After the snowy start to Red Dead Redemption 2, the game opens up once players get to the first camp site, a small area on the outskirts of Valentine called Horseshoe Overlook. This is the first area where many of the game’s systems are introduced to players, one of which is the chores system. By conducting chores, players can ensure their campsite morale is up, and they can increase the goodwill between Arthur and the others in the group. Chores are easy to complete so they should be taken care of whenever the player has a few seconds to do so. The longest chore, chopping wood, takes less than a minute to complete.
The game does mark little x’s on the map whenever a chore is started, but maybe you are playing with the mini-map turned off, or just totally missed the little x marks, due to them being cluttered by all the other little icons that mark the campsite’s activities. This guide regarding where to complete the campsite chores should be all that you need to keep the daily operations of your camp running smoothly.
Chopping Wood
This chore, as I mentioned, takes the longest, but is the easiest to knock out. All you need to do is walk over to the tree stump with the axe lying nearby, activate the chore and then hit the indicated button to chop the wood apart. It is that simple. Arthur does all the hard work, you just hit the button to chop wood and the chore is done after a few logs are split.
If you’re having trouble finding the chopping block, go to the front of Dutch’s tent, walk through it, head toward the cliff and you should see the cutting block right next to a tree. If you walk off the cliff and fall to your death, you’ve gone too far.
The Water Bucket Chore
Well, just where does the water bucket chore finish up at? This one is a bit trickier, but if you spend a little bit of time walking around the camp and looking into every open container, you’ll eventually find the wash barrel. The water bucket is on the horses-side of the wagon where the hay and sack chores start from (a small covered wagon at the edge of the clearing where the horses are grazing). The bucket is already full of water for some reason, so all you need to do is bring it to the back of the little storefront where you can make wildlife donations and craft upgrades for your equipment. The wagon is in the northeast corner of the camp, next to the kettle that you can occasionally snag some fresh stew from.
If you still find yourself lost, go up to the prisoner that is tied to the tree. He’s facing right at the open barrel. Cruel and unusual punishment for the thirsty prisoner, if you ask me.
The Sack Chore
The camp chore where you move the sack of food, is almost the exact same chore as the water bucket chore. At the same wagon you found the water bucket at you’ll see some grain sacks laying around some hay bales — more on the hay chore, in a bit. Just walk over to a sack, have Arthur scoop it up and walk it right over to the wagon you brought the water to.
Where the water barrel is, look on the other side of the wagon for a little storage area. If you’re facing the butcher’s table, it’ll be slightly behind it, to the left. Walk into the little corner area and you’ll be able to drop the sack right onto the ground. What’s odd about this chore is that it tells you exactly what wagon to take the sack to, in the little tip that pops up as soon as you pick up the sack. If only the water and hay chores were that straightforward.
The Hay Chore
This one took me the longest to figure out. I like to avoid using minimaps whenever I can, since I absorb my surroundings better by looking around, rather than relying on the mini map to guide me. When it came time to do the hay chore for the first time, I could not figure out where to bring the hay in the campsite. Turns out, where you bring the hay isn’t really in the campsite, it’s outside the campsite.
When you’re facing the back of the wagon where the hay is, pick up the hay and turn to your left. You should see some horses grazing idly in a little clearing. Look for two large rocks. Carry the hay over between the large rocks and you can set the hay down to complete the chore.
This felt like a totally random location. Yeah, the horses are nearby, but there’s nothing indicating that hay should go there. The water and sack chores’ destinations at least had some context clues regarding their placement. Without consulting the mini-map you’ll likely be carrying around that bale of hay until Red Dead Redemption 3 comes out.
Now that you know how to finish the chores around camp you have no more excuses. Do your chores, Mister Morgan. The camp isn’t going to run itself. Also, it’s not officially a chore, but do your best to remember to donate to the camp’s wallet from time to time. You don’t want old Grimshaw chasing you down and embarrassing your stingy self in front of all your cool friends.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While it’s anticipate to release on PC at some point in the future, there has been no official word from Rockstar Games regarding a PC release. I’ve been playing on the PlayStation 4 Pro and it’s been a great experience so far. Look for my review in the coming weeks.
