You’re trekking through the dense, needle-carpeted woods of the Whitetail Mountains. The air is quiet. Too quiet. Suddenly, a low rumble vibrates in your chest, and before you can even switch from your fishing rod to a shotgun, eight hundred pounds of fur and fury is charging at your face.
Welcome to Hope County.
Honestly, hunting for far cry 5 grizzly bear locations is one of the most frustrating things you can do if you don't know where to look. You need those skins. Maybe you're trying to finish Dr. Charles Lindsay’s "Clinical Study" quest in the Henbane River, or maybe you just need the fast cash. Whatever the reason, standing in the middle of a forest tossing bait like you’re feeding pigeons isn't always the answer.
Grizzlies are fickle. Unlike the black bears that seem to pop up every five minutes to ruin a stealth run, the grizzlies actually require a bit of a roadmap.
Why Jacob’s Region is Your Best Bet
Look, you can find bears in Holland Valley. People say they spawn near the Lamb of God Church or south of the crop circles. They’re not lying, but they aren't exactly helping you optimize your time either. If you want a grizzly, you go to Jacob Steed’s territory. The Whitetail Mountains are basically the capital of the bear kingdom.
The absolute "gold mine" spot is west of the F.A.N.G. Center. If you haven't liberated it yet, do that first. Once it's clear, head west past the Moccasin River. There is a stretch of mountainous forest between the Haskell Lookout Tower (where you find Hurk) and the nearby helicopter shop. If you walk that line, you’re almost guaranteed to run into a grizzly.
Another reliable spot is north of the Jefferson Lookout Tower. It’s high up, it’s rocky, and the bears love it.
I've spent hours testing the spawn rates. In the Henbane River (Faith’s region), they are basically nonexistent outside of "Bliss hallucinations." During the quest "Clinical Study," you’ll see deer and other animals literally morph into grizzly bears because of the Bliss. It’s trippy. But if you need real, physical skins for the quest, the game usually forces you to travel north into Jacob's woods to find the genuine article.
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The Bait Trick (and Why It Fails)
Bait is your best friend, until it isn't. You kill a caribou, you take the meat, you throw it into a clearing.
Usually, a predator shows up. The problem? The RNG (random number generator) in Far Cry 5 loves to throw black bears and cougars at you when you specifically want a grizzly. If you’re standing in a "Grizzly Bear" icon area on the map and you keep getting black bears, stop.
Move fifty yards. Try a different clearing.
Also, bring Boomer. I cannot stress this enough. The woods are thick. A grizzly can see you and start its charge long before you see a brown shape through the pine branches. Boomer tags them automatically. He’s essentially a furry radar system that prevents you from getting mauled from behind while you’re busy looking at your map.
Getting the "Undamaged" Skin
If you are doing this for Dr. Lindsay, he’s picky. He wants "undamaged" skins. This basically means you can’t be a maniac.
- No Fire: Do not use incendiary rounds.
- No Explosives: Put the RPG away.
- No Roadkill: If you hit a grizzly with your Widowmaker truck, the skin is trash.
The best way to get a clean kill is a high-caliber rifle—something like the SA-50 sniper—straight to the dome. One shot, one kill. If you’re feeling brave, the recurve bow works too, and it actually gives you more loot. If you have the Harvest Master perk (which you should definitely buy early), you get two skins per bear. That cuts your hunting time in half.
Hunting Locations You Might Have Missed
- Northwest of Whitetail Park Ranger Station: This is a bit of a hike, but the density here is decent.
- Linero Building Supplies: To the east of here, near the water, grizzlies tend to wander down to drink.
- Fort Drubman Hill: There’s a high ridge between the Fort and the F.A.N.G. Center. It’s a trek, but the view is great and the bears are plenty.
The Cheeseburger Factor
We can't talk about far cry 5 grizzly bear locations without mentioning the king himself: Cheeseburger. He’s the Fangs for Hire grizzly that everyone wants. To get him, you have to go to the F.A.N.G. Center and start the mission "A Right to Bear Arms."
Wade Fowler tells you the cultists tried to take him, so Wade let him loose. You have to go catch a fresh Chinook Salmon (there's a spot right nearby) and then find him at Linero Building Supplies.
Feeding a grizzly a salmon while cultists are shooting at you is the peak Far Cry experience. Once you have Cheeseburger, he doesn't exactly help you find other grizzlies, but he’s a tank that draws aggro. If you’re struggling with the "Clinical Study" hunt, let Cheeseburger tank the damage while you line up a clean headshot with a sniper rifle.
Making Real Money
If you aren't doing this for a quest, you’re doing it for the money. Grizzly skins sell for a decent chunk of change at any shop.
If you find a good spawn point—like that area southwest of the F.A.N.G. Center—stay there. Kill a bear, skin it, walk a bit away, throw bait, kill another. With the Harvest Master perk, you can fill your inventory in ten minutes. It’s one of the fastest ways to grind for that fancy prestige weapon you’ve been eyeing.
Just watch out for the cult's planes. There's nothing that ruins a peaceful bear hunt like a Chosen pilot strafing your position with a machine gun.
Actionable Next Steps
To wrap this up and get you back into the game, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Unlock the Harvest Master perk. It costs 8 points. If you don't have it, go find some Prepper Stashes first. It doubles your money and quest progress.
- Fast travel to the F.A.N.G. Center. If it's still under cult control, clear it out. It’s your base of operations for bear hunting.
- Equip a .50 cal sniper or a Bow. This ensures you get "undamaged" skins for quests and maximum value at shops.
- Head West/Southwest. Cross the river and start using bait in the wooded foothills.
- Use Boomer and Jess Black. Boomer tags the bears; Jess makes it so the bears don't notice you quite as fast, giving you time to aim.
Once you’ve bagged your three skins for the doctor, head back to the Hope County Jail in the Henbane River to turn them in. You'll get an upgraded bait that attracts both animals and "Angels," making the rest of your fight against Faith Seed a whole lot easier.