I respectfully disagree with the first reply. If I see a 3 star animal I never have any problems getting the 3 star pelt/carcass. The key is, you must be using the correct weapon, it must be a headshot and you have to kill it in 1 shot. Deer must be killed with a long rifle of some sort: rolling block, carcano, bolt action or a bow. Use your scope or binoculars to check the rating of the animal before you shoot to verify its a 3 star. If you go to story mode and check your compendium it will tell you exactly what weapon to use to get a perfect pelt, assuming the animal is a 3 star before you e