Valheim – How to Hunt Deer [Beginner’s Guide]

Deer are the trickiest creature to hunt in Valheim, as they’re very sensitive to movement and other sensory stimuli. If they detect you, they’ll bolt and you’ll have a significantly harder time taking them down.

• Deer tend to congregate in open fields and within forests. Search for them here.

• You need to be sneaking to get anywhere near deer without them seeing you.

• Moving while crouched takes stamina, so don’t move too much at once and deplete your stamina bar. Your character will then stand up, making it easy for deer to spot you.

• Crouching in and moving between bushes and shrubs will improve how stealthy you are.

• Deer can also detect if they catch your scent on the wind. Make sure to check the wind direction (bottom-left corner of your mini-map) and make sure the wind isn’t blowing your scent at the deer. If it is, change your approach angle.

• If using a bow, make sure to aim slightly above the deer so that your arrow arcs into it. This also applies if you’re throwing your spear at deer.

• If using a spear or knife, slowly sneaking up behind the deer and then stabbing them will do the trick. The spear has better range, while the knife does higher damage with sneak crits.

• Deer tend to travel together, and if you kill a deer that’s close to the others, they will scatter. However, you can prevent this from happening by targeting deer that wander a bit from the group. This makes it easier to hunt the whole pack.

• Spooked deer tend to come back to the area they were scared away from after a minute or two of fleeing. Instead of trying to chase a fleeing deer, reposition to a new spot and wait for them to calm down and return.

• Deer that have stars over their name and health bar drop more meat and hide, so make killing them a priority if you see them.