Safari Zone headache...

[Pokemaster Ash]

Okay, I don't mind a smaller Safari Zone. Certainly makes it easier to get around, and they added the mud to balance that, but...

Did they REALLY have to randomize the Pokémon that appear there!?

All I'm trying to do is catch what's available there and only there. Croagunk, Skorupi, and Carnivine primarily, and that's it until I get the National Dex. I got Croagunk, but the other two don't seem to want to appear at all in Pearl (I got them in Diamond, but when I went to check the same areas in Pearl they were not there...and then I learned about the randomness).

Is there some default place where they might hide in the Safari Zone without having to wait a day or look through the binoculars or am I stuck just trying to...well, keep trying?

[Crazy Elf Boy]

How about you use the binoculars at the top of the safari zone to find what you want and where it is.

After doing this I caught about 2 croagunks and 1 drapion in one go, haven't been able to find a Carnivine yet

[Dark-San]

Carnivine is in Area 5. I caught a couple of them when scrolling through the middle pool of the mud.

[Dark Sage]

You just have to check the binoculars every day, because the special pokemon change. (Go at night, and get a Hoot-Hoot too.)

Here's a way to cheat in the Marsh. Bring a pokemon like Vespiquen that knows Sweet Scent. Once you get to the right area, you can stand in one spot, use that ability, and pokemon will come to you. You don't have to make a single step, and you can just do it over and over again, until you've caught the pokemon you want.

[Pokemaster Ash]

Well the spin around in one place trick still works, provided you're not standing too close to a rock or a spot of grassless mud.

And I already caught a Hoothoot, so it's more of an annoyance to me in the Safari Zone now. Don't know why they have Starly or Staravia in there either...

[Poryhedron]

There are a lot of pokémon in there that don't make any sense. Like Budew. How does a pokémon like Budew thrive in a swamp!?

[Dark Sage]

When I was a Boy Scout, I learned that some species of flowering plants can only live in swamps. Some sections of Florida's Everglades can be quite beautiful with all its flowers. See, some plants thrive better in certain areas than others. Maybe there are several sub-species of the Roselia family, one that lives in forests, and one that lives in swamps.

By the way, it makes perfect sense for a Carnivine to live in a swamp. All species of carnivorous plants, like the Venus flytrap, pitcher plant, and sundew, are native to swamplands. Carnivine should be no different.

[Pokemaster Ash]

Getting back on track, I've caught Skorupi. Now I'm just having fun trying to locate Carnivine. Can't even seem to find it in the binoculars...

[EngiMatikul]

bwahaha I'm just angered that I can't catch a yanma at the safari zone OMG 5 encounters and they all run away no matter if I feed them, throw mud, or just try to catch them Dx

[Elec Man EXE]

The one I can't understand living in a swamp is Skorupi. His freakin' Dex entry even says he lives only in arid environments.

It took me a good while before I managed to find a Carnivine myself, so you're not alone. I wanted one for my team, took me 5 or 6 days before one actually showed up.

[Razola]

Pokemon are made more of a pain in the ass to catch so trading via Wi-Fi is encouraged. Catch whatever you can find and use it as trade leverage.

[classy_cat18]

I actually try not to use WiFi for trading more than I have to (ie. for version exclusives). Most of the traders want L100 Pokemon and such. Plus I feel like I'm accomplishing something when I find something myself.

I had a relatively easy time finding Carnivine even though I didn't really know where to find it. Croagunk's another matter though.

[Jeff]

I have both Carnivine and Scorupi, can breed and trade if anyone needs them. Carnivine I caught the first time I went into the Zone. I just thought they were always there, but I wanted to catch one because I wanted one for my team. It is annoying though, especially after getting the National Dex, just because there are so many of them, if I wanted a Yanma, I wouldn't want to wait days just for one to show up. Then again, like Raz said, there is GTS. I've caught Skorupi, Carnivine, and Arbok so if I want another rare Safari Zone pokemon I can breed one of them and trade away.

[DarkestLight]

Arbok's in there??

::Looks at Ekans he's been levelling up::

Man screw you!!

[Pokemaster Ash]

Well I found what I wanted....for now, anyway. I guess it is just a matter of patience. And for the record, the full list of what appears in the Safari Zone:

Default:
Bidoof
Bibarel
Azurill
Marill
Starly
Staravia
Budew
Roselia
Hoothoot (Night)
Noctowl (Night)
Wooper
Quagsire
Barboach (Fish)
Whiscash (Fish)
Psyduck
Golduck
Croagunk
Toxicroak
Skorupi
Drapion
Carnivine

Post-National Dex
Arbok (FireRed)
Paras
Exeggcute
Kangaskhan
Yanma
Shroomish
Gulpin
Carvanha (Fish)
Tropius

[DarkestLight]

lskgsldg Exeggcute? Man I had to trade for that damn thing -.-
Tropi--Oh no I caught it there. Yeah, Arbok u suck.

[Crazy Elf Boy]

I was so jealous my friend caught a pink wooper and a Carnivine in one go

[AdventureSerum]

The secret to using the Wi-Fi trading is avoiding searches and offering trades (reasonable ones!) yourself. I have a new pokemon almost every time I get on! The only way we're going to beat the irrational traders is by flooding the GTS with fair offers (haha, like that's going to happen). As for the park, I got sick of looking for Carnivine and finally just traded for it. I should have caught more Croagunk while they were there, though. :/ They're one hot trade item! Can anyone tell me where and when to find them in the Safari Park?

[Dark Sage]

I don't have the National Dex yet, but I have caught all the possible Pokemon in the Great Marsh. I simply checked the binoculars every day, and when I saw a Pokemon I didn't have, I went to the spot I saw it with my Vespiquen and used Sweet Scent until I got it. Croagunk took the longest, yes, but eventually I got it.

My advice it, just be tenacious. Check every day. Eventually, you'll see the Pokemon you're looking for.

[Jeff]

Arbok's in there??

::Looks at Ekans he's been levelling up::

Man screw you!!

Arbok's only in there if you have FireRed inserted.

[AdventureSerum]

*kills herself over trading the female croagunk she caught*

DX I should have caught more while I had the chance! They were popping up right and left!

[rinku]

Well I found what I wanted....for now, anyway. I guess it is just a matter of patience. And for the record, the full list of what appears in the Safari Zone:

Default:
Bidoof
Bibarel
Azurill
Marill
Starly
Staravia
Budew
Roselia
Hoothoot (Night)
Noctowl (Night)
Wooper
Quagsire
Barboach (Fish)
Whiscash (Fish)
Psyduck
Golduck
Croagunk
Toxicroak
Skorupi
Drapion
Carnivine

You left out Magikarp and Gyarados (fish).

[Pokemaster Ash]

Serebii doesn't even have those two listed for the Safari Zone.

....Then again, they're a fishing annoyance ANYWHERE, so I guess they were just omitted from the list 'cause we'd figure they're automatically in there.

[TKnHappyNess]

Another thing is that if you see a Pokemon you want, you have to figure out what area it's in, which is where a map really would come in handy.

[Charles Legend]

Stupid Skorupi! bad enogh they are rare but they are a pain to catch as well...

~Charles Legend