- Way of the Hunter 2 money comes from harvesting animals, NPC objectives, campsite missions, and challenges.
- Payout is meat-based: older, heavier animals with higher fitness pay far more credits.
- Best fast farm: hunting hippos at the lakes near the main lodge in Africa with a .375 or .338 rifle.
- Attachments are one-for-one in this sequel, so you must buy each scope again for every rifle.
- Habitat improvements (feeders, bridge repairs, pollution cleanup) can cost roughly 70,000 credits in total.
Why Credits and XP Matter
In Way of the Hunter 2, credits and XP drive every piece of progression. Ranking up unlocks weapons and gear in the shop — many rifles carry requirements like level 24, level 18, or level 12 before you can even purchase them. Once unlocked, you still need enough credits to actually buy the weapon.
Unlike the first game, attachments are one-for-one. A single scope exists only once in your inventory. If you want the same optic on a second rifle, you must purchase it again. This makes credits significantly more important than in Way of the Hunter 1.
On top of that, habitat improvements — feeders, clearing invasive plants, fixing water pollution, and repairing collapsed bridges — all cost money and are scattered across the map. Players who have totaled everything up estimate the full cost at roughly 70,000 credits to max out a map.
Video Highlights:
- Full breakdown of organic XP and credit earning methods
- One-for-one attachment system explained with live examples
- Meat-based payout mechanics with young vs. mature animal comparisons
- Step-by-step hippo farming walkthrough in Africa
| Expense Category | Description | Credit Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Weapons | Locked behind rank requirements, then purchased with credits | Varies per rifle |
| Attachments | One-for-one, must rebuy the same scope per weapon | Varies per item |
| Habitat improvements | Feeders, pollution cleanup, bridge repairs | ~70,000 total per map |
Don't worry about herd management while leveling. Focus on earning credits and XP first, then invest in precise herd management once you have proper equipment.
Organic Methods to Earn Money
There are four main organic ways to earn credits and XP while playing the game the intended way.
NPC Objectives
- Talk to NPCs at lodges for multi-part objectives
- Often highlights zones on your hunting map
- Pays both credits and XP on completion
- Beginner-friendly and teaches game systems
Campsite Missions
- Find information boards at campsites (marked as question marks)
- Post-it notes offer missions like "Harvest a male bison with 40%+ fitness"
- Tracked in the same Objectives tab as NPC tasks
Challenges
- Large bank of staged challenges in the menu
- Pays XP at each completion stage
- Many complete passively during normal play
Smart Harvesting
- Target mature, high-fitness animals
- Payout is meat-based: bigger animals pay more
- Works without any missions or objectives
The Meat-Based Payout System
The single most important money mechanic: payout scales with dressed weight. A young, low-fitness animal pays a fraction of what a mature one does.
| Animal | Age | Weight | Dressed Weight | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Mule Deer (low fitness) | Young | 125 lb | 71 lb | 84 credits |
| Mature Mule Deer (high fitness) | 11 years | 360 lb | 200 lb | Much higher payout |
A mature mule deer can pay several times more than a young one from the same herd. Age drives size, size drives meat, and meat drives credits. Fitness also plays a role in the final payout.
If you just want to hunt and earn: target the oldest age and highest fitness animals you can find. Skip herd management until you have the equipment for it.
Hippo Farming: The Fastest Money Method
For players who want credits quickly, the Africa map hippo farm is the fastest method in the game. It isn't the most immersive way to play, but the credit-per-hour rate is unmatched.
Buy the Right Caliber
Purchase either the Primacy Advanced Shift 338 Lapua or the Primacy Safari 375 from the shop. Other calibers struggle to kill hippos reliably. Remember to move your one-for-one scope onto the new rifle.
Head to the Main Lodge Lakes
The first lake near the main lodge is packed with hippos, and several more lakes further out hold additional groups. Some lakes also hold crocodiles that clump together.
Aim for the Brain
Shoot hippos between the eyes or in the ear hole for instant kills. If they're charging, shoot into the mouth or throat for a one-shot kill.
Watch for Charges
When hippos make a growling noise and stomp, they're about to charge. One hit sends you back to the main lodge, so stay alert and keep your rifle ready.
Collect and Repeat
Harvest each kill. A mature hippo pays around 566 credits, with younger ones still paying roughly 235–437 credits.
Hippo and Crocodile Payouts
| Animal | Condition | Approximate Payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hippo | Mature | ~566 credits | Best single-animal payout |
| Hippo | Mid-age | ~437 credits | Very efficient to farm |
| Hippo | Young | ~235 credits | Still worthwhile in bulk |
| Crocodile | Groups | Decent per group | Clump together, ~15 killable quickly |
Some players set up tripods near the lakes and farm hippos continuously. Crocodiles are a solid alternative — not because each one pays a lot, but because they clump into groups and get stuck on each other, letting you harvest a dozen or more very quickly.
Hippos are genuinely dangerous. They will charge, and a single hit sends you back to the main lodge. Always keep a brain-shot angle ready when they close distance.
Money-Making Progression Checklist
Follow this checklist to build your credit balance efficiently from early game onward.
Credit Farming Milestones:
- Complete NPC objectives for early credits and XP
- Collect campsite missions from information boards
- Check the Challenges menu for passive XP stages
- Harvest mature, high-fitness animals only
- Save credits for a .375 or .338 rifle
- Farm hippos at the Africa main lodge lakes
- Invest in habitat improvements for better animal quality
Method Comparison
| Method | Speed | Fun Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPC objectives | Medium | High | Learning the game, steady income |
| Campsite missions | Medium | Medium | Straightforward bonus objectives |
| Challenges | Passive | Low effort | XP while doing anything else |
| Mature animal hunting | Medium | High | Organic players |
| Hippo farming | Fastest | Low | Rapid credit accumulation |
Mix methods: do objectives and missions while ranking up, then switch to hippo farming once you can afford a heavy caliber rifle. This keeps early progression engaging and late farming efficient.
FAQ
Q: What is the fastest way to earn money in Way of the Hunter 2?
Hippo farming on the Africa map is the fastest method. Using a .375 or .338 rifle, shoot hippos in the head at the lakes near the main lodge. A mature hippo pays around 566 credits, and the lakes hold enough hippos for rapid repeat harvesting.
Q: Do scopes carry over between weapons in Way of the Hunter 2?
No. Unlike the first game, attachments are one-for-one. A scope exists only once in your inventory — moving it to another rifle removes it from the previous one, and using the same optic on multiple rifles requires buying it again for each weapon.
Q: Why do some animals pay so few credits?
Payout is meat-based. Young, low-fitness animals weigh less and yield less dressed meat, so they pay far less. An 11-year-old, high-fitness mule deer with 200 lb of dressed weight pays dramatically more than a young one with 71 lb.
Q: Are habitat improvements worth buying with credits?
They can be, if you want better animals on your map. Feeders, pollution cleanup, and similar improvements cost credits but improve habitat quality. Full map improvements total roughly 70,000 credits, so prioritize them after securing your weapons.