One of the most interactive activities you can do in Red Dead Redemption 2 is hunting in its vast wilderness. As most players notice in their first few minutes of open-world exploring, this game's map is teeming with a wide variety of animals that can all be killed, skinned for pelts, sold for meat, and sometimes plucked for feathers.
However, there are many animals in the game that are either tough to locate, or incredibly dangerous to hunt. No matter which animal you decide to take on, you should fully understand where each of these animals is located, as it will make hunting these creatures a lot less frustrating.
Updated June 15, 2023, by John Wildermuth: Since the initial release of Red Dead Redemption 2, players have continually discovered new methods and benefits to hunting a large amount of wildlife found throughout the game. Even though Red Dead Redemption 2 may not be the freshest game on the market, we have decided to update this article to bring you the latest and greatest hunting tips. These suggestions will teach you everything you need to know about hunting some of the most skittish or dangerous creatures found throughout the world of Red Dead Redemption 2.
10 Iguana
Even though Red Dead Redemption 2 is set far from the tropics, the invasive iguana species can be found in one small spot on the game map. Travel to Rhodes, then head due west until you reach Flat Iron Lake.
There is a large, hook-shaped island directly across the water. Swimming to this place from the mainland may stretch your horse's stamina to its limit so make sure to choose the most direct route possible.
The bright green iguanas will be pretty easy to spot. Mostly, they gather in twos or threes near the waterline.
Use the Varmint Rifle for a clean kill and, for a perfect pelt, it's best to shoot the iguana in the head. Grab as many skins as possible to maximize your crafting potential.
9 Muskrat
The muskrat is easy to find only if you know where to look. Though they can be found in several areas across the game map, their small size makes them difficult to spot.
You also need the right equipment to get one of the many perfect muskrat pelts that are required for unique items from the Trapper.
Always look for muskrats along the edge of rivers or lakes. One of the most common places to find them is along Dewberry Creek, or even along the river that leads into Owanjila Lake.
They look like tiny brown rabbits or squirrels that can be easily missed or completely ignored. To get a clean kill, use the Varmint Rifle, and try to get a headshot if possible.
8 Squirrel
We know exactly what you are thinking: how can an animal as innocent as a squirrel make it onto this list? While the squirrel will certainly never harm anyone, this animal is incredibly tricky to hunt down, due to its size and skittish behavior.
Furthermore, since larger bullets may completely ruin the animal's pelt, you will need to ensure that you always aim for the head whenever you spot one of these anxious critters. The best way to hunt squirrels is to lure them out of their trees and towards you, by using the correct bait and lying in wait to ambush them.
7 Silver Fox
Silver foxes are tough to spot because they're small and always travel completely alone. Plus, they're skittish, so they'll run and hide as soon as they detect an approaching player.
There are two approaches to hunting the silver fox: either charge it on horseback before it can run away or use some cover scent lotion and stalk it.
To get a perfect pelt, use a repeater and shoot the fox in one of its red 'critical' zones. Perfect fox pelts from the rare silver fox are used to craft many unique apparel items at the Trapper.
6 Moose
The antlers from a moose are required for a unique game trinket. This solitary, majestic animal can be found in several small spots across the map.
The first area is on the edge of O'Creagh's Run. The moose likes to swim across this small lake, so to spot it, grab your binoculars, and sit on top of the middle island.
Another prime moose location is northeast of Donner Falls in the Grizzlies East, specifically next to the 'I' in Ambarino on the game map. Make sure to use a powerful scoped rifle if you want a clean kill; a moose is tough to take down with a single shot and may charge directly at you when it is injured.
5 Bald Eagle
Eagle feathers can be used to craft several unique trinkets and accessories. They're a lot harder to track because, obviously, they can either be on the ground or in the sky.
Luckily a clean kill isn't required to get an eagle feather. However, using a Varmint Rifle from a distance will increase the chances of getting more than a single feather from this bird.
One of the Bald Eagle's most frequent spawn locations is on the bridge of Bard's Crossing. Try not to let the bird take flight before shooting; it's a long way down from the top of the bridge to the river below.
Good luck finding the eagle's carcass in there.
4 American Robin
If you think some of the smaller animals in the game are hard to hunt down, then you clearly have never encountered an American Robin. These classic red birds are incredibly tiny, but can also fly away at the first sign of danger.
Surprisingly, the easiest way to kill these birds without ruining their feathers is to utilize your lasso after luring the birds in with bait. However, you must be extremely accurate while aiming your lasso, since the Robin needs to be tied up and immobile before you can finish the job and collect the materials you need.
3 Cougar
Cougars are very similar to the panthers in Red Dead Redemption 2 because both are ruthless ambush predators. They'll usually spot you before you spot them; your only warning is the cougar's signature growl as it sprints extremely quickly toward you.
If you do decide to go hunting for cougars, make sure your Deadeye meter is filled and you have a powerful rifle handy.
The cougar is most commonly found in the plains of West Elizabeth; however, players can only access this area after completing the Epilogue. The easiest place to find a rare cougar for those who haven't gotten far enough in Story Mode is in Black Bone Forest.
This area is on the far east side of Big Valley, upriver from Owanjila Lake. Trot back and forth along the main road and a cougar will likely spawn once per day.
2 Grizzly Bear
It's pretty obvious to say that the North American Grizzly Bear is a very dangerous animal. Both in real life and in Red Dead Redemption 2. They are very aggressive and will often charge at players instead of running away.
The safest way to bring one of these guys down is to get a non-skittish horse, try to snipe the bear from horseback with a long-scope rifle and gallop in quick circles if you miss your shot.
Grizzly Bears can be encountered in several areas of the map, but they're still rare spawns. One of the most common places to find this animal is in either the East or West Grizzlies.
Too obvious? Specifically, look in the forest northwest of Wallace Station.
1 Panther
The panther is probably the hardest non-legendary animal to hunt in Red Dead Redemption 2. It's rare, quick, and deadly.
Avoid getting too close to a panther; it is very aggressive and can quickly maul players to death with its claws. The best approach is to lay out some predator bait and shoot it from a distance. No matter what, keep a powerful rifle handy.
To find a panther, ride to the southernmost tip of Lemoyne and enter the small forest directly southeast of Braithwaite Manor, and you will find a location called the Bolger Glade. Be wary though, what makes the cougar truly dangerous is its nocturnal tendencies, meaning that this specific animal loves to track you down and hunt you in the cover of darkness.