Hunter training

Introduction
This guide describes the most effective methods to train the Hunter skill. The experience rate estimates in this guide do not incorporate the use of any experience boosting items or bonus experience. They also assume that players are not banking any products that they obtain from hunting. Hunter is a gathering skill which involves using equipment such as box traps and bird snares to catch creatures and obtain products such as animals' fur, feathers and bones. As players level up the Hunter skill they gain the ability to catch creatures which award greater amounts of experience when they are caught. Levelling up the Hunter skill also allows players to lay more traps at once when hunting using traps.

Enhanced yaktwee stick
An enhanced yaktwee stick gives a 5% increase in the amount of Hunter experience gained if it is wielded while hunting. It can be obtained by upgrading a regular yaktwee stick by speaking to Yaktwee Swinmari Cianta after hunting 1,000 charm sprites. Charm sprites can be hunted with at least level 72 Hunter. Wielding the enhanced yaktwee while hunting charm sprites also gives a 5% increased chance of discovering the rarer types of charm sprite.

Scentless potions
Scentless potion's effect causes all traps laid by the player to act as if they have been smoked using a torch. Smoking a trap removes a player's scent from it, increasing the chance of a creature approaching it and being caught. Each dose of scentless potion lasts for 6 minutes.

Tracker auras
Tracker auras increase a player's chance of catching a creature by a percentage while they are activated. These auras' effects last for one hour after they are activated. Players may use 5 or 10 vis wax to extend a tracker aura's activation time by 50% or 100% (costing or ). This effect must be applied before the aura is activated. Once a tracker aura has been used the player must wait 3 hours before using it again. Tracker auras can be bought using Membership loyalty points. All lower tiers of the aura must be owned before a higher tier aura can be purchased.

Summoning familiars
There are five Summoning familiars available which invisibly boost a player's Hunter level while they are summoned. This does not let a player access higher level content, but allows them to catch creatures more effectively. Players can choose to hide familiar options in the Gameplay tab of the Settings interface to prevent misclicking on a familiar while hunting.

Seren spells and prayers
Access to Seren spells and prayers, which can be found in the ancient magicks and ancient curses spell and prayer books, is unlocked upon completing The Light Within quest. Crystallise requires level 88 Magic and 6 water, 6 fire, 6 chaos and 6 soul runes to cast. A shaking box trap that has been crystallised will be repeatedly checked upon being checked by the player, granting 50% additional experience each time though no resources will be gained. This effect lasts for 30 seconds after Crystallise has been cast; it is not possible to cast Crystallise on more than one trap at the same time. It is possible for a trap to fall apart while it is crystallised, if too much time has elapsed since it trapped its creature, if this happens then the player will be able to cast Crystallise again immediately. With at least level 80 Prayer players can use the Light Form prayer, which enhances the effects of Seren-aligned spells while it is activated, to further increase additional the Hunter experience gained from checking a crystallised box trap to 87.5%.

Players will need to consume around 53 doses of prayer potion per hour, with level 99 Prayer, to maintain the prayer points required to keep Light Form activated. Use of prayer renewal or super prayer renewal potions can help to regain some prayer points. When training Hunter using Crystallise players may cast the spell around 120 times an hour, costing in runes. This cost can be reduced by using staves to provide some of the required runes. Crystallise cannot be cast on marasamaw plants or on box traps while the player is within a private Hunter area. If catching creatures other than grenwalls while using Crystallise and Light Form players may wish to lay fewer box traps, as it is not possible to check traps as frequently while checking crystallised box traps. More experience can be gained by checking crystallised traps as often as possible, while using a smaller number of traps to ensure that a shaking trap is always available to be crystallised. At level 99 Hunter a player may gain around 221,000 experience an hour using Crystallise with 3 box traps at crimson skillchompas, as opposed to 167,500 experience an hour using 5 box traps without Crystallise.

Summary
See here to calculate how many creatures will be caught during training.

Levels 1-20: feeding ogleroots to rabbits
At level 1 Hunter players should begin training by feeding ogleroots to rabbits within the Vinesweeper minigame. This gives approximately 10,000 experience an hour. However as only 4,470 experience is needed to achieve level 20 Hunter, it should take players with no previous experience of the skill approximately 27 minutes to achieve level 20. Players can travel to Vinesweeper by using the teleport option on any of the tool leprechauns found at farming patches throughout RuneScape. Upon arriving players can purchase ogleroots from Farmer Blinkin for each. Once the player has obtained some ogleroots, then they should climb over any of the stiles to enter the gameplay area. The gameplay area can contain up to 8 rabbits; simply click on them to feed them ogleroots and receive Hunter experience. Once a rabbit has been fed an ogleroot it will disappear, so players must change worlds (using the "join" option on any player added to their friends list or the "hop worlds" option in the options menu) after feeding all the rabbits present on one world in order to find more.

Levels 20-27: tropical wagtails
With level 20 Hunter players can start hunting tropical wagtails, laying 2 bird snares at the same time. With level 20-27 Hunter players can gain approximately 11,500 experience an hour hunting tropical wagtails. Upon successfully catching a tropical wagtail players will receive bones, raw bird meat and stripy feathers. Tropical wagtails are located in the Feldip Hunter area; a good place to catch them is located north-east of the Hunter expert. The best way to catch them easily is to place the snares close to their spawn points. Players can wear a jungle camo top (costing ) and jungle camo legs (costing ) to increase their success rate while hunting in this area.

Levels 27-29: cobalt skillchompas
Players with level 27 Hunter can begin to hunt cobalt skillchompas using box traps. This gives around 16,000 experience an hour. Once trapped, cobalt skillchompas become stackable items worth each. Cobalt skillchompas are found at the Tree Gnome Stronghold Hunter area, which can be accessed via a shortcut, requiring level 19 Agility, north of the Grand Tree or by travelling south-west from the Barbarian Outpost.

Levels 29-46: swamp lizards
At level 29 Hunter players can hunt swamp lizards. This gives approximately 20,000 experience an hour with level 29-40 Hunter and around 32,000 experience an hour with level 40-46 Hunter, when players can lay 3 traps at once. Swamp lizards are located in the Mort Myre Swamp, south-east of Canifis. They can be caught using net traps, created by using a small fishing net and a rope on a young tree. The items used to create a net trap can be re-obtained upon checking a trap containing a swamp lizard or by picking the items up from the ground, where they appear after a trap has been triggered without catching a lizard. When a lizard is caught successfully a player gains a swamp lizard item worth each. Players can bank swamp lizards by travelling to the bank in Canifis, however this will decrease the time that can be spent training and decrease the amount of Hunter experience that can be gained an hour. As a swamp lizard's left-click option is to wield the lizard, it cannot be dropped from the action bar using a key bind. Instead, after adding a swamp lizard to their action bar, players must right-click the action bar icon created to release the lizard.

Levels 46-59: viridian skillchompas
Once a player has achieved level 46 Hunter then they can begin to hunt viridian skillchompas using box traps. Around 34,000 experience an hour can be gained by hunting these creatures. Successfully catching one of these creatures results in the player obtaining a stackable viridian skillchompa, worth each. Viridian skillchompas can be caught at the Port Phasmatys Hunter area, which is found south of Port Phasmatys.

Levels 59-68: red salamanders
Players can start hunting red salamanders once they have level 59 Hunter. Players can gain around 42,000 experience an hour hunting red salamanders with level 59 Hunter, using 3 traps, and around 61,500 experience an hour hunting salamanders using 4 traps, with level 60-68 Hunter. Red salamanders can be caught at the entrance to the Ourania Runecrafting Altar, near the Battlefield of Khazard. They are hunted using net traps, created by using a small fishing net and a rope on a young tree. The items used to create a net trap can be re-obtained upon checking a trap containing a red salamander or by picking the items up from the ground, where they appear after a trap has been triggered without catching a creature. It is recommended that players use the south-western spot when hunting red salamanders, as the young trees are closer to one another at this spot compared to the north-eastern spot. Players will obtain a red salamander item, worth each, if they successfully trap a red salamander.

Levels 68-77: azure skillchompas
With at least level 68 Hunter players can hunt azure skillchompas to gain approximately 75,000 experience an hour. Azure skillchompas can be caught using box traps at the Rellekka Hunter area. Upon entering the area, head to the north-eastern part of the area and climb a ladder to get onto an iceberg, then climb the ladder just north of this entrance to get to the azure skillchompa hunting area. Successfully catching one of these creatures results in the player obtaining a stackable azure skillchompa, worth each. Players can wear polar camouflage gear or kyatt hunter gear to increase their success rate in catching creatures while hunting in this area. Both sets are tradeable, with the Polar camo top and legs costing and  to buy, and the kyatt hunter gear costing a total of.

Levels 77-99+: grenwalls using Crystallise
Players who have at least level 77 Hunter can hunt grenwalls using box traps, after completing the Regicide quest to gain access to Isafdar. Upon successfully catching a grenwall players will always receive bones and 18-21 grenwall spikes, worth each, and have a chance of receiving raw pawya meat and grimy herbs (up to grimy dwarf weed). It useful to bring a bonecrusher and herbicide to convert some of the items received from hunting grenwalls into Prayer and Herblore experience. In addition to the ability to use Crystallise and Light Form, completion of the medium set of Tirannwn tasks is required for this training method, as this prevents players from needing to use bait while trapping the grenwalls. The grenwall hunting area can be found just south of the Elf Camp and can be accessed by travelling north-west from the Tirannwn lodestone and traversing a leaf trap. Players should check crystallised traps as often as possible and ensure that they always have shaking traps that are ready to be crystallised. Due to the low success rate in trapping grenwalls, players should lay as many traps as they can at the same time in order to make sure that shaking traps are readily available. In between checking crystallised traps, players should re-lay traps and check traps without crystallising them, only if they have multiple shaking traps available. Prioritise checking traps that have been shaking for longer and cast crystallise on the trap that has most recently caught a creature, in order to reduce the chance of the traps dismantling.

Alternative method: amphibious jadinkos (levels 77-80)
With level 77 Hunter players can start hunting amphibious jadinkos. With level 77-80 Hunter this gives approximately 83,000 experience an hour. Amphibious jadinkos can only be caught at the Herblore Habitat using marasamaw plants. Within this area players can attract and catch various types of jadinkos by planting different combinations of vine flowers, vine bushes and regular trees and by building different habitats at the patches located in the centre of the habitat. It is not necessary to wait until plants are fully grown to begin hunting, as jadinkos will begin to spawn (in the northern area) as soon as the required combination of factors is present. Vine bush and blossom seeds are untradeable and can be found by hunting jadinkos or by exchanging favour points. Favour points can be earned by slaying mutated jadinkos or woodcutting and firemaking roots in the Jadinko Lair and can be exchanged at the offering stone within this area. Vine blossom seeds can also be purchased from Papa Mambo for each.

To attract amphibious jadinkos players must have at least level 61 Farming in order to plant a blue blossom seed and lergberry seed in the vine blossom and bush patches. Players must also build a pond habitat at the environmental feature patch. Players with at least level 65 Construction can build the pond habitat themselves, while players with less than level 65 Construction can pay Papa Mambo to build a pond for them. With these items present, players will also attract and catch common jadinkos, as these jadinkos are attracted by the presence of any kind of blossom.

Upon successfully catching an amphibious jadinko the player will always obtain an oily vine and may also sometimes receive harvest heaven seeds or apple, orange or banana tree seeds. From catching common jadinkos, players will gain withered vines and may also obtain vine herb seeds, blossom seeds, vine bush seeds or harvest heaven seeds. Witchdoctor camouflage gear can be worn to increase the success rate in catching jadinkos while hunting at the Herblore Habitat. Additionally players can drink Zamorak's favour potions, which give a 10% increase in the base experience obtained while hunting jadinkos. Zamorak's favour potions are tradable and can bought from the Grand Exchange, with each dose of the potion lasting 6 minutes.

Alternative method: draconinc jadinkos (levels 80-89)
At level 80 Hunter players can catch draconic jadinkos. Players can gain around 100,000 experience an hour hunting draconic jadinkos with level 80 Hunter, and approximately 153,500 experience an hour hunting draconic jadinkos with level 99 Hunter. As with amphibious jadinkos, draconic jadinkos can only be hunted using marasamaw plants at the Herblore Habitat, once they have been attracted by the presence of a particular combination of plants and habitat.

To attract draconic jadinkos players must have at least level 61 Farming in order to plant a red blossom seed and lergberry seed in the vine blossom and vine bush patches. Players must also build a dark pit habitat at the environmental feature patch. Players with at least level 80 Construction can build the dark pit habitat themselves, while players with Construction level lower than 80 can pay Papa Mambo to build a dark pit for them. After meeting these requirements the player will additionally need to use a dose of a juju hunter potion on their red vine blossom. Each dose of juju hunter potion lasts for 10 minutes; players will need to reapply a dose of potion to vine blossom patch every 10 minutes while they are hunting draconic jadinkos. Juju hunter potions are tradable and can be bought from the Grand Exchange. With these items present, players will also attract and catch common jadinkos, as these jadinkos are attracted by the presence of any kind of blossom.

Upon successfully catching a draconic jadinko the player will always obtain a draconic vine and may also sometimes receive vine herb seeds and harvest heaven seeds. From catching common jadinkos, players will gain withered vines and may also obtain vine herb seeds, blossom seeds, vine bush seeds or harvest heaven seeds. Witchdoctor camouflage gear can be worn to increase the success rate in catching jadinkos while hunting at the Herblore Habitat. Additionally players can drink Zamorak's favour potions, which give a 10% increase in the base experience obtained while hunting jadinkos. Zamorak's favour potions are tradable and can bought from the Grand Exchange, with each dose of the potion lasting 6 minutes.

Alternative method: crimson skillchompas (levels 89-99+)
From level 89 players can catch crimson skillchompas using box traps. Players can gain around 167,500 experience an hour hunting crimson skillchompas with level 99 Hunter. These skillchompas can be caught at the Desert Quarry Hunter area, which is found south of the Desert Quarry. A stackable crimson skillchompa, worth each, each time that one of these creatures is successfully caught.

While hunting in this area players will lose life points every 90 seconds, due to dehydration from the desert heat. This can be avoided by equipping an enchanted water tiara, if the Dealing with Scabaras quest has been completed, or by using waterskins. Wearing desert camouflage gear or graahk hunter gear may increase the success rate in catching crimson skillchompas while hunting in this area. Graahk hunter gear can be created from graahk furs with at least level 38 Hunter, while the desert camo top and legs are tradable (costing and ) to buy.

Completing quests
See here for a list of quests that grant Hunter experience on completion.

Big Chinchompa
Players can gain Hunter experience while taking part in the Big Chinchompa Distraction and Diversion. Up to 209,500 experience an hour can be gained with level 99 Hunter. Players can participate in this Distraction and Diversion a maximum of 2 times per day. Big Chinchompa takes place every hour, at half past the hour, when an entrance to the Big Chinchompa's cavern appears in one of several possible locations. Players can quickly travel to the cavern's entrance using Nyriki's portal which is located in the Tree Gnome Stronghold, south of the Gnome Agility Course. The portal may be used up to 3 times a day.

The aim of the Distraction and Diversion is to catch soporith moths and feed them to the large chinchompa, located in the centre of the room, to make it fall asleep. Upon entering the cavern, players will be given a moth jar which is required to store soporith moths. Simply run around the cavern and click on any soporith moth to add it to the moth jar. Players should also search for moths by checking the cocoon-laden branches in the arena, if the tree is currently shaking. Protea flowers can help players to catch more moths; as while they are wielded they will occasionally attract moths which a player's character automatically attempts to catch. Protea flowers can be picked from spawn points in the corners of the area. A player's Hunter level determines the types of moth that they spawn and are able to catch. A player may store up to 15 moths at a time in their moth jar. After catching 15 moths players must empty their moth jar into the pit which contains the big chinchompa, in the middle of the cavern. Depositing moths awards Hunter experience and competence points according to the Hunter level that is required to have caught the moths. Players may earn a maximum of 1,500 competence points each time that they play Big Chinchompa.

Depositing moths also increases the big chinchompa's drowsiness level, which is shown in a bar in the Distraction and Diversion's interface. The Distraction and Diversion will end either when 20 minutes have passed or if the big chinchompa reaches 100% drowsiness. The chinchompa's drowsiness increases each time that it eats the soporith moths that are emptied into its nest. If the player has moths remaining in their moth jar at the time that the game ends, then they will be awarded Hunter experience and competence points for the moths at the normal rate.

Private grenwall Hunter area
Players who have at least level 77 Hunter and who have unlocked the ability to access grenwall hunting areas in Isafdar, through completing the Regicide quest, can also hunt grenwalls within a private grenwall Hunter area. At least one grenwall quota ticket is needed in order to enter the grenwall portal, which is located in the south-eastern part of the Gnome Stronghold, to access the private area. Grenwall quota tickets can be purchased as a reward from the Big Chinchompa minigame, for 10 competence points per ticket. One quota ticket is used up each time that the player successfully catches a grenwall. Players may earn a maximum of 150 grenwall quota tickets, if they obtain the maximum 1,500 competence points, each time that they participate in Big Chinchompa.

Grenwalls are caught using box traps baited with pawya meat. Completion of the medium set of Tirannwn tasks is highly beneficial when hunting using this method, as this prevents players from needing to use bait while trapping grenwalls. Unlike regular grenwall hunting spots, the private grenwall hunting area does not contain pawyas so players must leave the area to bank to obtain more pawya meat if they have do not have this ability unlocked. The closest location at which players can bank is found north-west of the grenwall portal, within the Stronghold. Upon successfully catching a grenwall players will always receive bones and 18-21 grenwall spikes, worth each, and have a chance of receiving raw pawya meat and grimy herbs (up to grimy dwarf weed). Players may find it useful to bring a bonecrusher and herbicide to convert some of the items received from hunting grenwalls into Prayer and Herblore experience.

With the medium Tirannwn tasks completed, players can gain around 310,000 experience an hour hunting grenwalls in the private hunter area with level 99 Hunter. They will also consume around 282 grenwall tickets an hour and obtain approximately 5,450 grenwall spikes, worth, as well as any herbs and seeds that are not destroyed.