You’ve spent dozens of hours wandering the dripping caverns of Hallownest. You’ve mastered the dash, survived the Deepnest, and maybe even started to like the sound of Zote’s voice (no judgment). But then there’s that one empty slot in the Hunter’s Journal. It stares at you. It mocks you. Honestly, hunting down all journal entries Hollow Knight requires is less about skill and more about having the patience of a literal rock.
The Hunter—that massive, toothy bush-creature tucked away in a corner of Greenpath—doesn't just want you to kill things. He wants you to know them. Most players think they can just finish the game and the Journal will magically fill itself out. Nope. Not even close. You’re going to have to track down corpses, smash background objects you thought were just scenery, and pray you didn't miss a one-time encounter.
The Number Everyone Argues About
Let's get the math out of the way first. It’s confusing. There are 168 total entries in the game if you count every single piece of DLC and hidden secret. However, you only need 146 entries to snag the Hunter's Mark.
Why the discrepancy?
Team Cherry didn't want to punish people for not beating the absolute hardest content in the game just to get a completion trophy. So, things like the White Defender, Grey Prince Zote, and the nightmare-fuel bosses of the Godhome aren't required. You can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you don't have to beat the Pantheon of Hallownest just to satisfy the Hunter's bloodlust.
Basically, the "mandatory" entries are the ones that were there at launch, plus a few select additions. If you see a little star next to an entry on a wiki, it's usually optional. But if you’re a perfectionist looking for that true 168/168 count, you’ve got a long road ahead of you.
The Secret Entries You Probably Missed
Most entries are straightforward. You see a bug, you stab the bug, you do it twenty more times. Done. But some entries don't play by those rules.
Take the Garpede, for instance. You can't actually kill these giant, armored centipedes in Deepnest. They are environmental hazards. To get the entry, you have to find a specific hidden room in the lower-right area of Deepnest (near the Sharp Shadow charm) and inspect a fossilized corpse. Same goes for the Goam in the Crossroads. You need to use Desolate Dive on a shaky floor to find a fossil.
Then there’s the Charged Lumafly. You’ve seen them in lamps, but did you know there’s an interactable tank in the Teacher’s Archives? If you just rush through Fog Canyon to fight Uumuu, you’ll walk right past it.
The Gorgeous Husk
This one is just mean. In the City of Tears, there is a secret room hidden behind a breakable wall in a house near the Great Husk Sentries. Inside is a single, gold-covered bug. He doesn't respawn. If you don't find this specific room, you’ll be stuck at 145 entries forever, wondering what you did wrong.
Void Tendrils
Deep in the Abyss, past the sea of shadows, there's a hidden path above the room where you get the Shade Cloak. You have to inspect an ancient imprint on the wall. It’s not an enemy you fight; it’s a piece of history. Most people miss it because they’re too busy trying to escape the Abyss before the shadow-children eat them.
Handling the "Hard" Enemies
Not every entry is a hidden fossil. Some just require you to kill things that are incredibly annoying or rare.
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- Menderbug: This is the legendary one. You have to break the sign at the well in Dirtmouth, leave, and come back. There is a tiny chance he will be there fixing it. You have to dive on him immediately. It's heartbreaking because he’s a nice guy, but the Hunter demands a sacrifice.
- Crystal Crawlers: Those laser-shooting bugs in Crystal Peak. You can't hurt them with your nail. You have to use spells like Vengeful Spirit or Desolate Dive.
- Durandoo and Duranda: The big, bulky guys in Greenpath that walk or fly over acid. Most players just pogo off them and move on. You actually have to kill a few. Hit them in the face or use magic.
The Colosseum of Fools is your best friend here. If you’re struggling to find enough Great Husk Sentries or Volt Twisters, the trials will throw them at you in waves. It’s much faster than farming them in the wild.
The Lore Behind the Bloodshed
Is there a point to all this? Sorta.
Every time you hit the "required kills" threshold for an entry, you unlock a bit of the Hunter’s personal notes. This is where the real gold is. You learn about his philosophy on life, his respect for certain prey, and his utter disdain for others.
The Hunter isn't just a monster. He’s a scholar of death. He views the infection not as a tragedy, but as a change in the ecosystem. Reading his notes gives you a perspective on Hallownest that Cornifer or the White Lady can’t provide. It’s raw. It’s primal.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you’re staring at a nearly-full Journal and can’t find the last few pieces, follow this workflow.
- Get World Sense: Finish the game first. Once you interact with the tablet in the Temple of the Black Egg, you’ll get a counter in your menu that shows exactly how many entries you have versus how many you need.
- Check the Fossils: Go back to Deepnest, the Abyss, and the Crossroads. If you haven't inspected the Garpede, Goam, and Void Tendrils, you’re missing the "free" ones.
- The Greenpath Birds: Seriously. The Maskflies in Greenpath count. You have to kill them before they fly away. Use a spell or a long-range nail art.
- Trial of the Fool: Complete all three trials. This covers almost every rare enemy in the game, including the Oblobbles and the God Tamer.
- Talk to the Hunter: Once your counter says you’ve found everything, go back to Greenpath. He’ll give you the Hunter's Mark. It doesn't give you a stat boost, but the feeling of accomplishment (and the achievement/trophy) is worth the grind.
Completing the Journal is the ultimate "tour" of Hollow Knight. It forces you into the dark corners you’d usually skip. It makes you a better player because you have to learn the patterns of every single creature in the kingdom. Just remember: if it moves, stab it. If it doesn't move, try to inspect it anyway.
Happy hunting.