Legendary animals do not respawn after you kill them in Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode, but you can retry a hunt that fails before the animal dies. Bring one down and skin it, and you get a legendary pelt for the Trapper's outfits, plus a unique part the Fence turns into a talisman or trinket. The hunts open at different points in the story, so your mission progress decides when you can start each one.
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Chapter 2 hunts
Ambarino holds the bear, ram, bison and wolf. New Hanover has the beaver, moose and elk, and Lemoyne has the boar, coyote and fox. The buck is the one out in West Elizabeth. Work through one region at a time, and expect the wolf's clue trail to run through the Cotorra Springs geysers.
After That's Murfree Country
Country Pursuits introduces the Bullgator in the story, but that doesn't open the free-roam hunt. The hunt waits until That's Murfree Country is finished.
Master Hunter challenge
The Giaguaro Panther is gated by rank, not by a story mission. Reach rank 9 in the Master Hunter challenges, then start tracking the clues.
Epilogue: New Austin
These are Story Mode epilogue hunts. Red Dead Online's Naturalist animals are a separate system, so nothing from Online is included here.
State and region point you to the map area, and the location line narrows it to a landmark. Clues is the number of clue sets in the trail. Trapper prices and Fence fees are cash on top of the materials listed beside them.
When each hunt opens
Most hunts open once Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego is done. Hosea's Chapter 2 mission introduces the Bharati Grizzly, so that's the easiest place to start. The Bullgator and the Giaguaro Panther each wait on other progress. Spoiler: the last hunts open in New Austin, late in the story, and they're covered at the end.
Do you need every legendary animal?
No. Any five legendary animals count toward 100% Completion, so no single animal is required. A legendary animal doesn't respawn after it dies, and none of the hunts has a known time limit. A hunt that fails before the animal dies can be tried again later.
Clues and spawn resets
Most trails have three clues. The Bharati Grizzly has two. If the Legendary Animal Territory prompt doesn't appear, or the game says the area is too busy, set up camp, sleep, ride away from the hunt area, and come back. That resets the spawn.
Recommended weapons and ammo for RDR2 legendary animals
A weapon doesn't change a legendary pelt's quality, so use the one you shoot best. Each recommendation below is a suggestion, not a requirement. For the full weapon lineup, see Red Dead Redemption 2 weapons.
- Express rounds for the Bharati Grizzly Bear, the Buck and the Tatanka Bison.
- A high-powered rifle for the White Bison and a powerful rifle, such as a Rolling Block at range, for the Bullgator.
- Bows for the Boar (Poison Arrows), the Elk (improved or poison arrows) and the Pronghorn (regular arrows).
- Shotguns for the Giaguaro Panther's close ambush, and for the Cougar once it closes the distance.
Trapper garments worth knowing
The cheapest garment in cash is the Ram Rifleman Gloves at $12, but it also needs a Perfect Boar Pelt. The Elk Range Gloves cost $13 and need only the Legendary Elk Pelt. The priciest are the White Bison Hat and the Panther Cloak, at $45 each.
Some garments need pelts from two animals: the Beaver Flop Hat, the Cougar and Wolf Vest, the Buck and Fox Range Gloves, and the Boar and Bison Fowlers. Those take two hunts before you can craft them, so plan each pair together. For every outfit recipe, see Red Dead Redemption 2 outfits.
Fence talismans and trinkets
The Fence turns each animal part into a talisman or trinket for a fee. The cheapest is the Wolf Heart Trinket at $16, which needs only the Legendary Wolf Heart. The Alligator Tooth Talisman costs the most at $40, and it also needs two extra items. The effects are small boosts, such as slower core drain or extra XP, so pick the one you'll use. For every talisman and trinket, see Red Dead Redemption 2 talismans and trinkets.
Missable items and lost pelts
The Quartz Chunk is a one-time reward, so don't sell or donate it. The Bear Claw Talisman needs it. The Abalone Shell Fragment is one-of-a-kind, and the Bison Horn Talisman uses it, so keep it for that recipe.
If a legendary animal dies but its pelt is lost, ruined or can't be skinned, leave the area and wait two in-game days. Then check with a Trapper. The pelt materials stay available for crafting.
Spoiler: the New Austin hunts
The Cougar, Pronghorn and Tatanka Bison open after The Wheel opens New Austin, so they're the last of these hunts you'll reach. Their trails sit in Gaptooth Ridge, Rio Bravo and Hennigan's Stead. Save this part until you're past that point in the story.
FAQ
Where do I find a Trapper?
The Trapper has several stalls, including Saint Denis, Annesburg, Riggs Station, Big Valley and Tall Trees. Use the Trapper's paw-print marker on the map to find a nearby stall.
What if the pelt is still missing after the wait?
Leave the area, make a manual save, restart the game, load that save, and check with a Trapper again.
Are there other collectibles like this in Story Mode?
Yes. The Dinosaur Bones are a separate Story Mode collectible, so they're covered on their own.