Secret to tracking?

[Romulus]

I don't see how you can track effectively. In order to keep up with these animals you have to move too fast and they hear you. But all the crouching and crawling takes forever and eventually you are so far behind the animal it's pointless to continue. So tracking is a no win situation.

[DopaTrain]

Track to find need zones. Then ambush hunt the need zones. The animal will stop at them sooner or later so don't run. Don't even run when tracking a downed animal because you'll just scare other animals off.

Primarily use tracking to find downed/ wounded animals and need zones.

You've gotta use your brain to some extent. It isn't just run after an animal and shoot it. IRL you wouldn't be able to track and run anyway. Tracking is a slow process. You don't have a row of glowing lights to follow.

[Cathulhu]

Yesterday i tracked and shot a Red Fox in Hirschfelden Bohndorf.
It was possible with a mixture of walking and crouching, no use of Shift for faster movement. Foxes are dang skittish and run very easily.

This game is a test of patience. It's not a run and gun shooter.
Take it slow and enjoy the scenery while you're at it. The game can look really gorgeous with its lighting. Textures could be upped a bit in my opinion.

[James]

A fleeing animal usually stops and linger after a while - catching its breath and being cautious. Try to find a sweet spot between chasing after (normal walk bursts) and sneaking. Sometimes the animal turn back and you will simply meet again, unless you spook him off again. I guess most common mistake is to continue to spook him by rushing after...
Situations may vary between maps and animal species and the wound level inflicted.

[BJWyler]

My secret to tracking is don't bother. If an animal I shoot doesn't drop within 30 meters, I don't waste time going after it.

I don't waste time following tracks at all while walking about. I just go around from one POI, tower, lodge, mission point to another and just identify any zone I come across. I have found plenty of animals along the way and either stop to call them in, or spook them into an open area and shoot them on the run.

[Romulus]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

This game is a test of patience. It's not a run and gun shooter.
Take it slow and enjoy the scenery while you're at it. The game can look really gorgeous with its lighting. Textures could be upped a bit in my opinion.

I get the relaxing aspect of the game, but on the other hand, given the amount of time it takes to do anything, I'd probably be way better off spending that same time in actual real nature. If I was independently wealthy I could spend all day playing just to get a trophy, but i'm not independently wealthy, i have a day job and other things to do... this game doesn't really seem to work well with that due to its sometimes grueling, grinding, often ungratifying slowness.

[DopaTrain]

Just go play something else then.

[Cathulhu]

Sounds like the slow paced nature of this game is not for you then.

[Findus]

With a bit of experience, you'll be able to make an educated guess what an animal was doing when following a track, especially when you've already picked up some need zones in the area and/or know the need zone times. Note that the age of the droppings is pretty useless in the upper range as they age so quickly. "Very old" can be as young as 7.5 real time minutes ago, at least that was the case whe I tested this last, and animals move in real time.
Generally, tracking an animal with the wind in your back is almost impossible, unless you get to a big open space where you can spot it far away enough.
And while probably not in the spirit of the game, you can absolutely run after animals until you are close enough to get off a shot (mostly again if you chase them until they get into areas where you can see a bit further or wait for them to return, e.g. at the edge of a clearing).

Depending on skill, you can tell the weight and fur color of an animal. Personally, i wouldn't track a random animal other than for discovering need zones, but only one that is worth my time, and that's when things can get pretty exciting (in my opinion at least) even if things move slowly.

[nzmountainclimber]

It is possible to "run down" animals - it's even my preferred strategy in the case of rabbits and hares. When fleeing they will run faster than you, however they often pause after the fleeing behaviour finishes, that's when it's often possible to get them with a shotgun.

[pizza7]

Originally posted by Romulus:

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

This game is a test of patience. It's not a run and gun shooter.
Take it slow and enjoy the scenery while you're at it. The game can look really gorgeous with its lighting. Textures could be upped a bit in my opinion.

I get the relaxing aspect of the game, but on the other hand, given the amount of time it takes to do anything, I'd probably be way better off spending that same time in actual real nature. If I was independently wealthy I could spend all day playing just to get a trophy, but i'm not independently wealthy, i have a day job and other things to do... this game doesn't really seem to work well with that due to its sometimes grueling, grinding, often ungratifying slowness.

this game is a very slow game, maybe that does not suit you then.
it is also very easy.

[Agillian]

Tracking is very valuable, it allows you to locate possible max weight animals without seeing them. You shouldn't be running after the animal as it can hear you running from 300 meters away. The animal you are tracking will stop at a need zone, this is where you get your chance. Slowly walk along the tracks always checking your surroundings. When you hear a warning call, immediately crouch and slowly continue until you get your shot. You can also crouchwalk over to a bush and use a caller to lure the animal in.

In my opinion it's a great way of finding diamond potential animals without cheesing the system by placing tents at every drink zone. and just teleporting around.

[Incidental_Fish]

I follow a track to a need zone and set up shop: tent off a ways, and a tripod closer to the zone. Rest at the tent till a bit before the need zone's time and then start waiting, but far and away, the vast majority of my kills are kills of opportunity. Something wanders into view or calls fairly close, I'll hide in some branches and call them in.

[GIbbralter]

I think i do well at tracking, the secret is to Keep your visibility line Horizontal, only possible at level 29 and above with the right Skills, stay crawling through open areas, and only pop up at a tree or cover where your visibility line stays horizontal, doing this and the animal won't detect you at all, and will stop at the need zone it is heading for quite quickly, i can get within 20 yards and take a bow shot quite consistently, the only part that makes it hard is the wind knows where the animals are.

[Incidental_Fish]

Originally posted by GIbbralter:

I think i do well at tracking, the secret is to Keep your visibility line Horizontal, only possible at level 29 and above with the right Skills, stay crawling through open areas, and only pop up at a tree or cover where your visibility line stays horizontal, doing this and the animal won't detect you at all, and will stop at the need zone it is heading for quite quickly, i can get within 20 yards and take a bow shot quite consistently, the only part that makes it hard is the wind knows where the animals are.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that with a white line visibility, animals can get up to about 10 meters of you before getting spooked. With a Red line visibility, I've had animals literally trying to step on me, but usually they stop between 5-10 meters before spooking.

[Benchwarmer]

My style since 2017 when exloring the map by foot. Use small or medium backpack. Run and when you hear warning call. Stop and crouch. Use a caller and slowly try to get better position and wait. Maybe use caller second time. If you don't see the animal in 2 mins. Start running again.