First hunting season, recommendations.

Look into the kershaw blade trader. I have used this knife for many years and absolutely love it. You can get so many different blades with it and just pop them on and off. Mine has the skinning knife, gut hook, saw blade, and fillet knife. They all fit into the leather sheath on my belt too. They may be hard to get in Canada but you should have no issues in the states.

I can also second the Irish Setters. Throw some mink oil on them and they will last for years.
 
Less is more from what I’ve found, here’s a good example. What I thought I’d need to field dress when I started hunting to what I actually use. Still have the tool roll, has a couple extra saw blades in it and a small folding diamond sharpener in case I need it.

I have a Mora on my day bag and a Leatherman on my belt but I don’t use either when field dressing, the paring knife is hard to beat imho.

DUcruhE.jpg

BipSkzN.jpg
 
I like that setup, I grabbed a morakniv off of Amazon for $20 and bought a steel today..

I also have a smith and Wesson drop point knife I use as an edc tbat is suprisingly good that ill be using as a secondary knife.
 
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Evanguy said:
Nice. I have the mora companion in high vis orange. I like it alot. Actually even more so then my esee 3
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I was going to go with the companion, I got this one:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00EAL17PC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

If I like it I’ll go buy the companion in orange at a LGS, spend locally. I’ll probably just take one of my old steak knives from the junk drawer. Done deal. I just need to secure some land to hunt on! Very little crown around my place
 
I like the pen diamond honers. Orange aluminum tube and a half round and conical end. Unfortunately I lost mine and have no idea what the brand is.

I use a mora classic for gutting and skinning. I can't imagine skinning with a paring knife but tons of guys are suggesting them. Are they just used for gutting?

I'd like to try one of those sheep skinners too

The little saw on the Leatherman actually works well for the pelvis if you do that
 
conor_90 said:
I like the pen diamond honers. Orange aluminum tube and a half round and conical end. Unfortunately I lost mine and have no idea what the brand is.

I use a mora classic for gutting and skinning. I can't imagine skinning with a paring knife but tons of guys are suggesting them. Are they just used for gutting?

I'd like to try one of those sheep skinners too

The little saw on the Leatherman actually works well for the pelvis if you do that
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The paring knife is used to gut and skin once I’m back home and the last two seasons I’ve quartered and deboned with it, it stays sharp and is nimble due to blade length. Easy to manipulate under the skin while opening the chest cavity up as well as thin blade width for getting into knee joints or the ball of the rear hip when quartering.

The more I use it to gut and skin the less I use any other style of knife, I use the boning knife a bit while quartering but I’d say 80-90% of the work is done with the paring knife. If I had to pick one knife to use to break down an animal it would be a paring knife, I use it for gutting hares as well.
 
Just a couple thoughts after reading this thread:

To the guys losing knives, what in the heck are you doing? How? Lol. Never have I lost a knife hunting. A knife is too dangerous to just leave laying around. Step onit or sit on it and you could have a bad day.

Yes a cheap knife will work but edge retention usually sucks. Sharpening in the field, while possible, sucks when it's cold or dark or you're in a hurry. Buy something with a steel that will keep its edge long enough to skin, quarter, debone a moose or elk if that's something you plan on hunting eventually. You don't have spend lots. 150 or less will get you a quality steel. Something in 14C28N or along those lines should do the job and be easy t sharpen.

One more thing on the knife subject, I consider them an essential part of my survival gear and anything I carry has to be sturdy enough to be used for processing wood to start a fire, etc. A good, strong fixed blade is a very useful tool for things other than skinning an animal. A situation like that would be extremely rare of course even if you are hunting remote areas but maybe still something worth considering.

As to boots, spend as much as you can afford if you plan on doing a lot of walking. Boots aren't as exciting as the rifle or a cool knife but they can make the hunt s much more enjoyable.
 
Bill that hatchet looks like a good one , what make is it please ?
Leavenworth
Butcherbill said:
Less is more from what I’ve found, here’s a good example. What I thought I’d need to field dress when I started hunting to what I actually use. Still have the tool roll, has a couple extra saw blades in it and a small folding diamond sharpener in case I need it.

I have a Mora on my day bag and a Leatherman on my belt but I don’t use either when field dressing, the paring knife is hard to beat imho.

DUcruhE.jpg

BipSkzN.jpg
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I know the intent of the OP was made clear when he mentioned a bone saw, but I'll just throw in from the upland bird hunting side of hunting, ie for pheasant, grouse, and woodcock, and mention this design of field dressing knife which deserves to be better known and more popular. It allows you to immediately gut a bird and start the cooling of the meat process right away too. I was frantic last year when I thought I'd lost my Buck version. This is a Boker:

Boker-Bird-Knife-1100x841.jpg


When I was searching for a postable photo of the design, I found that or self serving friends at Ducks U have or once had a folder of this design with their logo on it, maybe that means they're good for waterfowl too. Also, there's a thread in the knives forum here about orange handled and even orange bladed knives, they really have their fans, check that out to see why.

EDIT: and I just may be a little slow today, but here is a link to the orange knife discussion:

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2341277-Blaze-orange-knife-craze
 
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Leavenworth said:
Bill that hatchet looks like a good one , what make is it please ?
Leavenworth
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Can’t help you there, the name on the blade has long worn off. My dad gave it to me when I was a young lad (10-12yrs old), it’s got an elk or stag stamped into the sheath. Definitely meant to break down an animal, the blade is super thin and razor sharp. All I can remember is it’s made in Italy, I’ve had it for over 30 years.
 
Hmatt said:
Hi there, will be hunting white tail in southern Alberta. Have most of what I need but blades and boots. Suggestions? Would like to spend around $175-275 on knife, bone saw $? And an ok, nothing fancy pair of boots. Located in Calgary. Thanks!
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Knife- Outdoor edge razor, orange so you don't misplace it lol. (Canadian tire $70)
Saw- Canadian tire woods brand fold out saw, blaze orange/pink color. ($20)
Boots-I use the Canadian Tire Hunt shield neoprene boots ($120), but buy what works for you, good socks are also important.

Good luck
 
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