Hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2 can provide food for Arthur and the camp, valuable pelts, crafting materials, money, outfits, and powerful Trinkets from Legendary Animals. The system is deeper than it first appears, because perfect pelts depend on several factors working together rather than just landing a clean shot.

This guide covers the complete hunting process, including animal quality, weapon choice, shot placement, bait, Cover Scent, perfect pelts, and Legendary Animal hunting.

How Pelt Quality Works

Pelts have three quality levels:

• 1 star = Poor
• 2 stars = Good
• 3 stars = Perfect

For high-end crafting, you’ll usually want:

3-star Perfect Pelts

Poor-quality pelts have very little use, while Good Pelts may work for certain purposes.

Most important crafting recipes, however, rely on:

Perfect Pelts

Perfect Pelts Depend on More Than Shot Placement

A common mistake is assuming that a headshot automatically gives you a perfect pelt.

According to the source, several factors matter:

• Animal quality
• Weapon used
• Ammunition used
• Shot placement
• Whether the hit is fatal

You need to get all of these right if you want consistent perfect pelts.

Always Check the Animal’s Star Rating

Before shooting anything, inspect it.

Use:

• Binoculars
• Rifle Scope
• Close-range inspection

The animal’s quality rating appears beside its name.

Only:

3-star animals

can produce:

3-star Perfect Pelts

A 2-star animal cannot suddenly become Perfect because you made a clean shot.

A 1-star animal will still give poor-quality materials.

Ignore Low-Quality Animals

If you’re hunting specifically for crafting materials, don’t waste time shooting:

• 1-star animals
• 2-star animals

Instead, search groups until you find:

3-star specimens

Large herds often contain at least one higher-quality animal.

Check the Recommended Weapon

When you study an animal, the information panel can also tell you what type of weapon should be used for the best-quality kill.

This is extremely useful because weapon choice depends on:

Animal size

The source divides animals into five groups:

1. Small
2. Moderate
3. Medium
4. Large
5. Massive

Small Animals

Examples include:

• Small reptiles
• Snakes
• Rodents
• Small birds

Use:

Bow + Small Game Arrows

Using a stronger weapon can destroy or downgrade the carcass.

Moderate Animals

Examples include:

• Eagles
• Cranes
• Hawks
• Rabbits
• Raccoons
• Skunks

Use:

Varmint Rifle

The Varmint Rifle is specifically suited for this size class.

Medium Animals

Examples include:

• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Pigs
• Beavers

Use either:

• Bow + Regular Arrows
• Repeater

The source states that different Repeater ammo types can work as long as the hit is:

Critical and fatal

Large Animals

Examples include:

• Bucks
• Deer
• Wolves
• Cougars

Use:

• Rifle
• Poison Arrow

The source notes that ordinary Bow shots may not provide enough stopping power here.

The goal is still to kill the animal with:

One fatal hit

without destroying the pelt.

Massive Animals

Examples include:

• Bison
• Bears
• Elk
• Moose
• Large Alligators

Use:

• Improved Arrows
• Sniper Rifle

The source presents these as the strongest options for reliably getting a Perfect Pelt from the largest animals.

Weapon Size Matters

Think of hunting weapon choice as a balance.

If the weapon is:

Too powerful

for the animal, you may destroy the pelt.

If the weapon is:

Too weak

you may fail to kill the animal immediately.

That can cause it to run away wounded and eventually bleed out.

For a clean hunt, you need enough power to kill the animal quickly without excessive damage.

Critical and Fatal Shots

Perfect pelts generally require:

Critical and fatal hits

Important vital areas include:

• Brain
• Heart
• Stomach

As Dead Eye improves, these critical zones become easier to identify.

The source notes that once Dead Eye reaches a sufficient level, vital areas become highlighted on the animal.

RDR2 Weapon Facts: Hidden Mechanics That Can Change How You Play

The Easiest Shot Is the Head

Even without advanced Dead Eye, the simplest rule is:

Aim for the head

Use the correct weapon for the animal’s size and try to kill it with:

One shot

This gives you the best chance of preserving perfect quality.

Avoid Wounded Animals

If the animal survives the shot, it may:

• Run away
• Leave a red trail
• Bleed out
• Collapse later

You can sometimes perform a:

Mercy Kill

but the source warns that the pelt may already be ruined in this condition.

A proper hunting shot should ideally kill the animal immediately.

Prepare Your Loadout Before Hunting

Before leaving your horse, carry the weapon you’re actually going to need.

Constantly running back to your horse to switch guns can make hunting frustrating and may give the animal time to escape.

Choose your target type first and prepare accordingly.

Use Cover Scent Lotion

The source recommends applying:

Cover Scent Lotion

before approaching animals.

This reduces the chance of animals detecting your smell from a distance.

You can buy it from:

General Stores

According to the source, it allows you to get much closer as long as you remain quiet.

Scout From a Distance

Don’t run directly into a herd.

Instead:

1. Stop at a distance.
2. Use Binoculars or a Scope.
3. Check the star ratings.
4. Identify your target.
5. Check the recommended weapon.
6. Plan your approach.

This prevents you from accidentally scaring away a valuable 3-star animal.

Crouch and Move Slowly

Once you’re close:

Crouch

and approach carefully.

If you’re still far away, you can move faster.

Once you’re near the animal, move slowly and quietly.

Make the Animal Raise Its Head

The source gives a useful trick for setting up an easier shot.

Aim at the animal and use the command to:

Call or attract its attention

The animal may raise its head and look toward Arthur.

This creates an easier target for a clean:

Headshot

You can combine this with:

Dead Eye

to make the shot even safer.

Use the Map to Find Animal Regions

Once you explore more of the world, the map begins to show areas associated with different animals.

The source gives examples such as:

• Plains with Bison
• Forests with Deer and Elk

Use those map markings to narrow down hunting areas.

Use Bait in Busy Areas

Roads and towns can constantly scare animals.

Instead of chasing them, use:

Bait

You can buy bait for:

• Predators
• Herbivores

from:

• General Stores
• Trappers

How to Use Bait

1. Place the appropriate bait.
2. Move about 10 meters away.
3. Crouch.
4. Stay hidden.
5. Wait for the animal to approach.
6. Line up your shot.

This lets the animal come to you instead of forcing you to chase it through the environment.

Legendary Animal Hunting Works Differently

Legendary Animals follow different rules from ordinary wildlife.

There are only a limited number of Legendary Animals in the world.

Once a specific one has been killed:

It does not respawn

according to the source.

Unlocking Legendary Animals

Legendary Animal hunting becomes available fairly early in:

Chapter 2

The first Legendary Animal encounter discussed in the source is a:

Large Bear

You also receive a map showing the general locations of many Legendary Animals.

The map can be found in your:

Satchel → Documents → Maps

How to Find a Legendary Animal

Travel to the general area shown on the map.

When you’ve reached the correct zone, the game displays a message indicating that you’ve entered:

Legendary Animal territory

Then search for:

Clues

The first clue often appears as a:

Question Mark

Move around the area until you find it.

Follow the Clues

Once the first clue is found:

1. Inspect it.
2. Follow the trail.
3. Find the next clue.
4. Continue until the Legendary Animal appears.

There are usually only a handful of clues before the hunt begins.

Legendary Animals Don’t Have Star Ratings

Unlike regular animals:

Legendary Animals don’t use the normal 1-star to 3-star system

Their materials are always Legendary quality.

That means you don’t have to worry about:

• Correct weapon category
• Shot placement
• Number of shots
• Damaging the pelt

Use Powerful Weapons Against Legendary Animals

Because pelt quality isn’t an issue, the source recommends using your strongest weapons.

Examples include:

• Rifle
• Shotgun

Use:

Dead Eye

and deal as much damage as possible before the animal reaches you.

Some Legendary Animals can be extremely dangerous and may kill Arthur quickly.

Skin Legendary Animals Immediately

Once the animal is dead:

Skin it

Legendary Animals provide:

• Legendary Pelts
• Teeth
• Bones
• Hearts
• Other unique animal parts

These materials are used for valuable crafting.

Legendary Trinkets

One of the biggest benefits of Legendary hunting is:

Trinkets

Animal parts can be used at a:

Fence

to craft Trinkets that provide permanent bonuses.

The source highlights these as some of the strongest reasons to hunt Legendary Animals.

Legendary Outfits

Legendary Pelts can also be used for:

Unique outfits

giving Legendary Animal hunting both practical and cosmetic rewards.

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Perfect Pelt Weapon Cheat Sheet

Small Animals

Small Game Arrows

Moderate Animals

Varmint Rifle

Medium Animals

Regular Bow or Repeater

Large Animals

Rifle or Poison Arrow

Massive Animals

Improved Arrows or Sniper Rifle

Perfect Pelt Checklist

Before taking the shot:

1. Find the correct animal species.
2. Inspect the animal.
3. Confirm it has 3 stars.
4. Check the recommended weapon.
5. Equip the correct ammo.
6. Apply Cover Scent Lotion.
7. Approach quietly.
8. Crouch near the target.
9. Call the animal if needed.
10. Activate Dead Eye.
11. Aim at a critical area.
12. Fire one fatal shot.
13. Skin the animal.

Best Way to Approach Herds

When hunting groups:

1. Stop far away.
2. Use Binoculars.
3. Scan each animal.
4. Ignore 1-star and 2-star animals.
5. Locate a 3-star animal.
6. Equip the correct weapon.
7. Approach silently.
8. Take a clean fatal shot.

This prevents you from wasting ammunition or accidentally shooting low-value targets.

Common Hunting Mistakes

Using the Wrong Weapon

Even a clean headshot can fail if the weapon doesn’t match the animal’s size.

Shooting a Low-Quality Animal

A 2-star animal won’t become 3-star because of a perfect shot.

Failing to Kill in One Shot

A wounded animal may bleed out and lose pelt quality.

Charging Directly Into a Herd

You’ll scare everything away before getting a clean shot.

Forgetting Cover Scent

Animals may detect you earlier than expected.

Hunting Without the Correct Weapon Equipped

Running back to your horse wastes time and often ruins the opportunity.

Normal vs Legendary Hunting

Regular Animals

You must consider:

• Star rating
• Weapon
• Ammo
• Shot placement
• Fatal hit

Legendary Animals

You can focus mainly on:

• Finding the clues
• Surviving the encounter
• Dealing enough damage
• Skinning the animal afterward

Their pelts aren’t governed by the same normal quality system.

Why Hunting Is Worth Doing

Hunting can provide:

• Food
• Camp supplies
• Money
• Perfect Pelts
• Crafting materials
• Clothing
• Equipment
• Legendary Trinkets
• Permanent bonuses

Even though it’s possible to ignore hunting for much of the game, learning the system can unlock some of the most useful upgrades available in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Final Tips

The most important hunting rule is simple:

Start with a 3-star animal, use the right weapon, and make the first shot fatal.

Scout animals from a distance, use Cover Scent, crouch during your approach, and use Dead Eye if you’re struggling with shot placement.

For Legendary Animals, forget about preserving pelt quality and focus instead on surviving the fight and dealing as much damage as possible.

Once you understand the difference between normal and Legendary hunting, collecting Perfect Pelts and crafting high-end equipment becomes much easier.