The hunting mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2 are unrivaled, from the realistically graphic skinning animations, to the varied wildlife that can be found in their respective habitats. Animals act the way they do in real life, and die like real animals too. They fetch a good price at the butcher, and they can be cooked in camp to create consumables.
However, hunting in Red Dead Online is a bit different from hunting in the singleplayer campaign. For one, dead animals don't decay in Red Dead Online along with some other differences. Here are some great hunting tips hunters should know in Red Dead Online.
Updated by Cole Podany on February 17, 2022: Rockstar released Red Dead Online over three years ago, and the game still occasionally receives updates. There are still a number of dedicated players who seek to perfect their technique, especially with hunting wild animals. Those who select the Trader role will benefit even more from finding the best pelts. Thanks to the complexity of the hunting system, Red Dead Online beginners and veteran players alike will likely learn something new from these fourteen hunting tips.
14 Use The Best Weapons And Tools
Red Dead Online offers a wide array of weapons, so players should be careful to choose a weapon that works for their kill. A bow and arrow is a must-have for all players, since the right kind of arrows can kill almost any type of game. A varmint rifle is handy for small game, since it's easier to aim with a gun than a bow and arrow.
Many players might not realise the value in using tools in addition to weapons; for example, a reinforced lasso can come in handy to incapictate an animal before going in for the kill, earning hunters a perfect pelt with minimal effort.
13 Hunt Legendary Animals
While some players might be tempted to skip hunting for legendary animals in order to do other quests, hunting these elusive beasts is well worth the time investment. In fact, legendary animals are the most profitable animals in the game, allowing hunters to make a large amount of money from just one kill.
If players choose to sell their legendary animals to Gus Macmillan, they can take home a huge paycheck and a new clothing item for their player. Hunting each legendary animal, though, has some nuance to it, and it isn't as easy as hunting normal wild animals - so hunters should ensure they equip the right weapon and take the right approach to landing the kill.
12 Use The Right Type Of Bait
Like in Red Dead Redemption 2, players can loot or craft both herbivore bait and predator bait in Red Dead Online. Bait attracts animals of the specified type; herbivores seek out herbivore bait, while predators will come to predator bait. Also like in single-player mode, animals won't just flock to the bait; players should ensure that their scent moves downwind to prevent scaring off interested animals.
Unlike in single-player mode, though, animals despawn when the player isn't looking at them in Red Dead Online. As such, if hunters want to make the most of their bait, they should keep a close eye on the location where they've set it. Also, players should note that regular predator bait and potent predator bait tend to net similar results, so players may want to save their money instead of splurging on potent predator bait.
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Use Binoculars To Scout Far-away Animals
Sometimes, the hardest part of hunting in Red Dead Online isn't landing a great shot - it's finding an animal worth hunting in the first place. Using the Refined Binoculars allows players to spot creatures with highly valuable pelts from a distance. The Refined Binoculars are also worth the purchase, especially for beginners, since they allow players to scout treasure and other valuable items from afar.
To purchase Refined Binoculars, players should first reach Collector rank 5. They can then purchase the Refined Binoculars from the Wheeler Rawson & Co. Catalog for 450 dollars, a small price to pay for a tool that helps players scout out such valuable items.
10 Dead Eye (Paint It Black) is Essential
Hunting is more challenging in Red Dead Online because Deadeye does not produce the same slowing effect as it does in story mode. Instead, players are able to choose between six different ability cards with unique buffs.
The Paint It Black ability card allows people to mark targets. Any target marked will be hit with 100% accuracy. The only issue with the card is that some shot will miss if an animal goes out of the character's line of sight. It is much easier to hunt with perfect accuracy.
9 Use Info For A Perfect Kill
The info feature tells players what weapon to use, as well as the quality of the animal. Using the wrong weapon will degrade the quality of an animal pelt. When there are a few animals of the same species in a group, the info will help people determine the most desirable target of the bunch. Shooting the wrong target will not only result in a low-quality pelt, but it will also scare the 3 stars away. Before hunters memorize the correct weapons, info is a great feature that everyone should take advantage of while hunting.
8 Mastering Eagle Eye
Eagle Eye allows the hunter to track animal movement over pretty large distances. For larger skittish animals, Eagle Eye is a must. Using the horse to run over and hunt small animals is a viable strategy, but larger animals spook easily. The only way to get a clean shot is to observe the animal from some distance and track its movement. Far too many people forget to utilize Eagle Eye while out on the hunt.
7 Utilize Methods Of Concealment
There are a number of ways to conceal oneself while hunting. The most common is blending tonic. This item will allow gamers to approach deer, buffalo, and even bears without being spotted from afar. Blending tonic makes it possible to get close enough for a critical shot. At that point, players can call the animal to get the headshot and collect a perfect pelt.
6 Change Horse Cargo Access Settings
In Red Dead Online, players by default have access to other players' horse cargo. This allows them to take a hunter's hunted carcass from his horse's back. In order to prevent a well-deserved perfect condition carcass from being stolen by other players, a good hunting rule is to set horse cargo accessibility to 'Only Me'.
That way, the carcass is safe from theft, and an exchange of bullets can be prevented. Having this option toggled will let the hunter can go about his business peacefully.
5 Aim for The Head
Headshotting doesn't just work on human enemies or in PvP - it also works on animals. Aiming for the head lessens the risk of the animal running away alive. If an animal takes more than one projectile before dying, then his carcass is ruined.
Aiming for the head ensures that the hunted animal dies within one flick of the bow, or one flick of the trigger. This also works against predatory animals that try to pounce on the hunter. This technique is effective in killing animals, and also preserves their carcass to maximize resources.
4 Obtain a High-Powered Rifle
High-powered rifles are must-haves when going out hunting. Hunting without a rifle is like fishing without a fishing rod. Rifles such as the Carcano and the Rolling-Block are very effective in taking down large animals in a single shot. They do so cleanly and effectively that it doesn't ruin the carcass quality.
They may cost a couple of hundred bucks, but the investment is worth it, considering killing people isn't the only thing this is good at. The preserved quality after having killed a large animal is worth the investment of a couple hundred dollars. It's also worth putting the extra bucks into a long scope for easier long-range kills.
3 Obtain a Varmint Rifle
Though the Carcano and Rolling-block are good for taking down huge animals like deer, bison, and elk, they damage the carcasses of smaller animals like rabbits, turkeys, and ducks due to their large ammo size. To preserve the quality of small to medium animals, a small-caliber varmint rifle should be used.
They do absolutely little damage; making them a horrible go-to in dealing with enemies and rival players. However, where they truly shine is that they are delicate enough to not ruin the carcasses of smaller animals. Ideally, when going out hunting, the varmint rifle and a high-powered rifle should be equipped.
2 Purchase the Hunting Wagon
The horse can only carry one large and two medium carcasses at a time. This limited capacity forces the hunter to make multiple trips back to the hunting grounds. But, with the use of the hunting wagon, the hunter can carry up to five large carcasses, thus lessening the number of trips he has to take. This allows him to make money much faster.
The wagon costs nearly 900 dollars. Like the high-powered rifles, it is a worthwhile investment. However, one should note that when the hunting wagon is active, the horse can't be called. So, before summoning the wagon, the hunter should already have his hunting arsenal equipped. If a wagon can't be purchased yet, the hunter can do away with carrying one deer carcass himself and have his horse follow him as it carries one as well.
1 Skin Low-Quality Carcasses
Low-quality carcasses aren't worth the space on the back of the horse. They won't fetch a good price on the market. Instead, skin the animal, and place its pelt on the back of the horse if it's a small animal. A horse can hold an infinite amount of small-medium pelts so there's no valuable space taken up. The same goes for low-quality medium carcasses that take up space on the side of the horse's saddle. Their skin shall be yanked out, and stored in the satchel.
The satchel can hold an infinite amount of those, too. In addition to gaining pelts, the hunter is also provided with different meat types that he can cook. Cooked meat is a high-quality consumable that's very effective in replenishing cores, even more so than canned goods.