The Trophy and Contract system is the economic engine of Dino Hunters. Every contract you accept, every dinosaur you bring down, and every Trophy Sample you deliver is graded by the Outfitter, and your grade determines how much money you earn, which contracts unlock next, and which weapons you can afford to upgrade. Most new hunters think of contracts as simply "kill dinosaur, get paid," but the system rewards hunters who pay attention to the bonus objectives, who deliver clean samples, and who choose contracts strategically.
This guide explains how the contract system works in detail. We will walk through how contracts are graded, what bonuses exist and how to trigger them, how Trophy Sample quality is determined, and the most common mistakes new hunters make when they first interact with the Outfitter.
How Contracts Are Graded
Every contract in Dino Hunters has three grading criteria: clean kill, time, and bonus objectives. Your final grade is the average of these three criteria, and the grade determines your base payout before any bonuses are added.
Clean kill measures how cleanly you killed the target dinosaur. A clean kill uses the recommended caliber and places a single shot in a high-damage zone without wounding the dinosaur and letting it flee. A messy kill — using the wrong caliber, hitting multiple extremities, or wounding the dinosaur and tracking it for a long time — reduces the clean kill grade significantly.
Time measures how quickly you completed the contract from acceptance to delivery. The Outfitter posts a target time for each contract; finishing in less than half the target time gets you an A grade on time, finishing in the target time gets a B, finishing in twice the target time gets a C, and finishing in more than twice the target time drops you to a D or F.
Bonus objectives are specific goals listed on the contract, such as "Spinal Shot required," "Kill from beyond 200 meters," or "Sample within 60 in-game seconds." These are stacked on top of the base grade and add bonus multipliers to your payout.
Contract Grade Tiers
| Grade | Base Payout Multiplier | Bonus Eligibility | Next Contract Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 2.0x | All bonuses eligible | Tier 5 |
| A | 1.5x | Most bonuses eligible | Tier 4 |
| B | 1.0x | Some bonuses eligible | Tier 3 |
| C | 0.75x | Few bonuses eligible | Tier 2 |
| D | 0.5x | No bonuses | Tier 1 |
| F | 0.25x | No bonuses | Tier 1 |
Bonus Objectives: Spinal Shot, Long-range, and Multi-kill
The three most important bonuses are the Spinal Shot bonus, the Long-range Bonus, and the Multi-kill Bonus. Each adds a meaningful payout multiplier, and stacking all three on a single contract can effectively double your earnings.
Spinal Shot bonus triggers when you deliver a clean kill with a single bullet that passes through the dinosaur's spine. The shot must originate from a non-sniper rifle is a common misconception — any caliber can trigger the Spinal Shot bonus as long as the bullet passes through the spine cleanly. The most reliable way to hit the spine is to aim just behind the front shoulders when the dinosaur is broadside to you.
Long-range Bonus triggers when you kill a dinosaur from more than 200 meters away. The bonus scales with distance, so a kill at 350 meters earns a higher multiplier than a kill at 220 meters. The downside is that effective range matters here — a kill at 350 meters with a rifle whose effective range is 250 meters will likely deal reduced damage and may not trigger the Spinal Shot bonus even if the bullet does pass through the spine.
Multi-kill Bonus triggers when you kill more than one dinosaur with the same shot, which is most common with shotguns at close range or with high-penetration rounds against packs of Velociraptors. The Multi-kill Bonus does not apply to contract kills — it applies to incidental dinosaurs you take down during the contract. So if you accept a Velociraptor contract and you happen to bag two extra raptors while stalking the target, the bonus applies to those incidental kills.
Bonus Multipliers
| Bonus | Trigger | Multiplier | Best Caliber |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal Shot | Single bullet through spine | +25% | .308 Bolt-Action, .700 NE |
| Long-range | Kill beyond 200 m | +10% to +40% | .700 NE, .308 Bolt-Action |
| Multi-kill | Two+ dinosaurs with one shot | +50% per extra dinosaur | 12 Gauge, AR-5.56 |
| Perfect Skin | Sample has no blemishes | +20% | Any clean caliber |
| Stealth Kill | Kill without being detected | +15% | Any quiet caliber |
Trophy Samples and Skin Quality
After a dinosaur dies, you have approximately 90 in-game seconds to extract a Trophy Sample before the sample timer starts to degrade. The Trophy Sample is what you turn in at the Outfitter, and its quality directly affects your payout. The four quality tiers are Perfect, Clean, Blemished, and Damaged.
Perfect samples come from kills where the bullet entered and exited through high-damage zones without touching bone or vital organs in a way that would damage the hide. Perfect samples are rare and require either a Spinal Shot or a precise neck shot from a hunting rifle.
Clean samples come from kills where the bullet entered and exited cleanly but may have grazed a non-vital area. Clean samples are the most common quality tier for experienced hunters and are sufficient for most contracts.
Blemished samples come from kills where the bullet damaged a non-vital but visible area, like a leg or the tail. Blemished samples still pay out but the bonus eligibility is reduced.
Damaged samples come from kills where multiple shots were needed, where the wrong caliber was used, or where the sample timer expired before delivery. Damaged samples pay the minimum and are usually not worth the trip.
Trophy Sample Quality Effects
| Quality | Base Payout | Bonus Eligibility | Most Common Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect | 2.0x | All | Spinal Shot or clean neck shot |
| Clean | 1.5x | Most | Standard recommended-caliber kill |
| Blemished | 1.0x | Few | Wrong caliber or grazing hit |
| Damaged | 0.5x | None | Multiple shots or expired timer |
Choosing Contracts Strategically
Not all contracts are equally profitable. The Outfitter's board posts contracts at different tiers, with different target dinosaurs, and with different bonus objectives. New hunters should pick contracts that maximize both the base payout and the bonus eligibility.
For your first 10 contracts, focus on Tier 1 and Tier 2 Velociraptor and small herbivore contracts. These have low recommended calibers, short expected time, and forgiving damage zones. Once you have a stockpile of money and a comfortable rifle, move up to Tier 3 mid-game dinosaurs. Tier 4 and Tier 5 contracts should be saved for co-op sessions where you can split the work and share the rewards.
If you want to maximize your earnings early, the best strategy is to stack contracts. Accept two low-tier contracts for the same biome, hunt both targets in the same expedition, and turn in both samples at the Outfitter when you return. The Outfitter pays full price for both contracts, and you save travel time by doing them back-to-back.
For a deeper breakdown of which rifles to bring on each contract tier, see our Dino Hunters weapons tier list. For specific advice on hunting the dinosaurs that appear in Tier 4 and Tier 5 contracts, see our Dino Hunters dinosaur guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to earn money in early contracts?
Stack two Tier 1 contracts in the same biome, hunt both targets in a single expedition, and turn in both Trophy Samples at the Outfitter. The travel time saved by combining trips more than doubles your effective hourly earnings.
Can I retry a failed contract?
Yes. Failed contracts return to the board after 24 in-game hours. The retry contract has the same base payout but no bonus eligibility, so it is generally worth waiting for a fresh contract instead.
What happens to my bonuses if I down before delivering?
If you are revived, all bonuses are preserved. If you bleed out, the contract fails and all bonuses are lost. Always carry a Self-Revive Token for solo play.
Does the Outfitter pay more for Perfect samples than for Clean samples?
Yes. Perfect samples pay a 2.0x base multiplier, while Clean samples pay 1.5x. The difference is significant on Tier 3 and above, where the base payout is already in the thousands of dollars. Practicing precision shots on Tier 1 contracts is the best way to train for the higher payouts.