One shot kill?

[Antti-san]

I've just started the game and haven't bought any DLC, and I have managed to down a couple of deers and rabbits. But have to say I'm getting frustrated when most animals just shrug off my rifle shots like a BB gun and sprint away. And since I'm still using the bolt-action rifle you get at the start, I don't usually have enough time for a follow-up shot.

I usually aim for the neck, which I would assume would kill/badly wound an animal. Or is there a better more reliable location to aim for? As silly as it sounds, I do feel bad for the virtual animals when I only maim them.

So, TLDR, what's the best weapon/ammunition for reliably getting one-shot kills (if possible) for animals like deer and moose? Should I buy one of the DLCs and if so, which one?

[DanthemanBoone]

Neck and head shots dont work in this game. You need to shoot the lungs or heart.
The 243 free ammo is almost useless for deer. You also need to get the poly ammo and that is good for roe deer and fallow at 20 to 30 yards.
Once you start building up some in game money you can look at buying a bigger gun and start hunting the larger animals or as you mentioned, get a dlc. There will be heaps of suggestions about better rifles , Ill leave that to others as there are so many differing views on that subject.

[kesi96]

Neck shots work as well, BUT you need to hit the right spot and you need a weapon that is strong enough. In other words, it is very difficult. When you hit the spine in the neck, the animal will drop on the point. If you miss, it will run for miles or might even survive.

As DanthemanBoone mentioned, aim for lungs at the beginning. And choose animals, that are within the weapon class of your .243. For the standard game these are foxes, roe deer and maybe fallow deer (in close range) in Hirschfelden and Coyotes in Layton. You might also get some black- and whitetail deer with your gun, but also only in close range with a perfect broadside shot in the lungs.

Try to save some money for other weapons, like the shotguns, where you get ammo for different weapon classes or for stronger weapons.

[James]

Also remember, even if they sprint away, they may have dropped dead just behind the next bush. I assume you tried tracking them down, yes?

This game is a little bit harder in the beginning before you have the gear you want/need together with some skills/perks where you want them. So hang in there for the initial "level-up" to get you going. Enjoy the "struggle" while it lasts. Before you know it, you'll be outfitted and ready to play the game by your rules :)

[Philobyte]

The .243 (starter rifle) is more powerful than many would give it credit for. I've seen people kill moose and black bear with it. It's more the ammo and the crappy scope which give you trouble at the beginning.

Of course,very precise shot placement is key to success here. Always go for at least one lung because that will take the animal down no matter what. Non vital organ hits will also do that, but require more tracking.

Once you build up enough money and rifle score on small animals up to 50-60 meters, get the polymer ammo and the Hyperion scope. Then you should be set for fox, coyote, roe deer, fallow, blacktail and maybe even boar at up to 100 meters. Don't forget that the females give good money and rifle score, too. And so do geese, even if you shoot them with non appropriate ammo.

Next I would personally go for a weapon that can take down all or most animal classes, like a bow or a shotgun.

Good hunting!

[ZAP]

At the start you're going to want to go for the free .270 Stradivarius. Focus on the chest vitals like everyone is saying.

[Antti-san]

Thanks for all the replies!

Originally posted by James:

Also remember, even if they sprint away, they may have dropped dead just behind the next bush. I assume you tried tracking them down, yes?

Yes, and I have harvested a couple that way which is nice, but most of the time bleed rate is very low and no vital organs were hit. Which sounds like they'll survive so I haven't tried running after them?

[James]

Originally posted by Antti-san:

Thanks for all the replies!
Yes, and I have harvested a couple that way which is nice, but most of the time bleed rate is very low and no vital organs were hit. Which sounds like they'll survive so I haven't tried running after them?

Sometimes, even when no vital organs have been hit, they bleed out and die. My experience (and I could be totally wrong) is that smaller game do die more frequently (up to deer) while bigger game like moose and bear survive and go back to business as usual. But yes, you will probably end up tracking for a good while. And that can be tedious in the beginning without any skill or invested perks (and no dog). Happy hunting!

[Geronimo]

You have to realize that the beginners vanilla weaponry is available in correlation to the game trying to simulate their inexperience, where both will develop over time with XP and perks, and very quickly.

You shouldn't even expect to get one-shots in the beginning levels.

Also be aware that penetration of the bullet is the difference between a wounded fleeing animal, and one that drops sooner. It's basically the difference between a flesh wound due to lack of penetration, and an organ being reached because of the penetrating ability of appropriate caliber-ammo-aim combinations. Which is why, as James observed, smaller game will more often bleed out from a flesh wound where larger animals will not. Logically, a smaller body cavity requires less penetration to reach the vitals, and there is less blood to be lost which means less to keep living on.

If you hit a large-cavitied moose, buffalo, Red, elk, etc. , resulting in a flesh wound, its going to go alot further than a small-bodied animal, just on its virtue of having so much more blood to keep it alive.

Remember, the only reason an animal can die from a flesh wound is blood loss. Skin is not a vital organ!

Also note that the game is programmed to allow for the increase of blood loss in arrow strikes, to simulate the combination of Broadhead slicing and the arrow shaft keeping the wound from healing over. Most animals hit with an arrow will eventually bleed out and die, however depending on the type of damage, that animal could go a very long way before dropping.