The Hunter Wikia
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This page covers the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the game.

Free to Play / em$ / gm$

  • Can I play this game for free?
    • Yes you can. Install the game, create a hunter profile and get going!
    • Memberships do no longer exist since May 6, 2019.
    • Every new player gets a .243 Bolt Action Rifle (Wood) and a 12 GA Single Shot Shotgun for free.
    • You get free ammunition for these two weapons above.
      • These ammo types are refilled to three full boxes at the start of every hunt.
    • All other ammo must be bought with em$ or gm$.
    • You need to use the correct weapons for each animal. See here.


  • How do I redeem a registration, discount, promotion or gift code?
    • HowToRedeem


  • How can I get em$?
    • Purchase them with real money.
    • Most competitions award Em$ to the first three players on the ranking sheet. Some reward the first 10 players.
    • You can earn them by clicking on Earn em$ in the top navigation of the website. Note that the offers on this page are not under the control of EW. If you are having trouble receiving em$ that you feel you are entitled to, contact the according companies offering the deal.
    • See also Em$.


  • What is gm$ and how do I earn them?
    • Visit the Gm$ page.


  • What kind of equipment should I buy?


  • Is there a way to sell or gift equipment?
    • No. All equipment you buy in the store cannot be returned or passed on to anyone else.

Animals

  • Do all animals in the game make calls?
    • Alpine Ibex and Bighorn Sheep make no calls but other sounds that can be detected by the Huntermate, i.e. falling rocks and fighting.
    • The following animals do not call:
Brown bear male common
Black bear male common
Alpine ibex male common
Bighorn sheep male common
Pheasant female common
European rabbit male common
Roe-bit male common
Cottontail rabbit male common
Snowshoe hare male common
Brown Bear
Black Bear
Alpine Ibex
Bighorn Sheep
Female Pheasant
European Rabbit
Roe-bit
Cottontail Rabbit
Snowshoe Hare


  • An animal did not get attracted by my caller, scent spray or baiting station. Why?

The following can be the reason(s):

    • There is a small chance by design that it will ignore the call.
    • The animal was approaching the maximum Render Range when you called. Before it could react, it left the rendering space.
    • The animal is trotting to catch up with the rest of its herd.
    • The animal is nervous from smelling, seeing or hearing a player, of after being spooked by a player.
    • The animal was scared by another animal.
    • There is a baiting station near that the animal is attracted to.
    • Another player in a MP game has lured your animal before you to a different place.
    • The animal is going to sleep momentarily.
    • The animal tries to come but is stuck behind an object.


  • What are the best tactics for each animal species?
    • Most hunting is really learned by spending the time, taking your own notes and making your observations.
    • Many tips can be found on dedicated Youtube videos.
    • Check the forum for existing topics, or simply ask on there!
    • See also Hunting Tactics.


  • Can animals attack you?
    • Yes, certain animals attack you when you come to close.
    • See Player Hurt.


  • What are rare animals?
    • In very rare cases you can see animals with a special fur/skin.
    • Rare animals are just that: rare! You can regard them as special trophies because of the very low chance for finding them!
    • See Animal Fur Variations for rares and other variations of fur/skins.


  • How many animals are there in a reserve?
    • Official numbers are not known.
    • From early Forum posts and community initiatives it can be said though that there used to be easily 200-300 animals in each reserve in the early days.
    • With the addition of new species and the improvements of a player's standard computer's capabilities, these numbers are certainly higher now.
    • If you do a day of duck hunting you might get just 200 ducks alone, yet there are still many other animals in the reserve.
    • A test run on Redfeather Falls found over 300 animals.
    • It is possible that larger maps feature even more animals.


  • Do animals re-enter the map after being killed?
    • Animals are not replaced during a hunting day.
    • If your session hits the night and a new day starts, all animals are replaced by a complete new set.


  • Is there a trophy animal in every session?
    • Every session holds low, medium and high scoring animals of each species in the reserve.
    • You cannot expect however to have a trophy animal in each session.


  • What is considered a trophy animal?
    • Check the leaderboards to see the best animals found in the current season.
    • As a rule of thumb, an animal that is just 5-10% below the best animal of that species is certainly a trophy animal.
    • An animal that you are proud of regardless of score is also a trophy animal! ;-)


  • Do animals spawn in specific locations, or anywhere on the map?
    • See Spawning
    • On each reserve page you can also find maps where animals spawn predominantly.


  • What happens when animals spook?
    • When you scare an animal by movement, scent or noises, it will run away.
    • Other animals seeing the spooked animal(s) also start running, for example the its herd, or any other animal in its fleeing path.
    • A third 'generation' will not spook by the second. Only animals spooked by players can spook others.
    • Recovery times are different for every species and also for males vs. females.
    • Once an animal has returned to the normal state, it can again be attracted and it will (most likely) return. It will not remember that it ran from you.


  • Why do animals run away from me? What am I doing wrong?
    • First of all, the animals in the game are a lot less scared that they would be in real life, except a few of the large species. Nevertheless, animals are always alert and react to player noises, scents and movements.
    • Certain species are scared by other animals, see also here.
    • Pay attention to the wind. Animals will smell you much sooner if they are downwind from you. As a general rule, the Wind is usually from South-West to North-East. Use Wind Indicator to check for the exact direction.
    • Use the appropriate clothes for each reserve and species you hunt.
    • Use Scent Eliminator to reduce your smell.
    • Do not run, unless you need to quickly go to a place without the intention to hunt anything on the way.
    • You are fine walking around for the most part. There is no need to constantly crouch. Animals will call from far away.
    • While you can use scent sprays and Callers to take advantage of the animals alertness, you need to keep your movements to a minimum around an animal that has you in sight, in order not to spook it.
    • It is best to crouch when you are very close to animals.
    • Lie down when the animal is very scary and very close, such as turkeys, coyotes, foxes or bobcats.
    • Over time you will learn how close you can get to animals and which stance works best at which distances.
    • Turn on Contextual Help in the game to better understand what might be happening.


  • Can I kill multiple animals with one shot?
    • Yes, but only with Buckshot or Birdshot ammunition due to the spraying of their pellets.
    • Bullets and arrows do not pass through an animal and do not cause damage beyond it.


  • Do animals follow certain patterns during the day?
    • Animals have a roaming behavior based on their interests.
    • There are certain times in the day where the animals will sleep, feed or roam.
    • The animals will walk to certain spots (attraction maps) to satisfy their interests.
    • You can lure animals even if they have an interest on their mind. When the luring effect stops they will likely return to their former interests.



  • How do I take a trophy shot from an harvested animal?


Weapons / Scopes / Ammunition


  • Can shot arrows be retrieved / reused?
    • No.


  • What weapons / ammunition are permitted for each species?


  • Is there a best weapon in the game?
    • Rifles are the weapons with the best range performance. There is not one single rifle though that can be named as being the best. While some have a better stoppage power, others have less wobble. Some rifles are single shot, while others have a magazine and can be reloaded faster.
    • When buying a weapon, consider the following
      • Do I like the look of it? Remember the gun can be seen by other players in an MP party.
      • Can the Scopes for the gun be shared with other guns?
      • Is is single shot or does it have a magazine for faster reloading.
      • Do you like the iron sights? Check with other players or on Youtube, or ask in the Forum for pictures.
      • Do you like the sound? Check videos on Youtube (ask players for hints to videos featuring the firing sound).
      • What animals are permitted for the weapon?
      • Is the gun often required for Regular Missions or Competitions?
      • Does the weapon share the Shooting Skill with any other? This is usually the case for premium items.
      • Ask in the Forum about other people's experience whether a weapon is worth the money?
    • Maybe you prefer stealth hunting, in that case a Bow or Crossbow will be your preferred weapon.
    • Your choice will also depend on your hunting style. See Buying Guide.


  • Do wind and ballistics have an effect on bullets/arrows?
    • Yes. See Ballistics.
    • To understand the drop of bullets or arrows, can either shoot at distant targets that will show the impact (shooting downhill into water works well) or at Deployable Targets.


  • How many shots are required to go to the next Shooting Skill level?
    • You level up when reaching the following numbers (this is hits, not kills):
      • Level 2: 14 hits / 3: 44 / 4: 89 / 5: 149 / 6: 224 / 7: 314 / 8: 419 / 9: 539 / 10: 674 / 11: 824 / 12: 989 / 13: 1169 / 14: 1364 / 15: 1574 / 16: 1799 / 17: 2039 / 18: 2294 / 19: 2564 / 20: 2849
      • Formula used to determine the required number of hits: level * (level -1) * 7.5 - 1

Scoring

  • How is the Score of an animal determined?


  • How is the Harvest Value of an animal determined?
    • Visit the Harvest Value page.
    • The harvest value has no effect on the animal's score.
    • This value was introduced Nov 14, 2013 and is only displayed on hunt histories from that date forward.



  • What do the letters "T" and "W" mean next to a feral hog or wild boar score?
    • Go to the Animal Scoring overview and scroll down to the feral hog and wild boar.
    • Open a score sheet of a feral hog for a detailed explanation for hog scoring. The explanation also applies to wild boars.


  • What do the letters "A" and "G" mean next to a bird's score?
    • The score qualifies as "A" if shot in air or as "G" if shot on ground.
    • Only A scores count for competitions and leaderboards.


  • Why aren't my all time bests scores displayed anywhere?
    • Over time many changes were made to existing animals, in order to better reflect the real world.
    • Especially the antlered species have go through many changes, one which was "TruRACS", a system providing realistic randomly generated antlers and other animal properties.
    • For more information you may check out the Animal Scoring History.

Tracking / Spotting / Luring

  • I have received a message in the game that I can now identify the gender when reading tracks. However when I read the next track, there is no gender information. What am I missing?
    • Your new skill level only applies when you start a new hunting session.


  • How many trackings are required to level up my Tracking Skill?
    • The exact numbers are not known.
    • All clues (tracks, calls) that you identify help to improve your skill level.
    • The first three tracks award a progress bonus.
    • On certain weekends it was/is possible to gain double tracking points. Look out for the according announcements.


  • Can I turn off the tracking and spotting glow?
    • Yes. In the options menu under Gameplay, set "Track color" to Off.

Equipment


  • Where do I see if my feeder is active?
    • On theHunter website go to Settings - Game Management - Bait Sites.


  • Do I have to walk to the feeder to refill it?
    • This is certainly the more immersive way of doing it, however you can also refill your feeders on theHunter website. Go to Settings - Game Management - Bait Sites. Select the amount of bait that you want to fill and click Refill.


  • A piece of equipment is no longer on the map. What happened?
    • Most equipment will be fine once you set it up, however sometimes the game engine may find an inconsistency and remove one of your items.
    • You will receive a message in the game from Doc such as:
      • "A beaver has felled the tree your stand was in, but Doc has kindly taken it back to the lodge for you."
    • Your equipment will be back in your inventory and you will have to deploy it again.

Reserves

  • Do reserves undergo seasons?
    • No. Every reserve is set in a certain season. The according season is stated at the top of every reserves page.
    • Your clothes should ideally be matched to the season and the species of the reserve you are visiting.


  • Do all reserves have the same size?
    • No, there are noticeable differences.


  • What are the exclamation mark ([!]) icons on the maps supposed to mean?

Competitions / Missions

  • Why did my animal not register in the competition?
    • Single player and multiplayer competitions are separate. Check which mode is required.
    • You might not have activated the competition.
    • You might have deactivated the competition while playing the game. You cannot reactivate such competitions while still playing.
    • You might have run out of attempts.
    • You might have started your hunt before the competition started.
    • The competition may not yet be active. Check date and time.
    • The competition may have ended already. Check date and time.
    • The competition might require more than one animal and is using the average or the total weight/score. In this case you will only see a result as soon as you have harvested the last required animal. The game will however notify you after each harvest that the animal has counted for competition XYZ.
    • You might have used the wrong weapon. Check the competition details again.
    • You might have missed a required organ (heart, lungs, etc.). Check the competition details again.
    • You might have a better animal listed in the competition already.
    • You might not have met very specific additional requirements such as a minimal distance, no usage of scope or stand, etc. Check the competition details again.


  • Why can I not start a new mission?
    • Make sure you have completed a current mission that will trigger a new active mission. You can check this on the Missions page. Check the "Active" section and "Available" section.


  • I cannot complete a mission. What can I do?
    • In general for any difficulties, check the tips on the Missions page. Some of the missions have videos or tips.
    • Make sure the mission has been activated.
    • Check the mission details and make sure you have correctly followed the instructions.
    • Travel missions may require you to stay in the designate area for about 5 seconds before the game acknowledges your presence.
    • Certain missions are almost as old as the game, and changes over time might have made certain animals harder to find in the required locations.
    • Search the Forum or ask in a new thread.

Multiplayer

  • I am having trouble with my connection when playing multiplayer parties. What can I do?


  • Can I use other people's equipment?


  • Can I set up my own equipment in a game hosted by someone else?
    • Yes, this is possible for many Deployable Items.
    • It it not possible for baiting equipment.
    • When the session ends, your equipment in someone else's game will be removed and returned to your inventory.


  • Can I chat with other players?


  • When in a competition and one player shoots an animal, but another player harvests: Who will the animal count for?
    • The animal will count for the last person to hit it before it died. It does not matter who confirms/harvests the kill.

General Gameplay

  • How do I make a new avatar from an in-game picture?


  • The game pauses when I switch to another program or the desktop. Can I keep the game running in the background?
    • All multiplayer games will continue to run even if you switch away.
    • If you want a single player game to keep running in the background, turn off "Fullscreen". This is done in the settings of the launcher.


  • I can only see the animals up to a certain distance before they disappear. Why can some players shoot them from much further



  • What happens when the day ends?
    • At 19:00 / 7pm you are forced to end your hunt, but you can stay in the game.
    • The map is shown with all locations. Clicking on one will send you to this place and the clock will advance to 5:00 / 5am.
    • All animals will respawn, i.e. you get a complete new load of animals.
    • Any killed animal will be wiped from the map. You can no longer claim it.
    • In your hunt history, the hunt will show as one session, even if your session includes multiple days.


  • Does rain have any effect on the hunting?
    • Rain dampens your walking / running noise and animals can hear you less.
    • Loud rain can make it harder for you to hear animals calling or walking.
    • The way the rain changes the game colors, animals on the ground can be seen better during the rain.
    • Birds in the air can be seen less in rain.
    • Rain limits the long range view. Animals near the maximum rendering distance can no longer be seen.



  • I think I found a bug in the game or the web site. What should I do?

Technical Matters



  • Where do I change the settings of my graphics?
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