Bounty Hunting

Bounty Hunting is a vital part of law enforcement in the American west in the time period of Red Dead Redemption, where small communities often experienced high levels of crime and banditry. For some, bounty hunting was a full-time occupation. For others, bounty hunting would arise out of opportunity of interacting with criminals. The individuals who chose to bounty hunt ranged greatly, and sometimes were fellow accomplices who decided turning in their partners was more lucrative than working together.

Outlaws with bounties on their head can be found throughout the land in various locations. These bounty hunting opportunities can be accepted from Wanted Posters that are usually found posted near the local telegraph office or train station. Available Wanted Posters will appear as a white skull icon on your map. After you accept the Bounty Hunter mission from a poster, the Bounty Location and target will appear as a red skull icon on the map.

To unlock the first Bounty Hunter mission, you must complete the "Political Realities in Armadillo" mission.

Capturing bounties contributes towards 100% completion.

The player may choose to take up bounties and capture outlaws as a major gameplay activity. The bounty reward varies, depending on whether the player has chosen to capture or kill the outlaw. This will then begin a mission which does not have to be completed within any sort of time period, you can continue free roaming until you decide to go after the criminal.

Marston can also have a bounty placed on himself, if he is observed committing crimes. The reward for Marston depends on his actions. Killing a dog gets a $5 bounty. Killing a woman gets $40. Killing a man gets $50. The prices reflect the attitudes of the time. If Marston has a bounty himself when turning in a bounty target his own bounty will be deducted from the reward.

Multiplayer
In Red Dead Redemption multiplayer, bounty hunting is a challenge system than earns players experience. A player who decides to fight the NPC lawmen in Free Roam mode, or break laws, will have a bounty posted on their head, similar to single player mode. Any player who reaches a bounty of $1000 will be shown on the minimap and an experience bonus will be awarded to any player who kills him. Players who gain bounties and survive bounty hunter attacks will complete Outlaw Challenges.

Members of another posse can locate these players and kill them to collect on the bounty, as well as earning themselves experience.

Tips
In order for a bounty to become available in a town you have to be there long enough for the sheriff to come out of his office and post it. If there is not one available, try waiting outside the building for a minute or two. If that doesn't help try staying the night and saving. That usually resets everything.

To capture a live bounty, its usually a good idea to disarm him first in dead-eye mode, you could also shoot him in the leg to make it easier to lasso him. Before hogtieing him call your horse near so that its at hand, sometimes reinforcements show up as soon as the bounty is hogtied. Also don't be squeamish about shooting his horse out from under him if he is trying to make an escape.

You cannot camp when you have a live bounty on your horse, and the only way is to travel back to the town to hand the criminal over to the authorities. Throughout the way back, accomplices of the bounty will approach you to try and kill you. It is possible to just ride faster and evade them without shooting them. When you near a town the accomplices will turn in the other direction and ride off.

You can save after the bounty is accepted.

Be careful as bounties who are trying to escape you will attempt to get on any nearby horses, including your own. A bounty on a horse can easily escape, and killing your own horse will cause you to lose honor, if a bounty does make it to your horse, attempt to lasso him before he rides off.

Most bounties will attempt to escape after being shot once, however some may pull out a gun at attempt to shoot Marston, always have medicine ready just in case.

It is fairly easy to sneak up on a bounty's last known location by crouching, you will not attract attention unless you are very close or until you shoot, this can easily allow you to pick off the first enemy or multiple enemies using dead eye.

Achievements
One trophy/achievement is associated with completing bounty hunting missions:
 * Clemency Pays: Capture a bounty alive.