Welcome!

BEFORE we start, I would like to point out this guide is NOT FINISHED. I have been working on it for a long time now, and I’ve gotten it into good enough shape to release. I am still working on this, and will be adding more! TIA

If under a picture or section it says Wanted, it is a reminder for me to add a picture

Thanks for checking out my guide! I will tell you all I know about Shelter 2, and tips on how to keep your cubs alive! Now, let’s start off with the basics.

The Basics

Controls:

Move: WASD OR Arrow keys
Run: Shift
Jump: Shift + space
Scent: Right Mouse Button
Shake Tree/Pick up: Left Mouse Button
Stalk (Survival mode only): Left Control
First Person View: Hold mouse scroll while standing still
Collectables Menu: C
Memory (Map): M
Drink: Left Mouse Button

Lynx Stalking a Rabbit

The Beginning

Here you start off as a pregnant mother lynx, who is currently being chased by wolves, here the game tells you how to run and jump. After running from the wolves for a while, the game tells you to jump onto a plateau, you should try to remember this. When you make it to the next area, the stars lead you to your den, soon after, you will have cubs. Each game of shelter 2 lasts for about a year and a half in game. Real life time, it takes about an hour and a half.

Lynx Laying with Cubs

Stamina

Stamina is a crucial part of Shelter 2. Without stamina, you can’t do most things, like run and jump. When you first start out, your stamina is all the way full, which is marked by the full circle in the bottom left of the screen. After a while, stamina slowly decreases, but faster when you run and jump. Stamina comes back slowly, faster when you are standing still. You can have it come back faster by eating. In Normal Mode, stamina comes back on its own, but stops about half way. You need to eat to get back a full circle. In Survival Mode, stamina only comes back a little over a quarter of the circle, and like in Normal, you need to eat to get the full circle back. You can also regenerate stamina back by drinking, and it will refill cub hunger a little.

Lynx with full stamina circle

Lynx and cubs drinking water

Collectables

These are different sets of items scattered around the different areas. They shine and have a gold tint to them. To pick them up, just simply walk up to them. Some prey and predators drop a skull when killed. The Mountains DLC adds a whole new set of collectables that are available in the Mountains. The base game collectables are rabbit skulls, deer skulls, phesant skulls, rocks, leaves, flowers, mushromms, feathers, branches, and rare collectables (redleaf). The Mountains collectables are fox skulls, eagle skulls, flowers, branches, mushrooms, leaves, rocks, and rare collectables. You can collect as many skulls as you want, but the others have just so many that are in the maps. The number under the symbol of the collectable would be like 7/15, this mean that you have 7 out of the 15 available collectables of that type. There are also another set of numbers below that, like (4/7) branches, so say you are in the Tundra, this means you have 4 of the available 7 branches in that area. All collectables are in the same place everytime you go into the game. There is not point to collecting them except for fun and some achievements.

Base game collectables ignore my skull count-

Mountains DLC collectables

Prey

Rabbits

Rabbits are the most common prey item. They will be alone, or in groups. They are white, brown, and a color that is both white and brown. Rabbits are faster than your lynx, so it can take a while to catch them if you are chasing them. Rabbits tend to drain stamina fast, so it is better to find a different group than to keep chasing one you have been chasing for a while. Rabbits also tend to run into your mouth, and it is easy to corner them. It is also easy to kill multiple at the same time, after killing one dropping it and grabbing one while you are still running.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra, Mountains
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All when still in the den, 2 otherwise
Can grown cubs catch it? Yes
Colors – White, brown, white and brown

Brown Rabbit

White Rabbit

Brown and White Rabbit

Rabbit skull

Voles

Voles have burrows that they run in and out off. They commonly run right into your mouth, giving you a free meal. I commonly have my lynx eat these instead of giving them to the cubs for stamina reasons. These aren’t the best source of food, and I recommend rabbits instead.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra (?), Mountains
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? All when still in the den, otherwise 1
Can grown cubs catch it? Yes
Colors – Brown

Vole

Vole burrow

Pheasants

Pheasants are pretty fast, and they can fly. This means you need to be fast when trying to catch them. You can catch them out of the air by jumping on them while they are mid-flight. I commonly catch them when I get them cornered between rocks. The skull it drops is the same as the grouse.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? I’m guessing all when still in den, otherwise 3
Can grown cubs catch it? No (?)
Colors – Gray and white

Pheasant
Wanted: Skull

Grouse

Added in the Mountains DLC. Pretty much the same as pheasants. The only difference is the coloring and the sound it makes. The skull it drops is the same as the pheasant.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? I’m guessing all when still in den, otherwise 3
Can grown cubs catch it? No (?)
Colors – Black

Grouse
Wanted: skull

Frogs

Not sure if this was intentional or not, but frogs and frog carcasses don’t show up in scent view. Frogs are in swamps and near water, and are easy to catch.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? I’m guessing all when still in den, otherwise 1
Can grown cubs catch it? Yes
Colors – Green
Wanted: Lynx holding frog

Deer

Deer, in my opinion, is the best type of prey. They aren’t too hard to catch, and feed everyone. They usually come in herds, and they often run into you, making double kills easy. You kill them by jumping on them when close enough. All deer drop the same skull. There are three main types of deer:

Normal Deer
These are the most common and easy to catch deer. They always come in herds, and it is easy to get a double kill. The antlers have many different sizes, and some have none at all!
Areas – Den Area, Tundra, Mountains
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All, including you
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – Brown

Normal Deer in the Mountains

Normal Deer Carcass

Musk Deer
Also known as Water Deer, these deer are more uncommon than the normal deer. They are brown, with a darker stripe down their back. A more noticeable feature of these deer is their fangs. They are faster than normal deer, and this drains stamina fast.
Areas – Lake Area
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All, including you
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – Brown

Musk Deer in the Lake Area

Musk Deer Carcass

Chamois
These deer are rare, and are found alone or in very small herds. They are found in the Tundra. These actually are not deer at all, but a type of goat. They are better known as Badger Deer from their resemblance to a badger. I have heard that they are faster than other deer, but when I chase them, they seem as fast as a normal deer.
Areas – Tundra
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All, including you
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – White and black
Wanted: Alive chamois

Chamois Carcass

Owl Nests

These are nests filled with eggs, found in trees or on the ground. They are common in spring and summer, uncommon in autumn, and none in winter. There can be one in the eagle den in the Lake Area map, which is an eagle’s instead of an owl’s, but this makes no difference. They are very abundant in swamps.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra, Mountains
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? All, in small portions
Can grown cubs catch it? N/A
Colors – Brown nests, white eggs

Owl in Tree with Nest

Lynx shaking Nest out of Tree

Nest on Ground

Predators

Wolves

Wolves live in the Tundra in a pack, they spawn after you go so far in the Tundra. After they spawn, they won’t come again unless you quit the game and reload, or leave the area and come back. When the wolves come, the prey starts running away and the sky turns dark, drums also start. Soon after, you hear wolves howling. You need to jump on a plateau to escape them, if you are on Normal Mode or the cubs are grown, they jump up by themselves. However, on Survival Mode, when cubs are still small, they need to be manually carried up. If wolves catch you, you will be knocked out, and a cub will be taken. They also might just go for a cub, in which you hear the cub scream. Because of how hard it is to get cubs on plateaus (the glitchiness and whatnot of trying to get on the plateau) in Survival Mode, I recommend that if you are playing on this mode, to always carry a rabbit with you. This way, if the wolves attack, you can just drop the rabbit and they will take that instead! (This also works on Normal Mode) The Alpha of the pack is a pure white wolf, and the others are brown and white. Your lynx is faster than them, but if you try and outrun them, they will catch you eventually because of stamina reasons.
Areas – Tundra
Killable? No
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? N/A
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – White, brown and white
Wanted: White wolf and other

Wolves eating a rabbit

Lynx on plateau hissing at wolves

Mountains DLC

Foxes

Foxes are very fast, and are hard to chase down. They stalk you until they see a chance to come in and grab a cub. When they have a cub, they start to run off, but because of the extra weight, they are slowed down, and you can catch them easier. You can tell if a fox is around by hearing bushes and twigs cracking. If you catch a rabbit or vole, and leave it out in the fox’s path (and your greedy cubs don’t eat it), the fox will be distracted and start to eat it, giving you an opportunity to kill it. You kill them by running into them. If your lynx meows when a fox is around, you will hiss instead. Also, if you chase them off a few times, they will eventually give up. Foxes stop showing up when your cubs grow up. The Tundra fox can be harder to catch in the winter, because they blend in so well with the snow.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra, Mountains
Killable? Yes
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – Red, white (Tundra)
Wanted: Alive red fox and dead fox

A white fox in the Tundra in winter

White fox carcass

Brown Bear

Bears.. so yeah, they terrify me. When you enter from the Den Area, if you go down the slope into the forest, there is a bear that lives there. Try to stay away from them, they leave you alone if you leave them alone. When bears are around, your lynx will hiss. When a bear is upset at you, it will get on its back legs and roar, then the screen will start shaking and intense music plays. A tip for when bears are running after you: bears can only run in straight lines, try to turn a lot, he will give up eventually. If he does catch you, you will be knocked out, and a matter of time will pass before you awake. When you wake up, a cub might be on the ground starving, or even gone. Another way to escape them is to jump on a plateau, but unlike wolves, this does not make them disappear, and they only just walk away. If you hunt a rabbit or pheasant/grouse (?) when a bear is around, the bear will be attracted to it, and will come and eat it if you do not, as cubs will be too scared to eat it. Also, if a bear is chasing you, and you kill a rabbit, if you drop it, he will take the rabbit instead of chasing you.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains
Killable? No
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? N/A
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – Brown

A Bear getting ready to chase the Lynx

Polar Bear

These are even more scarier than the brown bear. Not only are they bigger than the brown bear, they are also faster. They tend to be at the entrance to the Tundra from the Den Area, and to the entrance to the Lake Area in the Tundra. Luckily, there are many plateaus around for you to jump on, and the chasing is the same as the brown bear. Polar Bears also are not that common in the Tundra.
Areas – Tundra
Killable? No
Skull? No
How many cubs does it feed? N/A
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – White
Wanted: Polar Bear with no scent view

A Polar Bear at the entrance to the Lake Area in Scent View

Eagles

You can tell one is coming by hearing a screech and the music changes, your lynx will also start hissing. The eagle will come down and grab a cub, much like the fox, the eagle is weighted down, and in this moment, you can jump on it and kill it. I have heard that if you stand still, the eagle might not attack, however, I was running around crazy, and the eagle never did try and grab a cub, and this happened to me twice in a row, and this has never happened to me before! Also, like the fox, they stop showing up when cubs grow up.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra, Mountains
Killable? Yes
Skull? Yes
How many cubs does it feed? All
Can grown cubs catch it? No
Colors – White

Eagle taking a cub
Wanted: Dead eagle, skull

Natural Disasters

The Lonesome Fog

So there has been debate on what this occurrence is, some say it is night encroaching in, other say a mudslide, but after the release of the story book “The Lonesome Fog”, it became clear what this is. A big, dark, heavy fog comes down from the sides of the map. Sometimes cubs get scared and you have to pick them up. The sky starts to go dark, and prey disappears and stops spawning. If the fog manages to catch you, do NOT PANIC! Stand completely still and make sure all cubs are in sight, if not, some creature from the fog will get them. The biggest threat when this happens is hunger, since this lasts minutes at a time and no prey spawns, they can be especially dangerous on Survival Mode.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains (?)
Can kill cubs? Yes
Random occurrence? As far as I know
Can happen without cubs? No

Lonesome Fog in the Lake Area
Wanted: Inside fog

Thunderstorms

These are just as it sounds, just a usual thunderstorm. During this, cubs can get scared, and you will have to pick them up. I have heard rumors of lightning being able to hit a cub, but I don’t know if this is true or not. Thunderstorms are rare in summer and spring.
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Tundra, Mountains
Can kill cubs? ?
Random occurrence? In summer and spring yes, always happens in autumn
Can happen without cubs? Yes

The Typical Autumn Thunderstorm with Lightning

Mountains DLC

Fires

Fires are the worst of all natural disasters. Not only are they very sudden, they spread like I don’t know what! The fires happen in forests. You can escape them by jumping on a plateau, going to the nearest water source, or going into an open area. The fire will stops when a cub dies from it, or if you survive, rain will put it out a few minutes later. You can tell one is about to start when the sky starts turning a smokey color, soon after, lightning strikes and starts the fire. Now in autumn is when they are most common, yet I spend the whole autumn in the birch forest trying to get a fire to happen to no avail. Yet, I run in it for maybe 5 seconds to get the rabbit that ran in there and one immediately starts. Like the other disasters, cubs can get scared and you will have to pick them up. If you get caught by the fire, you will get knocked out and wake up a while later, but you will be missing a cub. Fire also shows up in scent view.
During experimenting when fire happens, I was in the spruce forest at the bottom of the map that a small green area with some fallen trees. The sky darkened, and a fire started… in the SPRUCE forest! Note I was on my Nintendo Switch, however I don’t think this is a Switch exclusive feature, I will run further tests to confirm this. Also, this happened in late spring, and I did take pictures. However, because they were on my Switch, the quality is not too good. This makes me think that fire can happened in almost any forest, I will be experimenting with this and will add what happens.

The fire just starting in the Spruce Forest

The fire spreading

Fire in distance

Fire getting put out

Place on map where fire happened
Areas – Den Area, Lake Area, Mountains
Can kill cubs? Yes
Random occurrence? Yes, uncommon in summer and spring, common in autumn
Can happen without cubs? Yes

Forest Fire from a distance in early summer

Fire just starting and spreading

Fire getting put out by the rain

Seasons

Each season has its own pros and cons. Prey, land, colors, and much more change during seasons. Each season has two parts to it, which I call early and late. Seasons last for about 15 minutes.

Spring

Spring is the first full season you experience. In early spring, the land is just now starting to grow back from the harsh winter. The flowers and bushes are coming back. Prey is common in spring. Fires are uncommon in birch woods. In late spring, grasshoppers are seen hopping through the grass, butterflies are starting to show up, too. The land is even greener than before.

Lynx in spring

Summer

Summer is when prey is most common. In early summer, the land is at its greenest state. The flowers and bushes are now a more vibrant color, trees as well! Grasshoppers are more frequent, as well as butterflies. In late summer, the green color starts to die down some, as well as the insects. Prey remains the same, however. Fires are uncommon in summer in birch forests.

Lynx with grown cubs in summer.

Autumn

In autumn the prey dies down a little bit. In early autumn, the plants start to die, and everything turns orange and brown. You can also see leaves blowing in the breeze. In late autumn, the leaves blowing in the wind start to calm down. Fires are common in birch forests, and a thunderstorm always takes place in autumn, rain is also common.

Lynx in birch forest in autumn while it is raining

Winter

Prey dies down a little more, but not too much. In early winter, snow covers the ground, and it is vigorously blowing in the breeze. The snow on the ground sparkles a lot. In late winter, the snow calms down.

Lynx in winter with cubs

Cubs

Areas

The Main Area/Den/Tree

Here is where you start out with the cubs in the den. This area has multiple forests, and is filled with prey. Each forest has its own kind of prey, and some are more ideal than others. This area has prey in it all seasons, and is the best place to raise cubs. This area is marked on the map and scent view by a big tree.

Big Tree symbol in Scent View

Big Tree Map

Normal Mode

Spring – Prey is very common
Summer – Prey is very common
Autumn – Prey is common
Winter – Prey is common

Survival Mode

Spring – Prey is common in all areas
Summer – Prey is common in all areas
Autumn – Prey is common in all areas
Winter – Prey is uncommon in all areas

Prey
Rabbits – Common in some forests, very common in plains
Voles – Common in all areas (none in winter)
Pheasants – Common in forests
Frogs – Uncommon in the swamp
Owl Nests – Common (all except autumn (uncommon) and winter (none))
Mountains DLC
Grouse – Common in forests

Predators
Mountains DLC
Foxes – Common in plains, uncommon in forests
Bears – Very rare in forests (next to mountains entrance).
Eagles – Common in plains, rare in forests

Natural Disasters
The Lonesome Fog – Uncommon in all forests and plains
Thunderstorms – Rare in summer and spring, always one in autumn
Mountains DLC
Fires – Happens in many forests, uncommon in spring and summer, common in autumn

The Lake Area/Three Trees

This area has a big lake in the center of it, with a few islands in it you can walk to in winter when the water freezes over. Like the Den Area, this place has multiple forests in it, and some are more ideal than others. There are deer in this area, but they are uncommon. This area is marked on the map and scent view by three trees.

Lake Area Symbol in Scent View

Lake Area Map

Normal Mode

Spring – Prey is very common
Summer – Prey is very common
Autumn – Prey is common
Winter – Prey is common

Survival Mode

Spring – Prey is common
Summer – Prey is common
Autumn – Prey is uncommon
Winter – Prey is uncommon

Prey
Rabbits – Common in plains and forests
Voles – Very common in plains and forests (except in winter)
Pheasants – Common in forests
Frogs – Uncommon in swamps and near water
Owl Nests – Common (all except autumn (uncommon) and winter (none))
Deer
Musk Deer – Uncommon in all places
Mountains DLC
Grouse – Common in forests

Predators
Mountains DLC
Foxes – Common in plains, uncommon in forests
Bears – So haven’t had a lot of experience with bears in the lake area, so not too sure where all they spawn. I’m guessing one of the areas they spawn is the forest to the right of the entrance to the area from the Tree, just because there are plateaus there. I know they spawn in the top right corner of the map in that forest., as seen in this picture I took.

Bear in the Lake Area
Eagles – Common in plains, rare in forests

Natural Disasters
The Lonesome Fog – Uncommon in all forests and plains
Thunderstorms – Rare in summer and spring, always one in autumn
Mountains DLC
Fires – Can happen in multiple forests, uncommon in spring and summer, common in autumn

Tundra

In this area, it is a valley that is surrounded by mountains, with an ocean at the edge of the area. There are two types of deer here, one is common and the other is rare. To the left when you enter from the Den Area, there is a tiger den, where you can find a skull in, which is a collectable. There is also a mammoth carcass in a glacier, which is shown by a mammoth symbol on the map. This area is marked on the map and scent view by a snowflake.

Tundra Symbol on Map

Tundra Map

Normal Mode

Spring – Prey is common
Summer – Prey is common
Autumn – Prey is common
Winter – Prey is common

Survival Mode

Spring – Prey is common
Summer – Prey is common
Autumn – Prey is common
Winter – Prey is common

Prey
Rabbits – Common
Voles – Uncommon (?), except winter
Owl Nests – Common (all except autumn (uncommon) and winter (none))
Deer
Normal Deer – Common
Chamois – Rare

Predators
Wolves – Spawn at certain distance into Tundra
Mountains DLC
Foxes – Uncommon
Polar Bears – Uncommon, spawns at entrance the Tundra from the Tree, and entrance to the Lake Area from Tundra

Polar Bear at entrance to Lake Area in Scent View
Eagles – Uncommon

Natural Disasters
Thunderstorms – Rare in summer and spring, always one in autumn

Mountains (DLC)

This area is very hilly, hence its name. There are a few different forests in this area, each with their own prey. Bears are common in this area, so are deer. There is a river that runs through the middle of the map, splitting the map in two sections. You can cross the river into the opposite section in winter when the river freezes.

The Mountain River with Deer in the Distance
You can also enter both of these sections from other areas, the right side from the Den Area, and the left side from the Tundra. In survival mode, if you enter this area in autumn, there is a glitch where prey won’t spawn, with the exception of deer, which only despawn if you leave the area or quit the game, yet because of the glitch, no new deer will spawn, this means only deer spawned before autumn started still exist. This area is marked on the map and scent view by mountains.

Mountains Symbol in Scent View

Mountain Map

Normal Mode

Spring – Prey is common
Summer – Prey is common
Autumn – Prey is common
Winter – Prey is common

Survival Mode

Spring – Prey is common
Summer – Prey is common
Autumn – There is NO PREY (with the exception of deer, only ones spawned before autumn)
Winter – Prey is uncommon

Prey
Rabbits – Common
Voles – Very common
Pheasants – Common in forests
Frogs – Rare near water
Owl Nests – Common (all except autumn (uncommon) and winter (none))
Grouse – Common in forests
Deer
Normal Deer – Uncommon

Predators
Foxes – Common in plains, uncommon in forests
Bears – Uncommon in *most* places (don’t know exact spawns for them)
Eagles – Common in plains, rare in forests

Natural Disasters
Fires – Uncommon in spring and summer, common in autumn, In the forest in the bottom left corner of the map
Thunderstorms – Rare in summer and spring, always one in autumn
The Lonesome Fog – Not sure if it happens here, I have heard it does but it is rare, if anyone could tell me if that is true I would appreciate it!
Strange Darkness – So I have seen discussions on this darkness that is much like the fog, yet the fog never shows up. I have heard that it is rare, and it might be a glitch. I will add pictures if I find it.

Fun Facts and Bugs

• You can actually go into a first person view! Hold down the mouse scroll button while standing still!

First person picture

• Has this weirdness happened to you? When I kill a deer and its herd is heading back my way, sometimes they all disappear except the antlers and sound effects? This creeps me out a lot.

See? It’s just the antlers!

• Did you know there are catnip fields in the Lake Area? If you enter from the Den Area, go right, and before the forest you should see some purple flowers, these are the catnip flowers! If you smell while you are close to them, your vision gets all crazy!

Catnip field

Crazy catnip vision

• Immediately after the wolves stop barking at you on a plateau, you can jump down next to them and run into them and next to them. Same goes for if you leave a rabbit, except you can probably run into them while they are eating the rabbit, but I’m not too sure about that!

Lynx running with wolf

• Did you know that the game Paws is Inna, the first lynx you play as, back story?

• It seems that when lynx cubs are grown, that they can catch any kind of prey anywhere. Heck, I’ve seen them catch frogs in the Tundra!

• Also about grown cubs, sometimes when they catch prey, it will clip into the ground and is unretrievable. I have had cubs glitch into the ground with the prey because they were still holding it! Don’t worry, it didn’t die luckily…

• Cub coat colors tend to change slightly through each generation. I am on my 13th generation, and my orange cub has gotten a lot brighter.

• In the Mountains map, these dens are common throughout the land. Maybe it is the bear’s den?

Den

• Did you know that Shelter 2 is on the Nintendo Switch? It is called Shelter: Generations, it comes with Shelter 2, Paws, both soundtracks, and The Lonesome Fog and Fables from the Den storybooks!

• In winter in the Mountains, it turns night and you can see the Aurora Borealis!

Wanted: Picture of night in Mountains

• Though the fox, when killed, drops a skull, there is a rare collectable of a fox skull that is different than this!

Your Lynx

Normal Mode

Survival Mode

This is all about Shelter 2 – Useful Information for Normal and Survival Mode Guide for Beginners; I hope you enjoy reading the Guide! If you feel like we should add more information or we forget/mistake, please let us know via commenting below, and thanks! See you soon!