Guide to Sedating Animals & How to Take Samples
Guides · · by Magnar
A lot of players are confused with the new Red Dead Naturalist role, specifically about how they can sedate animals and take samples from them.
To level up the Naturalist Role, players are required to provide Harriet with samples of all the animals found across the frontier, however, Harriet also expects the animals to remain unharmed, so you need to be gentle with them!
Sedating Animals
To sedate an animal, players must first visit Harriet at one of her locations around the map and purchase “Sedative Varmint Rifle Ammo”.
This Ammo, when equipped in your Varmint Rifle allows you to shoot animals without killing them, instead they take a short nap.
At this point you can take a sample.
Take Samples from Animals in Red Dead
When the animal is sedated, you simply walk up to its sleeping body and press the “Take Sample” option. It’s as simple as that!
If you’re feeling kind and want to earn a little more Naturalist XP, you may also revive the sleeping animal to prevent it from coming to harm, like a good conservationist.
Animals you can’t sedate
It’s also important knowing that there are some animals that you can use the Varmint Rifle to sedate, they are:
- Birds
- Fish
- Tiny Critters (Squirrels/Chipmunks/Bats/Mice, etc)
Shooting them will kill them, which will result in Harriet being upset with you when you see her next!
Video Guide on how to take samples in Red Dead
In this video, Red Dead Guides shows how quick & easy it is to sedate even large animals to get the samples you need!
Killing too many animals
If you kill too many animals, Harriet will be angry and upon your next visit, she’ll mace you and you won’t be able to speak to her for 10-15 minutes. Keep this in mind if you’re trying to player Trader & Naturalist at the same time.
Gus however, does not have this mechanic and can be approached at any time regardless.
If you have any other questions about the Naturalist role, let us know & we’ll try to produce more guides as we all learn more about this new experience!
You may also want to check out details of Outlaw Pass 3!