The Distress Pistol is a weapon the player can find in The Long Dark. Unlike the Hunting Rifle, the Distress Pistol is always and only found in three places: The summit of Timberwolf Mountain, the Ravine Basin, and the Fallen Lighthouse in Bleak Inlet. In the Tail Section of the crashed plane, an orange suitcase with a gun motif is lying on the floor. Inside is the pistol and six flare shells that can be used as ammunition.
The distress pistol holds only one shell at a time. One shot will easily scare Wolves or a Bear.
The Distress pistol is required to complete the Hopeless Rescue challenge.
In The Hunted, Part One, there is a Distress Pistol in the basement in Skeeter's Ridge, near where the player starts.
The distress pistol should be used to detour hostile wildlife rather than to hunt