Hunting knives?

Shotgun

Shotgun

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Feb 3, 2006
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I don't hunt but was thinking about tagging along with my buddy who just started hunting last year but I'm confused as to what makes a good hunting knife. I hear guys say you need something with you to split the pelvis like an axe or saw and that you need a strong tip on your knife to pop joints and all this but then you read about african tribesman who are able to process an elephant with okapi pocket knives. Even my friend says his uncle used a small knife for everything. What's the deal is this more of a personal preference thing? Maybe the hunters out there could list what they do to process an animal from shooting it straight through to serving it at the table. And if you could, do it for different types of animals because I'm sure processing a moose is different than a squirrel.
 
I prefer a simple 3-3.5" fixed blade with a little belly in it. I use a Bark River Woodland special....

But I'd say in general any multi purpose knife with a 3-4.5" blade, semi pointy tip and no nooks and crannys for grime to hide in would make a great knife. Kepharts, drop points, skinners, sharpfingers, small bowies...each person has their own preference.

I use a 12" ontario for game processing (removing feet, head, popping joints, starting cuts through fur, taking rib cage etc...) but only because I carry one. There have been times I never had my machete and the woodland worked fine. Although I had to alter my butchering technques a bit to suit the knife.
 
If you're not gonna be hunting and just tagging along, take whatever you want, any knife is better than no knife. Your buddy will likely have the kind of knife that he likes to use to dress the game in the manner that he likes to dress them.

My idea of a hunting knife is different than what I would want in a knife if I were just hiking, I think of a hunting knife as the knife I carry when actually hunting. We always bring the game back to camp to butcher and skin it, so that's where I keep those dedicated tools.

So, my hunting knife needs to be able to do simple utility tasks, cut bait bags open, cut line, open packages, cut food as well as be able to gut and lightly field dress my game. Where I have hunted I'm never very far from camp or houses of my family or my vehicle, so fire prep is not a major consideration in my knife choice. It would take longer to get a fire ready and going than to walk to safety in nearly all cases.

What I've found works best for whitetails is a sharp 2.5-4 inch blade. 4 inches is even cutting it close to too big for me. I leave all of the joint popping and pelvis splitting to knives/tools built for those jobs.

I'll likely be packing my JK EWOK this sunday for opening day (if my koyote PSK shows up before that, then I've got a decision, but with Yote in Reno I don't think I have to worry). I might throw a bigger blade in my pack (Koyote Rancher or JK Hiker), and I'll also have some sort of folder (likely a my SAK farmer). Hatchet or axe at camp or in my vehicle.

Thats my take on it, Koyote has an interesting section on his take on knife types on his website as well.

Interested to see what others think.
 
For whitetails and hogs I use a schrade 13ot, it has a fairly wide 3.5" drop point blade of 1095, I use this knife for field dressing and skinning. I don't cut through bones, pelvis or any others, I do quarter the game but cut the cartilage in the joints not the bone itself. I bone out the meat after quartering.

For small game I use a small mora that I am hardly ever without. Chris
 
Personal preference, based on needs which you encounter.

Some styles appeal to one person more than another.

Hard to go wrong if it has a handle, edge, and cuts what you want cut.

Have fun.
 
I generaly carry only a 5" bladed hunter or a RAT cutlery RC4. My 5" is a custom by G.L. Drew and is the size blade I like for general use. However the RC4 is a fantastic knife and is my EDC balde. It will easily meet or exceed everything you need in a hunting blade.
 
If you are talking field dressing I just have a folder for that. I like one that has the blunt tip gut blade.

This one is a favorite I've used a lot. The saw will saw thru bone no problem

fh4.jpg
 
A "good" hunting knife is an extremely personal judgement, in my experience. I will use either a wharncliffe or a upswept point/drop point knife for most game processing.

My favorite game processing knives at the moment are my Breeden wharncliffe, Izula, and RC-3.

As Kismet eluded to, about any knife will *work* for game processing. I would expand on that and say take a knife you are very comfortable with and use a lot. That will help you to maintain control when doing something unfamiliar with your blade.

Popping joints can be done with any knife as long as you take your time and use some patience. Cut the connective tissue rather than try to chop through it. Cut through all the tendons, etc., right at the point where the bones meet. Feel where the bones meet and cut there.
 
If you look at the Bark River Highland and the Boker K-2, you have found them. OR have one of the Makers here build one with everything you want.:D They will be more than happy to fix you up.:thumbup:
 
What are you hunting? I prefer the thinnest, shortest, sharpest blade that will work efficiently on the size of game I am hunting. If the game is light enough to carry back to camp without breaking it down then you probably only need enough of a knife to gut it. That does not typically involve heavy work on bones and sinews that requires a tough blade or heavy point. I go for thin and sharp. When I hunt elk I may need to quarter it to get it out. I have a hatchet and saw to help with that, but I also want a knife that would support processing the whole animal in a pinch. For me that is still at rather fine-edge hunting knife, but with a tough blade alloy. I have knives with BG42, A2, and 52100 alloy blades that fit that type of operation. This is the extreme. I still consider 4.5 inches to be getting inconveniently long as a single blade. I always carry a smaller folder for tight work.
 
Before I became completely immersed in Spyderco's products I previously used several great hunting knives. Thus I got to really go through the gamut of many different designs in folders and fixed blades. My very first blade I used was a 2 bladed, stag handled KaBar folder which was the model 1194. I got that knife for a Birthday present in 1980. I had skinned many whitetail deer with that blade and used it till about 1998

But about 1998 my nephew started hunting with me and I let him use the Kabar 1194 and he really liked that knife a lot so I gave it to him. Then I went to a fixed blade I then got me a Cold Steel Master Hunter. It was a splendid hunting knife. But then for next 4 years I went through a complete process of elimination using all kinds of folders and fixed blades. For a while I used a Benchmade folder, A Buck folder and then I got my a Spyderco Impala with a guthook. It was and still is a great hunting folder. While using the Impala I was then introduced to the fixed blade hunting knife of my dreams. The Spyderco Temperance 1 model which is the most ergonomically perfect fixed blade I've ever used to date. I even got 2 of them.

Both my Spyderco Temperance 1 models go with me on about every outdoor adventure>> I have one plain edge model and one Spyderedge model ( serrated, Spyderco pattern). I find that particular pair of Spyderco fixed blades to the best I've had up till now and I've not yet encountered a skinning, dressing, butchering job that my two Temperance 1 models won't handle.

There are many great hunting knives out there but what's most important is how it fits your hand and how it gets your chores done. I do plan on getting the Temperance 2 model and I hope they do end up making it available in Spyderedge.
 
I liked simple fixed-blades for hunting knives for the ease of cleaning.

I also like drop-point blades with some belly. For small game, I love the little A.G. Russel Bird & Trout. For whitetails, moose and caribou, a knife like the Fallkniven F1 is just what I prefer as far as blade shape and size.

Like many hunters, I don't split the pelvic bone when field-dressing big game.


Here's the Bird & Trout and the F1


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I hunt hogs and occasionally small game. I like the Walker-pro by Wayne Clay the best. I can't post attachments yet. Wayne is a Tennessee guy and makes a great hollow-ground blade. Search for him, I think you will like his work

Thunderhorse.
 
no need to split the pelvis (actually more reasons not to), I do like splitting the rib cage however to hasten cooling- this is easily accomplished even w/ a small fixed blade- simply go along the edge (not through the middle) of the sternum and your not cutting bone, just cartilage.

after many years of hunting small to big game, my knives for hunting have been getting smaller and smaller. if your going to be totally boning animals in the field- a slightly longer (and thinner) blade is recommended. if your going to be quartering game in the field a saw or small axe is recommended (* both in addition to a small fixed blade for field dressing)

fortunately there are dozens and dozens of suitable knives to choose from :)
 
For anything from hogs to blacktails to elk, I use a Dozier Delta Traveller to clean it, including splitting the ribcage. The way I clean I don't usually need to pop the pelvis, but I would use a saw for that. Before the Dozier, I used a Bark River -- I think it's an early Huntsman -- or a puukko of unknown origin before that (I think it's a Kainuun Puukko). Really, anything that's 3-4" and has a good edge and point will work. Heck, when I was a kid, all we had were Buck 110s.

To skin them, I usually have a Lapin Puukko Professional Skinner, but I have a Dozier Whitetail Skinner that I'm looking forward to trying. I can skin, and have skinned, with the knives above, but the skinning blade does have a few advantages.

I just got a Fallkniven PHK, which is supposed to do it all. I've only used it on one animal, but it was getting dark so I switched back to the Dozier for speed and safety.
 
i agree w/ evbouret. a nice small simple blade is best. i dont know why some think a big knife if good for feild dressing. it would be harder to control. its not like the skin of an animal is 8 and over inches
 
As most have said, it's very personal preference type of thing. Although I have nicer knives for the job, I use a Gerber Gator PS edge for whitetail. It works great. Most of the time I just field dress it though and take it to a processor. I am not good enough at processing to not waist some of the meat. My brother, however, has processed all of his for the past 20+ years himself with a standard 5" leather handled Ka-bar fixed blade.
 
For processing, I just use my fishing/filet knife. Can't beat it for boning out.

But, truth be told, I don't process much anymore. The wife doesn't like the wear and tear on the kitchen counter. After skinning and cleaning, it goes to a butcher and comes back in nice white paper. She likes that.
 
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