Do any of you that do the gutless method use a gut hook to cut through the hide? I have been thinking that a gut hook might be an easy way to slice through the hide in preparation of skinning out the quarters. Current method is the knife and finger under the skin but if a gut hook works anything like I think it does it looks like it would be way quicker and save the edge of the knife a little.

They work well on the skin area but normally can't handle cutting into the rib cage.

No need to cut the rib cage. I usually zip from rear to throat then up each leg, at this point its time to skin and quarter. Depending on terrain, position of animal and its size I might go up the back and down the outside of the leg to expose the meat and start skinning.

The havalon blades plus a multitool with a saw are really all you need. Just enough of a slice in the hide to get the center split started is all you need. A dull gut hook is agood way to snag nasty shit.

The shoulders cut away easy if you angle them correctly, but the hip sockets are the bitch. Sometimes they are easy, most times not. If I have time and daylight I'll work the hip joints out, but most of the time i just saw through them.

Those havalon blades do such a nice job, and you can recover a lot more nicer, non hacked pieces of meat.

No offence unpleasant and I should have stated in my OP but I am very proficient in the gutless method. All I need is a knife and have never used a saw when doing this method.Hip joints and knee joints are no problem for me.

I will state that I hate the Havalon type knifes and wouldn't own one of them blade breaking things. My ESEE 3  and 4 do a fine job skinning and quartering. One of my buddies has a Havalon and he breaks at least one blade per elk, last time we spent 15 minutes trying to locate the broken blade before it got one of our fingers or we kneeled on the darn thing.

I was just wondering if a gut hook would make zipping open the hide faster than using a knife as I have never used a gut hook myself. I might just pick up a cheap one and give it a try this season.

Yes a gut hook will speed things up and reduce hair contamination. They are not perfect but I prefer them for opening animals than my main knife.

I use a Cutco hunting knife and a Coye designed knife, cant remember who actually makes it. The gut hook works well as does the knife, for pretty much anything I throw at it.

OP, the gut hooks work ok, sometimes hard to get them going and often they will cut hairs and leave hair on the meat..I use a skinning blade(spyderco bill moran skinner), and just turn the knife so the blade is up toward the outside of the animal, slip my non gripping index finger under the tip to keep it from digging in and just slide the knife right along..
Your  fingertip keeps the blade point from digging in and cutting anything and a sharp blade will cut right  thru the skin and part the hairs instead of cutting them...

I like this knife so much I bought 2. One is a very early one with high polish blade and leather sheath. I bought the second for regular use. Great knife if anyone needs a light skinner.

I'm fond of the SwingBlade by Outdoor Edge (link)
It has a much bigger cutting edge (lasts longer) and blunt tip so there's no chance of cutting into the guts or meat.

Same, and most all of my friends who have tried one of mine have since bought at least one as well...


this is my standard kit for taking care of animals.....

Some day I will own an original Bill Moran. I better start playing the lottery...

Havalons really are superior for the job, you just have to use it like you're supposed to and not as a prying tool. Think of it as a scalpel instead of a cleaver.
The result is cleaner cuts of meat, less waste, and less effort.

I use one blade per elk or two deer before they get dull enough to replace. I've yet to break a blade

Ya well I will stick to my fixed blade knives as you can't tell me that the little blade on the Havalon gives one a cleaner cut then my 3 and 4 inch fixed blades. As for less effort how much effort does it take and I really doubt that the Havalon gives you less waste. I have no problems sharpening a knife and can return a knife to razor sharp in a few minutes, one of my knives will skin and quarter an elk. Another plus of a real knife is if I decide I need the heart I can stand over the rib cage and split it open. I look at the Havalon and others like it as a good knife for those that can't figure out how to sharpen a knife.

I did find a cheap gut hook it's a Gerber with replaceable blades,  ya I know replaceable blades, to try out this season and see for myself if it speeds up the process. Any time saver helps when its dark and freezing.

On hogs I use box cutter.  I basically use it to open up skin by doing the Y cut from the hind legs and then skin it with hunting knife.
One blade per hog is usual as they have very tough skin and very think and hard hair.