Jacob Stutz
Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife '21
Wildlife Management Consultant, Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife
As an undergraduate student, Jacob studied Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife and completed his degree in SENR in 2021. During school, he was involved in intramural sports at OSU Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI). He held a seasonal position at ODNR Division of Wildlife in the Deer Creek Wildlife Area during his last two years of college as well. Currently, he serves as a Wildlife Management Consultant at ODNR Division of Wildlife.
A Glance at Jacob’s Current Work
I am a Wildlife Management Consultant for ODNR Division of Wildlife. I work in the Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area in Wayne County, technically Shreve, Ohio.
My days vary because my position is new, so we haven’t exactly built what the “normal day” looks like for this position. I work on a lot of different projects on any given day, sometimes it is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, other times it’s with Pheasants Forever or anywhere else that requires field work. There could also be days where I am sitting behind a desk answering the phone all day, so it definitely varies. It changes every day, and it’s never the same.
The most rewarding part of my job right now is when a landowner calls you with their goals and you work with them to achieve those goals. Completing what they want done the best that you can in a timely fashion feels good because you know you’re doing your job right. Keeping the landowners happy is super rewarding. I can make recommendations all day, and landowners do not necessarily have to follow them. So it is nice when you see them taking your suggestions and making progress toward their goals based on your help.
Professional Development
What were you involved in during college?
I played softball, flag football, and basketball as intramural sports during my first two years of college at OSU ATI in Wooster. COVID hit during my third year when I transferred to OSU main campus, so there wasn’t a lot going on in terms of my involvement then. I did have the opportunity to work at Deer Creek Wildlife Area with ODNR Division of Wildlife during my last two years of college in Columbus. I was a Seasonal Natural Resource Technician on the shooting range and in the wildlife area. Outside of that, I didn’t have much involvement during college.
What advice would you give to someone who is still in college and hoping to do what you do?
Get as much valuable experience in everything that you can. If you’re wanting to work in my field, learning to run equipment required for the job is helpful. For example, learn to operate a tractor, learn how to use a brush hog, and stuff like that. Another big piece of advice is getting out there and meeting people in the area you want to work in. Networking and introducing yourself goes a long way. The more experience that you have that relates to different categories of your job, the better off you’ll be.
If you want to be in this line of work and have the opportunity to go somewhere and travel to work–absolutely do it. You do not get those kinds of opportunities often, and it is great experience. It’s also a good conversation starter! For example: now, I am able to say I have worked in the mountains of Colorado, and this kind of experience shows that you are well-rounded and adaptable.
The last piece of advice I have is to get a lot of interview experience. They are intimidating when you first start out, but they get so much easier the more you do them. Once you learn what to expect from interviews and the structure of them, you’re a lot less nervous when you do them.
What experience do you feel was most valuable in your professional development?
Having my seasonal positions for the Division of Wildlife was very valuable because it allowed me to get my foot in the door for my full-time job. The transition to my current job taught me about perseverance. I also gained a lot of experience with my other jobs before this that made me a good fit for this role, whether it was experience in technical things or with people.
What was a challenge you faced in your professional development and how did you overcome it?
A big challenge, for me, was COVID. I was hired during a hiring freeze, which required working around a lot of uncertainties. It was a lot of effort to keep pushing to land a job with the division, but it helped that I had seasonal positions before and was able to work my way in. So, I’d say the biggest challenge I faced was getting my first full-time job during COVID.
Post-Graduation
What did you do immediately post-graduation?
Right after college, I was still working at Deer Creek Wildlife Area. Then the opportunity presented itself for me to go to Colorado for 4 months working for an outfitter. I
assisted with hunting trips, fishing, and riding on horseback in the mountains. After that, I came back to Ohio, started as a seasonal employee, then almost immediately found out I got the full-time position. So, within 6-10 months, I got my job.
What was most important to you in your job search?
I knew I wanted to work in habitat management, either privately or for the state. I also knew I wanted to work with the Division of Wildlife, in general. There weren't many deal breakers for me, other than just making sure I was going to be earning enough money to make a living for myself. Networking was very important in my job search, too, since I had already worked for the Division of Wildlife before my full-time role here.
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How to connect with Jacob:
Feel free to reach out and ask questions! My email is jacob.stutz@dnr.ohio.gov.
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