Braving the ominous woodlands of Sons of the Forest, you‘ll need sufficient firepower to face the grotesque creatures and environmental hazards lurking behind every tree. And few early-game finds empower you more than the brutally effective shotgun buried in a hidden forest grave.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll provide everything you need to retrieve this formidable weapon and unleash its full potential. Follow these steps, and you‘ll tear through challenges that leave others helpless in the forest.
Origin Story: The Soldier‘s Shotgun
Before showing you how to obtain this mighty firearm, it helps to know its backstory. According to artifacts scattered nearby, the shotgun once belonged to a soldier assigned to guard mining operations on the forest island.
While on duty, he was attacked and fatally wounded by an unknown creature. His surviving comrades buried him with full honors, including his trusty firearm by his side.
Now years later, his grave lies undisturbed, waiting to be uncovered. And inside lies a combat-weathered pump action shotgun with plenty of fight left in it.
This worn but still lethal weapon is a Remington 870 express tactical – a 12 gauge shotgun with formidable close quarters stopping power.
It can fire 7 rounds of 00 buckshot, each releasing 9 heavy lead pellets. Up close, just one well-placed blast can rip through unarmored enemies.
And with the right upgrades, it can punch holes in even the most resilient foes. It won‘t be long before you too are praising the soldier‘s trusty firearm.
Now let‘s secure this devastating weapon for surviving your own trials in the forest…
Pinpointing the Shotgun Location
I‘ve marked the hidden forest grave on the map below:
It‘s located on a hillside in the densely forested region to the far north-west, not far from key landmarks like the yacht beach and main cannibal village.
Once at the site, here is the exact step-by-step process to unearth the shotgun itself:
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Clear foliage from gravestone and check for shovel icon to confirm correct spot.
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Equip shovel and begin digging around the edges of the stone. After a few seconds it will be pried open.
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Pick up the shotgun and remaining provisions from the revealed stash.
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Light your torch so you can preview the weapon‘s key specs before equipping it.
And just like that, the firepower of the shotgun is yours to wield!
Now let‘s explore how to truly maximize its stopping potential…
Transforming into a Tactical Shotgun
In its starting form, the shotgun packs a solid punch but has limited range. However, with a some attachments, it can be transformed into a far more versatile weapon.
Here are the top accessory upgrades I recommend:
Red Dot Sight
Vastly improves aiming down sights at a distance. Lets you precisely place shots on weak points instead of just spraying and praying! Also helps tracking fast moving targets.
+12 accuracy, +5 range
Flashlight/Laser Module
Blinds enemies momentarily and lights up dark forest spaces. The integrated laser helps with hip fire accuracy.
+5 handling
With these attachments, you can push the practical range of your shotgun significantly further and survive more extreme encounters.
You can retrieve them from downed soldiers near the south cliffside bunker. I suggest making this a priority after securing the shotgun itself.
Dominating Key Threats
Once upgraded, here are some of the nastiest forest threats that the shotgun will dominate:
Virginia Boss
Aim for her unarmored neck and back to deal massive damage. Just be ready to dodge her deadly charge attack!
Spider Mutants
Circle strafe while blasting their bulbous abdominal weak point to quickly burst them down.
Defleshed
Store a shell in them the second they pop out of water. Easy one shot kills!
As you can see, the shotgun excels at exploiting weak points at close to mid-range. This is key to tackling so many of the elaborate mutated enemies you will face.
Parting Words
I hope this guide has unlocked the secrets to obtaining and fully utilizing one of the most hard-hitting weapons available early on in Sons of the Forest. Now blast away with confidence and conquer this merciless island!
Let me know in the comments if you still have any questions about recovering this unsung hero of a shotgun. And check back soon for more meta-changing secrets for surviving (and thriving) in the forest!
