Hunting Season features two primary ammunition classifications at the gunsmith: rifle cartridges and shotgun shells. Choosing the correct projectile directly affects hit effectiveness, bullet drop over distance, and your final harvest score depending on the animal you target.
Rifle Bullet Types
Rifles in Hunting Season utilize three distinct bullet varieties for calibers such as .223 and the rounds chambered in platforms like the Remington 700, Mossberg Patriot, and Ruger American:
- Hollow Point (HP): Designed for rapid expansion upon impact. In player weapon testing, hollow point rounds consistently produce the fastest drops on smaller and medium-sized game, specifically coyotes and white-tailed deer. The velocity profile makes it an efficient general-hunting round across starter and mid-tier rifles.
- Full Metal Jacket (FMJ): Delivers sustained penetration and retention of energy through heavy targets. Testing shows FMJ ammunition performs reliably against large game such as moose, where standard hollow points struggle to reach deep vitals.
- Soft Point (SP): Available across rifle calibers in the gunsmith menu. Player tests consistently report that soft point ammunition underperforms in velocity and stopping power compared to both hollow point and full metal jacket alternatives, making it an inefficient purchase for your funds.
Shotgun Shell Types
Introduced in update 0.10.1 (Birdshot Bonanza) alongside shotguns like the Mossberg 500 ($15,000) and Benelli M2 ($45,000), shotguns offer three specialized shell loads:
- Birdshot: High-pellet spread designed specifically for small feathered game like the Ruffed Grouse. Using larger rifle rounds or heavy slugs on small birds damages the carcass and degrades your harvest score, whereas 12-gauge birdshot preserves animal score ratings and rarity percentiles.
- Buckshot: Medium-range pellet spread suited for mid-sized targets. It delivers wider coverage than single-projectile loads while retaining more impact energy per pellet than birdshot.
- Slugs: Solid, heavy projectiles turning shotguns into short-to-medium-range slug guns. In field testing, multiple slugs fired from a Mossberg 500 successfully brought down charging bears, though precision shots to vital organs remain necessary to drop targets quickly.
Recommended Weapon and Bullet Combinations
| Weapon | Recommended Bullet Type | Target Game | Notes from Field Testing |
|---|---|---|---|
| .223 Ruger American | Hollow Point | Coyotes, White-Tailed Deer | Starter rifle; low baseline energy requires hollow point damage to secure clean kills. |
| Mossberg Patriot | Full Metal Jacket | Moose | FMJ provides the penetration needed to reach moose lungs. |
| Mossberg Patriot | Hollow Point | White-Tailed Deer | Higher velocity and organ expansion against lighter game. |
| Scout Rifle | Full Metal Jacket | Moose | 10-round magazine allows rapid follow-up shots on fleeing heavy animals. |
| Remington 700 | Hollow Point | Coyotes | Fast bullet velocity drops coyotes immediately; compensates for target speed. |
| Remington 700 | Full Metal Jacket | Moose, Elk | Delivers high kinetic impact into vitals at long distances. |
| AR-15 | Hollow Point or FMJ | Coyotes, Deer | High capacity, but notable recoil requires trigger discipline between shots. |
| Mossberg 500 / Benelli M2 | Birdshot | Ruffed Grouse | Essential for bird hunting; preserves harvest score and trophy rating. |
| Mossberg 500 / Benelli M2 | Slugs | Bears | Capable of defending against aggressive animal charges at close quarters. |
Ballistics and Distance Mechanics
Hunting Season models bullet drop over range. When using long-range bolt-action setups like the Remington 700:
- Targets positioned within 150 yards allow for a direct point-of-aim hold on vitals.
- Targets past 150 yards require aiming slightly above the intended hit zone to compensate for drop.
- Equipping the Vortex rangefinder binoculars provides exact distance readouts to help calculate bullet elevation before firing.
Update adjustments also restrict auditory hit indicators to play once per animal. When engaging dangerous game like bears or lions, watch target movement rather than listening for repeated hit markers to confirm a down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ammo should I use for hunting birds?
Use 12-gauge birdshot in either the Mossberg 500 or Benelli M2. Heavier ammunition such as rifle cartridges or shotgun slugs ruins the animal attribute calculation, decreasing your harvest reward and score rating.
Is Soft Point ammo worth buying?
Player testing indicates Soft Point ammo is not cost-effective. Hollow Point ammunition consistently outperforms it on lighter game, while Full Metal Jacket outperforms it on heavy game like moose.
Does ammo type change the firing sound?
Yes. Shotguns produce distinct firing sound effects when switching between birdshot, buckshot, and slug rounds.
Can shotgun slugs take down aggressive animals?
Yes. Field encounters demonstrate that shotgun slugs can stop attacking predators like bears at close range, though landing hits in vital areas remains critical for fast takedowns.
