Stepping into the dusty boots of John Marston as a bounty hunter in Red Dead Redemption feels like sifting for gold nuggets in a river of lawlessness. Even in 2026, years after its 2010 debut and the 2023 re-release on modern platforms, players still find themselves pinned to these wanted posters like moths to a flame—if the flame paid in hard cash. The game’s bounty system isn’t as intricately woven as its prequel, but it still offers that addictive loop of hunting down outlaws for a fistful of dollars. Some targets, however, stand out not just for their crimes but for the weight of their reward. Here are five bounties every player should chase, alive if possible, to bankroll a proper Wild West arsenal.

Kent Gallaway – The $600 Mouth

Kent Gallaway is a murderer through and through, and his wanted poster sours the civilized air of West Elizabeth. What makes this bounty truly magnetic is the payout: a crisp $600 for bringing him in alive. His vulgar threats bark like a fly that knows it’s about to be swatted, but players can simply ignore the noise while hauling him toward justice. Keen-eyed players may have already spotted Gallaway skulking around the Williamson Gang’s missions, making his capture feel like snatching a loose thread from a tapestry you’ve already seen hanging in the background.

Americus Roe – A One-Man Storm

Americus Roe owes allegiance to no gang; his loyalty begins and ends with himself, which makes him a thundercloud drifting across state lines. His transitory poster can appear almost anywhere, promising $600 for a live delivery. But Roe doesn’t ride alone. Bringing him in alive means cutting through his companions, a process that feels like peeling an onion made of gunpowder—each layer reveals another stinging surprise. A murderer and famed gunfighter, Roe is a true test of a bounty hunter’s grit.

Melvin Spinney – A Drunkard’s Payday

Melvin Spinney’s poster clings to West Elizabeth like an afterthought, yet the $600 alive-only bounty is anything but forgettable. This independent murderer loiters in Thieves’ Landing, often found sloshing around the saloon like a ticking time bomb soaked in cheap whiskey. No gang hides him, no scheme protects him—just a lasso-ready opportunity for John Marston. The lack of backup turns Spinney into a walking, muttering payday that demands little more than a steady hand and a straight shot to the nearest sheriff’s office.

Hestor Frith – Civilization’s Easy Mark

Spotted around Manzanita Post or Blackwater, Hestor Frith represents the kind of criminal the approaching 20th century has no room for. His poster offers a flexible reward: $300 dead or a generous $600 alive, making him one of the easiest high-value bounties to squeeze into a play session. Frith isn’t a mastermind, and his capture often unfolds like shooting fish in a barrel—except the barrel is wearing a worn hat and has a more interesting outlaw history than first glance suggests.

Zebedee Nash – The Familiar Face

Zebedee Nash is another murderer haunting West Elizabeth without a gang to shield him, and his $600 alive price tag makes any sneer he throws at John Marston purely cosmetic. Players may have already brushed shoulders with Nash in Thieves’ Landing—a humid spot fragrant with vice—or spotted him in a handful of story missions where his role is minor but memorable. Hunting him as a bounty feels less like meeting a stranger and more like finally closing a folder you left open on your desk. When the lasso snaps tight, the cash that follows feels almost nostalgic.

Each of these faces holds a promise: $600 in a world where a new rifle can change everything. Originally a 2010 classic that found fresh legs in 2023 on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, Red Dead Redemption remains a dusty jewel in 2026—backward compatibility on PS5 only widens the saddle. Whether players are chasing dangerous loners like Americus Roe or reeling in familiar drunks like Melvin Spinney, these bounties transform John Marston from a rugged rancher into a lawman with a very heavy wallet.