Way of the Hunter: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

So, THQ Nordic has gone ahead and announced another extension to the 2022 survival game Way of the Hunter. Aptly titled Tikamoon Plains, the latest add-on will promise to introduce a whole new biome to explore and hunt in. But before you go soaking up all the latest challenges it will have to offer, why not have a refresher course on the base game? Wherever it is you’re starting from, be it at the beginning or on the back end of the original journey, be sure to onboard these five following tips for a smoother hunt.

5. It’s a Walk, Not a Sprint

Way of the Hunter isn’t a traditional stealth-based game by any means. Having said that, it does rely on your flexibility to swiftly move between locations without scuffling a few feathers along the way. If you aren’t able to keep a lid on your movements, then you’ll come to find that hunts, no matter the size of the game, will wind up being unfairly difficult and drawn out. So, keep in mind that it isn’t a sprint, but more a gentle stroll through the woodlands and nothing more.

Patience is certainly key in a game like Way of the Hunter. And while you do have the option to either run or sprint, you should never look to adopt these when out on the breadcrumb trail of your chosen target. Instead, aim to find a location that’s both conveniently accessible and out of the public eye. After that, be sure to study your surroundings and get accustomed to the foliage between the scope and the target. Breathe, and let the bullet meet the heart, without the unwanted complications.

4. Don’t Take Your Shots For Granted

While it isn’t uncommon to be able to cheese a kill by swerving a bullet between a rock and a hard place in a lot of first-person shooters, Way of the Hunter does take a slightly more realistic approach to the physics side of things. In other words, a single bullet won’t have the same reaction as one featured in your everyday Call of Duty match. Knowing this, and that your ammunition won’t have the capacity to ricochet through the trees and headshot your target, is a vital piece of knowledge that you’ll need to understand sooner rather than later.

Like a lot of hunting games that grasp the shooting mechanics with both hands, Way of the Hunter takes elemental distractions into account, i.e the winds, skies, and ever-changing weather patterns, in general. So, if you had high hopes of rolling up to a hunt and bagging a string of kills with little more than a single clip, then think again. If you’re wanting to make the most of your shots, then aim to take everything into consideration before squeezing the trigger.

3. Learn to Track

While it is a good idea to have a hub area of sorts to take your initial shots from, it isn’t always the best way to actually secure a kill. Oftentimes, you’ll find that tracking the animal is the best way to get a perfect advantage spot to take your follow-up shot. And when we say tracking, we’re talking about scouting out the various prints and blood trails that your targets are prone to leave behind. If you can gain a good sense of where to look and how to narrow down the search zone, then you’ll come to find that hunts can be a lot quicker to complete.

It is worth taking into account that your inventory will also come with binoculars and other forms of tracking equipment, too. Think of it as violent bird watching, complete with all the preliminary phases of searching, documenting, and studying their patterns, and you’ll have an idea of how to hit the ground running when it comes to actually taking the shot. In other words, try not to sprint into the action and expect the hunt to spew out consecutive victories without the added legwork. If you want to bag a kill, then you’ll need to put in the effort beforehand. Simple.

2. Experiment With Your Loadout

Way of the Hunter certainly isn’t short on choices of weapons, scopes, and hunting gear. And while finding the ideal loadout can be as equally as daunting as it is time-consuming, it is a path that every avid hunter will have to take at some point or another, if only to get a grip on which weapon suits each scenario best.

The good news is, you won’t have any time restraints to hold you back from experimenting with the myriad of options you have at your disposal. So, rather than dive directly into the fray without a mind for the tools in your backpack, aim to get a feel for each of the key items before taking on any of the big game hunts that Way of the Hunter has to offer. Again, it isn’t a sprint — so keep your head held high and roll with it at a gradual pace.

1. Avoid Taking Headshots

Contrary to popular belief, aiming down the sights and nailing a clean headshot isn’t the best way to make bank in Way of the Hunter. No, aiming for the heart is, which is often located directly above the front legs of most animals. If you can land a perfect shot to the heart, then chances are the prey will live long enough to flee directly back to where its herd is grazing. And if you’re able to follow it back to its herd, then you’ll have a few more opportunities to bag a couple more skins for your throne room back home.

Stray animals rarely ever drift too far from their herd, though it can be tricky to narrow down the search zone at times. Therefore, if you can resist wedging a bullet smack-bang in the temple region, then aim to temporarily disable (but not kill) the target; a wounded target is of far better use to you than a dead one is, believe it or not. Follow the blood trail, and use your ammunition wisely, and you’ll wind up taking more home than you initially bargained for.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for Way of the Hunter newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.