I've never enjoyed the whole "processing the deer." I've actually been up in the deer stand and looking through the scope at a deer, trying to decide whether to take this shot... and had the thought, "Do I really want to be cleaning a deer tonight?" I'm sure most of you are better at it and more efficient... I'm 61 years old and I'm happy to let my son in law do it if he is here.
Anyway, in order to make the chore more interesting and less like bloody work, I normally haul out multiple knives and let each one have a turn. I normally carry my only PS folding knife in the woods in case I have a chance to do a quick field dress out there. Discontinued long ago, Spyderco Tim Wegner.
But up at the house, time for a stack of fixed blades. I won't bore you with all the ones that end up being used briefly and then pushed aside. Seems like I always end up doing the bulk of the task with two in particular.
The discontinued Spyderco Gayle Bradley.
https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/FB33G/919
If you had just handed me this knife, I would have said, "Pretty, but not my pick." Too long, not enough belly, handle is very smooth and looks slick if bloody. The only reason I ended up with one... besides buying practically everything that says Spyderco... was that they discontinued the knife and one shop was selling them for less than half MSRP. Everybody agreed they were a high quality design and materials, so I picked one up. I still probably would have never actually used it... but it got put in the "let's try these on deer" pile one year... and really surprised me. I ended up using it a lot... and I always bring it out now when a deer needs to be done.
You can still find them for sale on places like ebay... but I doubt they will be cheap. I'm not selling mine.
So... the one that just keeps coming out for these things and they actually still produce them. A rather odd looking design... but it frigging well works great. Tops Camp Creek.
https://www.bladehq.com/item--TOPS-Knives-Camp-Creek-Fixed-Blade--81890
Around 25 years ago, TOPS Knives jumped into the tactical fixed-blade market to supply our soldiers in the Middle East with affordable yet highly effective knives. Once they established that benchmark, TOPS turned its attention to the sporting segment of the cutlery industry.
americanhandgunner.com
Just seems like every year I keep trying different knives for a while... then I finally decide it is time to get this done... and the Spyderco and the Tops Camp Creek get used the rest of the way. My son in law tried my Camp Creek one year and he made sure it was at the top of his Christmas list a couple years ago... he's been using it ever since. If I was only going to get to keep one fixed blade knife for cleaning a deer... the Camp Creek would be it.
Gregg