What is your go to hunting knife for cleaning a deer?

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is your go to hunting knife for cleaning a deer?

Posted: 11/25/2013 5:10:18 AM EDT

I want a knife that will do everything from gut to skin a dear. I think im going to get a kershaw skinning knife and i dont know what other knife to get to cut meat off and all the other stuff. Would the Kershaw Diskin hunter be a good all purpose knife? Is there any others that i should be looking at? I would like to stay under 80$.

Posted: 11/25/2013 5:15:45 AM EDT

[#1]

A dear wut? Dear friend? ;)

I use a Rapid River drop point. Got both my brother and I one several years back. Great knives. Lifetime warranty as well as sharpening and polishing. Rapid River knife works, Rapid River, MI They are a bit higher than you are looking at but well worth it in my opinion. $140

Posted: 11/25/2013 5:41:24 AM EDT

[#2]

I picked be up a Knives of Alaska alpha wolf with D2 steel for quartering Elk. After using it this year i was very impressed with edge retention. It is $68 on amazon shipped.

Posted: 11/25/2013 5:54:29 AM EDT

[#3]

Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

Posted: 11/25/2013 6:10:31 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

View Quote

This. They do not break the bank either.

Posted: 11/25/2013 6:31:53 AM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
I picked be up a Knives of Alaska alpha wolf with D2 steel for quartering Elk. After using it this year i was very impressed with edge retention. It is $68 on amazon shipped.

View Quote

Knives of Alaska are great. my favorite is the Pronghorn hunter. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a good ol' Buck 110 either. My son skinned and quartered 2 deer for a friend of mine the other night and didn't skip a beat with his Buck 110.

Posted: 11/25/2013 6:36:18 AM EDT

[#6]

case leather hunter drop point

Posted: 11/25/2013 7:44:21 AM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

View Quote

This is what I use as well. Awesome grip.

Posted: 11/25/2013 8:18:56 AM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is what I use as well. Awesome grip.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

This is what I use as well. Awesome grip.

Yep. I use the Gator II with a gut hook. Works like a charm.

Posted: 11/25/2013 8:42:44 AM EDT

[#9]

I use a Buck omni with gut hook in blaze orange. I've lost to many knives laying them down on the ground.

http://hi.atgimg.com/img/x/13737/394cmg9.jpg

Posted: 11/25/2013 8:44:08 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:

Yep. I use the Gator II with a gut hook. Works like a charm.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

This is what I use as well. Awesome grip.

Yep. I use the Gator II with a gut hook. Works like a charm.

This is one of the knives I lost until by BIL found it a year later.

Good knife.

Posted: 11/25/2013 9:15:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Buck Omni Combo

At first I thought its size made it unweildly... but I really like it now. Great combo with the sheath!

Posted: 11/25/2013 9:31:19 AM EDT

[#12]

I've had a Cold Steel Master Hunter in Carbon V for many, many years.

And then two or three yrs ago, on a whim, I bought a Buck PacLite at Walmart got $18. That year we gutted and skinned a buck and got almost done dressing a vie elk before it got too dull to safely continue. It then sharpened right up when we got home. Great little knives for next to nothing. They're now about $20 at Walmart.

Posted: 11/25/2013 9:34:03 AM EDT

[#13]

Okay guys i think im gonna try the Buck omni then. Thanks

Posted: 11/25/2013 9:39:21 AM EDT

[#14]

Wyoming knife.
http://www.amazon.com/Wyoming-Stainless-Skinner-Polymer-Handle/dp/B0016SAJRY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_6

For size reference:

Posted: 11/25/2013 9:46:30 AM EDT

[#15]

Wyoming knife and a Havalon Piranta-Z folder

Posted: 11/25/2013 6:12:35 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
I use a Buck omni with gut hook in blaze orange. I've lost to many knives laying them down on the ground.

http://hi.atgimg.com/img/x/13737/394cmg9.jpg

View Quote

I own the same knife. I absolutely love it. It's a little big, but you get used to it.

Posted: 11/25/2013 6:24:13 PM EDT

[#17]

Honestly, I only use filet knives believe it or not.

Posted: 11/26/2013 9:19:11 AM EDT

[#18]

Schrade Golden Spike....the earlier, US made ones of course

Posted: 11/26/2013 10:48:51 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
Honestly, I only use filet knives believe it or not.

View Quote

After I'm done gutting and skinning, I agree.

Posted: 11/26/2013 9:14:58 PM EDT

[#20]

Been carrying a Buck Vanguard for 20 years. Takes and holds an edge very well. My only fault to it is the blade is a bit too wide for cutting out the rectum.

Posted: 11/27/2013 3:39:43 AM EDT

[#21]

Swingblade, the folder version, in blaze orange. Opens em up like a zipper and the rubber grip is great even when blood soaked. Easy to spot in blaze orange too.

Posted: 11/27/2013 3:40:49 AM EDT

[#22]

I use an old cheap Mora Companion MG knife. Carbon steel blade, holds edge well, just need to clean it up so it doesn't rust.

They run about $15.

Posted: 11/27/2013 4:24:01 AM EDT

[#23]

I bought a browning skinning knife at Dicks (before they were ghey) about 3 years ago. It is the best knife I have ever used, skins with no problem and is built out of very thick metal. It's fixed blade with a sheath so you don't have to worry about it folding up on you or blood/guts getting inside the twisting mechanism, etc.

For skinning make sure you do not get a sharp point (that will cut through the skin). That is why I love this knife so much, it will follow the skin line perfectly without cutting through. I use a gerber gut hook that uses razor blades but I can't recommend that.

Midway Link

Posted: 11/27/2013 4:54:33 AM EDT

[#24]

I carry a knife everyday, so I normally use whatever happens to be in my scabbard; usually a little Schrade 50T. I've even use folding pocket knives ranging from nice Case brands to the $10 el cheapos from WalMart.

Posted: 11/27/2013 5:26:18 AM EDT

[#25]

I got about 7-10 different deer knives and I've used only half of them because I don't shoot enough deer

.

Used the Mora last year for gutting, works well for cutting out the bung hole but a little long for the body cavity/gutting. I thought the handle was too slick once I got blood and fat on it.

Used an old Uncle Henry clip point, which is a little on the small/thin side. I'm not a fan of clip points for gutting as they are too "pointy". I did gut my first ever buck with it so it's sorta special to me and my dad gave it to me when I was 14 or so.

Used a Buck Omni with a drop point, this worked pretty well for gutting but was too tick/wide for the bung hole.

Got a Buck 119, haven't used it for deer, seems to big and it is a clip point. I use it as a survival knife when camping.

Got a Ka-Bar BK7 with BK13 in the same sheath. Nice combo. BK7 is too big for deer but a great survival knife. BK13 is nice for gutting cheese and Spam at camp but too small for deer.

Got a Buck Skinner last year but haven't used it yet. Look like a winner.

Got a Buck Ergo-hunter (small game). Very nice for Squirrels and Turkey. A little too small for deer.

Just won a buck 119 folder in a raffle at deer camp this year, haven't tried it yet but I prefer fixed blades and drop points instead of a folder with a clip point.

Got a couple other knives I've collected over the years. Quite a few cheaper folding pocket knives I always keep one on my wherever I go, come in handy. In a pinch I could gut a deer with one but it would just be a back-up.

Don't own any knives with a gut-hook. Never tried a gut-hook.

Buck definitely makes good knives for the money.

Posted: 11/27/2013 6:19:57 AM EDT

[#26]

SOG Field Pup and they are on sale for $15 at Cabela's right now.

Grove

Posted: 11/27/2013 6:30:29 AM EDT

[#27]

I have a CRKT with a gut hook and a schrade oldtimer I use

Posted: 11/27/2013 6:44:57 AM EDT

[#28]

Esee 4 its bright neon colors so I dont lose it

Posted: 11/28/2013 6:55:39 PM EDT

[#29]

I moved to the Buck mini alpha hunter last year. Love this knife. I find you don't really need a large blade for deer. So many knives that have a small blade have a tiny grip. The mini alpha fits my hand great!

Posted: 11/28/2013 7:00:45 PM EDT

[#30]

Javalon piranta

Cleaned 2 elk with one last year. No more gutting for me

Posted: 11/28/2013 7:35:50 PM EDT

[#31]

I use a Gerber Gator Model # 06069 Clip Point Folding Blade

I have 5 of them. Best hunting/gutting knife I've used in my 26 years of hunting.

Posted: 11/28/2013 7:40:37 PM EDT

[#32]

I never go hunting without this KodiPak.

Best $80 I ever spent.

Posted: 11/28/2013 8:18:47 PM EDT

[#33]

Buck Knife

used this one for over 20 years and many hundreds of animals.

Posted: 11/29/2013 9:50:19 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
Gerber Gator for field dressing, I love the rubberized grip...helps hold onto it when things get messy.

View Quote

Would have been nice. Couldn't fine my case knife set and field dressed, skinned, and butchered mine with a Swiss Army knife. Eh, it worked but I hope to never have to do that again.

Posted: 12/2/2013 2:43:14 PM EDT

[#35]

Kershaw Antelope Hunter. Its good size and holds an edge for 2 field dressings. $35

Posted: 12/4/2013 9:37:41 PM EDT

[#36]

Posted: 12/5/2013 7:10:57 AM EDT

[#37]

Knives of Alaska - Light Hunter Combo

Posted: 12/5/2013 7:18:19 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
I picked be up a Knives of Alaska alpha wolf with D2 steel for quartering Elk. After using it this year i was very impressed with edge retention. It is $68 on amazon shipped.

View Quote

KoA knives are outstanding. Scary sharp and hold an edge.

Posted: 12/5/2013 7:27:31 AM EDT

[#39]

I have a gerber metolius.

Posted: 12/5/2013 8:35:06 AM EDT

[#40]

fyi Cabelas has KoA on sale with free shipping right now on any order

Posted: 12/5/2013 8:05:38 PM EDT

[#41]

Case

Posted: 12/13/2013 1:10:30 PM EDT

[#42]

I have two Cutco hunting knives. One serrated, one not.

Posted: 12/13/2013 1:46:31 PM EDT

[#43]

Mora for $15.
This one

Posted: 12/13/2013 1:50:24 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have two Cutco hunting knives. One serrated, one not.

View Quote

I've got a serrated one. Nice knife.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is your go to hunting knife for cleaning a deer?

Outdoors » Deer Hunting

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us