Tips on finding diamonds?

[hazl0]

I hunted my first diamond (turkey) yesterday but unfortunately my friend harvested it. I've been watching the need zones, but the eating zones have a pretty wide time frame. I've seen lots of videos demonstrating diamond hunting, but I just don't have any viable candidates showing up to begin with.

[McSqurl Nugget]

it's luck. they're a rare random spawn, never know when one's going to be on your map or where it spawns in at. I don't put much stock in the vids online, most are outdated or use cheats, get some ideas from them for how you play and get out there and explore.

[Mr. Ed]

I only pay attention to where they are shooting the animals in those videos to get a general idea of where and what I might find in those general areas on my own map(s). I cannot fly around at light speed while being invisible, odorless and soundless to locate animals like some of the video makers can. There's no sure fire way to find diamonds. I just randomly cross paths with them.

[Throttle Kitty]

I had this same thing happen to me! Only my second diamond, and it was a rare color. Set my mother down to hunt the stand for a few hours and she gets it! Amazing shot though. Luckily, I did manage to get a diamond before this, but it was black tail that wasn't otherwise special.

Anyways, there's a few simple tricks to up your chances. As said, no way to find them really, It's like shiny hunting in pokemon. You can improve your odds, and learn when patience will make the difference.

Stands. Hunting from stands is one of the best ways to get diamonds. Let them come to you. Diamonds spook easy, and on the rare event you do stalk up on one, you are likely to spook it and get a funky shot, possibly ruining it. (Did this with a Rocky Mountain Elk Diamond, he was beautiful.. and forever a gold)

Be patient and quite. Be ready to pass up lots of other good shots, on good animals. If you know what to look for, you can tell an animal is a diamond when you "spot" it. If you see a diamond it will NOT de-spawn. It WILL stay there until you shoot it, even if it runs away! It's better to let it go and get a shot another day then risking ruining the diamond pelt with a bad shot.

Obviously, be in an area with lots of good need zones, and get the optimal shot with the optimal gun. Test this on other members of the species in the area to make sure. If you get all the bonuses on it, you'll get them on the diamond if you use the same gun and shot placement. Always use Polymer tip rounds.

Hunt as many smaller males as possible. There is a gender bias in this game, for almost every species only males spawn diamonds, and if you kill males it respawns new males.

It's important to remember this is just rolling dice, but if you don't do it, the dice won't get rolled again. The animals on the map do not change, reset, or respawn UNLESS you kill them. So my regularly shooting males that aren't diamonds, you are constantly rolling new dice to spawn in new ones that MIGHT be diamonds.

It's worth noting, this does not apply to birds. For the most part, the best way to get a diamond turkey or duck is just to hunt them 100% like normal, and, because of sheer volume, you'll eventually get one.

[gabcik&kubis]

Originally posted by Throttle Kitty:

*quote*

Is it better to hunt smaller ones or bigger ones? There was discussion whether there is some average trophy value, thus killing lesser ones increases their trophy and then you will get small ones to keep the value. And so one with several even contradictory advice and inverse mechanics

[Pinger]

kill highest first then if time after first shot take out any other males you can to maximum of 3 without using a stand to not delete the need zone /repeat next need zone. If you do use a tripod you can kill 12 before the zone is deleted so 9 as a safety margin, but rare you will get that many kills from one zone unless xp/cash farming and killing females

[Throttle Kitty]

While this is just my opinion, honestly, I think it doesn't matter. If you kill a male, it rolls a new male, that could be any size or color. I could be wrong, don't bet the farm on that.

[Pinger]

The rule of thumb is mostly if its a male and its alive its not going to become a diamond other than a respawn. So kill all males without deleting the zone so you don't have to find the new need zone. Exceptions are those animals that females can go diamond rabbit/hare/gemsbok etc

[Throttle Kitty]

Yep! A male that is not a diamond is an un rolled dice.
Harvesting him rerolls that dice. (Same goes to females of species with dual sex diamonds)

Stick to stands, hit every male you see of the species you are after. Keeps the heat low. Be patient. Sooner or later a diamond will be rolled. If you see him and the heat is high, go hunt somewhere else to remove the heat and make him less skittish.

Once spawned he will be there forever. (until you harvest him, of coarse)

[Hanuman]

Originally posted by Sarin:

I hunted my first diamond (turkey) yesterday but unfortunately my friend harvested it. I've been watching the need zones, but the eating zones have a pretty wide time frame. I've seen lots of videos demonstrating diamond hunting, but I just don't have any viable candidates showing up to begin with.

First of all, you need better friends who don't steal your harvest

Interestingly enough, advice I would give a new player to get more diamonds (advice I try to now use myself)

1) Always make sure you are using the right ammo for your intended kill, I have ruined many a diamond potential because I am carrying three riffles, see an amazing animal, to than carelessly use the wrong ammo/weapon. I know it sounds basic but many people including me struggle with that early on.

2) When you are ready to take your shot, ask yourself; Can I get a better shot if I move to a different position or if I try to call in the animal a bit more. So often have I rushed a shot and regretted it about 10 seconds later.

3) Shot placement is key. If you don't pass the harvest check list, its all over for those diamond potentials.

[Captain7]

No one should be able to tell you how or where to find your diamonds, which is great, if you ask me. However, here is a practical advice regarding what not to do, when you find a potential one.

Based on what I experienced on several occasions, if you KNOW FOR SURE you messed up your shot on a potential diamond, DO NOT harvest.

If not harvested, and game closed, exactly the same animal should be back, often in the same vicinity, next time you re-start the game.

Also, should you find your potential diamond, keep in mind it might not be there forever. According to some research, it appears that there is a natural death algorithm built into the game. As a result, that diamond might be gone at some point in time. Try and get it while you can.

That said, it's still a special moment whenever you manage to get one, and I sure hope it stays this way. Best of luck.