Red Dead Redemption 2 increases the number of legendary animals to hunt and kill. Four legendary animals were available in Red Dead Redemption and the sequel offers a total of 16, which makes tracking and hunting a more enticing experience. Among these is the legendary bear, which can be first be found in Chapter 2.
Legendary animals look different from normal animals, as many of them are albino or melanistic. The legendary bear is the same color of the other bears in the area, but it is a giant by their standards. It has many scars across its body and face, showing just how many battles this fierce creature has won.
Legendary animal locations are shown on the Legendary Animal Map given to Arthur by Hosea really early in the game, in the mission “Exit Pursued By a Bruised Ego.” Because there is only one legendary animal per species, per game, collecting them all gives the player an interesting trophy for which to strive.
In order to take down a legendary animal, the player has to track it. Tracking a legendary animal is a little different than tracking a normal one. When a player enters legendary animal territory, a notification will pop up letting them know one is near. The player can then use Eagle Eye to detect traces of the animal they are tracking. Traces of the animal are highlighted in yellow smoke and legendary animals will only spawn after all traces are found.
The mission that gives the player the Legendary Animal Map is the same one that introduces them to the legendary bear. At the end of the mission, the player will have the option to hunt down the bear on their own or to come back for it later. If the player decides to pursue the bear later, it can be found in the Grizzles East, just northwest of O'Creagh's Run Lake.
Because most players will still only have their starting weapons when this mission comes up, it is suggested that they wait a while before coming back for the bear. The Springfield Rifle might give a good amount of damage to normal bears, but the rate of fire on this weapon is too slow to make it a good option to claim the legendary bear trophy. Instead players should consider using either the Bolt Action Rifle if they are hunting the bear from afar, or the Pump Action Shotgun if he gets too close. While it is possible to break free after a charge, few players will manage it. The Bolt Action Rifle is a quick weapon, allowing the player to unload many shots into the charging beast, while the Pump Action Shotgun has the highest damage (if players don’t want to use dynamite, that is).
One good thing about legendary animals is that their pelts always have the perfect quality. The pelt is indestructible and if the player loses it, the trapper will automatically have it in his inventory. Killing the legendary bear will give the player a legendary bear pelt and a bear claw. The pelt can be sold to the trapper to create the Bear Hunter Outfit. This outfit has a hat that holds the legendary bears head on it for all to see. The bear claw can be turned into a bear claw talisman, which reduces the speed at which Arthur's health core drains.