Reputation: 36869
A summer owner (lodge, lake, horses) that I met outside Durango said she had a lot of trouble finding local people, or rather local people who didn't do meth. A number of small business people I've met on the Western Slope said the same thing. It's such a poison.
Just anecdotes from a tourist.
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Old 10-01-2010, 05:59 PM
 
8,317 posts, read 29,367,714 times
Reputation: 9305
Quote:
Originally Posted by brightdoglover View Post
A summer owner (lodge, lake, horses) that I met outside Durango said she had a lot of trouble finding local people, or rather local people who didn't do meth. A number of small business people I've met on the Western Slope said the same thing. It's such a poison.
Just anecdotes from a tourist.
I surely agree that meth is a life destroyer. That said, I don't think meth is any more common in rural Colorado than it is in many other parts of the country. That is not to say that there aren't a fair number of tweakers here--unfortunately, there are--and they cause problems far in disproportion for their numbers.

What is true that many areas of rural Colorado, especially on the Western Slope, have been dens for the illicit drug trade for decades. When you combine a frequently somewhat impoverished and underemployed local population with an influx of more than a few monied jerks with an appetite for illicit drugs--an active illicit drug trade is what you get. Add thinly spread, underpaid, an understaffed law enforcement, and that just makes it worse. Another of those dirty little secrets that the Chamber of Commerce-types do not like to talk about.
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