The two festivals where animal sacrifices and hunting play a major role are Umsan Nongkharai and Shad Beh Sier. The former is held in the spring season of April or May with a ceremonial sacrifice of goat and two cocks before the supreme deity of the Khasis – Lei Shyllong. It ends with prayers offered at midnight to establish person to person contact between finite and the infinite. The dance starts after prayers with male dancers performing till dawn on the beat of drums and sound of flutes. On the second day, prayers are offered for protection from storm, hail and scourge of hills. Divine blessings for material possessions are sought after on day three. Fertility ritual is enacted on day four, and on day five Knia Shoh Dohkha, a public worship ritual is done.

Shad Beh Sier is the hunting dance performed by village folk during off-harvest season. Male hunters who roam in forest with bow and arrow come back with one or two deer, thus starting a local celebration. Adult males mount the slain deer on a pole and parade it through the village. The hunters who first hit the prey with their arrow are awarded with the antlers of male deer or the skin of female deer. In modern times, the village folk have also immersed with city life and jobs, thus reducing the practice of deer hunting.