Become A Naturalist

Visit the Welcome Center in Strawberry to meet with Harriet Davenport. If you don't want to purchase the Sample Kit right away, it can be bought for 25 Gold from her shop at any time. Harriet Davenport has set up shops at three locations across the map - West of Wallace Station, in the marshes of Lagras and near MacFarlane Ranch. Alternatively, you can select "Online - Naturalist" when starting the game. You will then spawn next to the Welcome Center in Strawberry.

Bonuses And Tokens

You earn Role XP and Game XP as you complete Naturalist activities. Role XP counts towards your progression through the 20 Role ranks. You will reach a new tier of distinction every 5 ranks: Novice, Promising, Established and Distinguished.

Unlocking a Role Rank (2,000 XP) earns Role Tokens (two Tokens per level) and at certain ranks you'll unlock new skills. Each tier has a kit of items that are unique to the Naturalist Role and can be unlocked to purchase using Role Tokens.

Role Progression

Progression will unlock items and skills.

At Naturalist Rank 4, you will start to receive invites to Naturalist Free Roam Events - these will award large amounts of Naturalist XP for participating and some are also a great opportunity to get samples for Legendary Animals.

At Naturalist Rank 5 you unlock the Wilderness Camp, where you can rest, craft and cook. To be able to fast travel from your wilderness camp, you must also purchase the Wilderness Travel Skill page for $1280 from a Fence. Fast travel from the wilderness camps to your camp will always cost $1, regardless of the distance.

Starting at Naturalist Rank 5, Harriet's Sighting Missions will become available. These are multi-staged and storied hunts in which a successful sighting will award you with Naturalist XP should you decide to sample the Legendary Animal. Subsequently selling your Legendary Animal sample will earn you even more Naturalist XP and allow you to progress through the role more quickly.

At Naturalist Rank 7, you may begin to come across poachers in Free Roam who have captured certain animals. Deal with them as appropriate and release the trapped animals to gain even more Naturalist XP. Harriet's "Poached Animals" Missions are also a great way to gain Naturalist XP. These can be accessed by speaking with Harriet at her shop, selecting "Missions" and pressing Square/X/Space to launch them. There will be a cooldown period of 48 minutes before you can launch another mission.

Animal Field Guide

Harriet Davenport sells .22 Sedative ammo for the Varmint Rifle, which you'll need in order to sedate and sample animals. Bringing Animal Samples from sedated animals to Harriet Davenport is the fastest way to start earning Naturalist XP and RDO$. Check your Animal Field Guide - found in your Satchel or the Item Wheel - to track your progress.

Each unique Animal Sample sold to Harriet will result in a stamp appearing over the corresponding Animal in your Guide. Once each Animal within a single Category has been stamped, highlight your completed Category and select the “Trade In” option to receive RDO$ and RP/XP. Once you’ve traded in a fully stamped Category, your stamp progress will reset and you can begin stamping them once again.

To seek out Legendary Animals, check your Legendary Animal Map (accessed via the Satchel). Turning in Legendary Animal Samples will earn more Role XP than regular samples. As you rank up through the Naturalist Role, more Legendary Animals will begin to show up in Free Roam. Speak with Harriet Davenport regularly so she can mark these new discoveries on your Legendary Animal Map.

Photographs can be taken with either the Camera or the Advanced Camera. The animal must be fully conscious and in-frame to count towards your progress. While in Handheld mode, you can walk around and crouch with the Advanced Camera. The Advanced Camera can also be equipped on horseback, which is great for completing the Animal Field Guide on the move.

Farmland Habitats

• Florida Cracker Cow
• Angus Bull
• Devon Bull
• Hereford Bull
• Angus Ox
• Devon Ox
• Old Spot Pig
• Berkshire Pig
• Big China Pig
• Merino Sheep
• Alpine Goat

Desert Habitats

• Desert Iguana
• Banded Gila Monster
• Nine-Banded Armadillo
• Baja California Pronghorn Buck
• Baja California Pronghorn Doe
• Collared Peccary
• Sonoran Pronghorn Buck
• Sonoran Pronghorn Doe
• Desert Bighorn Ram
• Desert Bighorn Sheep
• Sierra Nevada Bighorn Ram
• Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep
• Black-tailed Rattlesnake
• Cougar

Wetland Habitats

• American Alligator (small)
• Green Iguana
• Alligator Snapping Turtle
• Panther
• Florida Panther
• American Alligator
• Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Midland Water Snake
• Timber Rattlesnake
• Northern Copperhead Snake
• Southern Copperhead Snake
• Cottonmouth Snake
• Northern Water Snake

Mountain & Grassland Habitats

• Rocky Mountain Bull Elk
• Rocky Mountain Cow Elk
• American Badger
• Gray Wolf
• Timber Wolf
• Rocky Mountain Bighorn Ram
• Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
• California Valley Coyote
• Whitetail Buck
• Whitetail Deer
• Wild Boar
• American Bison
• American Pronghorn Buck
• American Pronghorn Doe

Forest & River Habitats

• American Black Bear
• North American Beaver
• North American Raccoon
• American Red Fox
• American Gray Fox
• Silver Fox
• Striped Skunk
• Virginia Opossum
• American Muskrat
• Western Bull Moose
• Western Moose
• Grizzly Bear
• Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Common Critters

• Little Brown Bat
• American Bullfrog
• Western Chipmunk
• Cuban Land Crab
• Black Rat
• Brown Rat
• American Red Squirrel
• Western Gray Squirrel
• Black Squirrel
• Western Toad
• Sonoran Desert Toad

Legendary Animals: Dark

• Legendary Teca Gator
• Legendary Night Beaver
• Legendary Tatanka Bison
• Legendary Shadow Buck
• Legendary Sapa Cougar
• Legendary Midnight Paw Coyote
• Legendary Katata Elk
• Legendary Onyx Wolf
• Legendary Nightwalker Panther
• Legendary Rutile Horn Ram
• Legendary Knight Moose

Legendary Animals: Light

• Legendary Moon Beaver
• Legendary Winyan Bison
• Legendary Snow Buck
• Legendary Iguga Cougar
• Legendary Milk Coyote
• Legendary Inahme Elk
• Legendary Moonstone Wolf
• Legendary Ghost Panther
• Legendary Gabbro Horn Ram
• Legendary Snowflake Moose

Legendary Animals: Red & Blond

• Legendary Sun Gator
• Legendary Banded Gator
• Legendary Payta Bison
• Legendary Wakpa Boar
• Legendary Red Streak Coyote
• Legendary Ozula Elk
• Legendary Emerald Wolf
• Legendary Ridgeback Spirit Bear
• Legendary Golden Spirit Bear
• Legendary Zizi Beaver
• Legendary Cogi Boar
• Legendary Ruddy Moose

Legendary Animals: Patterned

• Legendary Owiza Bear
• Legendary Icahi Boar
• Legendary Mud Runner Buck
• Legendary Maza Cougar
• Legendary Ota Fox
• Legendary Marble Fox
• Legendary Cross Fox
• Legendary Iwakta Panther
• Legendary Chalk Horn Ram

Sedating Animals

It takes multiple shots to sedate an animal - the amount of shots varies depending on the animal’s size. Hits to critical areas such as the head or heart will down the animal faster. Smaller animals such as birds and squirrels cannot be sedated, so be careful not to kill them with sedative ammo. Sedative ammo still does damage to an animal once it’s been knocked out. Once you have successfully sedated an animal, you will see your reticule turn to a red cross and hear a distinctive sound.

A sedated animal can’t be sampled while in water – use the lasso to pull it to the shore. You can’t use the lasso on smaller animals (e.g. water snakes) so it’s best to stalk them until they reach the shore before taking your shot. You can also jump in and gently nudge them to shore if they manage to make it back into the water.

Animals will wake up naturally once you’ve left the surrounding area. Many will run off, but aggressive animals may attack again if you stick around. Optionally, you can use Animal Reviver (available at Harriet's Shop) to revive a sedated animal and gain additional Role XP.

Legendary Animals

Check your Legendary Animal Map (accessed via your Satchel in the "Documents" section) for available Legendary Animals to track and hunt in Free Roam. Legendary Animals will often attempt to run away from you – make sure to have plenty of Bitters for you and Stimulant for your horse before seeking one out.

Use Legendary Animal Pheromones if you’ve lost sight of the animal. Do not use Legendary Animal Pheromones until you've already received a notification that there is a Legendary Animal in the area.

Free Roam events with red areas (Gang Hideouts, Poachers, Revenue Agents, Rival Moonshiners, etc) will prevent a Legendary Animal from spawn. White Dots do not prevent spawning. Trader and Moonshine deliveries will suppress those red area events and have a better chance of spawning Legendary Animals.

If you're struggling to find Legendary Animals in Free Roam, check out the Legendary Animal Map that Harriet gave you, and make sure to visit her often for updates on which animals have been spotted and where. Completing more fields in the Animal Field Guide will also result in more information on the Legendary Animal’s preference for time of day and weather. Throughout your progression in the Naturalist Role, you will rank up your Eagle Eye making it easier to track and find Legendary Animals.

Selling Samples

Sell full Stamp collections through your Field Guide or to Harriet Davenport for 1000 Role/XP. Once you sell Harriet a sample you receive the animal's Stamp. You only carry one Stamp per animal until you sell its full Collection.

Awards