Which Hunting Knife

[Mmac52280]

I carry a Hogue automatic knife with a 4" Warncliffe blade daily. Takes a little getting used to, but if you try one, don't be surprised if it becomes your favorite. Pricey, but well worth it.

EX-A05 Automatic Folder: 4.0" Wharncliffe Blade - Black Cerakote Finish, Matte Black Aluminum Frame & G-Mascus Black G10 Inserts - EX-A05 - Automatic Knives - Hogue Knives - Hogue Knives - Hogue Products

<span style="color: #ff0000;">IMPORTANT:</span> Due to Federal and State laws that govern the purchase, owning, and transportation of automatic knives, Hogue Automatics will be sold only through authorized dealers. They are not available for purchase on

www.hogueinc.com

 

[Hand Skills]

Bob Dozier Yukon Pro Skinner (4 ounces) on my belt for skinning and heavier work around bony areas. It's got amazing balance and heft, and I'll never go in the backcountry without it.

That is a fantastic knife. Love the Doziers.

 

[wernerpd]

Looking to upgrade my knife in my kill kit this year before the archery season. I'm looking for suggestions.

I'm a pack hunter. For that reason, I carry one knife, and 100% of the time I use the gutless method to pack out meat. That said, I currently have a brand that uses disposable blades. Personally, I think it's just meh.

I've been thinking maybe a fix blade, and have been eye balling for some time the Benchmade Altitude. What say the wise internet? No budget.

If you are willing to wait and have the money, in my humble opinion you can't go wrong with Randall made knives. I inherited my father's Randall that he carried during WWII and most of the rest of his life. It is perfectly balanced and keeps a very sharp edge.

Model 1 - All Purpose Fighting Knife

5", 6", 7" and 8" blades of 1/4" stock. The top cutting edge sharpened approximately 3 inches. Brass double hilt. Approximately 4 3/4” to 5” leather handle. Duralumin butt cap. This is the knife made famous by Allied combat troops in World War II and since widely used in all theaters of war.

www.randallknives.com

 

[VinceMule]

My uncle was a Taxidermist, I grew up skinning deer, fish, and birds.

I have a flock of knives, German, Swiss, and then I found McCrosky knives...mercy....what an eye-opener! I first bought a Trapper Set from the McCrosky brothers, I skinned 8 deer, then quartered them up, then loaned the knife to another guy in the deer club that had a custom knife go dull in a hurry.

Then I bought an Elk Skinner from McCrosky's. I skinned and butchered two elk with it, and it would shave you! Hard to believe I know, but it is the Gospel Truth!

If you like to carry one knife, know it will skin and butcher all the animals you and your party can kill, then invest in a McCrosky knife.

A friend that is a trapper bought the Trapper life set, he skinned 300 Beaver with it before it needed sharpened.
Twice Cryo'd, a special heat treatment makes a difference in a blade, not to mention the quality of steel used.

After getting the McCrosky knives, I started selling off all my German knives. I still have several of the Buck 110's that are more for emergency use in the truck and car door side pockets.

So, if you want to go on a hunt never worry about your knife getting dull or having to sharpen the knife in the field, or have a knife for the season to skin all the deer you can kill in your Deer Club, the McCrosky knife is where you want to be. You will want one of every knife they make, you have been warned.

A friend got in on a depredation elk hunt in N.M. with him and his party, they got half a dozen elk. They skinned and butchered all with two "Elk Skinner" knives from McCrosky. The testimony from many people on the quality of the blade in the McCrosky knives are to numerous to mention.

 

[tx338]

Benchmade Bugout has been excellent for me the past couple of years. Light, disappears in your pocket, yet sturdy enough to hold up to field dressing tasks.

All that said, I have a Havalon piranta and an ESEE 3 or Bark River drop point hunter in my hunting pack all the time, And usually a Wyoming saw. Works to quarter and cape elk, deer, bear, pronghorn etc…

 

[Weaver93]

I have several Benchmade folders that I EDC, but here in the east I don't have a need for a back country/bush knife, but I will say (probably get laughed at too) that when I am butchering a deer I almost always use my Morakniv Kansbol. It is really easy around joints with its blade shape. It's cheap and swiss made so it may not ring your bell, but it works well for me. I have other Moraknivs that I use in the kayak.

 

[bdpayne2000]

So I have have forever carried just 110 Buck folding hunter. Watched this the other and am going to give what this guy recommends a try, Buck 113 Ranger. You can get it in 420 or s30v steel. I also like the cross draw holster he uses which leaves the strong side for pistol carry. I figure a guy that is in the business and carried this knife for the last 10 years is a pretty strong recommendation.

 

[Janno05]

L.T. Wright large northern hunter has replaced all of my other hunting knives. Perfect blade shape and holds a great edge. I keep the inside of my belt loaded with some stropping compound in case I need to touch up the edge.

 

[Slick8]

I've been using the havalon for years now and love it. It does have its limitations and you do have to be careful with it.
I've always carried some sort of a heavier bladed knife and weight wasn't a problem as I typically hunt Texas lease country.

Last year I went on my first western elk hunt and took a benchmade meatcrafter. It worked great and weighs just a little more than the knife you mentioned. Imo the weight gain is offset by the usefulness of the knife.

 

[chav0_12]

I love my Altitude. I also have the Steep Country but the Altitude is the one that almost always ends up in my kill kit. The steel is strong and keeps an edge well, that also means it's kind of a PITA to sharpen. I'd definitely buy the Altitude again.

 

[Hand Skills]

L.T. Wright large northern hunter has replaced all of my other hunting knives. Perfect blade shape and holds a great edge. I keep the inside of my belt loaded with some stropping compound in case I need to touch up the edge.

Good knife, and a good trick with the stropping compound.

I have been known to load my leather sheaths with a 120gr SiC lapping compound. Great way to touch up a knife in the field and weighs virtually nothing.

 

[chav0_12]

Last year I went on my first western elk hunt and took a benchmade meatcrafter. It worked great and weighs just a little more than the knife you mentioned.

Eh, I wouldn't bother sticking that in my pack. I have one and I like it a lot. It's a great boning and cutting knife but to me it's not a proper field/gutting/quartering knife. It's definitely a useful tool for processing or cutting meat in the kitchen or back in camp though.

 

[Will Gray]

Status or utility. Never stainless, too hard to sharpen. Tool steel from Solingen like the Carl Schlieper: easy to sharpen. Or for way less money and very sharp, a Moraknil carbon steel from Sweden not expensive at all I got several at $11 Get on line. I keep one in the truck and a couple in the hunting bag. I also carry a diamond stone to brighten the edge now and then (Arkansas stone home for all the knives). My Dad gave me a Bocar Solingen little pocket knife when I was eight. It is ground down from sharpening and the hinge pin is worn but still sharp and easy to keep that way. Not many people sharpen by hand; I recommend practicing that art.

 

[Ninering62]

Looking to upgrade my knife in my kill kit this year before the archery season. I'm looking for suggestions.

I'm a pack hunter. For that reason, I carry one knife, and 100% of the time I use the gutless method to pack out meat. That said, I currently have a brand that uses disposable blades. Personally, I think it's just meh.

I've been thinking maybe a fix blade, and have been eye balling for some time the Benchmade Altitude. What say the wise internet? No budget.

I'm an old school countryboy that's been hunting 50yrs. I was raised with using a large fixed blade knife ( Buck or Siberian Skinner ) as a " hunting knife ". As I got older & more experienced I learned the assets & shortcomings of only carrying a large fixed blade skinning knife with me for everything I hunted. In my early 30's I came across this Browning 3 blade folding knife in a nylon case with belt loop. The light upstairs went off immediately. It was only 90.00 or there abouts. And the skinning blade is mediocre quality steel, but for nearly 30yrs now, that knife has been on my utility hunting belt. I keep a small sharpener with me too. I can skin out 1 deer with it as long as I don't hit bone too hard like at the joints. Then it will need Re sharpening. For under a hundred bucks, it's been fantastic & used on everything from groundhogs to rabbits & squirrels, foxes, raccoons, right up to deer, hogs & black bear. I only use another task specific knife when I'm processing meat up for the freezer. In the field, this knife has done it all & pretty **** well.