A random idea..

A list of creatures (3 per boot?) with varying difficulty levels which
give study marks. Like a white buffalo or something or other as an example.
Idea is.. Folklore masters have heard tell of a unique 3-eyed rabbit or
whatever..

Go forth and discover this anomaly.

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Also,

Perhaps the ability to live capture a subject if you're the first to study it.
The animal is returned to folklorist headquarters, and put on display
for your fellow folklorists to study. As you're the folklorist of reknown
who captured the beast, a nominal fee will be paid to the capturer.

I nice idea although i'm not sure if people would care enough for a study
mark or two?