Hunting — Meat

Overview

Hunting provides the most reliable source of high-calorie, long-term nutrition in DayZ. Securing raw meat is essential for restoring your energy levels and preventing the health decay associated with starvation in harsh environments.

How It Works

To obtain meat, you must kill an animal, skin it using a sharp blade, and harvest the steaks into your inventory. Once harvested, raw meat must be cooked over a heat source—such as a fireplace or gas stove—to make it safe for consumption, as eating raw meat causes immediate sickness and vomiting. The energy value of meat varies by animal, with larger game like stags and cows providing the most significant caloric density.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Locate an animal using audio cues like grunting, hoof steps, or distinct animal calls.
2. Equip a hunting weapon (e.g., .308 Winchester or .300 Blackout rifle) and kill the target with a clean headshot.
3. Equip a sharp item—such as a Combat Knife, Hunting Knife, or Kitchen Knife—into your hands.
4. Approach the carcass and hold the Left Mouse button (or appropriate controller interact button) to "Skin and Quarter" the animal.
5. Collect the resulting meat steaks and bones from the ground into your inventory.
6. Find a heat source, place the meat on a cooking implement (like a long wooden stick or metal pot), and cook until the visual texture turns brown.

Tips

• Always check your hands for blood before eating; if you have bloody hands, you will contract Salmonella from the meat.
• Use a Sharp Stone if you cannot find a dedicated knife; it functions identically for skinning purposes.
• Animals have sophisticated AI that detects player movement; approach slowly while crouching or prone, moving only when the wind is blowing towards you to mask your scent.
• Cooking meat in a cooking pot with a small amount of water or fat significantly reduces the chance of burning the food.
• Animal fat is the most calorie-dense item in the game; always prioritize harvesting the fat block after skinning.

Common Mistakes

• Eating raw meat immediately after harvesting: This guarantees illness; always cook it until the inventory icon shows the cooked state.
• Attempting to skin an animal while holding a blunt object like a screwdriver or hammer: These items will not provide the "Skin and Quarter" prompt.
• Leaving the carcass in a high-traffic area: Hunting is noisy, and the sound of gunshots attracts both players and infected to your location.
• Burning the meat: Leaving meat over a fire for too long turns it into "burnt" food, which provides significantly lower nutrition and is harder to digest.

Related Items

• Hunting Knife
• Combat Knife
• Sharpening Stone
• Cooking Pot
• Gas Stove
• Long Wooden Stick

Related Guides

• Skinning
• Cooking
• Firecrafting
• Trapping Small Game