Let's See Your Hunting Knives

[Natty Bumppo]

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....

 

[The Fishman]

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.

 

[Bill]

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.

 

[Thomasc19]

I was gifted this knife about 20 years ago now from a good friend and it's still going strong!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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.
View attachment 74243

Nice. I like that handle!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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.

View attachment 74244

I've got something similar from Cabelas I carry every day. The replaceable blades are nice.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

View attachment 74245

I was gifted this knife about 20 years ago now from a good friend and it's still going strong!

Nice. Are you preparing that deer to be packed out of the woods?

 

[356]

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

 

[Mortenson]

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.

 

[T-Max]

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!

 

[Mozark]

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.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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
View attachment 74303

Love that classic Buck 110! Had one at some point in my life. Not sure what happened to it?

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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.

View attachment 74306

Nice Mortenson. Thanks for sharing. That thing has seen a lot of miles!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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!
View attachment 74317
View attachment 74318

Great story....and a great knife!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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.

 

[bigboreblr]

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.



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.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

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.

View attachment 74426

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.

 

[bigboreblr]

View attachment 74245

I was gifted this knife about 20 years ago now from a good friend and it's still going strong!

I am not a huge horn hunter, but I really like that deer you shot. Looks like a doe had a one night stand with an elk or something.....

My horns are all european mounts. However, is that common to cut the hide along the back? I've always opened along the belly and work from rear legs to front. I got a little go pack with a ganbrel, bone saw, several sharp knives, a few bags, and some cleaning supplies. I also got a pulley with a tree strap, and about 100ft of rope. I can tie to a tree and use the pulley to double my force IF I have to go up a steep spot alone.

 

[Thomasc19]

Yea my guide used the "Gutless method" so he skins along the back, takes the backstraps and quarters without having to deal with the guts at all. Very popular in the west but less so in the east

 

[Mortenson]

Leave the tender loins behind?