1. First, buy bait from a Trapper or General Store. All animals from hunting requests require Herbivore Bait. Stock up on 99 Bait, you'll burn through it fast (you can buy Legend of the East Satchel from a Fence after the story to get 99 inventory slots or have Pearson craft it for you during the story).

2. Next, get the Varmint Rifle from a Gunsmith (if you don't already own it). You can change your weapon at the horse.

3. Grab the hunting request poster and go to the animal spawn zones shown below and place the bait in a remote area (away from roads), but where you can easily see the approaching animal. E.g. place it where there's not too much grass and walk up a hill where you have a clear view. Crouch and stay still at least 20 meters away from the bait. This does not work for birds, those aren't attracted by bait! You can also ride / run around the spawn areas and hope to encounter the animal but it can be hard to get a clean kill when they get spooked and run away from you.

4. When an animal comes, use the binoculars to study it (R1/RB). Then it shows the animal name. You can press R1/RB again to view the animal's rarity (shown in bottom right corner). 3-star animals will always drop perfect pelts on a clean kill - but the rarity is random and a bit like winning the lottery. If they spawn with 1 or 2 stars you can still get a perfect carcass on a clean kill, especially when you have the Legendary Buck Trinket equipped. When the below guide lists the weapons "Small Game Arrows" & "Varmint Rifle", it's better to use the Small Game Arrows as they have a better chance of leaving behind a perfect carcass!

5. You must kill the animal with a CLEAN KILL. That means 1 hit kill. You must shoot its weakpoint which is usually the heart or the head. To see all the weakpoints you must first beat Chapter 6 Story Mission "Goodbye, Dear Friend". After that mission you unlock a deadeye skill that highlights critical spots. So yeah, you have to pretty much beat the game before hunting challenges are feasible.

6. To get a clean kill you must use the appropriate weapon. Using a caliber too big will damage the carcass. Using a caliber too small won't kill the animal in one hit and likewise damage the carcass. The appropriate weapon is pointed out in the guide below. For all of them, the Varmint rifle will work - but the Small Game Arrows are best for the tiny animals as it increases the chance for perfect carcasses. You can also see the recommended weapons in the compendium after studying the animal. For birds the Varmint Rifle is easier, for tiny rodents the small hunting arrows are easier.

7. After getting a clean kill, pick up the dead animal and if it's in perfect condition you will receive a checkmark on the hunting request (you can hold :left: > "Wildlife Art Exhibition" to view progress). Remember to get the Legendary Buck Trinket by skinning the Legendary Buck and then crafting the Buck Trinket at a Fence. It improves animal quality.

8. Once you have all the perfect carcasses needed for the hunting request, go to a post office and mail them to Ms. Hobbs (hold :right: at post office). You can only send the mail after you got ALL the animals needed to fulfill the request. After sending the mail, wait 24 hours, go back to post office to get your reward and it will start the next hunting request.