Survival in the Old West is all about hunting efficiently, and by completing the Red Dead Redemption 2 Master Hunter Challenges you can prove how adept your abilities are in this department. Thankfully this doesn't involved studying or killing the full 200-odd species of animals found across the wilds and plains of Red Dead Redemption 2, though you will have to hunt down some tough fauna foes and a legendary beast before you're done. You'll be able to ease yourself in by dealing with rabbits and deer to start with, but before long you'll be taking down bears and cougars, and even catching fish with your bare hands. To aid you in these tasks, we've got advice on how to approach each of the Red Dead Redemption 2 Master Hunter Challenges, without getting mauled on the way.
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Master Hunter 1 - Skin 3 deer
You’ll kill your first deer during the prologue. The other two can be found most easily around Valentine, the first time you enter as part of the story. Use your Eagle Eye ability to catch their scent, and make sure you skin them before they rot.
Master Hunter 2 - Collect 3 perfect quality rabbit pelts
Rabbits can be found just about anywhere in Red Dead Redemption 2, but the area around Valentine is, similarly with the deer, your best bet to finding them as quickly as possible. Use small game arrows or a Varmint Hunting Rifle to increase the chances of a perfect quality pelt.
Master Hunter 3 - Track 10 different animal species using your binoculars
To track animals, you’ll first need to study them by looking and holding the study button. With that done, you can equip your binoculars from the weapon wheel and hold the track button down while keeping the animal in your sights. It’s as simple as that, but you need to spot 10 different species in the wild, and farm animals unfortunately don’t count.
Master Hunter 4 - Call an animal and get a clean kill 5 times
For the best chances of getting a clean kill, aim for an animals head, neck, or heart using your Dead Eye when hunting, and make sure you have the correct ammunition equipped (i.e. small game arrows for critters like rabbits, skunks, etc.). To get this challenge, sneak up to an animal unaware, press the call button, and fire a well-timed shot in the hopes of earning the clean kill.
Master Hunter 5 - Skin 3 black or grizzly bears
Grizzly bears and Black bears can be found in the mountainous regions to the north of the Red Dead Redemption 2 map, but hunting them will be more a challenge than the usual herbivores on Arthur’s watch list. Bring plenty of arrows and ammunition, and try to keep your shots limited to the head area to better the chances of a clean kill and a perfect pelt. Bring these back to camp or a nearby trapper, and the challenge will be complete.
Master Hunter 6 - Kill 5 cougars with your bow, then skin them
Like bears, cougars can be found in the mountanous regions of the map, to the north. These predators are able to kill Arthur in one pounce, however, so killing them with a bow may prove challenging. For best results, try to get the drop on them, and score two headshots with a poison or explosive arrow before they can get to you.
Master Hunter 7 - Use bait to lure and kill both a herbivore and predator
Bait can be crafted from meat and herbs in the camp fire crafting menu, with different lures for predators and herbivors. You'll need to create one of each, before placing one down in an area where the appropriate animals are most abundant, move away from the target zone, and wait untill one arrives and falls for the trap.
Master Hunter 8 - Catch 3 fish without using a fishing rod
To catch fish without a fishing rod, you'll need to manually spot the aquatic creatures in the water, and use either a bow and arrow or small pistol to shoot them yourself. Of course, the meat itself will be ruined, but you're here to complete the challenge, not make a seafood platter.
Master Hunter 9 - Catch an opossum playing possum
That's right, opossums will actually play possum in Red Dead Redemption 2. You can force them to play dead by chasing one or shooting around it until the creature appears to faint for no reason, at which point you can simply walk up and catch it with your bare hands.
Master Hunter 10 - Find and kill the legendary panther "Giaguaro"
Giaguaro is a Legendary Animal found in Lemoyne, west of Shady Belle, and can only be tracked once you've made it this far in the Master Hunter Challenge set. You'll have to head to the area, track it down, and kill the beast without it killing you first. With that, the Master Hunter Challenges can be ticked off your to-do list, and you can even haul Giaguaro's pelt back to a butchers for some serious cash.
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Looking for more help? Then check out our essential Red Dead Redemption 2 tips in the video below:
