Animals in Colorado and Texas
Hunting Simulator 3 features 37 animal species across Colorado and Texas. The table below gives a partial roster by reserve; use the in-game journal and map markers to check the animal you want to pursue.
Animal species by reserve
| Animal | Reserve |
|---|---|
| Jackrabbit | Colorado |
| American Black Bear | Colorado |
| Rocky Mountain Elk | Colorado |
| Bison | Colorado |
| American Pronghorn | Texas |
| Texas Whitetail Deer | Texas |
| Aoudad | Texas |
| Nilgai | Texas |
| Scimitar-Horned Oryx | Texas |
| Collared Peccary | Texas |
| Texas Plains Coyote | Texas |
| Desert Bighorn Sheep | Texas |
| Feral Pig | Texas |
| Desert Mule Deer | Texas |
| Rio Grande Turkey | Texas |
| Pheasant | Texas |
| Montezuma Quail | Texas |
| Northern Pintail | Texas |
| Bufflehead | Texas |
Use the reserve column to choose where to begin your search. Within that reserve, look for tracks, listen for animals and pay attention to their resting areas. Learning their routines helps you decide where to continue looking.
Choose a licensed animal before shooting
- Purchase the relevant species license from the computer in your Hunting Lodge before harvesting an animal. The correct license is required to obtain a validated trophy, so make this part of preparing for your chosen species.
- Check the recommended caliber icons for your target species in the game menus. Use that recommendation to prepare suitable equipment before leaving, rather than choosing a weapon solely because you already have it equipped.
- Hold the inspect input on an animal track to follow a specific animal. Use the input shown by your own control bindings so you can select the trail without relying on another player's keyboard or controller setup.
- Use your dog's command wheel when you need help following the trail. Your companion can assist with spotting tracks and tracking animals, giving you another way to continue searching when a trail becomes difficult to read.
- Check the wind direction on your GPS as you approach. Your scent travels with the wind, so plan your approach to avoid carrying it from your position toward the animal you are trying to observe.
- Identify the animal through your binoculars before taking aim. Compare the identified species with the license you purchased, giving yourself time to decide whether this is the target you prepared to hunt.
- Observe the individual before committing to a harvest. SimFauna allows animals to grow and age, while genetic potential influences trophy quality, so consider the animal you have found as well as its species.
- Check your intended harvest against the hunting regulations and quotas before firing. Use those limits to decide whether to take the shot or continue observing, keeping your choice within the reserve's hunting rules.
How SimFauna affects trophy selection
SimFauna models animals that grow, age and develop over time, with genetics influencing their trophy potential. Animals also react to your actions and exhibit their own behavior within the ecosystem. Give yourself time to watch an individual before deciding whether it fits your hunting goal.
Trophy scoring takes the animal's weight, age and antler or horn set into account, alongside the correct hunting license and appropriate caliber. Keep those factors in mind when comparing potential targets. Start with the species you are licensed and equipped to hunt, then consider the individual animal.
Pay attention to resting and feeding areas as you explore, and mark useful areas on your map for a return visit. Animal routines can help guide your search. If tracks are difficult to see, adjust tracking-clue visibility in the game options so you can follow the signs more comfortably.
Full release and demo animal lists
The full game released on October 29, 2026, with Colorado and Texas as its launch regions. The Steam Next Fest demo covered a restricted part of Colorado and limited licensed hunting and bagging to three species. Use the full game's journal and available species licenses when planning a hunt beyond that demo experience.
The launch update changed animal detection, herd replenishment and Legendary animal distribution. It also added the ability to hold inspect on a track to follow a specific animal. When following an older demo walkthrough, use the released tracking controls and the animal information displayed in your own game.
Will the animal roster expand?
- Will new animals be added to Colorado and Texas, or only to future maps?
- Nacon's announced plan is to introduce new animal species alongside future hunting regions. The same roadmap FAQ says the developer has no plans to add additional species to the existing Colorado and Texas regions.