How to Hunt Like a Pro in "Red Dead Redemption 2"

Being a good hunter in Red Dead Redemption 2 requires more than just a gun with bullets.

Most open-world video games have an animal hunting component these days. You'll go to an area, scout out your prey, take them down and perform the gruesome act of harvesting or skinning the dead animal.

But, hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2 is more than just shooting any old animal and skinning it for coins and meat; it's an actual (infuriating and time-consuming) art.

While it might be tempting to gallop into a herd of elk and shoot bullets until one is down, this won't yield great pelts and will make it tough against bigger and faster animals.

The key, like most things in this immense game, is patience. Prepare to sink another few hours on top of the 60-plus hours of story gameplay you're already looking at.

To make this task a bit easier for you, we've got a few tips on hand to help make hunting a breeze.

Ditch the horse.

There are definitely arguments for and against leaving your horse behind when you go for a hunt. On the one hand, horses are loud and clumsy and animals will hear them from a while away. On the other hand, if you alert a harmless animal to your presence, they'll run away and you won't chase them without a horse. Also, if it's a predatory animal, you'll need to run for your life. 

The idea is to get your horse as close as possible, without alerting anything, and then park it so you can whistle for it in case something goes wrong or so you can cart your haul around. 

Use your binoculars.

This is something I neglected for the first few times because nobody's got time to whip out the binoculars while on the trail. It's actually a super vital tool for hunting as it gives you important information like what weapon to use in order to get a perfect pelt. It'll also tell you what the condition of the animal's pelt is so you don't have to waste time on a poor quality hunt.

Just open your wheel and head to the Items section and equip your binoculars. You can carry them around until you need a weapon for the moment.

Aim for the head.

Aiming for the head is important for a number of things. Firstly, in the case of small and some medium game, it means an instant kill so you don't have to chase them for hundreds of metres. Secondly, and most importantly, it maintains the quality of your pelt. Shooting a boar five times in the stomach is going to drastically reduce its hide, which means less money and poorer quality crafting.

Use your Eagle Eye...

Image: YouTube (TheGamesEntertainer)

Eagle Eye is one of those tools you'll either love or hate during a hunt. With it enabled (L3 + R3 for PS4, LS + RS for Xbox One), you'll be able to view and track the scent and blood left behind by animals. If you've just spooked an animal, this is an extremely handy tool to aid you in finding it again with a more covert approach.

It's also extremely handy for hunting alligators who will completely disappear into the water and are basically untraceable without it.

... and obviously, your Dead Eye.

Early on in the game, you'll be mostly hunting with a bow and, probably, an unscoped rifle, which means accuracy isn't on your side. Thankfully, we have the Dead Eye tool. While holding down the Aim button (L2 for PS4, LT for Xbox One), press down the buttons for Eagle Eye mode and you'll snap onto your Dead Eye. This will slow down time and give you time to position your headshot.

Bait 'em up.

Baits are often an after-thought for most players in the game, but if you're looking to hunt something in particular, rather than by chance, they're extremely useful. 

There are various types of baits available depending on the type of animal you want to lure. Just set them up, find somewhere hidden or safe (especially if it's a dangerous animal) and wait for the unsuspecting animal to be drawn in.

Upgrade your weapons.

It's probably not something you can afford early on in the game, but once you can (and you're hunting bigger beasts), it's worthwhile upgrading your weapons. Adding a scope on your rifle or a longer barrel will give you better aim accuracy and bullet stability, which means you'll be able to hunt the more dangerous animals from a distance.

You can purchase Red Dead Redemption 2 now on PS4 and Xbox in stores all around Australia.

Read More:

How to Fish (and Where to Find Them) in "Red Dead Redemption 2"

Header Image: Rockstar Games