# Recommend a hunting knife



## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

dead short said:


> This has become my go to knife for dressing deer... Buck Woodsman....


Same here - the blade is only 4" so it's easy to move around inside the deer when you're cutting the windpipe etc without cutting yourself or something else inadvertently

A real economical choice would be the Cold Steel Pendleton Light which won Field and Stream's Best of the Best award and can be found online for $20 or so. Very basic functional hunting knife at an unbeatable price


----------



## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Two favorite knives are Kershaw folding 4" and Spyder sheath 4" both around $80. For a cheap good knife get a 6" rapala fillet knife for $15 or less you cannot go wrong there. It is as sharp out of the package as anything out there. It will clean most critters and fish, fast and easy.


----------



## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

Rustyaxecamp said:


> Buck 110 lockblade is hard to beat.


Oh yeah! I have had two in my whole life. Broke the blade on the first one doing something really stupid with it and Buck replaced it for a ridiculously low price even though the knife was over ten years old. Feel naked if I go deer hunting without it. A very inexpensive, solid and good quality knife. Good looking too.


----------



## outfishin_ (Jul 28, 2004)

I'm a huge Kershaw fan....This model is my personal favorite....Had mine for 23 years ..I bought a back up just in case I ever misplace or lose my original. http://www.kershawknivesdirect.com/kershaw-black-colt-copolymer-handle-plain-edge-p-8655.html


----------



## brookie1 (Jan 26, 2011)

4 inch Rapala, about 15 bucks. I use my truck for the skinning.


----------



## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Nice short 3-1/8" blade. From brookies to deer, it is a nice little knife.


----------



## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

PITBULL said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have had mine about the same amount of years. Been a great knife. Unfortunetly they are made in China now. You can get them for like $12.00. Thats like half of what I bought it for 20 some years ago. :lol:


----------



## fdunford (Aug 14, 2004)

walleyedude said:


> This knife will go through the rib cage like a hot knife through butter. Plus it is made in the USA.


 
You'r not lying walley. When my good hunting friend 'Montana Jeff' recommended this knife to me - I thought he was kidding. But took the plunge, and wow. It can even cut thru the pelvic bone.


----------



## FireFox23 (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm not recommending any specific knife. What you want is one with a solid 3-4 inch blade. I prefer non folding/locking blades. Just a fixed blade is good. With the folding/locking knives you WILL get blood, tissue, and all sorts of other stuff inside of the the knife and the mechanism, and it's a pain to clean. Folding blades that don't lock can also fold over on you while working in an animal cavity.


----------



## flyfish (Dec 4, 2001)

FireFox23 said:


> I'm not recommending any specific knife. What you want is one with a solid 3-4 inch blade. I prefer non folding/locking blades. Just a fixed blade is good. With the folding/locking knives you WILL get blood, tissue, and all sorts of other stuff inside of the the knife and the mechanism, and it's a pain to clean. Folding blades that don't lock can also fold over on you while working in an animal cavity.


Boiled in salt water will clean all the gunk out of the folding cavity, rinse thouroughly wipe dry.


----------



## chamookman (Sep 1, 2003)

Buck Personal for Me. I've had it for years - used it alot as a scraper when Bow making and a minite or two on the stone it was ready for any Big Game Animal in North America.


----------



## badger (Mar 9, 2005)

Quack Addict said:


> Buck Vanguard. I have never found a folder that I liked for dressing deer, the groove plugs up with crud and it's a pain to clean out. Also, I don't care for a really pointy knife, because it's not necessary for gutting, and has a tendency to poke holes on things you don't want holes in... guts, fingers, etc. The Buck Vanguard with rose wood handle is it, for me, the black version with textured grip plugs up with fat & tallow. Just my .02
> 
> _OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


----------



## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

junkman said:


> My favorite is a Gerber with about a 2.5 to 3 inch blade keeps an edge like there's no tomarrow.I've dressed more than one deer and caribou with it as far as pelvic bones go if you realy feel the need to split it a hatchet works well.As long as you are careful there realy is no need to split the pelvic bone.That's just my $.02 worth



Gerber is all I carry in the field. I have two, one the gator back with the serrated blade and one with a regular drop point, both around 3-4" blades. The serated takes care of the rib cage and the drop point takes care of everything else. And as mentioned about some others, Made in the US, Portland Oregon.


----------



## Gigantopithecus (May 10, 2011)

What comes next is the flashlight. I use the *Browning tactical hunter* *alpha* and *alpha max*. They use a single aa battery and are really bright. I use the alpha max to even recover deer sometimes.

For tracking, I use the *streamlight lightbox*. A 9 hour battery, but it is really heavy and comes with a shoulder strap. It stays in the truck or house unless I need it.


----------



## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Although it's a little more expensive, the Streamlight Waypoint is a good hand held LED light. Two brightness settings - bright and almost blinding, and a strobe feature. Only drawback is it takes 4 C size batteries. But with an 8.5 hour burn time on high and 120 on low and strobe you don't have to replace them often. It's not a light you would want to carry all the time, but for searching for stuff it is great. 

I would like to compare it to one of the $20 black and decker or Remington lights from wallie world. 

Posted from my iPhone.


----------



## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I am Buck fan. I have several. The one I have cleaned all my deer with is the 110. I just picked up a Buck Alpha, fixed blade with a gut hook for $50 on ebay. I hope to use that soon.


----------



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

*Most guys try to use too much knife for the job. My favorite knife for gutting deer is my everyday pocketknife. A gerber mini with a 2 inch blade. Plenty of knife for deer, I've used it countless times.*


----------



## countryboy17 (Nov 25, 2010)

I can't believe anyone hasn't recommended Marbles knives yet and they were even made in gladstone at one time. They will run you about 80 to a 100 bucks but they are a super sharp high quality knife. If you want a good knife that's cheaper I would go with the shrade old timer that was recommended they are a great knife for the money and I use there folding pocket knives to clean all my small game


----------



## Yarcher (Oct 17, 2006)

I like Bark River knives, made right here in Michigan and have great warranty/customer service. You can pick up a very nice knife for a good price on the used market if you know where to look. 

The old Marbles are very nice, but you have to shop around to find a deal, as they don't make them in the USA anymore. I have a 80+ year old Woodsman that still gets the job done. Blackjack Classics are nice too, made by Bark River as well. 

Again, if you search around, you can sometimes find a customs or semi-custom knife for as cheap as a mass produced one. Just have to be patient and look often. 

If I were in the market for a cheaper alternative, I would lean towards a Gerber Gator fixed blade, or search around for a vintage Western or Case to refurbish.


----------



## josey wales (Mar 28, 2009)

some say that they are pricey but you get what you pay for,they have the strongest edge out there and will last a long time between sharpenings i like the drop point hunter


----------



## Kubota Joe (Jun 13, 2011)

PITBULL said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Exactly!!! I have a small collection of knifes and I love this blade! It keeps a good edge and is easy to sharpen. 


_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


----------



## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Much to my regret, I have found out that Gerber knives are now made in China....oh well...good to know I bought when they were American Made.


----------



## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

TrekJeff said:


> Much to my regret, I have found out that Gerber knives are now made in China....oh well...good to know I bought when they were American Made.


That makes perfect sense. I bought one of their machetes last year and it's the finest looking piece of junk I have ever had the displeasure of owning. It would have difficulty cutting warm butter.

I have a couple older Gerber knives and they are good.

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


----------



## toots (Dec 8, 2001)

Cutco I have had one since 1963. Very sharp. Good knife. It is available in two blades. Look at them on line.


----------



## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Quack Addict said:


> That makes perfect sense. I bought one of their machetes last year and it's the finest looking piece of junk I have ever had the displeasure of owning. It would have difficulty cutting warm butter.
> 
> I have a couple older Gerber knives and they are good.
> 
> _OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


 
Hey Dan, how ya been...ya gota let me know if you make it up to the Clare area...I'm living back up at my cabin, out and away from the Flint town:yikes:


----------



## N0.6Hunter (May 3, 2011)

jhielscher said:


> Please leave your recommendations for a good hunting knife. Preferrably something inexpensive but let me know what I need to look for.


Jeff Forth makes a really nice knife upnorthblades.com i havea few and love them of course ive also known him since i was hunting in diapers lol


----------

