Hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2 is more than just shooting animals for profit. It’s a thrilling immersion into the game’s breathtaking wilderness, a test of your tracking skills, and a testament to your patience and marksmanship. This expanded guide delves deeper, equipping you with everything you need to become a legend of the wild in Rockstar’s epic Western.
Red Dead Redemption 2: The Right Tools for Every Hunt
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Your Arsenal:
- Varmint Rifle: This trusty rifle is your go-to for small game like rabbits, squirrels, and birds. Small Game Arrows for your bow work equally well.
- Rifles: The Springfield Rifle or Bolt-Action Rifle packs the punch for medium to large animals like deer, elk, and pronghorn.
- Shotguns: A Repeating Shotgun or Semi-Auto Shotgun is essential for close-quarters encounters with predators like wolves, panthers, and bears.
- Ammo Types: Stock up on Small Game Arrows, Regular Arrows, Varmint Cartridges, High-Velocity rounds, Express rounds, and shotgun slugs.
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Beyond Weapons:
- Binoculars: Essential for identifying animals from afar and assessing pelt quality.
- Potent Tonics: Boost your Dead Eye meter or fortify your health before a challenging hunt.
- Bait: Herbivore Bait and Predator Bait are powerful tools for luring specific animal types.
Red Dead Redemption 2: The Art of Tracking and Stalking
- Eagle Vision Mastery: More than just highlighting tracks, Eagle Vision reveals an animal’s scent trail with a brighter glow. Follow these for guaranteed success.
- Follow the Clues: Pay attention to other environmental clues:
- Animal Droppings: These indicate the animal’s recent presence.
- Disturbed Vegetation: Broken branches or trampled grass points to an animal’s passage.
- Animal Calls: Learn to identify different animal sounds. These can guide your search.
- Wind Awareness: Always approach an animal from downwind. If they smell you, they’ll bolt. Use Cover Scent Lotion to mask your scent if needed.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Official Gameplay Video
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— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) August 8, 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2: Taking the Perfect Shot
- Study Your Target’s Anatomy: A clean headshot is usually the best, but certain animals have other vital areas. Your compendium is an amazing resource for this.
- Choose the Right Time: Target animals that are grazing or drinking. Avoid animals that are running or alert.
- Dead Eye is Your Friend: Use Dead Eye for precise aiming, especially on small animals or vital areas of larger targets.
- Improved Arrows: Craft these to guarantee clean kills even with slightly imperfect shots on medium-sized game.
Red Dead Redemption 2: Skinning, Transporting, and Selling Your Spoils
- Pelt Preservation: A clean kill and efficient skinning are crucial for perfect pelts. Avoid skinning damaged animals.
- Stow and Go: Load smaller pelts onto your horse and either carry larger animals yourself or stow them for later retrieval.
- To the Trapper!: Trappers give the best prices for pelts and buy whole carcasses. Butchers will also purchase carcasses, though for less money.
- Don’t Delay: Freshness affects value. Sell everything as soon as possible. You can consider camping near a trapper if you’ve bagged a lot of game.
Legendary Animal Hunts: Trophies and Tales
- Master the Map: Visit Hosea Matthews in Chapter 2 to unlock the Legendary Animal Map. This is your guide to these elusive beasts.
- Prepare for Battle: Legendary animals are tough. Choose the best weapons, stock up on tonics, upgrade your gear, and craft powerful ammunition.
- Unique Challenges: Each legendary animal might require a different approach. Study the clues found at their locations and adapt your tactics.
- Trapper Treasures: Legendary animal parts can be crafted into unique trinkets and talismans with special bonuses.
Hunting mastery: The Finer Points
- Compendium Wisdom: Read the animal entries carefully. They reveal preferred habitats, times of activity, and ideal kill methods.
- Trapper Upgrades: Invest in crafting satchel upgrades at the Trapper. This increases your carrying capacity, so you can bring more goods back from hunts.
- Hunting Challenges: Test and improve your skills with Master Hunter challenges. The rewards are more than just bragging rights!
- Lures and Baits: Craft these to attract both herbivores and predators. Experiment with different recipes.
- Animal Fat and Scents: Render fat from carcasses into potent Cover Scent Lotion or more powerful baits.
Red Dead Redemption 2: The True Hunter
Mastering the hunt in Red Dead Redemption 2 is an ongoing journey. It’s about more than simply acquiring valuable pelts or crafting powerful trinkets. True mastery is a testament to your patience, your marksmanship, your ability to decipher the clues scattered across the vast landscape, and your deep respect for the natural world. It’s the thrill of tracking a legendary beast through dense forests, the satisfaction of a clean kill with a perfectly placed arrow, and the quiet pride as you deliver a pristine pelt to the trapper.
Remember, every hunt is a chance to hone your skills and deepen your understanding of the intricate balance of the wilderness. Embrace the challenge, learn from your successes and failures, and above all, cherish the wild beauty of Red Dead Redemption 2’s frontier. With dedication and a hunter’s heart, you’ll soon find yourself not just surviving in the wild, but thriving as a true master of the hunt.
