Annual Taxidermy Conference at SCC Draws Nation's Best

Dobson, NC – May 4, 2012. Surry Community College is gearing up to host one of the largest educational based taxidermy conferences in the nation this month. The three-day event will offer valuable learning opportunities for beginner and advanced taxidermists while showcasing competition entries to the general public.

The annual Taxidermy Mini-Course, now in its 7th year at SCC, will take place from Thursday, May 17 through Saturday, May 19 at various locations on the college’s Dobson campus. The event includes more than 30 seminars taught by some of the nation’s top taxidermists along with a trade show featuring over 30 vendors of Taxidermy products and a judged competition for amateurs, professionals and masters. Registration fee is $66.

The public is invited for a free viewing of entries in the conference’s Beautiful Wildlife Competition. The viewing will take place inside the grand hall of the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology on Friday, May 18th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, May 19th from noon to 2:30 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from the Knight’s Grill on Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The event draws taxidermists from across the country to learn from, and compete against, some of the best in the industry. In recent years as many as 17 states have been represented among the conference’s more than 300 attendees. Experienced taxidermists can learn about the industry’s latest techniques and products, while beginners can discover what the industry is all about as they mingle with some of the nation’s best taxidermists.

The event is held annually on the third week in May. It began at Piedmont Community College in Roxboro, NC, which hosted the event for 31 years. The event was moved to SCC in 2006 to accommodate the need for a larger space.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to host this conference,” said Program Director Gregory Smith. “It compliments the year-round taxidermy program at the Workforce Development Center in Mount Airy very well.” SCC offers hands-on taxidermy training covering deer heads, birds, fish, and life-size mammals in either beginning or advanced classes.“Many of our students go on to start their own businesses after taking our courses,” said Smith.

To get the latest information on the conference, including the schedule of events, list of exhibitors and registration instructions, visit www.surry.edu/taxidermy or call (336) 386-3618.