Sharpshooter Challenges

The Sharpshooter Challenges involve shooting many difficult-to-hit targets.

The Multiplayer Sharpshooter Challenges are found here: Sharpshooter Challenges (Multiplayer) Sharpshooter II Challenges

Rank 1: Kill any 5 flying birds.
This is self-explanatory. The five birds can be any combination of crows, ducks, eagles, hawks, seagulls, songbirds, or vultures, and they must be in flight.

Rank 2: Kill 5 rabbits.
This too is self-explanatory. Rabbits can be found in all locations. However if you are finding it hard, search around The Hanging Rock / North Armadillo. ( Bait does not work on small creatures . )

Note: In order to be skinned, rabbits and other small animals must be killed with pistols or any other low powered weaponary.

Rank 3: Kill 5 coyotes without taking any damage from them.
Coyotes can be found in most areas of New Austin and Nuevo Paraiso.

Rank 4: Kill 5 birds from a moving train.
Easiest way to do this is from on top of the train. Use the ladders outside of the cabins to get on top of the train.

Note : The Physics in Red Dead Redemption enables you to stay on top of the train while its moving, so don't be afraid of falling off like in various other Rockstar games.

Also, sometimes the game bugs and the challenge is only avaliable for completion when the train is boarded "Legally" (Boarding using the when the train is at a station, not jumping on from horseback).

You may wish to do this before you go to south to Mexico as a mission in Mexico destroys a train bridge and can lead to frustrating delays in the train travelling around its set path.

Rank 5: Kill 2 different animals with 1 Dead-Eye meter.
Easiest way to do this is by killing two birds.

Rank 6: Shoot off 2 hats on 2 different people's heads.
These do not have to be done at the same time. Target the top of the hat to make it fly! Walton's gang (Top Hats) and Bandidos (Sombreros) are the easiest.

Go back to basics, use the Dead Eye mode that Landon Ricketts taught you, the simple single shot, no lock ons, otherwise the target you set with the crosshair will draw blood, and it will not count towards your rank.

A note to the wise: Shooting a hat off someone's head without killing them is not an easy feat. You'll really want Dead-Eye Targeting to do it correctly. Even so, your first several attempts at this may result in
 * 1) Failure


 * 1) A dead guy at your feet


 * 1) Lowered reputation, and

Take care that you've put on a Bandana first. If you're uber-cautious, do it out of town so you can kill any witnesses and lose your wanted level, quickly.
 * 1) A Wanted level.

Rank 7: Kill 3 Grizzly Bears with one shot each.
Grizzly Bears can be found in the snowy areas of Tall Trees. They will appear more frequently when the player is not on horseback. The best method for defeating the bears is using Dead-Eye Targeting with the Buffalo Rifle or any type of shotgun. Wait until the bear is facing you, and target the head for the kill. Make sure no hunters are around because they may have shot the bear, and it wouldn't count.

Rank 8: Shoot 2 hats off 2 people's heads and disarm 2 people.
These do not have to be done at the same time. Make sure you aim at the WEAPON (Not arm or hand)..if blood is drawn it doesn't count. Rifle or shotgun holding enemies are easiest to target. Walton's Gang (found at Armadillo and Twin Rocks) is ideal for this challenge because of their top-hats and weaponry. Dont use a high powered weapon like the high powered pistol. Use something like the cattlemans revolver for the hats. For the hats you can shoot anyones hat off. For the disarms, it has to be enemys, Policeman do not count as enemies.

Rank 9: Kill any 6 wild animals without changing or reloading weapons.
The easiest way to do this is with a rifle or pistol with 10 or more rounds. Unload all but the last clip/reload, so that when Marston puts the weapon away he doesn't automatically reload.

Buffalo and wovles travel in herds, choose the Evan's repeater, use moonshine, and then dead eye 2 shots to the head of 6 buffalo or wolves.

Altrernately, after clearing a hideout, use the repeaters and dead eye to knock the vultures out of the sky.

The easiest way to complete this challenge is to wait until the 'Pestilence' mission given to you towards the end of the game in Beecher's Hope. Crows gather taking away your corn from the silo and it's a simple matter to use the Evan's Repeater or the Mauser Pistol and Deadeye to kill 6 Crows without reloading - so much so that you can fail the mission and still gain the required Sharpshooter Challenge level. No unloading until the last clip is required and with the Deadly Assassin Outfit, Chewing Tobacco or Moonshine you will have multiple chances to complete the challenge without reloading.

This method also gives you a large amount of feathers to use for the 'Deadalus and Son' Stranger mission.

Rank 10: Disarm any 6 enemies without reloading or changing weapons.
This video shows the easiest method known so far for completing the final challenge.

Using a Mauser Pistol, without emptying the magazine as shown in the video, and without leaving aim, has resulted in unlimited magazine size 5/5 times attempted. Using snake oil/moonshine refilled the ammo in times when I left aiming as well.

You can also attempt this during a bounty hunting mission when the bounty is part of a gang whose outfit you have. For instance, for a bounty mission to find a Bandito gang member, you would put on the Bandito outfit, and walk right into the middle of camp. The gang members won't shoot until you pull your gun, so find a spot where you have 4 or 5 of them in a cluster nearby, pull your weapon and go into Dead Eye. Have medicine and an item that refills Dead Eye handy. Since gang members are a little tougher than other characters, you may be able to disarm them 3 times before they die.

An easy way to complete rank 10 is to equip an Evans Repeater, and then shoot until you have 1 clip remaining. Then head to a town with few lawmen, such as Armadillo, and then kill 1 person. This gives you 21 bullets to make six shots. Alternatively, with a high rank in Honour and Fame , you could pull a gun out on Walton's gang , who sit in the saloon in Armadillo ( distinctively ) , wait until they fire the first shot , and then use deadeye to disarm all of the gangmembers aiming at you , if there was not enough gang members there in order for you to rank up , then keep aiming , step outside and find some more.

It doesn't have to be 6 different enemies. You can disarm the same person more than once. If you disarm an enemy with a handgun, then they might pull out a rifle.

After level 5 the player receives an increase in ammo when using chests in safehouses and camps. Once he completes all the challenges, his Dead Eye meter builds faster as he kills enemies.

The only outfit this is necessary for is the Legend of the West outfit.