The Veteran - Red Dead Redemption 2 Guide - IGN (2024)

The Veteran is a stranger mission in Red Dead Redemption 2. Available in early Chapter 6, the player bonds with an old veteran over legendary-like hunting and fishing activities. There are four parts to this mission (jump to: Part I, II, III, or IV).

Part I

You can first find this stranger southwest of O'Creagh's Run, slightly off the path behind some rocks and trees. It's likely you'll see this on your map while riding to complete "Money Lending and Other Sins", which is also in the area.

The stranger, injured and having lost his horse, is in need of help.

Unable to move, he tasks you with retrieving his ornery horse, Buell. The minimap suggests a somewhat wide range for Buell, but thankfully he left a noticeable trail, and can be easily tracked under Eagle Eye.

Eventually, you can find Buell by the water's edge.

You can retrieve Buell in one of two ways:

• The calm way: Focus on the horse, and be ready to repeatedly calm the horse as soon as he acknowledges you. Once Buell is completely calm, then you can approach. Prioritize calming the horse over approaching too quickly. If you approach too quickly, you could spook Buell and he can take off--resetting your tailing/tracking progress.
• The fast way: You can swoop in and lasso Buell (even from horseback), but make sure you don't run out of stamina or release the horse too early, or Buell will run off.

Once Buell is calm, you can lead him back to the stranger. Walk normal pace up the hill (don't run or you'll release Buell).

Reunited with his horse and leg, the stranger introduces himself as Hamish Sinclair. Now able to return home, Hamish invites you to visit him for hunting or fishing at his homestead sometime, located on the opposite side of O'Creagh's Run.

Part II

A few days later, you can drop by Hamish's cottage at O'Creagh's Run.

Go through the front door (the door facing the lake). Arthur brings up the active fishing invitation, which Hamish is more than glad to oblige.

They set out in Hamish's boat, and Hamish tells Arthur they are hunting a great northern pike that he's named "the tyrant" over the years. Row to the designated fishing spot.

When you've reached the fishing spot, Hamish gives you a special lake lure for legendary fish (if you haven't already acquired it).

Although the fish in this mission is called a "legendary", it is not part of the checklist or mission progress for A Fisher of Fish. This fishing activity is self-contained within The Veteran.

Equip the lure and cast out. Hamish gets a bite a moment later, but the fish proves too strong and pulls him into the water. Row over to Hamish to get him.

Although he's lost his rod and lure, he suggests you keep fishing while you're there. Row over to the second fishing spot, and cast your lure again.

In a moment, the legendary fish bites, and you've suddenly got a battle with a legendary fish on your hands.

As with other fish, pull the rod back repeatedly while you reel in as well. This moves the fish closer to you as quickly as reeling does.

Eventually, you manage to fully reel him in. Hamish pistol whips the fish into submission, and lets out a victorious, yet anguished cry. Sensing discontent, Arthur apologizes for taking the long-sought victory, and they row back to shore.

Although Hamish offers, Arthur refuses to take the fish, and Hamish invites Arthur back sometime to go hunting.

Part III

Days later, you have the opportunity to drop by Hamish's house and make good on that hunting trip.

Hamish invites Arthur in for coffee, and the two swap stories for what must have been hours...

Finally, Hamish notices a certain she-wolf outside that's been taunting him lately. He suggests they get right to hunting it. Get on your horse, and follow Hamish to tail the wolf.

The wolf makes a dramatic showing of howling from a nearby peak. After circling around (and viewing her fresh kill), she shows herself briefly again, and Hamish decides to give chase into the wooded area.

Eventually, he loses the wolf in the brush, and Hamish recommends they set the horses loose and track on foot. He gives you a choice: take the lead tracking yourself, or follow Hamish's tracking. Use Eagle eye to highlight the tracks and follow a little ways.

The tracks terminate at one wolf facing away from you. Approach cautiously, but eventually the wolf will turn around to attack you.

In fact, the wolves have led you into a deliberate ambush, be on the lookout for four wolves in total, attacking from different directions. Hamish will help you dispense of them, but they move fast and the bushes greatly reduce visibility. Deadeye is a huge help.

Once the four wolves are dealt with, there's a cutscene where Hamish is knocked down by an alpha male wolf, who then manages to pin Arthur down. Break free, and shoot the wolf dead when he circles back to attack you again.

With the pack dealt with, Hamish sets to work skinning the alpha male (he gifts you a pelt from it), and says he'll stay up in the mountain awhile after.

This completes Part III. And your horse has conveniently returned to you, right at the ambush spot.

There's a lot of big game meat to be had from the four wolf corpses around, if you have the patience you can skin these. You can't further interact with the alpha male, despite it showing as an active corpse on the minimap.

Part IV

Later, during the day, you can return to Hamish's house for another hunting expedition.

Hamish cheerfully invites Arthur inside. When Arthur asks if Hamish ever gets lonely, he shows Arthur his trophies: reminders of the wilderness he truly loves.

Suddenly, Hamish sees a giant boar outside of his house. Quickly deciding to hunt it, he sets you off in pursuit while he grabs the horses.

Run after the boar on foot, but eventually he'll outrun you up the hill. You can try to squeeze off a few shots, but they won't matter.

Ascend the hill to pick up the boar tracks at the main path, these will fortunately take you past Hamish, where you can mount up, and track the beast together.

After tracking a short distance, Hamish realizes the tracks double back, and split up. He sends you up the hill to follow one track, looking for signs of the boar, while he goes the other way.

Head up the hill, and use Eagle eye to identify a clue to the boar (similar to legendary animals) from a distance.

Approach the clue, and you'll find a gored wolf. It would seem this prey is much stronger than what you'd previously hunted with Hamish in Part III.

No sooner are you able to inspect the wolf carcass, than you hear gunshots in the distance. Hamish must have found the boar.

As you ride toward the gunfire, you see the boar chase Hamish and Buell behind the hill. As you catch up, the gunfire eventually stops, and the objective switches to have you look for signs of Hamish before killing the boar.

You find Hamish on the ground, bloody and mortally wounded. He tells you that he was thrown from his horse, and gored by the boar. As a last will he gifts you Buell, but soon succumbs to his wounds right after.

Back for more, the boar emerges, staring down Arthur and preparing to charge. As the boar charges, light him up with headshots in the deadeye event.

Despite its charge, the boar falls dead at your feet. Take the Giant Boar Tusk (and Buell, in a sense) as a trophy for the hunt. Hamish would have been proud.