So the SRD doesn't say which level you start with the animal companion for beastmaster but it does say your effective druid level is -3 and it replaces Hunter's Bond. Am I to take this to assume that you still dont get an animal companion until level 4, or do you get an animal companion that stays at level 1 until you get to level 5? I'm assuming the former but the latter would be cooler imo.
It's replacing a 4th level ability and follows the same level-3 progression. It seems clear to me that you would get this ability at 4th level.