Highlights

• Hunter class in WoW has perks like easy leveling and endgame damage dealing, but the best incentive is the collectible Hunter pets.
• Rare Hunter pets in WoW require a detailed approach to find and tame, often spawning under specific conditions or in certain areas.
• Add-ons like The Hunter's Menagerie and Hunter Pets can help players track and organize their collection of rare Hunter pets in WoW.

Being a Hunter in World of Warcraft gives the player several perks that other classes don't have. It's one of the easiest leveling experiences and one of the best damage dealers for endgame content. The best incentive, however, is another collectible in the form of Hunter pets. Each race has its own special hunter pet, such as boars for Orcs or hounds for Worgen, but that's just the start of the fun and unique pets that are available.

Part of the MMO experience is showing off rare collectibles to other players, and there are a ton of rare Hunter pets. Many of the rarest hunter pets in WoW require a detailed approach to find, let alone tame them. They often only spawn under certain conditions or in specific areas, and there are always other Hunters on the trail. It's important to keep notes handy for each pet players want to tame, just in case it has a specific taming method associated with it, and of course, there's an add-on for that.

Updated on January 11, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: The Hunter class remains one of the best options for both new and returning gamers, with a lot of versatility and customization options compared to other classes, thanks to the variety of Hunter pets. The latest expansions have several new types and species, including dragonkin, which is fitting given the Dragonflight storyline, and more are being added in the upcoming patch. Tracking down rare Hunter pets to tame can take an incredible amount of time, and knowing the exact locations of some of these mobs is essential. The use of various add-ons can help if the player doesn't want to constantly wait in a certain spot for hours.

Before Starting The Hunt, Consider These Add-ons

As with hunting for any kind of unique item in World of Warcraft, taming WoW rare Hunter pets can be a tedious, lengthy task. Many dedicated collectors will spend weeks, months, and even years for the chance to pick up some of the rarest. The add-on scene in World of Warcraft is immense, and there are several helpful mods to aid in the task of expanding the player's collection of rare hunter pets.

• The Hunter's Menagerie: This add-on is an all-in-one tool for tracking, cataloging, and taming hunter pets throughout Azeroth. It is a must-have for the serious collector.
• Hunter Pets: A handy in-game browser that can be used as a searchable catalog for all the tamable pets in the game. It also includes a function to organize stable pets.
• RareScanner: Scans the local area for rare mobs, treasures, and NPCs. Can be very useful for finding the pathing of tamable mobs.
• RareAlert: Similar to RareScanner, this add-on covers Dragonflight and Shadowlands in retail and Northrend in Classic.
• Hunter Traps Bar: Sometimes using a trap is handy for taming a beast that has stealth or dash abilities, and this is a helpful add-on for the class generally.

18 Bushtail

Ridgepoint Tower, Elwynn Forest

• Expansion: Mists of Pandaria
• Zone: Elwynn Forest
• Taming: Any Hunter can tame this Rare spawn, provided they can find it.

Some gamers have mistaken Bushtail for one of the rare pets from the Classic version of World of Warcraft because it's found in Elwynn Forest, an iconic zone from the earliest days of the world's most popular MMORPG. However, it's only been in the game since the Mists of Pandaria expansion, and it's been upgraded since it was first introduced. Players can find it wandering near Ridgepoint Tower in the heart of Elwynn Forest.

Bushtail was initially a level 9 Hunter pet, but since the Battle for Azeroth expansion and patches, it now scales up to level 62. It has the special ability of Agile Focus, which allows them to dodge the next attack.

17 Sabertrons

An Island Off The West Coast Of Stormsong Valley

• Expansion: Battle for Azeroth
• Zone: Stormsong Valley
• Taming: Learn Mechanical taming, which includes a one-on-one fight.

Sabertrons were notoriously difficult to tame in Battle for Azeroth because they were tied to a popular world quest. Now that fewer people are spending time in the Battle for Azeroth expansion, it's easier to acquire one of these rare Hunter pets, but it still has a few steps.

The Sabertron must not be damaged by anybody else during the fight, and the Hunter must have learned how to tame pets in the mechanical family. These are a relatively rare spawn and are only available in red, though other colors were available during the expansion's run.

16 The Ghost Saber

The Ruins In Northern Darkshore

• Expansion: Classic
• Zone: Darkshore
• Taming: At level 20, this is a lower-level beast ideal for grinding.

This is a rare Hunter pet, not necessarily because it's hard to find, although it is in a unique location, but only because most players don't know about it or how to find it. The ruins in northern Darkshore are where players can find this cat pet, which resembles a white leopard and has translucent skin. It has the same stats and abilities as other level-20 cats but can only attack once.

Unlike other animals that require tracking, the Ghost Saber doesn't pat around randomly. The area where it dwells, the northern part of Darkshore, is decorated with a few small cat figurines. Players can touch one for a chance to summon the Ghost Saber, and it will likely take a few tries. Other players will be after this spawn for the Glowing Cat Figurine he drops, a trinket that summons a temporary Ghost Saber pet for anyone.

15 Elegon, The Spirit Dragon

Found In The Mogu'Shan Vaults Raid

• Expansion: Shadowlands, but in Mists of Pandaria content
• Zone: Mogu'Shan Vaults Raid
• Taming: Learn Spirit Beast taming (available to Beast Mastery spec only).

Elegon is a rare Hunter pet available for taming in Shadowlands. To tame this beast, the Hunter must travel back to Pandaria and face this boss in the Mogu'Shan Vaults raid. It's very solo-able but still takes a good bit of time to complete.

For the first time, Hunters in Shadowlands can tame Cloud Serpents, but Elegon, surprisingly, does not count as one of these. It's under the Spirit Beast designation instead and is, therefore, only tamable by Beast Mastery Hunters. The look alone classifies it as one of the coolest hunter pets in WoW.

14 The Duskcloak Panthera

Look In Krokuun Or At The Seat of the Triumvirate

• Expansion: Legion
• Zone: Argus
• Taming: Use Fresh Talbuk Meat on a non-aggressive Panthera.

The Duskcloak Panthera is the first beast listed here that requires specific steps to tame. While traveling Argus, hunters may get an exclusive rare drop called Fresh Talbuk Meat. The Hunter must gather a few of these, be patient as they have about a 1% drop rate, and then find this Panthera either at the Seat of the Triumvirate or in Krokuun.

The player must make sure they have no followers and that no other players are nearby to interfere with the taming process. They must avoid getting aggro, use the Fresh Talbuk Meat on the Panthera, and then attempt the tame. It will fail if the player has aggro or doesn't aim the Fresh Talbuk Meat correctly.

13 Skarr and Karkin

South Of Fireplume Peak

• Expansion: Cataclysm
• Zone: Molten Front, Fireplume Peak
• Taming: Interrupt spells, wait 12 hours for the next spawn.

Skarr is a rare panther, and Karkin is a crab, and both of them spawn in the Molten Front. They appear in the same locations but at different times, about 12 hours in between spawns on average. The Hunter must go to the top of Fireplume Peak, a trial in and of itself, and then find the spawn points on the bottom right of the Fireplume Peak area.

The taming process is pretty simple. They will cast spells that interrupt the tame, so players should be sure to disengage and silence the rare before continuing. As long as it's completed, players will have their very own red-eyed chromium beast.

12 Purple Orange Dream Darter

Patrols Throughout The Viridescent Thicket

• Expansion: Dragonflight
• Zone: Viridescent Thicket, The Emerald Dream
• Taming: Requires the book "How to Train a Dragonkin."

Lesser Dragonkin have existed in the game since Classic, but not very many of them were tamable. The rare spawns that lived in an obscure corner of Wailing Caverns were some of the first ones players ever saw, and the new Purple Orange Dream Darter looks very much the same but with more vibrant color and skin.

The Purple Orange Dream Darter spawns somewhere in the Viridescent Thicket. To tame beasts that are Dragonkin, a Hunter must have obtained the book "How To Train a Dragonkin," which is available from Kaestrasz after the character has obtained a renown of 23 with the Valdrakken Accord.

11 Oondasta

The Central Part Of The Isle Of Giants

• Expansion: Mists Of Pandaria
• Zone: Isle of Giants
• Taming: Must be a Beast Mastery Hunter of level 10 or higher.

Oondasta wears a lot of hats in World of Warcraft, and being a Hunter pet is only one of them, with impressive abilities like Crush and Piercing Roar. He's also a mount, a world boss, and there's a smaller version of him that any class can have.

The high demand for a badass giant dinosaur, either as a mount or a pet, has made Oondasta harder to get due to the competition. His respawn time has been reduced since he first appeared on the Isle of Giants, so players have a better chance, but they should fire up those add-ons and be prepared to wait or join a group just in case.

10 Mazzranache

The Plains Of Mulgore Near Thunder Bluff

• Expansion: Classic
• Zone: Mulgore, Kalimdor
• Taming: A low-level pet, it only requires regular beast-taming.

One of the first rare Hunter pet spawns that ever appeared in the game, Mazzranache, made the whole concept of seeking and taming rare spawns a thing. A tallstrider that's also the subject of a quest and sought-after for a twink leather chest piece, it can be difficult to find in these vast plains. Mulgore is a big place, especially at the point before most players have mounts or movement buffs.

What gives this beast away is the same reason Hunters spend days looking for him. It's impossible to miss that beautiful, bright pink plumage. It looks more like a giant flamingo than a tallstrider, and since this type of beast is great for leveling anyway, it's even better with a giant pink Mazzranache.

9 Lightning Paw

Anywhere In Duskwood

• Expansion: Legion, but in Vanilla content
• Zone: Duskwood
• Taming: Track Hidden and comb the zone (only tamable by Beast Mastery spec).

Lightning Paw is one of the hardest rare Hunter pets to find in WoW, not because of a weird location, but because it is stealthed at all times. This blue ethereal fox has a chance to spawn all across Duskwood but especially in bushes with eyes. These are visible from far away and can be checked quickly with a flying mount.

This rare is considered a Spirit Beast and is only available to Beast Mastery Hunters. It's an easy tame, but the player has to find it first, so they should be sure to keep Track Hidden on for extra stealth detection.

8 Loque'Nahak

Spawns Anywhere In Sholazar Basin

• Expansion: Wrath of the Lich King
• Zone: Sholazar Basin
• Taming: Camp is one of the many spawn locations in the zone (only tamable by Beast Mastery spec).

Loque'Nahak is an infamous tamable beast from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. It is on a very long respawn timer, which has given it the nickname "Tester of Patience" and made it a hotly contested beast to tame. It can spawn virtually anywhere in Sholazar Basin. However, the taming skill requires no specific steps aside from finding the rare beast.

This beast, like many others, is considered a Spirit Beast and must be tamed by a Beast Mastery Hunter. It's important to note that many players have camped the creature's spawn locations for months to no avail, so it might take a while to add Loque'Nahak to the pet collection.

7 Gara

West Of The Temple Of Karabor

• Expansion: Warlords of Draenor
• Zone: Shadowmoon Valley
• Taming: Complex questline leads to tamable Gara (only for Beast Mastery specification).

Gara the Spirit Beast is an extremely complicated tame, so much so that many Hunters have never attempted the multi-part quest-chain-like requirements. It involves killing several other elites around the area, confronting the Void Lord Xan, and last but not least, picking berries.

This kind of multitasking is typical to acquire a rare Hunter pet at this level and takes some planning. However, once the prerequisites are met, the tame is incredibly easy for Beast Mastery Hunters, as Gara won't fight back at all.

6 Sarinexx

The Arena Of Gadgetzan

• Expansion: A tameable pet as of the Legion expansion
• Zone: Tanaris (only visible during the "Thunderdome: Sarinexx!" quest)
• Taming: Is classified as an "Exotic" pet. Players should be at least level 65 before attempting.

Sarinexx has appeared in the game before but solely as an adversary and not as a tamable Hunter pet. What makes this insect a rare pet is that it only spawns during a certain quest, which isn't repeatable. Players can get another try if they help a friend with this quest, and another loophole is that it's possible to abandon the quest and try again.

Provided a player can jump through the required hoops, it's one of the coolest Hunter pets in WoW to have because of the distinctive color scheme. It has the same handy skills as other insect pets, like the AoE ability Sand Trap.

5 Groyat, The Blind Hunter

The Boss In Front Of The Barrier

• Expansion: Classic
• Zone: Razorfen Kraul, an instance in the Southern Barrens
• Taming: Nothing special is required; it's only required that players find a way into the dungeon.

It's called Groyat, the Blind Hunter, named for its milky eyes and stark albino skin. It's also one of the few white bats in the game, which is why so many Hunters seek it out. Groyat is one of the bosses in this dungeon, so at least it's possible to count on the respawn. What makes this tough is that if a Hunter tames it instead of killing it, the barrier that it guards, which blocks the rest of the dungeon, stays up.

The Hunter's party won't be able to move forward in this case unless they wait for the boss to respawn or reset the dungeon. Other party members might want the drops, several of which are high-quality blue items. It might be better to wait and solo this dungeon for those looking for the pet specifically.

4 Humar, the Pridelord

The Northern Barrens, Kalimdor

• Expansion: Classic
• Zone: Northern Barrens
• Taming: Regular Taming skill from level 19.

A rare spawn from the earliest days of WoW, Hunters have been searching the Northern Barrens for Humar, the Pridelord, for decades. Originally, he was a level 27 to 30 beast, but now that the retail version of the game has level scaling, higher-level players can also travel to Kalimdor and obtain this rare Classic-era pet.

Humar can be found near the mouth of the river just north of Ratchet, provided that the player has the patience to wait for him to spawn. His special ability is a DoT called Agonizing Pain, which increases the physical damage of the target for the next 10 to 15 seconds.

3 The Iron Juggernaut

Constructed From Parts Found In The Siege of Orgrimmar Raid

• Expansion: Mists of Pandaria
• Zone: Siege of Orgrimmar Raid
• Taming: Find three items throughout the raid and combine them.

The Iron Juggernaut is a mechanical scorpion available in the Siege of Orgrimmar Raid only. It's solo-able nowadays and requires the Hunter to do two things: have the Mecha-Bond Imprint Matrix, which allows the taming of mechanicals, and go around the raid collecting certain items.

The Pile of Juggernaut parts, which come from the Iron Juggernaut, Blackfuse's Power Core from Siegecrafter Blackfuse, and a bucket of paint found on the ground in various places are all that's needed to craft this pet and subsequently tame it. The complexity of its assembly makes it one of the rarest Hunter pets in WoW.

2 Fenryr

Spawns In The Halls of Valor

• Expansion: Legion
• Zone: Halls of Valor dungeon
• Taming: Clear packs near the boss, solo Fenryr, and then tame the "copy" inside his cave.

Fenryr was an iconic enemy in Legion as a reference to the Nordic mythological beast, Fenrir. The player must defeat Hymdall on their own and make it to Fenryr's cave without dying to packs of mobs. Feign Death is an essential ability for this tame to work.

The player must clear small packs of wolves near Fenryr and then solo the boss. The player cannot directly tame the boss; instead, a tameable version of Fenryr will spawn inside of his cave if the correct steps are followed.

1 The Felbound Wolf

In The Temple Of Sha'Naar Or East Of The Fel Forge

• Expansion: Warlords of Draenor
• Zone: Tanaan Jungle
• Taming: Find a Vial of Fel Cleansing by defeating Fel Rangari Anaara and apply it to a Felbound Wolf to make it tamable.

The Felbound Wolf is a rare spawning, green-skinned wolf tamable in the Tanaan Jungle. The player must first find a Vial of Fel Cleansing, which drops off of Fel Rangari Anaara, a rare spawn in Tanaan Jungle.

Once the Hunter has this vial, they must use it on a Felbound Wolf to apply a debuff, at which point, it is tamable. Fel Rangari Anaara is a relatively difficult rare, though, so players should be sure to prepare for this fight ahead of time.