Hunting knife

[spoonman]

Hey guys and gals. I'm looking at getting a new hunting knife this season and wanted to see what everybody out there is using? What are your recommendations for a good skinning knife? Also recommendations on knives you like for quartering and butchering?

[kselkhunter]

Technically, a Havalon can do it all and that is the go-to knife especially for gutless deboning method. 

But I still like my Wyoming knife sometimes for skinning (the ergonomics makes it faster and easier for me).  I like the heavy Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate knife for popping the sockets when quartering and just the heft if I have to cut through stuff.   And still have the Wyoming saw for cutting off head/feet/etc., as if I'm on a backcountry hunt late season I have it anyway for firewood. 

At home, when butchering and packaging I actually use a fish filet knife quite a bit.   I like to trim the silver skin and all fat off the meat, and it makes it easier and faster. 

I always wear protective gloves both in the field (Kevlar) and at home butchering (the stainless steel filet glove) when doing knife work.

[yakimanoob]

Knives are like cars.  We can talk about function, or we can talk about the emotion and joy of driving.  The joy of using a high-quality, well-balanced knife with a design that matches your motions and method is hard to describe.

For me, I don't want to lug a heavy piece of steel in my pack so my Gerber Vital fits my needs perfect (and handles surprising well for what it is).  But if I'm lucky enough to be able to bring my truck up to the animal, I really enjoy using my SOG Team Leader for skinning and trimming.  Its design is a great balance with a smooth, broad curve on the blade for quick skinning and a thin, delicate drop point for trimming.

Just make sure your knife fits well in your hand and offers good control. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Function: For Your backup I suggest a havalon with 60A blades and guthook blades. 
Form: This is your lucky knife.  Pick for looks and feel.  Maybe a Buck skinner, benchmade, or custom. 

[Brushcrawler]

Knives of Alaska Probghorn hunter. The handle is orange so you can find it again after putting it down!

[pianoman9701]

Outdoor Edge Razor-lite and a Wyoming knife, both with replacement blades.

[Bob33]

I almost always take two with me now: a conventional fixed blade one, and also a replaceable blade model. I have both a Havalon and an Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knive. I prefer the Outdoor Edge model just a bit since the blades are a little more durable and easier to change, while I think the Havalon blades are slightly sharper but more prone to breaking.

[T-Dozzer]

Im switching to Tyto.

[follow maggie]

I'm still using my Buck 110 folder I bought in 1992. I just like it.

[Bofire]

I prefer carbon steel Kabar Marine knife in full size and the small one. Have havalon too.
Carl

[NRA4LIFE]

I also carry 2.  Outdoor edge with replaceable blades and one of Rain Shadow's skinners.  I butchered a moose with those 2 last year.  Although, this year I may be packing a Damascus blade I got from CarpSniper.  It looks awesome.

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm partial to Elk Track Knives; very nice custom knives/borderline works of art really  .  I also carry a replaceable blade Outdoor Edge knives (I do not like the havalons... damn weak/brittle blades; tried one on an elk a few years ago and never again).  Happy shopping! 

Here's some Elk Track knife images for those of you who have never seen them. 

[sumpnz]

For my backcountry hunting I'm not sure what I'll like best as it's been a while since I've done that.  I'll probably take a couple knives up there next weekend when I'm scouting deer and simultaneously hunting bear.  I really like my carbon steel beaver skinner and boning knives, but as sharp as I can get them the edge doesn't last all that long.  For elk, since weight is much less of an issue I use those.  But in the backcountry I'll likely take my fixed blade Buck with gut hook, and I might grab a Havalon to try it out.  I'll leave the carbon steel at home this time.

For butchering, assuming I don't just take the bear to TnT it'll be those carbon steel knives and my fillet knife.

[cooltimber]

Havalon 3 extra blades,and my Buck 119 that I've had for 30 yr's.

[Stein]

Havalon and Outdoor Edge.