Monster hunting isn't for the faint of heart nor is it for those who can't think on their feet. Hunters in Supernatural usually don't need to worry about retirement plans, since their lifespans are so short.
That said, there are a few that are intelligent and resourceful enough to get a few grey hairs in their head before kicking the bucket. Hunting doesn't take a Ph.D., though in Sam's case it hasn't hurt, but being smart is an asset. For the most part, the hunters that are schooled in tracking and monster lore are the ones who find a way to survive. So who are the most intelligent hunters in Supernatural? Let's find out.
John Winchester
John Winchester might have been a little rough around the edges, but he was no dummy. He kept himself and his boys alive. Which is saying something in a world where a hunter's family usually doesn't have a long life expectancy.
Hunting was his trade and he was one of the best in the business. What he lacked as a father, he made up for in teaching his children how to be the best at monster hunting. His resourcefulness kept them alive on many occasions and even after his death, he still managed to assist his boys when needed.
Daniel Elkins
After the death of John Winchester's wife, Daniel Elkins mentored John in the ways of monster hunting. If not for what John learned under him, Sam and Dean might never have lived to become hunters themselves.
Elkins was an old hunter, starting way back in the early 1960s. Dissimilar to other hunters, Elkins mainly specialized in killing vampires and was good at what he did. At least, until, he met his demise when vampires ambushed him at his home, taking the Colt with them.
Bobby Singer
Unlike many other hunters, Singer managed to stay in one place, running Singer Auto Self Service Salvage Yard out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Like Sam, he never jumped into a situation without knowing first what he was up against.
His knowledge of the occult and monsters was top-notch compared to other hunters. Taking on the responsibility of being a mentor for Sam and Dean after their father's death, Singer taught them everything he knew, giving them the tools to carry on, once, he met his demise at the hands of the leviathans.
Eliot Ness
When Eliot Ness wasn't hunting down Al Capone, he was spending his time hunting down nests of vampires. After meeting Dean, when he time travels back to the 1940s in his hunt for Chronos, the two team up to take down the time-traveling Greek god, who is stealing time from his helpless victims.
Ness proved to be just as capable of a hunter as he was as a police officer, quickly gaining Dean's respect and admiration, something rarely seen on Supernatural. If not for his help, Chronos would have been unstoppable.
Ellen Harvelle
A hunter who has it in her blood. She was married to Bill Harvelle and, after his untimely death at the hands of John Winchester, she took up hunting herself. She raised her daughter Jo in this lifestyle, giving her a partner on her jobs.
Ellen was a capable hunter, who was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. After retiring, she became an owner of a bar, before rejoining the hunt after her bar was destroyed by demons. A businesswoman and an elder hunter, Ellen had a strategist's mind and was able to think quickly when things went awry.
Dean Winchester
An apprentice and oldest son to the great John Winchester. Unlike Sam, who wanted a life outside of hunting, Dean relished the life of a hunter. Life on the road was in his blood and monster hunting was all he ever wanted to do.
While Dean doesn't have a long arsenal of magical spells at his disposal, those he does know, he can use with deadly effect. Although, definitely not smartest of the two Winchester brothers, Dean is a quick learner, who is a straightforward tactician, taking the fight to his enemies.
Samuel Campbell
With decades of expertise under his belt, Samuel also has the benefit of coming from a long line of hunters, giving him the benefits of years of knowledge that spans far beyond his own. According to Crowley, Samuel had an encyclopedia of lore in his mind with knowledge of species and subjects that pre-existed modern insight.
With a warrior's confidence, Samuel led from the front, confident in his ability to overcome any odds. The Winchesters are not the only hunters with the capabilities of banishing angels, Samuel also knew a few angel banishing spells in his day.
Charlie Bradbury
What Charlie lacks in muscle; she makes up for in intelligence. A former hacker and self-declared genius, she is who the Winchester brothers call when they need a code cracked. When Dean was controlled by the Mark of Cain, she used her gifted intellect to translate the Book of the Dead and decode Nadia's Codex to free him.
Mostly she uses her intelligence for less than scholastic purposes, preferring spending her time listening to electro-pop while gaming. Her fascination with the Harry Potter series borders on obsessive, and she considers herself an expert on the books.
Samuel Colt
Creator of the famous monster-killing gun, the Colt, Samuel Colt is a legend among hunters. Known simply as the single greatest hunter; his name alone causes things that go bump in the night to tremble with fear.
Brilliant and gifted in his understanding of the arcane, Colt used this knowledge in building the Devil's Gate, while creating five churches with iron spiked railroad tracks going to each, creating a large Devil's Trap, encompassing the cemetery and the Devil's Gate as a means of keeping demons from opening the doorway to hell.
Sam Winchester
Fearless, unless facing clowns, Dean's little brother is a powerful hunter, having such a large acumen, even the devil wants to use him as a host body.
Even when possessed by Crowley, Sam was powerful enough to resist, something that is mostly unheard of in the Supernatural Universe. His knowledge of black arts and his fluency in angelic and dead languages makes for either a deadly enemy or a powerful ally. The clarity and insight that Sam possesses allow him to play with spells, tweaking them, making them substantially stronger.