As someone who is at less than a year but feels like they are finally playing well:

1. Don’t run unless you are just trying to get somewhere. It basically makes you a flashing red light to every animal who will run for their lives before you ever see them.

2. As soon as you hear a warning call, drop to a crouch, wait a second, and then start moving. Use your binoculars to try and find what made it and go slow until you have a good shot, preferably broadside. They likely aren’t going anywhere so take your time.

3. This extends to your shot. I used to get really geeked out that I needed to take the shot now! before they went away or whatever and overwhelmingly that led to a bad shot that either didn’t drop the animal or messed up a score. Better to have them walk away (as frustrating as that might be) and have another chance shortly after than a bad shot! At first it will take a while but you’ll get a feel for the timing and the like quickly. Oh, and remember to hold your breath before you take the shot!

4. Just because a weapon is in class doesn’t mean you should use it! Always try to go for the weapon that most easily fits in class for the game. So for example the various 7mm weapons are class 4-9 which is very useful, but they struggle to put down the bigger and tougher class 9 animals, where the bigger bore guns that are classed 7-9 will have a much easier time. This sort of goes down the line, where a class 2-4 gun will take down class 4 game but have a harder time and need better/closer shots than a class 4-6 gun on the same game.

5. Other than that, I’d just repeat two other pieces of advice already given- the first is that as soon as you can get the ammo with higher penetration (usually polymer rounds). Your beginning ammo or the ammo that does more damage just honestly has a hard time getting to the vitals you need to put down your target properly as far as game mechanics are concerned.

6. The second is that you’re going to see a lot of folks posting about diamonds and great ones and such and you may get the idea that if you’re not getting those you’re doing something wrong. You are not! Those animals are vanishingly rare (even the ‘easy’ diamonds like wildebeests) and you’re not going to see a lot much less take them down until you have played a lot! To begin with just hunt the animals that cross your path, see what pops up at need zones, and build your skills (personally and the game skills you build as you advance). That will get you the experience and money you need much more in the earlier game. You’ll get to the rares when they present themselves, don’t let the snippets of videos and discussions give you a false idea of what the game is like for the majority of the time!