Red Dead Redemption 2: Exit Pursued By a Bruised Ego - walkthrough Red Dead Redemption 2 Guide and Walkthrough

During Exit Pursued By a Bruised Ego mission ,you'll encounter your first legendary animal in RDR2, which is a bear that you can hunt when not out on missions.

Last update: 28 September 2022

Exit Pursued By a Bruised Ego is one of the missions available in Red Dead Redemption 2's second chapter. The mission can be started in the gang hideout. You have to accompany Hosea in his hunt for a legendary bear. The game gives you opportunity to track the animal down and to confront this enormous bear.

How to unlock: Speak with Hosea Matthews in the gang hideout in Horseshoe Overlook.

Walkthrough: Approach the horse, hold the button to remove the saddle and then place it on the newly received mount. Get on the horse and start moving to Valentine town. Reach the stable. You can sell your horse or buy and name a new one (you probably have money only for the cheapest horse which costs $15). From now on you can ride on your new horse or you can go back to the one to which you have attached your saddle earlier during the mission (provided that you didn't sell the animal).

This is also a great opportunity to check what you can purchase at a stable (i.e. styles for your horse's mane, hairdo or a new saddle) - these steps are completely optional.

Get on the horse and continue your journey with Hosea. Reach the mountains to receive a new objective - hunt a rabbit. Take out your bow from the satchel attached to your horse. Use the Eagle Eye and look for a rabbit. Kill it with one shot. Try to do that from far away - thanks to that you will avoid scaring the rabbit off. Approach the dead rabbit and take it back to your companion.

Open the wheel menu, go to the Items tab and select Crafting Camp. Arthur will set a camp.

Interact with the bonfire and select Plain Game option. Eat the meat. You can repeat this process (optional) or end the activity. Press the correct button to go to sleep. In this mission your only option is to wake up in the morning.

Once you wake up, interact with the bonfire again. This time you have to go to the tab with hunting items. Choose Potent Predator Bait (your only option in this mission). Leave the bonfire and get on your horse.

Accompany Hosea to the lair of the legendary predator. Activate the Eagle Eye. Tracks that can be examined are marked yellow - the picture above shows an example. The bear's footprints are your first track. This mechanic is simple - find and examine tracks. After that you can follow the familiar line. It will lead you to another track (remember to examine it).

Examine the tracks and follow the lines that lead to the bear's lair. Reach the end of the line to trigger a short cut-scene. You now have to make a choice - split up or use bait.

1. If you chose the latter then you must place the bait in the place marked by the game - open the bag and select the bait from your inventory. Move away from the bait and then go back to it.
2. If you chose to split up then you should go in Hosea's opposite direction. After a while you will hear his calling. Go to the man and rescue him.

The legendary bear appears. Activate the Dead Eye and shoot as many bullets towards the bear as you can. You can also shoot a few times when the bear starts running away. Speak with Hosea. You can stay near the bear's lair or go back to the hideout. You also get a map with locations of the legendary animals.

Note - Even though the mission is over, Arthur can still hunt the legendary bear. Remember to save your progress and use consumables that will replenish the Dead Eye. Activate the Eagle Eye to start tracking the bear. Slow down the time when you encounter the animal. Also, remember to use your best weapon (i.e. a carbine or a shotgun). If you die, you can always reload your previous save and try again or you can decide to go back here again in the later part of the game (the bear won't appear in its lair immediately, you have to wait a bit).

How to get a gold medal in Exit Pursued By a Bruised Ego?

1. Track the bear in less than 1 minute and 30 seconds - Don't waste your time on examining the tracks carefully or on listening to your comrade's comments.
2. Shoot the bear at least 6 times - Use the Dead Eye with your revolver and shoot the bear as soon as it appears. You can also shoot a few times at the bear when it starts running away.
3. Complete the mission in less than 12 minutes - Be fast in the stable, try to quickly hunt a rabbit, and don't stop when you are riding on your horse.