To Bait a Forktail in The Witcher 3: Find Eskel, Kill the Forktail and Race Back to Kaer Morhen
Witcher 3 To Bait a Forktail: how to track Eskel, the draconid oil by his horse, killing the forktail in its cave and the optional race back.
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Updated October 2026. To Bait a Forktail... is one of the three jobs at Kaer Morhen in Ugly Baby. Yennefer needs forktail parts to lift Uma's curse, and Eskel has already gone off to hunt one. You track him down, help bait the beast, chase it to its lair and finish it there. It's a short quest with a nice extra: an optional horse race back to the keep.
Quick answer
Find Eskel: from the Kaer Morhen signpost, follow the horse tracks with your Witcher Senses to Eskel's horse, Scorpion.
Before you go on: check the bowl next to Scorpion; it holds a draconid oil you can take.
The forktail: it gets away the first time. Follow its trail to the cave and kill it there with Eskel.
Optional: race Eskel back to the keep for bonus XP.
To Bait a Forktail Walkthrough
1. Track Eskel
The quest starts at the Kaer Morhen signpost (fast travelling there updates it right away). Turn on your Witcher Senses and follow the horse tracks until you find Scorpion, Eskel's horse.
Look in the bowl next to Scorpion before you move on: it holds a draconid oil, which is exactly what you want for this fight. It can disappear later. Search the area around it too.
From Scorpion, follow the tracks of Eskel and a goat (the bait). They seem to vanish where the ground gets rough; keep searching close by and you'll pick them up again.
2. Bait and Wound the Forktail
Join Eskel. The goat lures the forktail in, and the two of you fight it until it's hurt and flies off. Then chase it and follow its trail.
3. Kill It in the Cave
The trail leads to the forktail's lair. This time it can't escape. Kill it with Eskel and take what you need from the body.
| Forktail tip | Why |
|---|---|
| Draconid oil | Forktails are draconids; the oil from Scorpion's bowl works. See our oils guide. |
| Crossbow or Aard | Bring it down when it flies; hit it hard on the ground. |
| Quen | Its tail and claws hit hard; Quen absorbs a hit. |
| Dodge sideways | Its charges come straight at you. Our combat tips cover timing. |
4. Race Eskel Back (Optional)
Eskel suggests a race back to the keep. You have to ride back either way. Win the race for bonus XP. If you skip it, Geralt just asks Eskel to buy him a drink sometime.
Rewards and What's Next
| Quest | Reward | Next |
|---|---|---|
| To Bait a Forktail... | XP, the draconid oil, and bonus XP if you win the race | Ugly Baby continues; after all three keep tasks, No Place Like Home |
Don't worry if you sell the spinal fluid by mistake. When you brew the decoctions for Uma later, a chest next to the alchemy table holds every ingredient you need.
Video: To Bait a Forktail
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhere is Eskel in To Bait a Forktail?
Follow the horse tracks from the Kaer Morhen signpost to his horse, Scorpion, then follow his and the goat's tracks.
QI lost the tracks. What now?
They seem to end where the terrain gets rough. Keep your Witcher Senses on and search close by; they continue.
QWhat's in the bowl next to Scorpion?
A draconid oil. Take it before you go on; it can disappear later.
QShould I race Eskel?
It's optional. Winning gives bonus XP; nothing else changes.
QWhat oil works against a forktail?
Draconid oil. Forktails are draconids.
Part of: Ugly Baby. More: all Witcher 3 quests.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps checked against the Fextralife page for To Bait a Forktail... and the Witcher Wiki page for Ugly Baby. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs by Jason's Video Games Source, Funkshoon and Stejaru Games.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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