The Sables Chapter Committees offer a place where women can find comradery through participating in friendship building adventures that often take place in the outdoors. Kylie Alstrup is a member of the Denver Sables Chapter. In this article, Kylie shares her experiences in Sables and her passion for hunting.
I can’t say enough about how much I love our Denver Sables and the events we host. I came to my first Sables event by invitation of a friend of a friend. That was five years ago. I went on a hunt organized by the Sables at the Bluffs, and I was hooked! From there, I attended more SCI and Sables events, and ultimately ended up on the SCI and Sables board. The Denver Sables is constantly striving to build a community of like-minded women who enjoy the outdoors
We host upland bird hunts twice a year – once in the Fall and once in Spring. The Bluffs is a hunt club in Byers, CO. It is owned and operated by some of the most wonderful people, Dave and Sue MacLennan. Beyond the warm lodge and welcoming clubhouse, we enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals and endless good company. The Bluffs have mastered the art of property and bird management. No matter which field you hunt in, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of birds to take a shot at. This is all thanks to great management of the land and resources.
We maxed this event out at 16 ladies. We fill this event up every time. This event is more than just a typical upland outing. We spend time getting to know each attendee and work hard to ensure they have a memorable time. We always begin each event with a safety lesson and shooting practice with Dave. We get comfortable with our guns and work on our accuracy on the clay range behind the clubhouse. Over dinner, we present Denver Sables initiatives, upcoming events, and ways to get more involved. Attendees receive special gifts and there are games and prizes throughout the evening.
Once dinner is finished, we’ve made it a tradition to spend time getting to know our attendees, and having each lady share stories and answer hunting-related questions. We have such a great variety of women who attend this event. Some are brand new to the outdoors and hunting, while others have traversed the globe completing incredible hunting adventures.
The following day, after a delicious breakfast, we break into our hunting groups and meet our guides. The hunt itself always seems to be magical. There are plenty of opportunities to take shots, and the guides and dogs are simply the best. There is something really rewarding about witnessing a new friend take down her first upland bird. My hope is that we continue to pull in new ladies into Sables and further strengthen our connections in this solid community. Most gals attend once and then are hooked for life.
