October 03, 2025

Fieldwork 101

28 minutes

Ever wondered what it really takes to do wildlife fieldwork? In this episode, head into the sagebrush with three graduate students studying shrikes, pygmy rabbits, and sagebrush songbirds. Hear about the honest, useful details: how to prep for a season that vanishes in a blur, what gear actually matters (sunshirts, yes; sandals are…controversial), and how to recover when things go sideways. This conversation shows why being there changes what we can know.

We talk about finding the right lab and advisor, applying to technician roles with volume and intention, and writing cover letters that are specific, early, and honest about gaps. You’ll hear how non-traditional students can be standout techs, why transferable skills matter, and how rolling reviews reward applicants who don’t wait for deadlines. The stories are unfiltered: a black bear on hind legs eyeing a “blood smoothie,” a near nap on a rattlesnake, a UTV dropping into a hidden creek at night. The takeaway is bigger than any mishap: fieldwork is a rite of passage that teaches judgment, resilience, and the kind of naturalist attention that turns data into understanding.

If you’re plotting your first season—or your fifteenth—you’ll get practical advice you can use tomorrow: organize goals before the rush, expect to forget something, make peace with Plan B, and invest in the people beside you at 4 a.m. Because the field isn’t just where we collect numbers; it’s where we find the questions worth asking next. Subscribe, share this with a future field tech, and tell us: what’s your must-have gear—and are you team boots or team sandals?

Links to more information:

The Wildlife Society

About Erik

About Olivia

About Clare

Chalfoun Lab

Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit

Loggerhead Shrikes

Pygmy Rabbits

Brewer's Sparrow

Sage Thrasher

Sagebrush Sparrow