Kanto Safari Zone, how do you determine when to throw the Safari Ball?

[Amewsment]

Today I have been hunting for Kangaskhan, Tauros, Chansey and Scyther in Fire Red and I cannot seem to get it right. Recently been trying to go out and nab all the pokémon available in Fire Red for Pal Parking come Platinum. On my last outing I caught all the pokémon available via fishing apart from Dragonair that refused to be caught and I was forced to leave early (20 balls left).

My strategy is not complex I usually throw one rock and then a safari ball, unless the prey is around lvl 26 (the higher the level the higher the chance of them not fleeing after a second rock in my experience) or above then I sometimes throw a second rock followed by a safari ball. This isn't an exact science and so far I have been rather unlucky with pokémon fleeing after the first rock, which is rather unfortunate because the chances of capture by hurling a safari ball straight of the bat don't seem to be worth the gamble. I've also been using the pad tapping in order to stick around forever, although I eventually turn it off due to sheer boredom.

I never use bait because even after a barrage of rocks most of the pokémon manage to get out of the ball so I can't see how an item that makes them even more resistant to capture would be useful. My question to you is there any trick or similar that works better than the "one rock -> one ball" approach? The second rock usually causes them to flee so I avoid using it.

I have been using this map to navigate:

Spoiler

and this video also gives you a fantastic overview.

All my prey have a capture rate of 45 apart from Chansey with a capture rate of only 30. None of the faqs on gamefaqs.com give any good advice on how to go about it and so far google hasn't spat out any good guides on it, I am keeping my fingers crossed. So I was wondering am I doing anything wrong at this point in time? Any guides or thorough advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading!

 

[Adamant]

Tossing and praying is usually the most practical way of getting the buggers. Prepare to be frustrated by Tauros.

Oh, and I advise just ignoring Dragonair completely. It's nearly impossible to find, let alone catch. Evolving Dratini is a much better bet.

 

[paperfairy]

Rocks make Pokémon more likely to flee, and easier to capture.
Bait does the inverse.


Hope that helps.

 

[Amewsment]

I am not noob!

Rocks make Pokémon more likely to flee, and easier to capture.
Bait does the inverse.

Thanks but I already knew that, I even commented on it in my original post. That hint didn't really help me, because it's common knowledge.

 

[YemaGrl1988]

Sometimes it's easier to throw rocks for some pokemon to catch them, other times they flee.

I've tried giving bait to Tauros before but it fled. Then I threw a rock at it another time and it stuck around (but I still didn't catch it -_-)

Sometimes you can throw a rock, then throw bait or vice versa. That's what I used to catch a Pinsir (Leaf Green but equivalent to Scyther)

 

[Amewsment]

VICTORY!

Game. Set. Match.​

So I went out again armed with the knowledge that this is random and there are no real tricks. I spent about two hours in the Safari Zone, because I am stubborn and I would probably tear my eyes out if I had to head in a second time.

Catches:

1x

2x

1x

1x

3x Parasect

1x Paras
​

Highlights:
Two Kangaskhan made my day I think, the first one swallowed four safari balls in a row then I threw a rock and it still stuck around, so then I flicked another ball that it popped out of before it fled. The second one resisted two balls, a rock and another ball before fleeing. Boy was I happy about those two encounters.
At one point I was getting only Parasects so out of frustration I started throwing safari balls at them and caught three of them, the Paras was also a random catch. The second Tauros turned up towards the end of my trip while I was searching for a Chansey and I just lobbed a ball straight off the bat that caught it. Oh I was down to my final two safari balls when I met my second Chansey so I hurled the first one and it broke free but stuck around, so I threw my last ball and it caught it. I must say that I was ecstatic and relieved, because it meant I would not have to visit this place again!

My advice:
In my experience there does seem to be some patterns. The Tauri usually don't flee after one rock and sometimes swallow a second. The Scyther are a mixed bag, but more often than not will not escape after a single stone, but right after that you should be following up with a safari ball. Kangaskhan are absolutely unforeseeable some will flee after the first projectile, while others swallow two boulders without blinking. For Chansey I would advise throwing a safari ball right off the bat, because, although it has the lowest catch rate and tossing the stones would be advised , I have yet to see a Chansey stick around after being hit by boulder.
I think there is a pattern behind all this, but again I cannot be sure what the rules are behind their behaviour and I am sure it could warrant some players going in to the zone and recording what happens each time. However I promise you that I am never ever going back to the Fuchsia Safari Zone!

Good Day!

 

[DashingFox]

Uhm, hooray then?

 

[FuneralSound]

i normally throw a rock then feed it to make it feel better and keep continuing like that till i think i can get it

 

[Lucifer]

is the safari zone in crystal?

 

[Lilac Hill]

...No.

 

[paperfairy]

If you are looking for patterns, I believe all Pokemon possess an established flee rate, and Rocks/Bait simply temporarily modify the catch rate and flee rate values. If one could acquire a list of all flee rates, then a strategy could be potentially developed for the Safari Zone.

 

[hitman528]

This may or not be helpfull but I never used a rock I always did Bait Bait Pokeball Pokeball then repeat untill they where caught and nothing ever took me more than 2 tries altough I only caught a Kangashkahn Rhyhorn and Nidorino as they where all I was going for. I was under the impression rocks where to get them to go away if you didnt want them.

 

[bauhaus]

I don't no if this will help you fishing for Dargonair but go to the very last pool of water in the safari zone and whip out your super rod but instead of moving around in the water tap the D-pad and then cast your rod. That way you dont use up any steps. But as some other dude said its easier to level up dratini.

 

[Amewsment]

I don't no if this will help you fishing for Dargonair but go to the very last pool of water in the safari zone and whip out your super rod but instead of moving around in the water tap the D-pad and then cast your rod. That way you dont use up any steps. But as some other dude said its easier to level up dratini.

I am going to break this to you gently, it doesn't matter what pool of water you go to because the encounter rate is identical for Dragonair in each of them. You also do not have to move around when fishing at all not even D-pad tapping, so no reason to waste any time doing that when you can simply repeatedly use your super rod to fish.