Do you need DLC for Hunter Call of the Wild?
The short answer is no – the DLC is completely optional. With the base game alone, you get access to two massive hunting reserves with over 80 different animal species to pursue, easily providing hundreds of hours of gameplay.
What‘s Included in the Base Game
The Hunter Call of the Wild base game includes:
- 2 huge hunting reserves: Hirschfelden and Layton Lakes
- 84 animals across 17 species to hunt
- Dozens of missions and challenges to complete
- 50+ weapons and equipment options
- Single player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay
- Average playtime of 151 hours for completionists ([Source](https://howlongtobeat.com/game/40727))
With two reserves spanning over 53 square miles and 660 square miles respectively (Source), along with 84 animals, there‘s no shortage of content to dive into as a new player.
However, for seasoned veterans looking for more variety or specific types of hunts, the DLCs below add to an already packed experience:
Hunter Call of the Wild DLCs
| DLC | What It Adds |
|---|---|
| Weapon Packs | New rifles, pistols, shotguns, crossbows |
| Wild Goose Chase | Geese hunting on Hirschfelden & Layton Lake |
| New Reserves | New regions to explore with new missions, outlooks, animals, and gear |
| Treestands & Tripods | Buildable vantage points for hunts |
| Dog & Camping Gear | Tents, ground blinds, retriever hunting dog |
In particular, the following are popular first purchases:
Smoking Barrels Weapon Pack
This highly recommended DLC (Steam reviews) adds 10 powerful rifles that are ideal for large game like bears, buffalo, moose and lions.
Standouts like the Rhino .600 lets you ethically take down anything on a reserve with devastating stopping power using strong caliber ammo. It can be a challenging weapon to master but extremely rewarding.
Wild Goose Chase
For waterfowl hunters, the ability to actively pursue geese is a game changer. Unlike duck hunting which exists in the base game, goose hunting requires special tactics like hiding in blinds while using callers (Source).
It provides an entirely new hunting experience on the existing maps, and is a must for anyone interested in bird hunting.
Treestands & Tripods
While ground blinds exist already, elevated stands take ambush hunting to another level. You gain visibility across entire regions and can spot animals 400-500 meters out. Useful for bow hunters and rifles alike.
Constructs like tripods can be placed anywhere, letting you create the perfect kill zone in hot zones where you keep spotting that trophy buck wandering through.
Of course with already 84 animals and thousands of playable hours, plenty of gamers stick with just the base game for months on end. But for myself and many fans, added content like weapons, birds, stands and reserves keeps things fresh while supporting the developers.
Hope this gives you a detailed overview of what you need and what optional purchases are worth considering. Let me know if you have any other questions!
