Cattle Rustling

Cattle Rustling is an illegal activity in Red Dead Redemption. John Marston will often find cattle rustlers throughout the world, but the game never actually states that you are able to do this too.

Background
Cattle Rustling is the act of stealing cattle for the rustler's own purposes. The problem was a lot more common in the American Old West. Many cattle rustlers were lynched for their crimes, and it was considered a very serious offense. As open field grazing gradually changed to fenced grazing, cattle rustlers slowly diminished in numbers.

Red Dead Redemption
Cattle Rustling plays an important role in story missions in Red Dead Redemption, the nighwatch job, and also in the cooperative mission The Herd. In the singeplayer campaign, John Marston often has to subdue the cattle rustlers, but he also has the ability to rustle cattle himself, and is an easy way to make cash early on in the game.

Cattle Rustling is best done at night, when the ranchers are in their houses, so no one sees you. There is no need to try to herd the cattle outside, as no one should see you. Kill all the cattle with a silent weapon, either your hunting knife or throwing knives, avoid using firearms as they tend to make a lot of noise and attract more attention, however if you are confident no one will see you, use a weapon with lots of bullets and quickly enter Dead Eye to get head shots on as many cows as you can. It takes about 2 slashes or one throwing knife to kill a cow. Afterwards skin all the cows and off you go with your cash. You can repeat this after a few days, or head to another ranch and kill their cows.