Red Dead Redemption 2: A Complete Guide To The Survivalist Challenges (2024)

The Survivalist challenges in Red Dead 2 are unquestionably the most unique set of challenges players will need to progress through. Players will have to be able to hunt, fish, and locate herbs to complete all of the Survivalist objectives. These challenges are a nice break from the fast-paced and detail-intensive objectives in the other sets.

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Gamers can put down their try-hard cap, head down by the river, and enjoy some fishing. While players will find the Survivalist challenges to bepainless in general, this guide will provide a few tips to make each challenge as straightforward as possible. The Legend of The East journey is a long one, and players will need all the help they can get.

General Fishing Tips

The first step when fishing is to cast the line and wait for a short period. If no fish bite, rotate the right stick to jiggle the lure. When a fish is on the line, players should move the left thumbstick in the opposite direction that the fish is running. For example, if the fish is running away, gamers should pull backwards on the left thumbstick. Likewise, if the fish is running to the right, players need to push left on the left thumbstick. While a fish is struggling, gamers should never touch the right thumbstick. Instead, players should wait until the fish stops running and then reel it in.

Catch Three Bluegill Fish

Bluegill love cheese. Gamers can pick up the cheese from any general store. About 20 or so cheese should be sufficient. Players will want to fish in O'Creagh's Run, as it is one of the best fishing locations on the map.

Hand Five Animals In To Camp Or The Trapper

Challenge two can be completed by turning in five fish to the trapper near O'Creagh's Run. Players will inevitably catch a couple of fish that are not Bluegill and they can head over to the trapper right after challenge one.

Kill Five Animals Using A Varmint Rifle

This challenge is one of the easiest in the game. Players just need to kill five animals with the Varmint rifle. Gamers should be done with this challenge in less than a minute.

Craft All Of The Following Arrow Types: Dynamite, Fire, Improved, Poison, And Small Game

Players will first need to purchase the poison and dynamite arrow pamphlets from a fence. Each arrow is crafted using arrows, a flight feather, and one additional ingredient. Arrows can be purchased from a fence, and flight feathers can be looted from any bird. Listed below are each of the arrow types, the additional ingredient, and where to find the ingredient.

• Dynamite Arrow:Dynamite (Purchased from a fence).
• Fire Arrow: Animal fat (Kill boar near Rhodes).
• Improved Arrow:No third ingredient needed.
• Poison Arrow: Oleander Sage (Southeast of Caliga Hall near the water).
• Small Game Arrow: Shotgun Shell (Purchased from the gun shop).

Catch A Fish While Boating In The Bayou And While Standing On Railroad Tracks

Players can find the riverboat on a dock just to the east of the Y in Lemoyne. There are no other requirements, so players may use whatever bait they prefer. There are a set of railroad tracks just to the south of the dock that cross the river. Gamers should head there and catch a fish to complete the challenge.

Kill A Scavenging Animal While It Is Feeding On A Corpse Five Times

Gamers can complete this challenge by going anywhere on the map and killing animals in the same general area. After a while, the scavenging creatures will appear. It might be a good idea to set up camp and rest, as it can take several minutes for scavengers to show up. Players can use deadeye for an easy kill.

Kill Eight Small Game Animals With Consecutive Shots, Using Small Game Arrows

First, gamers will need to craft small game arrows using the ingredients listed above. Players can finish this challenge in just a few seconds by killing chickens in Valentine. There will be at least eight in the same general area. However, the chickens move unpredictably, so players will need to have an accurate shot.

Craft A Homing Tomahawk, Improved Tomahawk, Volatile Dynamite, And Volatile Fire Bottle

The ingredients in this challenge will be a little tougher to find than the arrows. Players will need to purchase the pamphlets for the Volatile Fire Bottle, Volatile Dynamite, and Homing Tomahawk from a fence. Each of the weapons, and the ingredients needed are included below:

• Homing Tomahawk: Tomahawk, Owl Feather.
• Improved Tomahawk: Tomahawk, Eagle or Hawk Feather.
• Volatile Dynamite:Dynamite, Animal Fat, High-Velocity Ammo.
• Volatile Fire Bottle:Moonshine, Animal Fat.

Tomahawks, dynamite, and moonshine can all be purchased from a fence. Animal fat can be salvaged from a boar carcass. Boar commonly roam the areas near Rhodes. High-velocity ammo can be bought from the ammo shop in Valentine. Gamers should look for eagle and hawk feathers to the east of Mount Shann near Big Foot's corpse. The animals will be perched or near their nest.

Owls are notoriously impossible to find in Red Dead 2. The birds are small, they blend in, and there are only a handful on the map at a time. Gamers may have luck near Brathwaite Manor at night, but no promises. Players that stay patient and search at night will spot one eventually.

Catch A Fish That Weighs At Least 19 lbs

Gamers will likely have the most success at O'Creagh's Run. Using a lake lure and the tips above, gamers should be able to catch a large fish after a few minutes.

Catch One Of Each Type Of Fish Throughout The World

Gamers need to purchase each type of bait from any of the tackle shops and start the process. Check out the legendary fish guide here, and review the Ambarino guide, as well as the Lemoyne guide. In total there are fifteen fish in Red Dead 2. Below are the bodies of water where each fish is located.

• O'Creagh's Run: Bluegill (bread), Chain Pickerel (bread), Perch (bread), Rock Bass (bread), Musky (lake lure).
• South of Flatneck Station:Steelhead Trout (worms).
• Upper Montana River:Largemouth Bass (crickets), Redfin Pickerel (bread).
• Lagras: Bullhead Catfish (corn), Lake Sturgeon (swamp lure), Longnose Garr (swamp lure), Smallmouth Bass (swamp lure), Channel Catfish (swamp lure).
• North Dakota River: Sockeye Salmon (worms), Northern Pike (River Lure).

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