Has anybody here took this course from Joe Meder. I want to and I'm going to but do I need to wait until after a mount more deer. I have mounted about 20 deer, not meaning to brag but I'm better than most people around here. I'm also the only one who tans his capes and everybody thinks I'm crazy for doing this until they see my deer. What do you exactly do in this course, I read about it on his website but it didnt really explain it really well. Do you mount a deer or does he just show you his live deer and you watch him mount one. This next question really doesnt matter but how much does it cost.
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All you have to do is email him. He will tell you if your class is right for you and won't screw you over. His reputation depends on it, so why don't you just email him!
YOu sound like a prime candidate for Joe's school. Remember, it's a SCHOOL and not a seminar or a lecture. YOU will mount a deer. Joe doesn't have anything to prove by mounting one for you.
Now, I'm trying to bust your bubble, so please don't think I'm "slamming" you. Many people are very gifted artisans from their first piece. Yet I still see dozens of people who pay good money to go to a school and when they return, they turn out one, two, maybe half a dozen exceptional mounts. Then they revert back to their old bad habits again.
If you go, let Joe tell you (and he WILL tell you) those habits that you need to correct. Don't try to mount like Joe Meder. If you do, that'll be you I'm describing above. Spend all your time learning what he's showing you about anatomy, expression, and symmetry. If you do, you'll have your OWN technique in mounting that will only continue to improve down the road. That experience won't fade away because it's now a part of you. Good luck.
Your post made me chuckle a bit. I went to Joe's Deer Class last year. Fantastic program but not for the faint of heart. As long as you remember your there to learn and take advantage of his experince you should come out ok. Joe will explain and answer anything you ask. Take advantage of his business sense. Ups/downs etc. He doesnt suffer fools. (He does however have a pretty healthy sense of humor) He will demonstrate a technique such as setting eyes. He'll do one side you the other.
When you finally have the symmetry and balance he will critique it. There is nothing like spending far too long on a technique, convincing yourself of future greatness... Then he nicely tears them out and has you do it over and over!
If you want to learn. Remember the two ears and one mouth rule! It was casual but punctual. For me it was time, money and effort well spent. If your the type who wants to spend time telling greater 'war' stories than listening you'd be better off sitting at home watching videos. It all comes down to where your at and where you want to be. So enough of the preachy type stuff. If you think you've got what it takes to take advantage of the program give him a shout.
I took his class five years ago. Excellent teacher,learned alot. He will mount a deer, and you will mount a deer. You will tan a cape. The days were long, but the knowledge gained is priceless. Go there with an open mind, and soak it all in like a sponge. I think the class was well worth the money. Before I took the class I had only mounted one deer and it sucked. Took Joe's class and five years's later I have a great start in a whitetail only taxidermy business. Using what I learned from him, I competed for the first time, and got a second in the pro division. I can't say enough good about the entire experience. Take the class if you want to improve your deer work. Joe knows deer!
I never took Joe's course, but I have been judged and critiqued by Joe for many years while competing. Joe has a background in teaching. Joe has owned live deer for many years. Joe was one of the best whitetail guys before we as an industry even knew who he was, and since then the rest of us aspired to be like Joe and others AFTER we saw what they could produce. The fact that he is still teaching all these years after other instructors have come and gone also means something. I have met countless numbers of taxidermists who have taken Joe's class, as I judge their work at shows, or just meet them in this industry. I can only think of a couple of folks who ever said ANYTHING negative, and Ill bet it was more them than him, actually. Even though I take students, Ive always been very comfortable reccommending Joe Meder classes to anyone.
I would take your course but you live so far away from here. Joe is only about 100 miles. I saw a picture in Breakthrough of a mount of two summer deer in velvet that you did and it was the best whitetail deer I have ever saw.