Not getting quest items

I know usually when the questing snake wants items that aren't in zones I'm in, there's some explore options that give you these items.

For the first time ever, I'm not getting anything despite trying this multiple times.. Literally just need an alligator carcass.

Was I just lucky that I ever got questing items like this? Or is this a bug with the alligator carcass? (only 7 in existence apparently)

maybe it was just bad RNG? I honestly don't know.

Something we recently figured out is that rescouting in your home biome sometimes also gives you quest items like carcasses. Check the last 3 pages of our discussion. Usually, bigger carcasses are harder to get and most players still live in the starter biomes, so they cannot catch alligotors (which only exist in large trail + Giant River option), so the chance is small.

My guess is that the bigger the carcass is (if it's the kind of prey you get from medium/large trail) the harder it is that those encounter give it to you. Items like feathers, herbs or small carcasses have probably higher chances of being given than "rarer" items like your alligator carcass.

I think it's a mechanic that is there so you won't abuse it to pile up big carcasses, because until you click the button to end your daily quest, those special encounters continue to give you quest items, even if you already have everything the snake is asking you. If you had the same chance to get an herb or, let's say, a bison carcass, people could wait to click and complete the quest in order to try and get more bison carcasses.

Quest encounters can give you big carcasses (I once managed to get a cow elk) but it's rarer than the other items you usually need for your quest