Mastering the hunt can be a tough challenge in Red Dead Online. Even for seasoned hunters, locating Red Dead Online’s legendary animals can be the ultimate test. Thankfully, we’re here to give you all the information you need before you head out into the wide unknown in search of your prey. Will you be a hunter or researcher? That’s between you and the animals.
Before you start hunting down the elusive legendary animals, you’ll first need to reach level 5 in the Naturalist role. This is the role tied to researching and tracking legendary creatures. You’ll earn progress by completing tasks for Harriet (like photographing, sedating, and killing animals), and soon you’ll be well on your way to unlocking the legendary animal map.
Once you hit level 5 in the Naturalist role, you’ll be given the legendary animal map, which provides some general clues about where certain legendary animals might be found. Keep in mind that the map offers only a rough idea of their locations, not precise spots. This will help you begin your search for these rare creatures.
There are several ways you can gather more information about legendary animals and their locations:
Harriet will offer you various missions that allow you to track legendary animals. These missions often involve fending off enemies or other threats while tracking down the animals. Be mindful of one thing: Harriet does not like it if you kill animals, so you’ll need to sedate them rather than kill them if you want to keep her happy and progress in the Naturalist role.
These missions will respawn over time, so if you’re lucky, Harriet will have a new one available when you’re ready for it.
There are two important free-roam events that might help you locate legendary animals:
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to go off the beaten path, you can search for legendary animals directly in free-roam. Legendary animals spawn in specific locations on the map, though they may appear in various spots within those general areas. If you’re near a legendary animal when it spawns, you’ll get a notification at the top left of your screen and see a special icon appear on your minimap.
To make your search easier, Harriet’s pheromones can be used to narrow down the locations of specific legendary animals. These pheromones provide a helpful way to focus your efforts, but they won’t pinpoint the exact location—just the general area.
Below is a list of legendary animals and their general locations across Red Dead Online. While these locations are mostly accurate, please keep in mind that spawn areas can occasionally shift due to game updates.
Now you should be ready to search out these rare beasts. Legendary animals offer some of the most rewarding encounters in Red Dead Online, and with the right knowledge, you can track down these creatures with ease. Remember that certain creatures may spawn in different areas depending on updates or time of day, so keep an eye out for new spawn locations or events.
For more Red Dead Online advice, why not check out our beginner’s tips article or our guide to making money in the Wild West.