Goat Simulator 3: Shovel Location – I Paid 2,000 Scraps and Almost Got Nothing

By the time I got to the Shovel, I thought I had Goat Simulator 3 figured out. I’d dug up the Drill Kicks. I’d farmed 3,500 scraps for the Manic Mechanic. I’d found every hidden rock formation. This one would be easy, right?

Wrong. I spent 2,000 scraps on a Pay-To-Look viewer, stared at an arrow for five minutes, and then dug in the wrong spot for another ten. When I finally found the right tree, the chest wouldn’t pop up because I was using the wrong headbutt angle. I was furious.

Here’s exactly how to get the Shovel gear without repeating my mistakes.

What Is the Shovel? (And Why You Want It)

The Shovel is exactly what it sounds like – your goat holds a garden shovel. But it’s not just cosmetic. When equipped, it changes your digging animation and (I think) makes headbutt-digging slightly faster. Not a game-changer, but if you’re collecting all the gear, you need it.

More importantly, getting the Shovel unlocks the ability to find other buried items around the map. I found a hidden hat near Fruitopia after I had the Shovel equipped. So it’s worth the hassle.

Step 1: Find the Pay-To-Look Viewer in Newtown

Open your map and go to the Baadlands region. Head to Newtown – the same town where you’ve been farming scraps with photocopiers.

Look for the tallest building in the southeastern part of town. It’s a multi-story structure with a flat roof. On top of that roof is a Pay-To-Look viewer – basically a large standing telescope/binoculars device. You’ll see a goat named Payton Wall standing next to it. He’s the vendor.

Mistake I made: I assumed “southeastern building” meant the one with the big sign. It’s not. It’s the one with the stairs leading up. I climbed three wrong roofs before I found it. Look for the building that has a clear path to the top – no jumping required.

Step 2: Pay 2,000 Scraps (It Hurts, But Do It)

Talk to Payton Wall. He’ll offer to let you use the viewer for 2,000 scraps. Yes, that’s a lot. More than the Mental Mask, less than the Recycling Station upgrade. If you’ve been following my guides, you might have scraps saved up. If not, you know the drill – photocopier duplication in Newtown. 2,000 scraps takes about 15 minutes of cloning and breaking.

Mistake I made: I paid the 2,000 scraps, then immediately walked away thinking I’d “unlocked” something. You have to actually use the viewer right then. If you leave and come back, you might have to pay again? I didn’t test that, but I wasn’t going to risk it. Use it immediately.

Step 3: Look Through the Viewer (And Don’t Panic)

After paying, interact with the viewer. You’ll see a zoomed-in view of the distance. Somewhere in that view, there will be a glowing arrow pointing toward a specific direction – it’s pointing to a tree outside Newtown.

Here’s the tricky part: the arrow is subtle. I stared at the viewer for a full minute thinking it wasn’t working. Then I saw a faint pulsing light. Move your camera angle slightly. The arrow is usually pointing northeast of Newtown.

Mistake I made: I thought the arrow was pointing to a building inside Newtown. I ran around town for ten minutes looking for a tree. Then I realized the viewer shows the outside distance. Step away from the viewer and look toward the horizon. You’ll see a lone tree on a hill northeast of town.

Step 4: Find the Right Tree (And the Dirt Mound)

Head northeast of Newtown – past the town limits, into the open desert area. Look for a single distinctive tree on a slight rise. It’s not in a forest; it’s by itself. You’ll know it when you see it.

Near that tree, on the ground, there’s a small dirt mound. It looks like a pile of brown dirt – slightly raised, slightly darker than the surrounding sand. I almost missed it because it blended in with the terrain.

Mistake I made: I found the tree, then started headbutting the base of the tree. Wrong. The mound is a few feet away from the trunk. Circle the tree slowly. The mound is about the size of a goat.

Step 5: Headbutt the Mound Until a Chest Pops Out

Now the fun part. Stand on the dirt mound and start headbutting (R2 / RT / left mouse). Spam it. The mound will start to break apart. Keep going. After 10-15 headbutts, a wooden loot chest will pop out of the ground.

Headbutt the chest to open it. Inside is the Shovel gear. It automatically equips or goes to your inventory.

Mistake I made (the most frustrating one): I was headbutting from the side of the mound, not directly on top. The chest never appeared. I spent five minutes headbutting dirt like a maniac. You need to be on top of the mound, goat standing on the highest point. Then spam headbutt straight down.

Also, I tried using the Drill Kicks instead of normal headbutts. Drill Kicks work, but they’re overkill. Regular headbutts are fine.

Why 2,000 Scraps for a Shovel Feels Steep

I’m not going to lie – 2,000 scraps for a digging tool when you already have Drill Kicks feels redundant. The Shovel doesn’t do anything the Drill Kicks can’t do. But it looks cooler. And some players prefer the animation.

Is it worth it? If you’re a completionist, yes. If you want every piece of gear, yes. If you’re low on scraps and haven’t bought the Counter Gravitational Device or the Recycling Station upgrade, prioritize those first. The Shovel is a luxury item.

Pro Tip After You Get It

Equip the Shovel and go back to the area near the crashed UFO in Fruitopia (where you got the Cryoray MK II). There’s a second dirt mound there that only appears when you have the Shovel equipped. Dig it up. Inside is a hidden hat – a little gardener’s cap. I found it by accident. Now you know.

Also, the Shovel changes your idle animation. Your goat will occasionally “dig” at the air. It’s dumb. I love it.

Final Verdict

The Shovel is a fun cosmetic with a minor practical use. But the journey to get it – paying 2,000 scraps, finding the right viewer, locating the tree, digging the mound – is more memorable than the reward itself. If you’re already farming scraps for other items, add this to your list. If not, don’t rush it.