FAQ

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?**

* **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?**
	+ Visit the Buying Guide.

* **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:

* **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 animals behave in herds?**
	+ See Animals#Herding and Regrouping

* **How do I take a trophy shot from an harvested animal?**
	+ See Trophy Shot

* **Which animals can swim?**
	+ Dogs
	+ Water Buffalo
	+ Polar Bear
	+ Magpie Goose
	+ Mallard Duck
	+ American Black Duck
	+ Northern Pintail
	+ Gadwall
	+ All dead animals float

## Weapons / Scopes / Ammunition

* **Do I have to buy ammunition?**
	+ At the beginning of every hunt, your ammunition for the  .243 Bolt Action Rifle (Wood) and the 12 GA Single Shot Shotgunis replenished so that you have the 3 full boxes.
	+ All other ammo can be bought in the store with em$ and gm$.

* **Can shot arrows be retrieved / reused?**
	+ No.

* **What weapons / ammunition are permitted for each species?**
	+ Check the Permitted Ammo page.

* **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?**
	+ Visit the Animal Scoring page.

* **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 does CSS on the harvest screen mean?**
	+ This is the Cross Species Score.

* **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

* **What are "deployables" / "world items"?**
	+ See Deployable Items

* **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?**
	+ These are points of interest, such as the swinging bridge at the Logger's Point Canyon.

## 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?**
	+ Check out this page: Multiplayer Connection Issues
	+ If problems persist, contact support@thehunter.com

* **Can I use other people's equipment?**
	+ You may access the inventory using the host's tents.
	+ You have access to the host's hunting stands.
	+ You can profit from the feeders and decoysthat the host has set up on the map.

* **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?**
	+ See Chat

* **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?**
	+ While you are at a lodge or near a  tent, press F2.
	+ See also Change Avatar.

* **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**
	+ See Render Range.
	+ See also Long Range Shooting.

* **How do seasons work?**
	+ See Seasons.

* **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.

* **What are the mushrooms and artifacts for?**
	+ See Collectables.

* **I think I found a bug in the game or the web site. What should I do?**
	+ Report the bug in forum under the according category of the Bug Reports section: http://forum.thehunter.com/viewforum.php?f=128
	+ If you feel that your account or gameplay is directly affected send an email to Support.

## Technical Matters

* **What are the minimal specifications to play this game?**
	+ See System Requirements.

* **My game won't load or keeps crashing. How do I get help?**
	+ You can check the Help section of the website, at http://www.thehunter.com/help
	+ You can also visit the "Need Help? Support and Technical Issues" section on the forums (http://forum.thehunter.com/viewforum.php?f=102) to see if anyone else is having similar issues, or to request help.

* **Where do I change the settings of my graphics?**
	+ When you start the game on the web page, the launcher will come up. Click on Settings.
	+ Check out this early guide for a more elaborate explanation of the game settings: http://forum.thehunter.com/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=26368