this course has been cancelled because, as of may 2026, we will no longer be providing stays at scullbinder ranch. Stay tuned as we will be running wildlife-packrafting courses in 2027
GREETINGS FROM SCULLBINDER RANCH!
Hey y’all
We’re trying something new. We’re partnering with Osi Ledbetter from Four Corners Wildlife to run wildlife tracking courses at Scullbinder Ranch 2026 and then via packrafts on our local Four Corners rivers in 2027. Our first course starts Friday afternoon, October 2, and runs the weekend of the 3-4. This is an all-inclusive course, where you stay at the Ranch two nights (food & lodging included) and get two full days and two evenings of learning all about the cool wildlife in the Southwest.
Why Scullbinder Ranch? Because there’s a plethora of public lands around us, along with up Weber Canyon. The Mancos River runs through our property. It’s a wildlife corridor for birds, animals and, 1000 years ago, it was a well-traveled route for the Ancient Puebloans. In fact, just over on our neighbor’s property, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park, there’s a 100-room pueblo. More people (i.e. 80K) lived in these canyons 800+ years ago than live in Montezuma County now (25K).
And already on the Ranch this year we’ve seen a small mountain lion twice (it charged us once and our dog, Saddle, treed it once), along with a gray fox (who gets around–we find his poop on every trail!), beavers, golden eagles, kestrels, a bunch of turkeys, elk, and deer. And last time Osi was down here teaching us some wildlife tracking techniques, he found a “bear stomp,” a path used by black bears to mark their territory.
Specifically, bears use a stiff-legged, wide-based gate to stomp and twist their paws into the ground, creating scent-filled indentations. What?!! Yeah, right? Wow. It apparently helps bears communicate with mates or identify themselves to other bears. They distribute pheromones from their paw glands.
So who is this guy anyway?! 😄🦊🐻🦫🦌🦉🦃🦅
Osi Ledbetter grew up in Georgia’s Piedmont bioregion, with deep roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southern Appalachia. He holds an MA in Ecopsychology from Naropa University and completed an adult immersion program at Wilderness Awareness School, followed by a year-long wildlife tracking intensive — earning a Professional Wildlife Tracking certification through Tracker Certification North America.
Osi works as an environmental educator teaching science-based school programs, mentoring youth as a nature-connection instructor, and guiding rites of passage ceremonies for all ages. His practice centers on place-based skills including wildlife tracking, bird language, and natural movement, grounded in the belief that an ecological sense of self is essential to health and well-being.
Through Four Corners Wildlife and SWOTT, Osi continues to inspire others to connect deeply with the living world.
What’s to come?
First we’ll do this course at Scullbinder Ranch, and some of our staff will be taking Osi’s trainings in 2026. In 2027, we’ll launch our first Wildlife Tracking & Naturalist Packrafting Course, that will include both learning packrafting and learning wildlife tracking. Courses will be led by Osi and our awesome ACA Level 3 Instructor Krista Beyer.
Check out our first course, and email us to get on the wait list for next year’s river-based packrafting wildlife tracking course!
Hugs from Lizzy & Doom!
