Gift for a professional hunter?

A

austinmark

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Feb 28, 2010
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One of my closest friends is quitting his job in Birmingham and moving to Africa to be a professional hunter. It's one of those lifetime dream kind of things, and he's all set up to apprentice for a year with a known and very respected PH.

The last time he went hunting, he took along my Rat Izula to "let it taste blood" (his amusing words) and said he liked it but found it a bit small. I don't hunt and know nothing about the pasttime or the tools required for the job, beyond a gun and camo.

Do y'all -- with considerably more knife and hunting knowledge than I -- have any recommendations for a knife I could give him as a going away present? Obviously, I'd like it to be something he'd use in the bush and at their base.

Thanks for your help.
 
Wow, sounds like a dream job and opportunity of a lifetime.
Will he be skinning and slaughtering the game himself, or will he have others do that for him? That is, will the knife be more of a utility/camp knife or for actual skinning? Do you know what game he will be encountering? Large thick skinned animals, or thin skinned?
 
When he went on a safari with this particular PH a couple of years ago, I know that the PH had local helpers who did a lot of the skinning. I think, however, that as part of the apprenticeship, he'll be doing a little bit of all of it.

As far as game goes, I know that they have lions, kudu, zebras, and dozens of other animals -- which is to say, thick and thin skinned.

My neighbor owns a Burt Foster custom knife. It's gorgeous. I don't know why I mentioned that, other than perhaps to solicit thoughts on the BF hunters.
 
Cold Steel OSS for killing or SD, Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter can skin anything, and the Cold Steel Assegai Spear is just wicked fun for the price, and a formidable hunting weapon.
Yeah, I like Cold Steel.
 
Ditto on the Dozier (lots of models available). :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:


Or one of the Bark River hunting knives. ;)





Big Mike
 
How about the Cold Steel Pendleton Lite Hunters ? You can get them for $15 . Get a bunch. I have the Finn Bear and find the steel quite nice for the price.
 
Buck Vanguard or Bark River for production knives.

For customs check out Dozier knives...plus check out the custom knife for sale section on here.
 
I skin way more stuff than any African pro because they have a crew with them and I am on my own or helping my guides all the time . I have come full cirle on all exotic stainless and i am back to either high carbon [ mostly Dawson customs, also these are reasonable and very great big game desighns , and look great ] , or tool steels , Ilove my KOA d2 knives , afew from Bark river in a2 , mostly in 3 to 4 inch drop PIONTS on all , onather fave is spyderco military in s90 or any thing in M4 tool steel , to me this might be the pinnacle of big game steel .
 
If he is becoming a professional hunter, the Fallkniven Professional Hunters Knife (PHK) comes immediately to mind.

In reality though it sounds like your friend is already an experienced hunter and probably knows exactly what he wants in a knife. Ask him what his choice(s) would be then buy it for him, or, if expensive, give him some cash toward the purchase as a gift.

Because we are all unique in our needs and preferences It is very difficult to make recommendations direct to the person posting, let alone to a friend of a poster. We have no way of knowing what features he prefers.

Kevin

BTW, very cool your friend is able to follow his dream.

FallknivenPHK-2.jpg
 
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That sounds like exactly what Mr. Dozier designs his knives for!
 
You know I love Doziers steel but proffesional hunters dont stab the big 5 to death , the fallkniven looks a little big , also i hate swedge grinds they make you work harder than you should on game ,flat or thin convex for me with hollow ground being 3rd.
 
If your on somewhat of a budget or just want an old nostalgic knife how about a buck 103 skinner.
 
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