how to get the binoculars/perfect pelts?

[Padischli]

im new to the game and went in blind its been a blast so far and i have done some content in valentine now. i heard that in order to get perfect pelts you need to scout animals via binoculars to know which weapon to use where do i get the binoculars and do i have this ability from the get go or do i learn it?

[JuiceWSA]

https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Binoculars

Red Dead Redemption 2
Unlike its prequel, binoculars are available to the player at the start of the game and can be used during missions and for hunting. It can be found in the kit section of the Item wheel.

[in]

You can just use eagle eye. Same button as deadeye, just without aiming. it will highlight animal trails and looking at them you will see info on each animal including it's quality. When you see that it's 3 star, kill it with appropriate weapon to the weakpoint (easiest just headshot) and you will preserve the pelt.

Various infos here https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1984022527

[Padischli]

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Binoculars

Red Dead Redemption 2
Unlike its prequel, binoculars are available to the player at the start of the game and can be used during missions and for hunting. It can be found in the kit section of the Item wheel.

man im blind haha thanks

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by Padischli:

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Binoculars

man im blind haha thanks

You must Study The Animal before it's quality or other info shows.
There is even a Challenge Goal wherein you MUST study and track animals, with the Binoculars.

It's a bit clumsy switching back and forth, but if you find or 'remap' Long Shoulder and Long Back keys - you can switch out immediately to the weapon you have equipped in those slots for a quick knock-down - if necessary.

[Padischli]

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

Originally posted by Padischli:

man im blind haha thanks

You must Study The Animal before it's quality or other info shows.
There is even a Challenge Goal wherein you MUST study and track animals, with the Binoculars.

It's a bit clumsy switching back and forth, but if you find or 'remap' Long Shoulder and Long Back keys - you can switch out immediately to the weapon you have equipped in those slots for a quick knock-down - if necessary.

thanks any tips on how to hunt smaller game i can always barely see it

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by Padischli:

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

You must Study The Animal before it's quality or other info shows.
There is even a Challenge Goal wherein you MUST study and track animals, with the Binoculars.

It's a bit clumsy switching back and forth, but if you find or 'remap' Long Shoulder and Long Back keys - you can switch out immediately to the weapon you have equipped in those slots for a quick knock-down - if necessary.

thanks any tips on how to hunt smaller game i can always barely see it

We've already determined your blind, right?...lol...JK...

Well, There's nothing I like more than putting 6 or 8 Quail in the sack with small game arrows, but it did take a lot of practice to be able to find and actually see them. You can't shoot something you can't see, of course.

Here's a good tip:
Pull up your trusty bow (any arrow for now), aim, but don't pull the string... sweep the pipper across the horizon... there they are.

The Bow has a unique ability to 'See Things you simply Can Not'. Once you know where they are, you can switch Eagle Eye on and off so you can pick those glowing dots out of the underbrush - then pick the weapon and close in for the kill (Dead Eye without aiming is Eagle Eye).

A Scope on the Varmint Rifle helps tag those Rabbits from afar, but you gotta be quick - they know when you're looking at them. You can 'track' the perfect ones, but it'll take a while.

[Padischli]

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

Originally posted by Padischli:

thanks any tips on how to hunt smaller game i can always barely see it

We've already determined your blind, right?...lol...JK...

Well, There's nothing I like more than putting 6 or 8 Quail in the sack with small game arrows, but it did take a lot of practice to be able to find and actually see them. You can't shoot something you can't see, of course.

Here's a good tip:
Pull up your trusty bow (any arrow for now), aim, but don't pull the string... sweep the pipper across the horizon... there they are.

The Bow has a unique ability to 'See Things you simply Can Not'. Once you know where they are, you can switch Eagle Eye on and off so you can pick those glowing dots out of the underbrush - then pick the weapon and close in for the kill (Dead Eye without aiming is Eagle Eye).

A Scope on the Varmint Rifle helps tag those Rabbits from afar, but you gotta be quick - they know when you're looking at them. You can 'track' the perfect ones, but it'll take a while.

thank you very much i will use this in my quest to get satchel upgrades

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by Padischli:

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

We've already determined your blind, right?...lol...JK...

Well, There's nothing I like more than putting 6 or 8 Quail in the sack with small game arrows, but it did take a lot of practice to be able to find and actually see them. You can't shoot something you can't see, of course.

Here's a good tip:
Pull up your trusty bow (any arrow for now), aim, but don't pull the string... sweep the pipper across the horizon... there they are.

The Bow has a unique ability to 'See Things you simply Can Not'. Once you know where they are, you can switch Eagle Eye on and off so you can pick those glowing dots out of the underbrush - then pick the weapon and close in for the kill (Dead Eye without aiming is Eagle Eye).

A Scope on the Varmint Rifle helps tag those Rabbits from afar, but you gotta be quick - they know when you're looking at them. You can 'track' the perfect ones, but it'll take a while.

thank you very much i will use this in my quest to get satchel upgrades

A noble endeavor. The Satch is always *1 on the runway for me.

The Bow with a regular arrow is The Tool to get those 9000 perfect white tail pelts Pearson needs (I exaggerate, a bit...lol).

[Real]

to put it simple: first study the animal, next check which type of gun you need for a clean kill, and than get said gun, than find a 3 star animal, shoot it clean in the head, done.

[Real]

my preferred way of hunting

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Aim at the animal with any weapon, as long as its within range, then while aiming at it, press Q for "More Info"

It will tell you about it a little bit and tell you which weapon and/or ammo is best to use.

For very small animals like Toad, Frog, Crab... use Small-Game Arrow

[travel]

Ive yet to get a perfect pelt but each animal has a CORRECT weapon to killl it with, this will get you a good pelt.

If you manage to one shot it , in one of the red zones visible in dead eye its perfect town.

On a separate note ive used bait several times and gotten Zero animals.

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by travel:

Ive yet to get a perfect pelt but each animal has a CORRECT weapon to killl it with, this will get you a good pelt.

A Good Pelt - useless.
Pearson Needs PERFECT PELTS.

If you manage to one shot it , in one of the red zones visible in dead eye its perfect town.

On a separate note ive used bait several times and gotten Zero animals.

Depends where and what you're baiting, but if the animal can smell you....
YOU are the bait (or you overwhelm the bait with your own stink - and they just won't show up):

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2674035840

If The Roanoke Ridge Cougar kills you - that's one time - there will be 2000 more...lol

[What?]

You can use binoculars, or go to the gunsmith to "customize" your gun and put a set of optics on it. Optics will show the same values on bottom right of screen, when its aimed at an animal.

Always hit the animal in the head if possible, it preserves the pelt. I've gotten perfect pelts by shooting them in the ass, but that's a glitch, its rare and I don't think they meant to do it.

Types of guns to use:
Dynamite - Legendary animals
Rifles - Big animals that produce huge pelts that fit on the back of your horse (eg 1 per horse) such as elk, grizzly, bull
Rifles - Regular sized animals, which produce a pelt that can be stacked on your horse, but have additional goodies (horns/claws) such as deer, wolves.
Carbines - Decent sized animals that produce only a pelt, that can be stacked on the back of your horse (fox, coyote)
Varmint rifle - Small animals whose pelts you put in your pouch (rabbit, muskrat etc)
Bow with small game arrow - Tiny animals that you can't skin, but you put the WHOLE thing in your pouch (squirrel, songbirds)
Bow with regular arrow - Special case for hunting big cats, it's the best way to headshot them with a bow. They move too fast for guns and the bow hitbox is larger.

Any thrown weapon will ruin a pelt (axe etc). Using the wrong weapon will lower the pelts value by 1 point. Shooting the animal more than once will lower the pelt value by 1 point for every extra shot.