Where to Sell Game Meat in Red Dead Redemption 2: A Hunter’s Guide

So, you’ve been out in the wilderness of Red Dead Redemption 2, bagging yourself some prime game. Now comes the crucial question: Where can you sell all that meat? The answer is straightforward: you can primarily sell game meat to Butchers, found in various towns and settlements across the map. However, there are nuances and other options that can impact your profits and resource management. Let’s delve into the details of maximizing your earnings from your hunting prowess.

The Butcher: Your Primary Meat Vendor

Identifying the Butcher

Butchers are easily identifiable on your map by a cleaver icon. They are located in major towns like:

• Valentine
• Strawberry
• Rhodes
• Saint Denis
• Blackwater
• Tumbleweed

What the Butcher Buys

The butcher generally accepts whole carcasses and cuts of meat from various animals. The quality of the meat (prime, good, poor) and the animal’s size influence the price you receive. Whole carcasses, especially those of deer or buck, are particularly lucrative, as the butcher will give you the best price for them when they are unskinned. Smaller animals, or individual cuts of meat from larger animals, are also accepted but yield less profit.

Maximizing Profits with the Butcher

• Prioritize Whole Carcasses: Haul those perfect quality carcasses back to town for the best payout.
• Hunt Deer and Buck: These animals offer a good balance of size, value, and abundance.
• Manage Spoilage: Meat spoils over time, reducing its value. Sell your fresh kills as soon as possible. If you’re far from town, consider consuming the meat yourself, especially if you’re low on health.
• Consider Skinning: While you get more for the whole carcass of a perfect quality animal, selling the skin to the Trapper and the meat to the Butcher may sometimes result in higher overall profits if the carcass isn’t perfect. It all depends on the prices and quality!
• Be Aware of Glitches: It’s always a good idea to regularly check in with the Games Learning Society community for current tips and tricks. Sometimes small glitches can have a significant impact on your game. For example, there have been instances of lassoing an animal carcass and dragging it into town, allowing you to transport two at once, but this may not always work as intended.

Alternative Options: Camp and the Trapper

Donating to Pearson at Camp

Early in the game, you can donate game meat to Pearson, the camp cook. This doesn’t directly give you cash, but it contributes to the camp’s food supplies and allows you to craft various satchel upgrades and camp enhancements. This is beneficial for the long-term survival of the gang and your own gameplay experience.

The Trapper

While the Trapper is primarily known for crafting unique clothing and equipment from animal pelts and hides, he also buys certain types of meat. He’s particularly interested in predator meat from animals like wolves, bears, and cougars, as well as legendary animal parts. The Trapper is located in various spots and moves often. He is less reliable as a primary meat vendor but essential for crafting unique outfits.

Crafting and Cooking

While not directly selling meat, cooking it is a very important use for it. Cooking meat at camp or a campfire allows you to restore your Health Core, Stamina Core, or Dead Eye Core. Adding herbs to your meat when cooking adds buffs and will restore even more of your cores. Cooking seasoned meat is a crucial way of staying alive in the wilderness.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Game Meat

1. Can I sell meat at general stores?

No, general stores do not typically buy meat in Red Dead Redemption 2. They primarily deal in provisions, supplies, and valuables. Your best bet for selling meat is the butcher.

2. Is it worth selling meat for money?

Selling meat isn’t the most efficient way to make money in Red Dead Redemption 2, but it’s a decent supplemental income source, especially early in the game. Prioritize hunting perfect quality animals and selling whole carcasses for the best return. Tonics and Gold are a better way to make cash.

3. What type of meat sells for the most?

The best value comes from selling the entire carcasses of deer and buck in perfect condition. Certain predator meats sold to the Trapper can also fetch a good price. The quality of the meat is crucial.

4. Does the butcher’s inventory affect the price?

No, the butcher doesn’t have an “inventory” in the traditional sense. Prices are determined by the type, quality, and size of the meat.

5. How do I preserve meat to prevent spoilage?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to completely prevent meat spoilage in Red Dead Redemption 2. Transport your kills quickly and sell them as soon as possible. Utilize fast travel to reach butchers faster.

6. Can I sell fish to the butcher?

Yes, you can sell fish to the butcher. However, the value of fish is generally lower than that of larger game animals. Focus on catching larger, higher-quality fish for a better profit.

7. What’s the difference between prime, good, and poor quality meat?

Prime quality meat comes from animals killed with a clean shot and in perfect condition. Good quality meat comes from animals that may have been slightly damaged during the hunt, and poor quality meat comes from animals that were severely damaged or had already begun to decay. The higher the quality, the more the butcher will pay.

8. Where can I find the Trapper?

The Trapper has multiple locations marked on the map. He is found in the wilderness away from civilization. Look for his icon (a paw print) in the more remote areas.

9. Can I sell legendary animal meat to the butcher?

No, you can only sell legendary animal parts (pelts, hides, claws, teeth, antlers) to the Trapper. He uses these to craft unique clothing and equipment. You can also sell them to the Fence.

10. Is it better to skin an animal before selling to the butcher?

Generally, no. You get more money from selling an animal carcass unskinned. Skin it only if you need the pelt for crafting or the carcass is going to rot before you make it to town.

11. How does donating meat to Pearson affect my game?

Donating meat to Pearson helps improve the camp’s supplies and morale, which can unlock crafting recipes and camp upgrades. However, it won’t give you direct cash. It’s all about long-term benefits for the gang.

12. How do I improve my hunting skills for better quality meat?

• Use the correct weapon: Use a rifle for large animals and a varmint rifle for small animals.
• Aim for vital organs: Headshots and heart shots preserve the quality of the pelt and meat.
• Use the right ammo: Improve your hunting weapon with the right ammo.

13. What is the most profitable hunting strategy in RDR2?

Focus on hunting deer and buck in areas like the Heartlands or Big Valley. Hunt 3-star animals only, and haul a whole carcass to the butcher. Utilize your lasso to drag a second carcass behind your horse for maximum efficiency, if possible.

14. Can I sell meat from stolen livestock?

Yes, but it’s morally dubious! If you steal livestock from farms, you can butcher them and sell the meat to the butcher. However, this can lower your honor and attract unwanted attention from the law.

15. Where do I find the best hunting locations?

• Heartlands: Abundant deer and pronghorn.
• Big Valley: Elk and deer.
• Roanoke Ridge: Bears and wolves.
• Bayou Nwa: Alligators and birds.

Hunting in these locations and understanding the animal behavior is key to success in Red Dead Redemption 2. Keep your wits about you, practice your aim, and you’ll be swimming in pelts and prime cuts in no time. For more information on the educational aspects of gaming, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.