Huntable animals are the wild creatures you can kill for meat, hides and crafting materials in The Long Dark. They roam the snowy wilderness and fall into two groups: prey, such as rabbits and deer, and predators, such as wolves and bears. Knowing which group an animal belongs to tells you how it will react when it sees you, and whether the hunt is worth the risk.
Type
Prey
Deer
A cautious herd animal that provides venison and flees when it detects danger.
- Type
- Prey
- Meat per Carcass
- 8–12.5 kg raw Venison, varying by stag or doe.
- Animal Fat
- 0.20 kg per kg of raw meat; stags yield more because they are larger than does.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Deer Hide; 2 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- A stag makes 5 Deer Quarter bags; a doe makes 3. Each bag weighs 5 kg.
- Behavior
- Deer graze and move between nearby spots, often in groups. They flee when they detect the survivor or a predator and can run a long distance if startled.
- Where It Lives
- Common across most regions of Great Bear; deer roam between multiple sites rather than staying in one grove.
- Content
- Base game
Moose
A rare, large prey animal that warns before charging and leaves a heavy meat haul.
- Type
- Prey
- Meat per Carcass
- 30–45 kg raw Moose Meat.
- Animal Fat
- 0.15 kg per kg of raw meat.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Moose Hide; 12 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- 6–9 Moose Quarter bags; each bag weighs 10 kg.
- Behavior
- Moose are territorial. One lowers its head and snorts as a warning when the survivor gets close; if they stay nearby, it charges. A wounded moose runs a short distance, then stops.
- Where It Lives
- Rare in most major regions except the Zone of Contamination. Usually near marked trees with stripped bark, though some spawn areas have no visible rubs.
- Content
- Base game
Ptarmigan
A small flocking bird whose carcass provides meat and down.
- Type
- Prey
- Meat per Carcass
- 0.8–1.5 kg raw Ptarmigan meat.
- Animal Fat
- None.
- Other Drops
- 4 Ptarmigan Down bundles; no hide or guts.
- Quartering
- The whole carcass can be picked up and processed elsewhere; no quarter bags.
- Behavior
- Ptarmigan walk and peck around a nest in small flocks. They fly off when startled by the survivor or a predator; a thrown stone can stun one.
- Where It Lives
- Fixed nests at higher elevations away from coastal regions; flocks gather around a nest.
- Content
- Tales from the Far Territory
Rabbit
A small prey animal found around fixed groves and caught with stones or snares.
- Type
- Prey
- Meat per Carcass
- 0.75–1.5 kg raw Rabbit meat.
- Animal Fat
- None.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Rabbit Pelt; 1 Fresh Gut.
- Quartering
- The whole carcass can be picked up and processed elsewhere; no quarter bags.
- Behavior
- Rabbits roam inside fixed Rabbit Groves and flee when a predator or survivor gets close. A thrown stone can stun one, and snares can catch rabbits placed inside a grove.
- Where It Lives
- Fixed Rabbit Groves across most regions of Great Bear.
- Content
- Base game
Type
Predator
Bear
A large predator that follows routes around a den and leaves a large meat haul.
- Type
- Predator
- Meat per Carcass
- 25–40 kg raw Bear Meat.
- Animal Fat
- 0.10 kg per kg of raw meat.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Black Bear Hide; 10 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- 5–8 Bear Quarter bags; each bag weighs 10 kg.
- Behavior
- Bears follow set routes between a den and nearby ground and usually ignore other wildlife. A bear approaches the survivor and charges if they get too close or provoke it.
- Where It Lives
- Around active den sites in several regions; each bear follows one or more fixed routes from a den. Not every possible den is active in each save.
- Content
- Base game
Cougar
A territorial cat that stalks survivors through marked areas and yields a hide and claw.
- Type
- Predator
- Meat per Carcass
- 4–5 kg raw Cougar Meat.
- Animal Fat
- 0.10 kg per kg of raw meat.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Cougar Hide; 2 Fresh Guts; 1 Cougar Claw is produced automatically when its hide is harvested or the carcass is quartered.
- Quartering
- 1–2 Cougar Quarter bags; each bag weighs 2 kg.
- Behavior
- Cougars patrol marked territory and stalk the survivor. They are fast and aggressive, and encounters can cause a territory to expand.
- Where It Lives
- Marked territory on rocky or forested edges of eligible regions; exact sites vary by region and survival save.
- Content
- Tales from the Far Territory
Poisoned Wolf
A starving wolf in the Zone of Contamination; it leaves a pelt and guts but no meat.
- Type
- Predator
- Meat per Carcass
- -
- Animal Fat
- -
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Wolf Pelt; 2 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- No Wolf Quarter bags; there is no harvestable meat.
- Behavior
- Poisoned Wolves hunt prey and stalk the survivor like regular wolves, but are malnourished, detect prey from farther away, and are less easily deterred by torches or flares. They can inflict Chemical Poisoning.
- Where It Lives
- Only in the Zone of Contamination.
- Content
- Tales from the Far Territory
Timberwolf
A pack-hunting predator that circles and attacks the survivor as a group.
- Type
- Predator
- Meat per Carcass
- 4–7 kg raw Wolf Meat.
- Animal Fat
- 0.10 kg per kg of raw meat.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Wolf Pelt; 2 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- 1–2 Wolf Quarter bags; each bag weighs 5 kg.
- Behavior
- Timberwolves howl and gather a pack when they detect the survivor. The pack circles and attacks in repeated charges; timberwolves also hunt small prey and deer.
- Where It Lives
- Common in Blackrock, Bleak Inlet, and Sundered Pass, with refreshed spawn points in other regions; exact spawns vary by save.
- Content
- Base game
Wolf
A common predator that stalks the survivor and hunts other wildlife.
- Type
- Predator
- Meat per Carcass
- 3–6 kg raw Wolf Meat.
- Animal Fat
- 0.10 kg per kg of raw meat.
- Other Drops
- 1 Fresh Wolf Pelt; 2 Fresh Guts.
- Quartering
- 1–2 Wolf Quarter bags; each bag weighs 5 kg.
- Behavior
- Wolves stalk and charge the survivor and hunt deer, rabbits, and ptarmigan. A wolf may also feed on another animal's carcass until little or no meat remains.
- Where It Lives
- Fixed spawn points in nearly every region; packs hunt nearby prey.
- Content
- Base game
Prey and Predators: The Two Groups Explained
Prey animals are rabbits, ptarmigans (small snow birds), deer and moose. Rabbits and deer are harmless and run as soon as they spot you, and ptarmigans are just as easy to deal with. Moose is the exception, since it charges if you provoke it and can do serious damage.
Predators are wolves, timberwolves, poisoned wolves, bears and cougars. Wolves come alone or in packs, and predators also hunt the prey animals, so wolves, timberwolves and poisoned wolves all stalk deer.
How Hunting Works in The Long Dark
Your two main weapons are the bow and the rifle. The bow is the better choice over the long run once you learn how arrows drop and how far they reach. The rifle hits hard enough for moose and deer, but its bullets are scarce, so save them for the animals that matter most.
Aim matters because a hit to the head ends things fast. A deer shot in the head dies on the spot, while a body hit leaves it to bleed out. Deer, wolves and bears all bleed out, so a wounded one may run a while before it falls. Moose and cougars don't bleed out, so they take several hits and you should expect a longer fight.
What You Get From Hunted Animals
Most animals leave meat, a pelt or hide, and guts, and bigger ones like deer, moose, wolves and bears can be quartered into bags you carry away and butcher later. Bear hide stands out for crafting, since it becomes a Bear Skin Bedroll or a Bearskin Coat. Hunting also raises your survival skills, so every kill is worth more than the meat.
Hunting is not your only route to food. Wolves kill deer, and early on, getting deer meat may mean taking a fresh kill from a wolf. Ravaged deer carcasses also turn up in all the major regions, and crows circling overhead usually mark one.
Staying Safe Around Wolves and Bears
Keep your distance from wolves, and crouch when you need to sneak closer. Smelly things attract them, so keep raw meat, cooked meat and raw guts out of your pack when you're near a pack. Smelly food can also work as a lure if you want to take a wolf on purpose.
Timberwolves are bigger than regular wolves, with silver-gray coats, and they always hunt in packs. They don't fall for decoys, so you can't easily lure them away, and hunting one is hard. Your safest move is to avoid them or scare them off.
Bears are among the biggest and most dangerous animals in the game, and they tend to be found in or near caves. Before you hunt a bear or a moose, know where you can retreat, such as a car, a ledge or a safe building.
Which Huntable Animals to Start With
If you're new, start with rabbits and ptarmigans. They let you practice your aim and how you handle food without much risk. Deer come next, since they offer a lot of meat for modest risk, and their parts also work as crafting materials.
Moose is the big prize, but it's also the hardest to find. Moose are rare, and they usually turn up near trees with scratch marks on the trunks. Bears and moose both give big yields, but they are risky to take on until you aim well and know your escape route.
Cougars in Survival Mode
Cougars come from the Tales from the Far Territory expansion, so they aren't in the base game. They're switched off on Pilgrim difficulty and left out of Challenges. Cougars are territorial and defend their own patch of ground. They take several hits even at high rifle or archery skill, so expect a long fight.
Hunting one has a side effect. Shooting or striking a cougar makes its territory grow, and spotting several in one region is a sign you've been going after them. Hauling meat through places where cougar territories overlap is another common way to run into trouble.
If you leave them alone for a while, they pull back into their original territory. A cougar fight you survive can also leave you with parts for the Cougar Claw Knife and Cougar Hide Wrap.
FAQ
How do I catch a rabbit in The Long Dark?
Besides a bow or rifle, you can set a snare or stun a rabbit with a stone and then grab it. Rabbits can also be used as bait for wolves, so a catch can help you set up a later hunt.
Do bears run from fire in The Long Dark?
No. Bears are not scared of fire, but they do flee from a distress pistol shot. A bullet or arrow landing near a bear can also scare it off, though only if it hasn't spotted you yet.
Can you turn off cougars in an existing save?
Yes. In a save you started before, you can switch cougars on or off, and you can also adjust them in Custom Mode.