Overview

The stag hunt is a game initially described by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the game, there are two hunters, who decide to go hunting one day. They each can choose what to hunt, either stag or hare. If they both hunt stage, they are able to coordinate and capture a stage, which has the most meat. If only one hunts for stag, she is unable to kill a stag on her own, so she gets nothing.

If they both hunt hare, they do not require coordination and they are both able to capture hare. However, there is some interference, so they capture less hare individually. If one hunts stage, and the other hunts hare, the hare hunter is able to capture more hare than when both are hunting the hare.

Game Matrix

Nash Equilibria

There are three Nash Equilibria in the stag hunt.

• Pure Strategy Stag, Stag
• Pure Strategy Hare, Hare
• Mixed Strategy: {% \frac{1}{3} %} Stag, {% \frac{2}{3} %} Hare, for both players