what knife do you use to field dress your game?

I’m sort of with Gatehouse on this one. I use a straight bladed Hienkel boning knife, and couldn’t be happier. 22 bucks at cabelas and my son stitched up some sheathes for them. It started out when I had one along on a moose hunt with my daughter where I reasoned that since I would likely be doing all the lifting the pieces might as well be small. The long and short of it was a couple hours after daylight she had her muzzleloader moose and I was thinking that if I only used one knife there would only be one to wash. I never looked back, and most of my friends are using them now as well.

This coming from a guy that loves knives, collects knives and makes knives.
 
heybert said:
Cutco drop tine hunting knife with.....wait for it.......double D serrated blade! Cut up 3 carcasses before I had to send it away to be sharpened.
Click to expand...

I've been using the same, bought it from STARS, orange handle to make it easy to see. I quite like it.
 
I've got some handmade stuff, a Dunn hollow ground comes to mind...rings like bell it does. Beautiful knife.
But after having actually lent a hand on a dedicated Kill floor, I'm using my Cold Steel Canadian Belt knife more now. I'm leary to mention the CS trademark as they are hit / miss as to folks thoughts on them. But it mimics the one I was tasked with for Beef...sort of verifies it's a good design IMO
I should be saving my money for a true Grohmann #1... but it wouldn't be a tool like the CS one is. I got a spell of waiting at work last fall and built a leather pouch to modify the carry of it and love it. It rides on my belt at a 45° angle above my Right hip pocket... it's so comfortable that I'll find don't notice it even when driving. Fast and handy coming out...slow and careful with the Left hand helping to guide the tip into the sheath upon returning it though.
I like the almost backward angle on the blade. A nice narrow tip for getting into the joints and cutting the tendons ( you have an axe or saw for de-limbing... nice, did you get your GF by hitting her over the head and dragging her home too? )
 
I just about fell off my stool, laughing at the guy with the 14" Bowie knife. Sheesh!!

If a person was seen hunting in this part of the world, carrying such a knife, he would
be laughed out of the woods. Any blade much over 6" is a liability in dressing game.

I use several different knives, but lately have been leaning to two blades.
One is a custom, built by a friend 20 years ago. 4-¾" blade, drop point.
The other later unit is an Outdoor Edge with the replaceable blades. Dave.
 
Ardent said:
That they are too, I have one and love it.
Click to expand...

It does have the look of a good skinner... but not narrow enough for me to actually dismantle as I like.
I'm more of a one knife fella...and I hunt alone most times so EVERYTHING gets cut off where they drop. I run pretty sparse, one knife, maybe 8-10 loose cartridges. Phone and rangefinder.
Always had lots of practice skinning...coyote and beaver were how Pa made winter wages. But a dedicated skinning knife got used for skinning that's it. You don't field dress with a Dunn, lol
That's where the Belt knife works well for me.
Good thread, no-one has gotten ornery yet.
Stay sane folks
 
I picked up a Spyderco Bow River, will hopefully see how that works on some animals. If it sucks it sucks I'll revert back to my Outdoor Edge.
 
Hands down, Kestrel Knives.

Skelton mountain caper and a mountain scalpel with two blades in the first aid kit.

Super light weight and they stay sharp. Awesome to deal with as well with excellent customer service.
 
Last edited:
i use a Bench made saddle mountain skinner, blades a touch over 4", i believe its 4.25, drop point, holds and edge beautifully, wasn't hard on the bank either, for real tight areas i have a little tiny ckrt skinner, i think the blades 1.5".

kids bought me one of those havalon knives last year at the end of the season so hopefully give that a whirl this year
 
A 4" blade knife is handy for game animals...I normally buy cheap on sale knives when on sale....I hate sharpening so if I get a moose or two out of a knife thats a good deal in my view...:)
 
I bought an Outdoor Edge Swing-blade on sale, and I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but I love it! The gutting blade opens game like a zipper without a worry about slicing open the stomach lining and then do the flip to the regular blade to finish field dressing and skinning. Very easy to sharpen and holds an edge. I have a pile of hunting knives but this one hangs on my belt for every hunt from now on.
 
I've become a big Havalon fan. I'll always carry a good belt knife while hunting, but have rarely used it to field dress or process game in the last 3 years.
 
Last year I used a benchmade 858 folder. Worked well, cleaned up well. Normally I use an outdoor edge my brother bought me when i started hunting.
 
Watched my uncle gut a whitetail with a flat blade screwdriver once due to forgetting to bring along a knife.
Many a colourful word spoken that morning that I won’t repeat on the forum!!!
 
30 plus years ago I was given a Schrade with about a 6" fixed blade. I carry it in the glove compartment of my truck and use it for everything from gutting to skinning. When I'm finished just a few swipes with a stone and it's razor sharp again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom