Hunting

Overview

Hunting is a confirmed side activity in Grand Theft Auto VI, officially listed on the Rockstar Games website. The activity takes place primarily in Mount Kalaga National Park, a large wilderness area in the state of Leonida that serves as the game's primary outdoor recreation zone. Players can explore rural and wilderness areas to track and hunt various wildlife species using firearms, bows, or traps.

Location

Mount Kalaga National Park is the central hub for hunting activities in Grand Theft Auto VI. The park represents one of Leonida's most expansive natural environments, featuring forests, hills, rivers, and diverse terrain that supports a wide range of wildlife. The park's remote location away from the urban sprawl of Vice City provides a stark contrast to the neon-lit streets and beachfront properties that dominate the game's metropolitan areas.

The park is accessible from the broader open world, allowing players to travel there at any time during free roam. Hunting is listed as a side activity that may contribute to 100% completion, though official requirements have not been confirmed, meaning players who want to fully complete the game will need to engage with hunting at some point. However, the activity is not time-sensitive and can be pursued at the player's own pace, including after completing the main story.

Mechanics

Rockstar has confirmed that hunting involves tracking and pursuing wildlife through the park's terrain. The confirmed tools available to players include:

Confirmed Wildlife

Grand Theft Auto VI features a diverse ecosystem of animals confirmed through official trailers and Rockstar screenshots. The following species have been confirmed to appear in the game's world, many of which inhabit the areas around Mount Kalaga National Park.

Not all confirmed animals may be huntable. Domestic animals, marine life, and certain protected species may exist in the game world for environmental realism without being valid hunting targets. The exact list of huntable species has not been detailed by Rockstar.

Rewards

Successful hunts yield animal pelts and other resources that can be collected. These materials can be sold for in-game currency or potentially used in crafting systems, depending on how Rockstar has implemented resource mechanics. The precedent set by Red Dead Redemption 2, also developed by Rockstar Games, suggests that pelt quality could vary based on the weapon used and the accuracy of the kill shot, rewarding skilled and patient hunters with higher-value materials.

Huntable Species

The state of Leonida is home to a wide range of wildlife, many of which can be hunted across different biomes. Confirmed and strongly indicated species span mammals, reptiles, and birds, with each region offering its own set of targets.

POACH: Protection of Animals and Controlled Hunting

The Protection of Animals and Controlled Hunting, abbreviated as POACH, is a wildlife enforcement agency operating across Leonida. As its name humorously suggests (an abbreviation that spells out "poach"), POACH is responsible for regulating hunting activities and protecting endangered species within the state. The agency patrols protected areas including Mount Kalaga National Park and the Grassrivers wetland reserves.

POACH rangers enforce hunting regulations in the game world. Killing animals in protected zones, hunting endangered species, or using explosives near wildlife can trigger a POACH response similar to a wanted level. Rangers may confront the player verbally before escalating to a pursuit if the player continues illegal hunting. The agency is a new addition to the GTA series and reflects the game's deeper simulation of Leonida's ecosystem. POACH vehicles and signage have been spotted in trailer footage, particularly in wetland and forested areas.

Hunting at Mount Kalaga

Mount Kalaga National Park serves as one of Leonida's premier hunting grounds. The elevated terrain and dense forests provide habitat for deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and the elusive Florida panther. The region's cooler climate and pine forests set it apart from the subtropical lowlands, making it a unique hunting destination within the game.

Mount Kalaga's trails and clearings offer natural vantage points for tracking prey. Hunters can use scent and track-following mechanics to pursue game through the forest, and the area's elevation provides long sight lines for rifle shots. POACH presence is particularly heavy in this area, so players hunting outside of designated zones risk attracting ranger attention.

Recommended Weapons and Equipment

Choosing the right weapon is important for hunting. Using overpowered firearms on small game damages pelts and reduces their value, while underpowered weapons on large game can result in prolonged chases and suffering animals. This system closely follows the pelt-quality mechanic from Red Dead Redemption 2.

Animal pelts and materials obtained from hunting can be sold to traders or potentially used in crafting. The quality of the pelt depends on the weapon used, shot placement, and the animal's condition at the time of the kill. A clean headshot with the appropriate weapon yields a perfect pelt, while multiple body shots or explosive rounds destroy the material.

Series History

Hunting has appeared in previous Rockstar titles, most notably in Grand Theft Auto V (as a Cletus mission and Trevor's side activities) and extensively in Red Dead Redemption 2, where it was a core gameplay system with detailed animal behavior, scent tracking, and quality-based pelt grading. GTA VI's hunting system is expected to build on these foundations while adapting the mechanics to the modern-day Florida-inspired setting of Leonida. The inclusion of uniquely Floridian wildlife like alligators, flamingos, and Florida panthers gives the activity a distinct regional flavor.