Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. You spend what feels like an eternity tracking a magnificent, majestic buck through the forest. You’re patient. You’re quiet. You finally get it in your sights, you hold your breath, and you pull the trigger. You rush over, full of pride, only to see those dreaded words: “Poor Pelt.”
Your heart sinks. All that work, all that patience, and the pelt is ruined. It’s barely worth anything to the Butcher, and it’s completely useless for crafting that cool new satchel or that legendary outfit you’ve been dreaming of. It is, without a doubt, one of the most frustrating feelings in all of Red Dead Redemption 2.
But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way? What if I told you there’s a simple, almost foolproof method to getting a perfect pelt every single time?
If that sounds too good to be true, stick with me. This guide is your new playbook. We’re going to break down the art of hunting into three simple, golden rules. Forget frustration. Forget guesswork. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be a master hunter, capable of bringing back a perfect pelt from any animal you set your sights on.
What’s in Our How to Get a Perfect Pelt Every Time
The First Golden Rule: Hunt with Your Eyes, Not Your Gun
This is the single most important rule, and it’s the one most new players miss. You cannot get a perfect pelt from an imperfect animal. Before you even think about raising your rifle, you need to become a student of the wild. You need to find the right animal first.
Here’s how it works. When you’re out in the wilderness, don’t just charge in. Find a good vantage point, stay downwind, and pull out your binoculars. Scan the landscape until you spot a herd of deer or a lone wolf. Focus on one of the animals and hold the “Study” button.
After a few seconds, Arthur will have “studied” the animal. Now, when you aim at it or look at it through your binoculars again, you’ll see its name and a series of stars next to it in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- One Star (Poor): No matter what you do, this animal will only ever yield a poor pelt.
- Two Stars (Good): With a perfect shot, you can get a good pelt from this animal. It’s better than nothing, but not what we’re here for.
- Three Stars (Pristine): This is the jackpot. This is the only type of animal that has the potential to give you a perfect pelt.
From this moment on, your new hunting mantra is this: if it’s not three stars, you don’t even bother. Let the one and two star animals walk on by. You are now a master hunter in training, and you only deal with pristine specimens. Finding the right animal is half the battle won before you’ve even fired a shot.
The Second Golden Rule: The Right Tool for the Job
So, you’ve found your pristine, three star target. Now what? You can’t just blast it with a shotgun and hope for the best. Using the correct weapon is the second crucial step to securing that perfect pelt. A weapon that’s too powerful will destroy the hide, and a weapon that’s too weak will only injure the animal, causing it to suffer and ruining the pelt in the process.
The game keeps track of this for you. After you’ve studied an animal, aiming at it will often show you which weapon is recommended for a clean kill. But to make it even easier, we’ve created the ultimate cheat sheet. This table breaks down every animal by size and tells you the exact weapon and ammo you need.
The Ultimate Weapon & Ammo Guide for a Perfect Pelt
| Animal Size | Examples | Required Weapon & Ammo |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Squirrels, Rats, Chipmunks, Snakes, Bats, Frogs, Toads | Bow with Small Game Arrows |
| Moderate | Rabbits, Badgers, Raccoons, Possums, Muskrats, Skunks | Varmint Rifle (.22 Ammo) |
| Medium | Coyotes, Foxes, Pigs, Beavers | Repeater (any type) or Bow with Standard Arrows |
| Large | Deer, Bucks, Pronghorn, Wolves, Cougars, Panthers, Goats, Sheep | Rifle (any type, except Rolling Block) or Bow with Poison Arrows |
| Massive | Bears, Elk, Moose, Bison, Bulls, Alligators (Large) | Rifle (any type) or Bow with Improved Arrows |
Think of this table as your new best friend. Before you go on a hunt, check the table. Are you hunting rabbits? Make sure you have your Varmint Rifle equipped. Are you going after a massive grizzly bear? You’ll need your Springfield or Bolt Action Rifle. Using the wrong weapon is the fastest way to turn a three star animal into a one star pelt.
The Third Golden Rule: The Perfect Shot
You’ve found your pristine animal. You have the right weapon in your hands. Now comes the final, most crucial moment. You have to make a clean, one shot kill. If you only wound the animal and it runs off, or if you have to shoot it multiple times, the pelt will be ruined.
The goal is to hit a critical organ for an instant kill. These critical areas are almost always the head and the heart. And the best tool for guaranteeing a perfect shot is your trusty Dead Eye.
Here’s the final part of the process:
- Get into position: Get as close as you can to your target without being detected. Use Cover Scent Lotion if you have it.
- Activate Dead Eye: This will slow down time and give you the precision you need.
- Paint Your Target: As you level up your Dead Eye, you’ll be able to “paint” a target on your foe. As you move your reticle over the animal, you will see certain areas glow red. These are the critical hit zones. Aim for the head or the area just behind the shoulder where the heart is, and paint your shot.
- Fire: Take a deep breath and fire. A single, well placed shot from the correct weapon into a critical zone will drop the animal instantly.
That’s it. That’s the magic formula. A three star animal, plus the correct weapon, plus a one shot kill to a critical area equals a perfect pelt every single time.
Putting It All Together: A Perfect Buck Hunt
Let’s walk through a real world example. You need a perfect deer pelt for a satchel upgrade.
- You ride out to the Heartlands and find a nice hill overlooking a clearing where some deer are grazing. You pull out your binoculars. (Rule #1)
- You study each deer one by one. The first is a two star. The second is a one star. But the third… the third is a magnificent, three star buck. That’s your target.
- You check your mental checklist (or our table!). A deer is a “Large” animal. The perfect weapon is a rifle. You equip your Springfield Rifle. (Rule #2)
- You crouch down and slowly creep closer, using the trees for cover. You get within a good range, take a deep breath, and activate Dead Eye.
- Time slows to a crawl. The buck’s head glows red. You paint your target right between the eyes, and you fire. (Rule #3)
- The buck drops instantly. You walk over, and the option to “Skin” it shows a perfect, three star pelt icon. Success.
A Few Extra Tips for the Master Hunter
- Use the Right Lures: You can buy Herbivore and Predator bait from any General Store. Using bait can lure a shy animal out into the open for a clearer shot.
- Mask Your Scent: Cover Scent Lotion, also available at stores, will mask your human scent for a short time, allowing you to get much closer to animals without them detecting you. This is essential for hunting with a bow.
- Follow the Trail: If you shoot and wound an animal, don’t give up. Activate Eagle Eye to see its track and blood trail. Following it may still give you a chance for a clean follow up shot, though it often degrades the pelt quality.
- Where to Sell Pelts: Take perfect pelts to the Trapper, not the Butcher. The Trapper can use them to craft legendary gear like satchels, saddles, and clothing. His locations include the Saint Denis market, Roanoke Ridge, Big Valley, near Riggs Station, and Tall Trees (in the Epilogue).
Hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a beautiful and complex system. It’s designed to be a challenge, to reward patience, and to make you feel like a true part of the wilderness. By following these three golden rules, you’ll no longer be a victim of chance. You’ll be a master of the hunt.
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