Hunter
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Hunter | |
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Release date | 21 November 2006 (Update) |
Members only | Yes |
Statistics | |
Minimum level to be ranked | 15 (as of 30 Jan 2023) |
Players with 99 | 195,461 (as of 30 Jan 2023) |
Players with 120 | 21,837 (as of 30 Jan 2023) |
Players with 200M XP | 5,709 (as of 30 Jan 2023) |
Infobox • Talk page |
Hunter is a members-only gathering skill that allows players to catch animals all over RuneScape. Hunter was released on 21 November 2006. Although Hunter is a non-combat skill, players can still be damaged while hunting.
Using hunting equipment bought from hunter stores, players can hunt specific creatures, obtaining rewards such as bones, butterflies, animal furs, etc. At higher levels, players could even hunt for unorthodox crossbows, valuable potion ingredients, charm slices, and more.
Hunter is classified as a Gatherer Skill.
The current minimum requirement to be ranked (at approximately rank 751,318) on the HiScores for Hunter is level 15. As of 30 January 2023, there are 195,461 current members that have achieved level 99 in Hunter. There are 21,837 current members that have achieved level 120 in Hunter.

Hunter equipment[edit | edit source]
Four Hunter stores exist: Aleck's Hunter Emporium in Yanille; Ayleth Beaststalker's small store in Taverley; another one in Nardah; and the Hunter Mark Shop on Anachronia.
It is possible to set more than one bird snare, rabbit snare, box trap, magic box, net trap, or pitfall trap. The number of such simultaneous traps increases with skill level. Hunters can only place a single deadfall trap. The Volcanic trapper outfit allows the player to place an extra trap.
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Number of concurrent traps |
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1 | 2 |
30 | 3 |
60 | 4 |
80 | 5 |
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Equipment | Cost | Uses |
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1 | ![]() |
4 | Tracking |
1 | ![]() |
6 | Bird snaring |
15 | ![]() |
24 | Butterfly netting |
15 | ![]() |
1 | Butterfly netting |
27 | ![]() |
38 | Box trapping |
27 | ![]() |
18 | Rabbit snaring |
29 | ![]() ![]() |
Net trapping | |
31 | ![]() |
1 | Pitfall trapping |
39 | ![]() |
4 | Smoking traps to remove player's scent |
71 | ![]() |
788 | Magic box trapping |
Bait[edit | edit source]
While using bait is usually not necessary, and often a waste of time, sometimes bait is required to catch a creature.
Hunter loot[edit | edit source]
Creatures may be hunted for their drops. Notable loot includes:
- Components of the Terrasaur maul.
- Bones for training Prayer.
- Herbs for training Herblore.
- Seeds for training Farming.
- Red chinchompas are popular for training Ranged in crowded areas.
- Chinchompas are a less powerful alternative of red chinchompas, and are used to make a Giant chinchompa pouch.
- Larupia fur is used to make Spirit larupia pouches. This familiar has a teleport that is close to the Feldip Hills hunter area.
- Kyatt fur is used to make Spirit Kyatt pouches. These provide a teleport close to the Piscatoris Summoning Obelisk.
- Graahk fur is used to make Spirit graahk pouches. This familiar has a teleport that is close to the Nature altar and allows very fast crafting of Nature runes.
- Polar kebbit fur is required to make the Arctic bear pouch. It provides a teleport to the Arctic hunter area.
- Ruby harvests are used in Summoning to make a Forge regent pouch.
- Green salamanders are used to make Swamp titan pouches with level 85 Summoning and a Crimson charm.
- Spotted kebbit fur is used for making the Spotted cape which lowers the player's weight by 2.
- Dashing kebbit fur is used for making the Spottier cape which lowers the player's weight by 4.
- Dark kebbit fur is used to make Gloves of silence for Thieving.
Hunting techniques[edit | edit source]
There are several methods that a Hunter can use to catch prey. More advanced hunting techniques are only available to more experienced hunters. They are described in more detail in the sections below.
Tracking[edit | edit source]
Tracking requires level 1 Hunter and a noose wand. Some kebbits and jadinkos live in burrows. To hunt them, search their burrows to find some tracks, which will lead away from the burrows. Search the nearby bushes, snow drifts, logs, tunnels, etc., until more tracks appear. After 4-5 successful searches a message will indicate that the creature is inside an object. Right-click 'Attack' while wielding a noosing wand to receive loot and experience. Each player follows a unique track and does not compete with other players.
Scarab catching[edit | edit source]
Scarab catching requires level 1 Hunter and can be started at Het's Oasis. It involves commandeering Chito and Frito to go catch the scarabs.
Bird snaring[edit | edit source]
Birds can be caught using bird snares, similar to box traps.
Netting & Barehanded Catching[edit | edit source]
Butterflies[edit | edit source]
Players with 15 Hunter and wielding a butterfly net and carrying a butterfly jar may catch a butterfly by clicking on it. A butterfly can be netted by only one player. The butterfly may be released from the jar immediately, allowing the player to reuse the jar. With high Hunter and Agility levels, butterflies can be caught barehanded, without a butterfly jar or butterfly net. While this rewards significantly higher Hunter experience, as well as some Agility experience, the butterfly is released immediately afterwards and cannot be kept for personal use.
Implings[edit | edit source]
Requiring 17 Hunter, impling netting is similar to butterfly netting. However, unlike butterflies, players need impling jars rather than butterfly jars. Implings may also be caught barehanded. After catching all implings at least once, Daffyd in Prifddinas will grant players the choice between getting triple experience or double loot when an impling is caught barehanded.
Kami[edit | edit source]
Bakami are lower-level kami that live on named islands in the Arc. They require 90 Hunter to catch. Orokami are higher level kami that may only be found on Uncharted Isles. They require 95 Hunter to catch and have a rare chance to drop orokami masks. Like implings, players need impling jars rather than butterfly jars. Upon completion of the achievement Kami Spirits of the Arc, players can talk to Sensei Seaworth to choose between getting double loot or triple the experience when catching kami.
Charming moths[edit | edit source]
Charming moths can be caught barehanded in the Wilderness with level 88 Hunter and level 83 Agility. Upon catching a charming moth the player will receive a gold, crimson, green, or blue charm.
Deadfall trapping[edit | edit source]
Some kebbits need to be trapped using a deadfall trap. Logs are used to build a deadfall trap with one of the boulders in the area. Only one deadfall trap may be set at once.
Box trapping[edit | edit source]
Similar to bird snaring, box-trapping involves laying box traps on the ground and waiting for prey to come. They are used to hunt all Chinchompas, Pawya, Grenwall and several hunter pets.
Rabbit snaring[edit | edit source]
Rabbit snaring requires 27 Hunter, rabbit snares, ferrets and completion of Eagles' Peak. A rabbit is first flushed out of their hideout with a Ferret, and then caught in a rabbit snare.
Net trapping[edit | edit source]
Net trapping requires 29 Hunter and is used to trap lizards, salamanders, penguins and baby squirrels. With a rope and small fishing net in the inventory (the tool belt doesn't count), clicking on a young tree will set the trap. When the lizard or salamander passes, it may be caught.
Pitfall trapping[edit | edit source]
Pitfall trapping involves building a pit, using logs and a knife in special spots in the jungle, near Cairn Isle and Rellekka Hunter area. Build the pit-fall trap, tease the relevant monster with a teasing stick, run back to the pit and jump over it. If successful, the creature will be caught in the pitfall.
Unlike most other hunted creatures, pitfall trapping creatures can do damage, so food may be required.
Falconry[edit | edit source]
At the northern part of the falconry area, hunters can borrow a Gyr Falcon and a Falconer's glove from the falcon expert Matthias for a fee of 500 coins. Both hands must be free for falconry (weapons, shield and gloves). With a falcon, players can hunt for Spotted kebbits, Dark kebbits and Dashing kebbits.
Marasamaw plant[edit | edit source]
Jadinkos are reptile-like plant creatures native to Karamja and Anachronia, and can be trapped with Marasamaw plants as part of Herblore Habitat. Their vines are primarily used to make Juju Potions.
Magic boxes[edit | edit source]
Magic boxes are used to capture imps, requiring 71 Hunter to place. When an imp is caught, the magic box will become an Imp-in-a-box (2). The Imp-in-a-box can be used to bank two items.
Charm sprites[edit | edit source]
Charm sprites can be hunted south of Tree Gnome Stronghold using equipment sold by Yaktwee Swinmari Cianta. They require 72 Hunter to be caught. There are three different versions of charm sprites: Gleaelg, Tranart and Slithtils.
Tortle trapping[edit | edit source]
Tortle traps can be used to catch Tortles in The Arc and Ornate tortles on Uncharted Isles.
Big Game Hunter[edit | edit source]
Big Game Hunter is a Hunter activity with requirements ranging from level 75 to 96 Hunter and from level 55 to 76 Slayer. It is a non-combat, single-player activity where players hunt dinosaurs with boss-like mechanics.
Creatures[edit | edit source]
Temporary boosts[edit | edit source]
Item | Level boost | Requirements | Notes |
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+3 | ||
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+5 | ||
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+1 for every 150,000 Hunter experience, up to +17 | 80 ![]() |
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-6 to +6 | Freeing Evil Dave | Upon completion of the Evil Dave's Big Day Out quest, spicy stews will give a guaranteed boost of 2 to 6 levels. |
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+10% | As a First Resort | The mud bath also eliminates the player's scent, acting as if a torch is used. |
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As a First Resort and 89 ![]() |
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Anachronia spa | 40 ![]() Tier 1 spa |
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+1 | 99 ![]() |
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120 ![]() | ||
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+2 | Can be activated once a day, for a 30 minute duration.
It doesn't need to be wielded, which allows wielding the Enhanced yaktwee stick for that item's experience bonus. | |
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+2 | 86 ![]() |
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+5 (invisible) | 57 ![]() |
These boosts are invisible, meaning they will not allow players to catch creatures above their level, but they do increase success rate. |
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+7 (invisible) | 71 ![]() | |
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+5 (invisible) | 92 ![]() |
Useful items[edit | edit source]
Item or effect | Description | Notes |
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Increases the chance of trapping a creature while hunting by 3%. | |
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Increases the chance of trapping a creature while hunting by 5%. | |
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Increases the chance of trapping a creature while hunting by 7%. | |
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Increases the chance of trapping a creature while hunting by 10%. | |
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Increases the chance of trapping a creature while hunting by 15%. | |
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Gives a chance for double XP when catching butterflies barehanded. | |
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Buries bones received from catching hunter creatures. | |
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Destroys seeds received from catching hunter creatures. | |
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Destroys herbs received from catching hunter creatures. | |
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When wielded, it increases the chance to get the rarer charm sprites by 20% as well as giving 2% extra experience in any Hunter activity. | |
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It resets box traps, magic box, bird snare, marasamaw plants, and tortle trap when they fail to catch a creature. | |
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The Volcanic trapper outfit works as a Hunter's Catalyst fragment if owned. |
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Mitigates damage received from desert heat. | |
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Increases the chance of successfully catching prey in the area relevant to the outfit. | |
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Each piece equipped grants 1% additional Hunter experience. Wearing the full set grants 6% boost to Hunter experience (5 pieces + 1% set bonus). | Any complete trapper outfit will inherit the experience boost. |
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When the full set is worn, it has the following effects:
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A complete set must be worn - different sets cannot be mixed. |
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When the full set is worn, it has the following effects:
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Activating the Hunter cape's perk allows the player to deploy the next box trap, marasamaw plant or tortle trap instantly. | For ease of use, put it and the trap used on the actionbar. |
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It will collect skin scraps from creatures that require up to and including level 11 Hunter, giving 220 Hunter experience once filled. | |
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It will collect skin scraps from creatures that require up to and including level 29 Hunter, giving 500 Hunter experience once filled. | |
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It will collect skin scraps from creatures that require up to and including level 53 Hunter, giving 1,000 Hunter experience once filled. | |
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It will collect skin scraps from creatures that require up to and including level 74 Hunter, giving 1,400 Hunter experience once filled. | |
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It will collect skin scraps from creatures that require up to and including level 99 Hunter, giving 1,600 Hunter experience once filled. | |
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While the enhancer is in the inventory, each urn teleported grants 25% extra experience at a cost of 20 charges. | |
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Boosts all experience gained while the item is equipped by 1% per rank, up to 50,000 additional experience per day | If the Volcanic trapper outfit is owned, using Wise on a shield allows it, the Enhanced yaktwee stick and Hunter's catalyst fragment to be used simultaneously. |
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Gives a 10% XP boost from Jadinkos captured in the Herblore Habitat. |
Cape of Accomplishment[edit | edit source]

For players with level 99 Hunter, a Hunter cape can be bought from the Hunting expert in the Jungle Training Area. The cape costs 99,000 coins, like all other Capes of Achievement.
Skilling pet (Ace)[edit | edit source]
Like all skills, there is a skilling pet obtainable from training this skill. The pet for the Hunter skill is called Ace.
Quests with a Hunter requirement[edit | edit source]
- 5 - Perils of Ice Mountain
- 10 - Cold War
- 27 - Eagles' Peak
- 35 - Summer's End
- 41 - Glorious Memories
- 45 - Hunt for Red Raktuber
- 46 - A Void Dance
- 48 - As a First Resort
- 51 - Defender of Varrock
- 55 - While Guthix Sleeps
- 61 - Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf
- 65 - Nomad's Requiem
- 67 - Deadliest Catch
- 73 - Crocodile Tears
- 76 - The Lord of Vampyrium
Quests for Hunter experience[edit | edit source]
Quest | Members | Experience reward |
Hunter requirement |
Other requirements |
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Father and Son (miniquest) | ![]() |
Medium Hunter XP lamp | N/A | N/A |
Jed Hunter (miniquest) | ![]() |
Medium Hunter XP lamp | 90 ![]() |
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Perils of Ice Mountain | ![]() |
500 | 5 ![]() |
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Eagles' Peak | ![]() |
2,500 | 27 ![]() |
N/A |
Hunt for Red Raktuber | ![]() |
1,500 | 45 ![]() |
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Summer's End | ![]() |
5,000 | 35 ![]() |
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A Void Dance | ![]() |
10,000 | 46 ![]() |
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As a First Resort | ![]() |
15,000 | 48 ![]() |
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Defender of Varrock | ![]() |
15,000 | 51 ![]() |
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Deadliest Catch | ![]() |
26,000 | 67 ![]() |
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Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf | ![]() |
30,000 | 61 ![]() |
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Crocodile Tears | ![]() |
35,000 | 73 ![]() |
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The Lord of Vampyrium | ![]() |
50,000 | 76 ![]() |
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Total | 190,500 |
Achievements[edit | edit source]
- Goebie One with the Wildlife (
10) – Complete Arod's wildlife reserve on Mazcab.
- Sonic Crystal (
10) – Catch a grenwall in a crystallised trap.
- Jadinko Bingo (
30) – Catch each of the listed Jadinkos.
Update history[edit | edit source]
- patch 25 July 2022 (Update):
- Added the missing information for the Croesus Front resources in the skill guides.
- patch 13 January 2020 (Update):
- Tortles now count towards Hunter Daily Challenges.
- patch 2 December 2019 (Update):
- Fixed a bug where butterflies were not filling hunter urns when caught with a net.
- patch 8 July 2019 (Update):
- Two traps can now be used from level 1.
- Additionally, three traps can now be used from level 30, whilst four and five traps remain at level 60 and 80 respectively.
- The player will now walk on top of a shaking trap before picking it up, making it easier to re-lay on the same spot without the need to walk there first.
- Fallen over traps will now have a left-click option to lay rather than take.
- Allow the trapper outfit success chance bonus to work on all hunter creatures.
- Increase the maximum possible number of skillchompas per trap from four to six.
- update 8 July 2019 (Update):
- Big Game Hunter is introduced as a new training method for Hunter with the introduction of Anachronia.
- Hunter Modernisation.
- patch 14 January 2019 (Update):
- Skillchompas will now appear in the correct category in the Hunter skillguide.
- patch 23 October 2017 (Update):
- The Trapper from player-owned ports now correctly shows as unlocked in the skillguide at 90+ Hunter.
- update 25 July 2016 (Update):
- Tortle, Ornate tortle, and Tortle trap are added.
- patch 6 June 2016 (Update):
- Players can now only interact with their own failed bird snares.
- patch 5 January 2015 (Update):
- Searching or attacking a snowpile while hunting will now mention snow piles and not bushes.
- update 22 September 2014 (Update):
- Crystal implings are added.
- ninja 14 April 2014 (Update):
- Players will now get a token amount of Hunter XP when dismantling traps which have been tripped by creatures.
- patch 14 December 2010 (Update):
- The Bind, Snare and Entangle spells will once again work on implings.
- update 24 November 2010 (Update):
- Herblore Habitat is released.
- patch 9 November 2010 (Update):
- Hunting will now correctly check the space left in a player's inventory.
- update 12 October 2010 (Update):
- Charm sprites are added.
- update 22 February 2010 (Update):
- Spirit implings, zombie implings, kingly implings, and ability to catch implings bare-handed have been added to Impetuous Impulses.
- update 19 January 2010 (Update):
- Added the ability to catch butterflies bare-handed.
- patch 3 December 2009 (Update):
- Fixed an AI problem with the horned graahk if your Hunter level dropped below the level required to hunt them.
- patch 9 November 2009 (Update):
- Updated some of the code for the Hunter skill.
- patch 10 August 2009 (Update):
- Hunter traps that use meat will now generally accept yak meat.
- update 11 June 2008 (Update):
- Pirate implings are added.
- update 11 June 2007 (Update):
- Impetuous Impulses is released.
- update 15 May 2007 (Update):
- The Hunter kit and Hunter kit spell are released.
- update 28 November 2006 (Update):
- The quest Eagles' Peak is released, the first quest with a Hunter level requirement.
- update 21 November 2006 (Update):
- The Hunter skill is released.
- Like a seasoned Hunter, skulking behind trees and keeping unseen, the Hunter skill has waited for the right moment and pounced. That's right – after many months of patient tracking - the Hunter skill is upon us!
- Those stealthy and bold enough to become a master of the Hunter skill should begin at Yanille or Nardah. Marked by animal-skin icons on the minimap, two Hunter shops have taken up premises, selling the wares necessary to begin. A quick browse and shop for bird snares, teasing sticks and magical imp boxes, amongst others, will put you in fine stead for the adventures ahead! Who knows, you may even encounter Leon, an amateur inventor who has found a bow-dacious use for animal bones...
- Ready to hunt and laden with animal traps, you will now be looking for somewhere to start your training. The Hunter skill comes with three brand new and vast areas, all denoted by the animal paw icon on the minimap. A quick scurry past the ogres of Gu'Tanoth and over the Feldip Hills will lead to the Feldip Jungle, teeming with explosive chinchompas, spined larupia and various other beasties. A trek past Rellekka, toward Trollweiss Mountain, will reveal the fearsome sabretooth kyatt and cohorts, while the grounds north of the Gnome Stronghold, now connected to the Piscatoris Fishing Colony, will open up - amongst others - Matthias's magnificent falconry area!
- Phew! This lengthy list does not even include the Hunter area near Uzer, nor the graahk stomping grounds round Cairn Isle, or the salamander and lizard trapping areas scattered throughout the world. See the Knowledge Base article for an extensive list of where you can test your abilities.
- The Hunter skill brings with it not only new areas, but new experiences. Watch your falcon swoop after dashing kebbits. Jump over pits as you lure unwitting sabretooth kyatts into them. Scour the plains for butterflies with a net and jar in tow. Master the patient, yet rewarding, technique of animal tracking. These diverse abilities will be available to you as your Hunter skill develops.
- As any esteemed Hunter will tell you, the thrill of the chase is also about the reward, and a career of hunting will provide you with so many. Arm yourself with the chinchompa, an explosive rodent that can be thrown long distances! Aid your battle-weary friends with stat-boosting butterflies! Load your swamp lizard and toast enemies with its flame-throwing abilities! Collect or sell the furs of your catches, possibly even making them into weight-reducing capes, gloves for Thieving or full camouflage gear! Oh, and don't forget the imp-in-a-box, who will reluctantly help you when called upon...
- So go hunt, stalk your prey stealthily and feel the call of the wild...
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- The falconer mentions that some noblemen consider falconry a suitably refined sport for them. Hunting and falconry in particular was indeed an extremely popular sport among European nobility during the Middle Ages.
- On 1 April 2009 (April Fools' Day), "Seagulls have now been added to the Hunter skill and can be found along some coastlines. You'll need to wave your butterfly net in a gullible fashion to catch these birds", was added to the patch notes. This resulted in a team of players searching for gulls to catch, only to realise how gullible they had been.
- The Hunter skill was developed by Ian Gower.
- Originally, there was supposed to be a proximity penalty for standing near the traps you set.[1] Hunter gear—clothing designed to act as camouflage to match the area you were hunting in—was meant to give a bonus that would cancel out this penalty. However, a bug caused both of these aspects of the skill to not work.[2][3] Attempts made by the OSRS team to fix the bug in that version of the game and activate the bonus from the clothing showed that the bonus and the penalty were linked, and it was decided that it would not be worthwhile to fix.[4] It is uncertain whether this same bug is still present in this version of the game, as the 2 November 2010 patch notes say that hunting camouflage was "updated to have a greater effect".
Release day changes[edit | edit source]
Main page changes[edit | edit source]
On the day of the skill's release, the two rock pillars on each side of the RuneScape main page were replaced with totem poles, on which were drawings of imps, lizards, and razorbacked kebbits. A few pawprints were also scattered around the tiled background.
Login screen changes[edit | edit source]
The login screen was changed as well. A piece of graahk fur was hung on each side of the screen, and a pair of orange salamanders clung onto the pillars. A box trap appeared below the login box, while a butterfly was placed on the top-left corner of the login box. A patch of grass grew on the bottom of the screen, parting at the middle. The burning rune symbols were replaced with paw prints, dinosaurs, kebbits, and butterflies. It has now been changed back to its normal screen. There was a supposed hidden monster.
In-game changes[edit | edit source]

A cave was placed in three of the hunting grounds, where those who have completed the Eagles' Peak quest may fly to and from the Eagles' Peak mountain.
References[edit | edit source]
See also[edit | edit source]
- Quest experience rewards - Hunter
- Hunter training, a guide to training Hunter
- Grand Exchange Market Watch/Hunter
- Hunter/Level up table
- Hunter Calculators
Combat | |
Gathering | |
Artisan | |
Support | |
Elite | |
Unknown |
|
Former skills |