It appears to me that the basis of some of the arguments / discussion is an attack on the business model that Jelen have adopted with some of their courses. With the thought that somehow a shorter course is not value for money and that there must be a catch somewhere and that people are being had over. From experience different course formats will suit different people. You will always have the individuals who are he turn up a teach me what I need to know types and those that are prepared to do all the preparation in their own time and are happy to just turn up and be tested. In fact in the case of the DSC 1 most organisations now offer an assessment only option. There was a time when people looked down on a degree from the Open University whereas now they are held in high regard as obtaining one has usually been done alongside a full time job and often the competing demands of a family. As opposed to one obtained following two or three on the p@&* raking up a huge debt.
In my case I did my DS1 10 years ago with BDS. Three days away, B&B in a country pub with like-minded individuals what could be better. I was very new to deer stalking, had only shot two Muntjac and had my rifle for about 4 months. That format of course suited me at that time. I am doing the Advanced Deer Management Course with Jelen later this year. I have been looking at doing this course for the last couple of years however the format of the other courses around just don’t suit me. Yes a week away would be nice but then add the cost of the course, B&B for five nights, food and drink for five nights and a daunting recommended pre read list of books and publications. It’s not my place to explain the format the Jelen course you can talk it through with Mike if you want to. But from my perspective the pre course preparation as directed by Mike has been excellent. The attractive price is obviously an issue but more so is that the three day course means I only need to take one day off work (as its held over a long weekend). This has the knock on of only 3 nights B&B, food and beer money. It suits me and my circumstances now.
Now if having done the course I don’t feel that it was as advertised and Mike doesn’t deal with any issues I raise satisfactorily it could be argued that I would be qualified to have a pop about the course the way its organised and run, the quality of the instruction and the overall value for money. But until then…..
