Your first hunt in Hunting Simulator 3 is a simple loop: take the mission at the regional headquarters, travel out by helicopter, work the species the mission asks for, and bring the harvest back. Everything else in the game is a variation on that loop, so doing it cleanly once is worth more than any amount of exploring.

Hunting Simulator 3 beginner guide: your first hunt in six steps

  1. Take the mission at the regional headquarters. The opening job is A Matter of Rabbits, and the headquarters is where every contract in the reserve is handed out.
  2. Travel out by helicopter. This is the same travel screen you use between Colorado and Texas, so learning it now pays off later.
  3. Equip what the job needs. The demo hands you a shotgun, and a shotgun is the right tool for the rabbit job. Check the caliber before you leave — the game checks it when you harvest, not when you fire.
  4. Work the species the mission asks for. Use the need zone markers on the map rather than wandering, and send the dog on Scout the moment you arrive.
  5. Harvest it and let the dog retrieve. A retrieved small animal does not have to be carried back, which is the difference between a comfortable first trip and a slow one.
  6. Bring the harvest back and turn it in. Selling it or keeping it as a trophy both close the loop, and the sale is what funds your first rifle.

Two things that trip up new players

  • The demo awards no currency at all. If the tutorial asks you to buy a rifle for the rabbit job, a shotgun is the right answer, and the demo's starter setup already points you at one. There is no budget in the demo to replace it with something better.
  • Texas can be greyed out on the travel map. It unlocks once you have finished the opening tutorial at the regional headquarters. Until then, the region icon stays grey — finish the tutorial and check the map screen again.

The maps guide covers the travel screen in full.

What to prioritise in your first weeks

  • Start with small game and birds. They are dense, they are close, and they teach the controls, the need zones and the dog commands without anything being expensive. The small game guide lists what is in each reserve.
  • Learn one biome properly before you try to cover 100 km². Knowing one ground is worth more than a tour of seven.
  • Bring the dog and use the command wheel from the first outing. A dog that is sent out on Scout locates signs for you instead of you walking past them.
  • Work the need zones instead of walking randomly. The zone is where the animal will be, and the markers are on the map.
  • Take the animal you can actually reach. Gold and Platinum ratings take a lot of seasons, and a harvested animal is worth more than an empty-handed return.

Where to go next