Escape from Duckov has taken the gaming world by storm with over 1 million sales since its October 2025 release. This quirky extraction shooter parody replaces hardcore military operations with adorable yet deadly ducks. If you’re tackling the “A New Hunter” quest and feeling overwhelmed by rampaging scavengers, this comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to secure those valuable rewards and level up your duck adventure.
Head to your Bunker safehouse and locate Jeff, the white duck NPC who serves as your primary quest giver in the early game. When you receive his message about going after rampaging scavengers with cleavers, click “Accept” to officially start the quest. Jeff explains that with a good weapon, you can take down these dangerous enemies who wield cleaver weapons.
This quest is crucial for progression in Escape from Duckov’s early game as it teaches you combat mechanics while rewarding you with crafting materials essential for base upgrades.
From your Bunker, head west and keep to the left side. You’re looking for a break in the fence — this is your entry point to the scavenger territory. The location is relatively close to your starting point, making it an ideal early-game quest that doesn’t require extensive map knowledge.
Pro tip: Before leaving your base, stock up on basic supplies like bandages and cola for quick healing. The vending machine in your bunker sells these essentials for reasonable prices. Check out our guide on survival strategies in extraction shooters for more preparation tips.
Once you spot the red-colored rampaging scavengers, begin firing immediately. These enemies are fast-moving and aggressive but exclusively use melee attacks, giving you a significant advantage with ranged weapons.
Combat Tips:
The key advantage is their melee-focused combat style. As long as you keep them at arm’s length with any gun — pistol, rifle, or shotgun — you’ll dominate the encounter. For more detailed combat mechanics, visit the official Escape from Duckov Steam page.
After defeating the scavengers, approach their bodies and loot them to collect the Cleavers. You need exactly two Cleavers to complete this quest. These melee weapons will appear in the scavengers’ loot drops, so make sure you thoroughly search each defeated enemy.
Important note: Don’t leave the area immediately after getting your first Cleaver. Ensure you have both required items before returning to avoid making multiple trips.
Once you’ve secured both Cleavers, head back to your Bunker and speak with Jeff. He’ll reward you with substantial early-game benefits: 2,800 XP points (which helps unlock crucial skills), 380 in-game currency, one metal plate, one nut, and one bolt.
These crafting materials are invaluable for constructing your workbench and other base upgrades. The nuts and bolts especially become bottleneck resources, making this quest doubly important. Learn about optimizing your base building for maximum efficiency.
This quest serves as an excellent introduction to Escape from Duckov’s core loop: venture into dangerous territory, eliminate hostile NPCs, collect loot, and return safely. The rewards directly contribute to your progression system, allowing you to craft better equipment and unlock new areas.
The 2,800 XP significantly boosts your skill tree progression. Early skills like Backpack Expert I, Survival Instinct I, and Gun Mastery I are essential for surviving later maps where enemies hit harder and loot is scarcer.
Equip Proper Gear: Before any quest, ensure you have a functional weapon and at least basic healing items. The starting pistol works fine for A New Hunter, but any upgrade improves your odds.
Time Your Extraction: After completing the quest, you can either extract immediately or continue looting the area. Early game is more forgiving, so explore freely.
Save Your Cleavers: While you could sell the Cleavers later, they’re sometimes useful for melee backup weapons. Consider keeping one in storage.
Don’t Fear Death: In the early game, dying costs relatively little. Use this quest to practice combat mechanics without severe penalties.
After finishing A New Hunter, Jeff and other NPCs will offer additional quests:
Each quest progressively introduces new game mechanics while providing valuable rewards that accelerate your progression.
