Let's See Your Hunting Knives

Natty Bumppo

5 year old buck +
Curious if anybody would like to share their top 2 or 3 "go to" hunting knives. I'll go first...

On the right is my USAF issue survival knife that I carried in Desert Shield/Storm in 1990/91. I carry it quite often while small game hunting, snowshoeing, scouting, etc. It's not really that great of a knife. I carry it mostly out of pure sentimentality.

In the middle is my trusty Old Timer by Schrade. I've carried this one deer hunting since I was a teen in the late 80's.

On the left is a little "Kamp King" pocketknife that belonged to my grandfather. A WWII vet, a hunter, my hero...I carry it in my pocket during deer season, again mostly to have a part of him with me out of pure sentimentality. But it does come in handy when I want to cut off a hunk of summer sausage or cheese during a lunch break...or cut off the sleeve of my LL Bean river driver shirt after a long day tracking and nature calls and I'm out of toilet paper. 😆

Would love to see some of your favorites....

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I bought this Buck 391 about a year ago. I then removed the rubber handle and put a new handle on it. I have cleaned several squirrels and one deer with it. It holds its edge fairly well as I have yet to sharpen it. I like its size for a variety of tasks.
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I've got my old timer from the 80's at the farm.
Not sexy but I use these exclusively for deer anymore. Razor sharp replaceable blades.

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I bought this Buck 391 about a year ago. I then removed the rubber handle and put a new handle on it. I have cleaned several squirrels and one deer with it. It holds its edge fairly well as I have yet to sharpen it. I like its size for a variety of tasks.
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Nice. I like that handle!
 
I've got my old timer from the 80's at the farm.
Not sexy but I use these exclusively for deer anymore. Razor sharp replaceable blades.

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I've got something similar from Cabelas I carry every day. The replaceable blades are nice.
 
Nothing special. I have two "go to" knives for hunting. The one that gets most use is the Schrade Isolate fixed blade. I like that the sheath has a sharpening stone, which helps keep the knife sharp for multiple deer or those accidental cuts into bone.
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The other I keep handy, and has gotten me through lots of deer is the Buck 110 Folding Hunter
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Nice collection of knives, Natty. Here's 1 I keep in my pack for deer hunting. It's been smashed with a lot of rocks to break through the pelvic bone before we carried little saws. A2 steel. Nothing great or pretty. It was a gift from my parents when I was young. I think they ordered it from an IL publication that used to exist.

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In 2013 I worked on a ranch in New Mexico. I was the gopher for their guided elk hunts. An old elk guide gave me his knife to walk me through the way he gutted an elk for his client. When I got done, he told me to keep his knife and made me promise to pass it along g to a stranger when I was done. Turns out that was his last elk hunt. The stories he used to tell were incredible!
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My favorite blade and a couple of oldies

Top: Schrade Walden 147
Middle: Kinfolks 340
Bottom: custom by Carl LeBlanc Trenton Mo, the one knife i will keep until im dead.20250223_060114_HDR.jpg
 
Nothing special. I have two "go to" knives for hunting. The one that gets most use is the Schrade Isolate fixed blade. I like that the sheath has a sharpening stone, which helps keep the knife sharp for multiple deer or those accidental cuts into bone.

The other I keep handy, and has gotten me through lots of deer is the Buck 110 Folding Hunter
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Love that classic Buck 110! Had one at some point in my life. Not sure what happened to it?
 
Nice collection of knives, Natty. Here's 1 I keep in my pack for deer hunting. It's been smashed with a lot of rocks to break through the pelvic bone before we carried little saws. A2 steel. Nothing great or pretty. It was a gift from my parents when I was young. I think they ordered it from an IL publication that used to exist.

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Nice Mortenson. Thanks for sharing. That thing has seen a lot of miles!
 
In 2013 I worked on a ranch in New Mexico. I was the gopher for their guided elk hunts. An old elk guide gave me his knife to walk me through the way he gutted an elk for his client. When I got done, he told me to keep his knife and made me promise to pass it along g to a stranger when I was done. Turns out that was his last elk hunt. The stories he used to tell were incredible!
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Great story....and a great knife!
 
My favorite blade and a couple of oldies

Top: Schrade Walden 147
Middle: Kinfolks 340
Bottom: custom by Carl LeBlanc Trenton Mo, the one knife i will keep until im dead.View attachment 74342
Nice Mozark. Classic blades. Thanks for sharing.
 
I carry 2 knives. One for general stuff, but special to flintlock guns. The other is for cutting up deer only, so it stays sharp.

Deer cutting knife is a buck 110, it might be a buck 55. Small about the length of a long finger folded. Freaked out last year, fell off my ATV while cleaning a deer. Finally found it at camp.

The other is a old timer 97OT. Great for hunting. Has a sawblade when you need to ut some branches quietly. I hunt on the ground often in places I've never sat before, so its good to trim a branch or two quietly. The great bonus is the pick. Missed a very nice buck in 2017 in PA. Flintlock pan wouldn't ignite and forgot my pick to clean the flashhole. Got snow in it by accident.

I bought 3 of these knives to make darn sure I have one when I need it. Since then I empty the pan when I get to sitting spot, leave a toothpick in the flashole. Fill the pan when the deer show up, even IF i don't plan on shooting one. nice one might be behind them.

Best of all, that old timer is like 30-35 bucks and has a nice leather sheath.

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IF anyone knows of a nice fishing knife or folding decaler, i would be very interested. I have a decent folding kershaw fillet knife. But, I never found a descaler I've been happy with.
 
I carry 2 knives. One for general stuff, but special to flintlock guns. The other is for cutting up deer only, so it stays sharp.

Deer cutting knife is a buck 110, it might be a buck 55. Small about the length of a long finger folded. Freaked out last year, fell off my ATV while cleaning a deer. Finally found it at camp.

The other is a old timer 97OT. Great for hunting. Has a sawblade when you need to ut some branches quietly. I hunt on the ground often in places I've never sat before, so its good to trim a branch or two quietly. The great bonus is the pick. Missed a very nice buck in 2017 in PA. Flintlock pan wouldn't ignite and forgot my pick to clean the flashhole. Got snow in it by accident.

I bought 3 of these knives to make darn sure I have one when I need it. Since then I empty the pan when I get to sitting spot, leave a toothpick in the flashole. Fill the pan when the deer show up, even IF i don't plan on shooting one. nice one might be behind them.

Best of all, that old timer is like 30-35 bucks and has a nice leather sheath.

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IF anyone knows of a nice fishing knife or folding decaler, i would be very interested. I have a decent folding kershaw fillet knife. But, I never found a descaler I've been happy with.

Nice. I like that Old Timer 970T. Might have to check one out. Thanks for sharing.
 
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