A Rite of Passage for the Whole Family
Our gathering brings together Colorado elk and duck hunting, vegetable canning, tracking, and wilderness skills.
Learn From the Mountains as a Family
For most of human history, men, women, and children worked together to hunt, fish, and live by the seasons. Join the first Sacred Hunting community gathering that brings families together to search for elusive elk, hunt ducks, and learn a host of homesteading and farming skills.
Each family will have opportunities to spot-and-stalk cow elk in western Colorado. Weāll also hunt ducks, collect fresh eggs, harvest vegetables for canning, and learn to track wild animals. Both children and adults will take part in guided skill-building and connective group conversations.
Weāll stay on a private 280-acre ranch on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, with warm, comfortable accommodations and private space for each family.
The Rocky Mountains fill us with wisdom and humility. Join us as a family to learn together.
Meet Your Guides
Mansal Denton
Mansal Denton is the founder of Sacred Hunting. He's led over 80 in-person retreats since founding the organization in 2018.Ā His passion was encouraged by his spiritual teacher, an elder named Will Taegel.
Nathan Smith
Nathan Smith is an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and chef. He's a native of Colorado and has been a guide with Sacred Hunting for longer than any other. He is certified in wilderness survival skills and emergency medical.
Matt Kinneberg
Matt Kinneberg is a lifelong hunter and former Marine. He brings his Navajo culture to the hunt, opening a spiritual connection to nature that all can appreciate. He is one of the longest-tenured guides at Sacred Hunting and has the most experience in the mountains.Ā
Kendall Hubbard
Kendall Hubbard is a lifelong hunter and former US Air Force Captain. She grew up hunting in Texas, has solo hunted on public land in Montana, and led multiple Sacred Hunting experiences.
Anthony Ulrich
Anthony Ulrich is the founder of Forest Lake Nature School in Minnesota. He is an exceptional tracker with wilderness skills and storytelling that awe and inspire children and adults alike. He has co-facilitated many Sacred Hunting beginner trips.
Hunt Details:
What: Hunting Cow Elk + Ducks
When:
January 1-5, 2027
Where:Ā Grand Junction, CO
Cost: We'll discuss on our call + hunting license.Ā
Available Spots: 8 Hunters (and 20+ family members)
Elk in the Rockies
For millennia, tribes of the Rocky Mountains hunted elk. The Shawnee called them wapitiāāwhite rump.ā The Lakota, Cheyenne, Ute, Arapaho, and Crow all relied on elk for nourishment, tools, and warmth.
Hunting elk in the mountains has long been a rite of passage. It is a demanding, beautiful pursuit of one of the Rockiesā most iconic animals. It's equal parts effort, reverence, and reward.
This Sacred Hunting community hunt builds on the connection-oriented and ceremonial elements of our Beginner Immersions, while adding greater physical rigor and challenge. Children of all ages are welcome to participate through hunting at designated times, butchery, preparation, and shared meals.
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Itinerary
- Fly in to Grand Junction, CO (or Denver)Ā and depart to hunting location (~ 1.5 hours from Grand Junction)
- Hunters sight in rifles: Using daylight hours, the hunters will ensure rifles are working properly before the hunt.
- Set up camp & opening circle
- Morning:Ā
- Hunt: Guides + Hunters will hunt for elk
- Camp: Non-hunting Adults will learn to shoot, and Children will learn animal tracking
- Lunch: Gather to share storiesĀ and learnings
- Evening
- Hunt: Guides + Hunters / Non-Hunting Adults will hunt for elkĀ
- Camp: Children will play stalking games, learning to walk quietly
- Morning:Ā
- Hunt: Guides + Hunters / Non-Hunting Adults will hunt for elkĀ
- Camp: Children will learnĀ to take care of chickens and collect eggs
- Lunch: Gather to share storiesĀ and learnings
- Evening
- Hunt: Group 1: Guides + Full families will hunt for elkĀ
- Camp:Ā Group 2: Full families will harvest and preserve vegetables
- Morning:Ā
- Hunt: Group 2: Guides + Full families will hunt for elkĀ
- Camp:Ā Group 1: Full families will harvest and preserve vegetables
- Lunch: Gather to share storiesĀ and learnings
- Men's & Women's Gathering: This will be a time for separate connection between men and women.
- Sauna & Cold Plunge: We will have a full 20-person sauna and a frigid lake for a cold plunge.Ā
- Closing Circle: The group will gather for final sharing, gratitude, and lessons learned.
- Pack up and departure to Grand Junction, CO (~ 1.5 hours) or Denver, CO (~ 4 hours)
Warmth and ComfortĀ
Even in winter, our ancestors stayed warm through animal hides, fire, and ingenuity. While this hunt takes place in Colorado in January, families will have access to exceptional modern comforts throughout our time together.
The ranch features a large sauna, warm showers, wood-burning stoves, and well-insulated dwellings. After time outdoors, warmth is always close at hand.
FAQs - Rocky Mountain Elk Hunt
Accommodations at the Do Good Ranch are incredible. We will have geodesic domes and many separate (private) spaces for families and individuals alike. This space is set up to house 20-30 people comfortably.
Hunting in the mountains, especially on public land, is much harder than other hunts. Some areas have 5-10% success rate. We will have access to private landowner tags, bringing our likely success rate higher as a group. This is a group hunt where each attendee will work as part of the collective and support the group's endeavor.
Yes, though it may not be right away. All meat will be split evenly among the families.
Any meat will be taken to a processor for grinding and vacuum sealing. Attendees will pay for meat processing and shipping once the group total is finalized. In particularly abundant years, meat processing might be done by the collective and then taken home frozen in a cooler. Exact plan TBD on the number of animals killed by the group.
We will not have a ceremony during this family-oriented hunt. However, small doses of medicines may be offered and used throughout the experience.
This is a hunt with a rifle.
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Yes, if a replacement is found; otherwise, no. Planning and preparation requires firm numbers and there are only a few spots.
Please be as sure of your commitment as possible beforehand.
Very rarely, an attendee that does not exhibit community-oriented behavior may be asked to leave/not attend an experience. This may be due to mental health concerns, violence, aggression or any behavior that may be a harm to other participants. This decision is at the discretion of staff members (and requires every staff member to agree to ensure it is a valid concern). Repayment or refunds will be handled on a case-by-case basis, but often not offered.
Join The Tribe Today.
Everyone deserves this rite of passage. If you feel ready for the time and monetary investment, sign up to see if you're a fit.