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You fellers who have been to competition, can you tell me what the judges look for on a white tail deer mount. Do you get points for sculpting you own nose,or better to use repo.give me an idea on a shoulder mount.
July 22, 2011
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honeybee man wrote: This will be my first time .what do you recommend
Thats hard for me to answer. What are you looking to get out of it? Are you looking a good critique to better understand W/T anatomy and taxidermy? Or are you looking certain colored ribbons and awards to stroke you ego?
How thick is your skin and can you take constructive criticism well? Also, how are you at dealing with politics?
Crap with the politics. I want to better myself so I can feel my customers get the best. Yes I can handle criticism,being a youth leader for several years and dealing with parents,you learn to get tough hide.
Let me back up! I don’t like politics,but being president of our South East Georgia Beekeepers Association I understand there has to be a certain amont. We keep it a minimal so our meetings are enjoyable . So i could handle a certain amount.
July 22, 2011
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honeybee man wrote: Crap with the politics. I want to better myself so I can feel my customers get the best. Yes I can handle criticism,being a youth leader for several years and dealing with parents,you learn to get tough hide.
I would go straight to Professional then unless you want to get your feet wet in the Amatuer Division.
The judge will be a little less critical in Amateur, but will cover the basics like eye shape, ear position, grooming, seam ect. ect.. In professional he will figure in more detail stuff such as nose interior, ear interior, paint blending, correct use of fillers and eye rotation/pupil placement and so on.
If you want a good solid critique and don’t mind getting your feelings hurt you need to go on to Professional. This is just my opinion. Some others here may tell you something different.
honeybee man wrote: I want to better myself so I can feel my customers get the best.
You answered your own question and didn’t even know it.
You don’t need to enter a mount into competition to get better at your work. Seminars will do the same thing and in there you wont get your feelings hurt. Just walking through and looking (studying) other peoples deer head in competition room will help. You should be able to pick up on things just by looking at them.
As D. said, ribbon and egos, If that whats floats your boat then by all means jump in and get your feet wet.
I am not saying at all you cant learn from the constructive criticism that will be given. Just simply take the under the radar approach first. See what you can pick up on that way first.
Thanks D, Good info. SERIOUSLY i don’t mind the criticism, if it makes me get my stuff together, lm there. I have been real busy I our bees ,but got some stuff finishing up to post. Hope to get some constructive criticism!!!!
Thanks Buck fever,I was writing my post when yours came in. I didn’t know if a guy could go and hang out and look and learn deal. I have an awsome taxidermist in town,I look at his work a lot. Pittman taxidermy,he has won several blue ribbons . His fish look great to.
Forgot to say,blue ribbon would be nice.But I had little children come in and picke up there deer head,smiling from ear to ear. Thats a blue for me. But I want to always be learning guys. Sorry to be on the key board so much but had to know . Any thing yall think I should know, let me have it
July 22, 2011
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Nothing wrong with the ribbons. My point Buck, was if you got to have a blue ribbon, you need to enter in the lowest division you are eligible for. If you are looking for the constructive critique you can take and learn from, no matter if you get a ribbon or not I would go to Professional and then on to Masters when you are ready.
I’m gonna disagree with Buck a little, I think you can learn more from actually doing the work and getting a score sheet and critique, than you can watching with a room full of people while someone else does the work. There is nothing wrong with competing if you can handle it, but unfortunately there are some out there that just don’t need to be doing it.
As I said before, some others look at it different and may tell you so.
I have only been competing since August of last year, and I went straight to pro division. I personally feel that my taxidermy has improved 100%, and I really don’t think I would have learned what I have by competing in a lower division. Looking at other mounts will help you some, but looking and getting a critique are totally different. I recommend going to professional if you have an idea on how to read a reference picture (which can be difficult) and sew a hide.
Sounds good guys! I think i will do as yall say and try the pro division. I am the type unless a man is crituqing my wife and childern,i’m ok.:biggergrin: So thank yall so much for the info and what to look for. Getting a score sheet to see where i lack will be great, i was not sure how this whole judging thing went . so to get a sheet to show where i lack would be good. hope to post some pics next week so yall can LET ME HAVE IT. By the way D, when is yalls convention, i would like to go and hang out to see some stuff,and do yall have seminars?
I went to a competion.did not enter. Went to seminars.listened to judges critiques.I learner a good bit.but I’m competing this year. I am looking at my deer from a whole new perspective. The heat is on.that judge is gonna look and lay hands on it. Pressure pushes people to find what they never would’ve Looked for. Competition brings out the best in us.
D.Price wrote:
I’m gonna disagree with Buck
D my wife says i am always WRONG, so your probably right! lol
Interesting opinions. Honeybee man I agree with all the above about entering the professional div. The only time I would recommend the amateur division is for those that it is intended for, amateurs. I had the privilege of judging the amateur division at Surry this year and was inspired by the enthusiasm of those that are just learning. Unless it has changed I believe our amateur is for those that have been doing it for less than one year. Oh by the way, listening to a judge critique someone else’s deer for the purpose of learning is like watching someone else eat a big ice cream cone and saying “boy that taste good”.:biggergrin:
