Hunter Gatherer Walkthrough in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

The Hunter Gatherer naval contract in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is unlike any other contract in the game. Instead of sailing to a marked location and fighting a fixed fleet, you need to raise your own Wanted Level first to draw out the targets — Pirate Hunter ships that come looking for you. This guide covers exactly how to do it and how to grab the bonus reward on top.

• TL;DR
• Hunter Gatherer is located at Île à Vache in the Navassa region
• You cannot find the targets without first raising your Wanted Level to at least 1 — Hunter Ships won’t spawn otherwise
• Hunter Ships fly red sails and are marked with a pirate icon on screen
• You need to sink 2 Hunter Ships to complete the contract
• Bonus reward: sink one of the two Hunter Ships with a Mortar shot
• Hunter Ships can appear anywhere at sea once your Wanted Level is active — you don’t need to stay near Île à Vache
• Sink ships or board them to raise your Wanted Level fast

How to Unlock Hunter Gatherer

Like every naval contract, Hunter Gatherer doesn’t show up on your map until you’ve unlocked the naval contract system. Finish This Old Cove in Sequence 4, then head to Great Inagua and speak to Milo van der Graaff at the docks to start A Spanish Plague — the first naval contract. Completing that one unlocks all 15 contracts across the Caribbean, including Hunter Gatherer. The full naval contracts locations guide has every contract listed with locations and rewards.

Where to Find Hunter Gatherer – Île à Vache Location

Hunter Gatherer is at Île à Vache, a small island in the Navassa region at map coordinates 809, 109. It’s in the same corner of the map as Kingston. The contract giver is the man standing on the dock where you moor the Jackdaw — same as most naval contracts.

Île à Vache doesn’t have a naval blockade guarding it, so docking is straightforward. Speak to the man at the dock to accept Hunter Gatherer and the contract begins immediately.

Starting Hunter Gatherer – What the Contract Asks

Here’s what you’re working with once you accept:

• Main Objective: Sink 2 Hunter Ships
• Base Reward: 2,400 Reales
• Bonus Objective: Sink one of the two Hunter Ships using a Mortar shot
• Bonus Reward: 1,200 Reales
• Total Payout: 3,600 Reales

The catch — and it trips a lot of players up — is that Hunter Ships do not exist in the world unless you have an active Wanted Level. Accept the contract and sail off without raising your notoriety and you’ll find nothing. No Hunter Ships will appear at all. This is the number one reason players report this contract feeling broken or bugged.

How to Raise Your Wanted Level

Raising your Wanted Level is simple: attack ships. Any ships. Sink or board nearby vessels and your notoriety will climb. You only need to reach Wanted Level 1 as the minimum — that’s enough to trigger Hunter Ships to start spawning and tracking you down.

The fastest ways to push your Wanted Level up:

• Sink or board merchant ships in the open water near Île à Vache — they’re usually easy to find and quick to take down
• Attack military vessels if you want to climb notoriety faster, though they hit back harder
• Don’t reset your notoriety at a Tavern or by boarding a ship and choosing to lower your Wanted Level — you need to keep it active for the Hunter Ships to stay on the hunt

Once your Wanted Level hits 1 or above, Hunter Ships begin actively tracking the Jackdaw. They can appear anywhere at sea — you don’t need to stay near Île à Vache. Sail out into open water and wait for them to find you.

How to Identify Hunter Ships

Hunter Ships are easy to spot once you know what to look for. They are marked on screen with a pirate icon and fly distinctive red sails. Pull out the Spyglass if you’re unsure — a quick scan of any approaching ship will confirm whether it’s a Hunter Ship or just a regular vessel passing through.

At higher Wanted Levels, stronger Hunter Ships appear. At Wanted Level 3 or 4, you’ll see Frigates and Man o’ Wars among the hunters — these are tougher fights but the contract only requires sinking two ships, so any two Hunter Ships will do the job regardless of their class.

How to Sink the Hunter Ships and Get the Bonus

Step 1 – Let the Hunter Ships Come to You

Once your Wanted Level is active, don’t panic and try to outrun the hunters. Let them approach. Hunter Ships actively seek out the Jackdaw, so they’ll close in on their own. Use that time to get the Mortars ready and position the Jackdaw to get the first shot off cleanly.

Step 2 – Whittle Down the First Hunter Ship

As the first Hunter Ship closes in, hit it with broadside cannon fire to strip its health down without sinking it. You want to get it close to low health but leave it alive — you need to finish it with a Mortar shot for the bonus.

Step 3 – Sink One Hunter Ship with a Mortar Shot for the Bonus

This is the key step. Once the first Hunter Ship is low on health, switch to Mortars and land the killing blow. The bonus objective specifically requires that one of the two required Hunter Ships is sunk using a Mortar shot. Aim with L1/LB and fire with R2/RT when the ship is close enough to show the Board prompt — that’s when you know you’re in range. One clean Mortar hit that sinks it is all you need.

Step 4 – Sink the Second Hunter Ship

The second Hunter Ship can be taken down any way you like — broadsides, Heavy Shot, Mortars, Fire Barrels. There’s no bonus condition on the second kill. Take it out cleanly and Hunter Gatherer is complete. The full 3,600 Reales lands in your pocket if you landed the Mortar kill on the first ship.

What Happens If No Hunter Ships Are Appearing

If you’ve accepted the contract but can’t find any Hunter Ships, the cause is almost always one of these:

• Your Wanted Level is at zero — the most common issue. Hunter Ships only spawn when your notoriety is active at Level 1 or above. Sink a few ships to push it back up.
• You reset your notoriety — boarding a ship and choosing to lower your Wanted Level, or visiting a Tavern to clear it, will stop Hunter Ships from spawning. Don’t do this while the contract is active.
• You’re in open ocean — Hunter Ships patrol sea lanes and can take a minute to locate you. Keep sailing and they’ll appear.

Some players have also reported a rare bug where the contract tracker doesn’t update even after sinking valid Hunter Ships. If that happens, try leaving the area and returning, or reloading the game. The issue is uncommon but has been noted in the community since launch.

Tips for Completing Hunter Gatherer Efficiently

• Accept the contract first, then raise your Wanted Level — you need the contract active before Hunter Ships will count toward your progress
• Stay in open water near Île à Vache after raising your notoriety — this keeps things simple and the hunters will find you quickly
• Don’t Mortar both ships — you only need one Mortar kill for the bonus, so feel free to use broadsides on the second Hunter Ship to take it down fast
• Weaken first, Mortar last — get the first Hunter Ship to low health with cannons, then finish it with a Mortar shot to guarantee the bonus
• Higher Wanted Levels bring stronger ships — if you want a more straightforward fight, keep it at Level 1 or 2 where the Hunter Ships are weaker Brigs and Schooners

Need to brush up on Mortar technique before taking on this contract? The mortar trick guide for legendary ships breaks down exactly how to maximise Mortar accuracy and range. Also worth checking is the ship upgrade and customisation guide to make sure your Mortars are strong enough to one-shot weaker Hunter Ships cleanly.

Key Characters in Hunter Gatherer

• Edward Kenway – The playable protagonist who deliberately raises his own notoriety to draw out and sink the Hunter Ships
• Milo van der Graaff – The merchant contractor behind the naval contract network who commissions the job

Other Naval Contracts and Related Guides

Hunter Gatherer is contract #15 — the last of the standard naval contracts. Once this and all other 14 contracts are complete, The Final Contract unlocks at Great Inagua, rewarding the Black Skull Sails (Legendary) and the Handsome Devils Crew Attire (Rare). Here are the other contracts and guides in the series:

• The Realities of War Walkthrough
• Weathering the Storm Walkthrough
• Driftwood Walkthrough
• Silk on the Waves Walkthrough
• The Law of the Ocean Walkthrough
• A Personal Matter Walkthrough
• Contraband Walkthrough
• Private Escort Walkthrough
• Smuggler’s Den Walkthrough
• All Naval Contracts Locations Guide

Pick up the game on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, or PlayStation Store.

FAQs – Hunter Gatherer Naval Contract in AC Black Flag Resynced