Knife for elk, mule deer, bear

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603Country

New member
For many years i’ve carried an old KaBar and that 3 blade Browning somebody mentioned (skinning, saw, gut hook). And when I bring a deer or hog back to the house for skinning, sometimes i’ll use a Benchmade Griptilian. And over the years i’ve used Gerber, Puma, Buck, Boker and others. The best steel so far is that Browning, which is a great knife. Used it for maybe 30years. And the KaBar is used for skinning and chopping.

If you can find that 3blade Browning, I really recommend it. I will assume the steel is as good as the two I have (got one for Dad, but he’s gone now). I’ve skinned hundreds of deer over the last 50 years, so my opinions are based on experience and not on pure opinion.
 
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harveyspecter

New member
Let’s hope I have a reason to use it. :)[/QUOTE]
Brian Pfleuger said:
Thanks for the discussion gang.

I’ve gone with the Havalon Hydra.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/34...ment-blade-kit

Let’s hope I have a reason to use it. If you are finding how to zero your scope. Check here: https://www.dailyshooting.com/how-to-zero-a-rifle-scope-infographic/
__________________
Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza.
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The problem, as you so eloquently put it, is choice.
-The Architect
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He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.
-Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.
Click to expand...

Look a goodknife you ordered, please let us know what you think when you receive it!
 
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Troy800

New member
The same knife you use on a deer will work for an elk or mule deer. I have never dressed out a bear so cant speak to that. You dont need a bigger bader knife. My current knife has a 4.25" blade and that is plenty. Cheaper knifes will work fine, you just have to sharpen them more frequently. Softer steel dulls quicker but also easy to sharpen.

I currently use a Buck Alaskan Guide. About $140 but can get it on sale around $100. It has a S30V blade that holds an amazing edge but very difficult to sharpen. I would not want to sharpen it in the field (not that I would need to). I can sharpen it at home in about 15 min with a power hone and power leather strop. Would probly take an hour plus to do it with hand stones.
 

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Sure Shot Mc Gee

New member
Gave up carrying typical hunting blades years ago.
Thought about a Havalon lately but their scary sharp for field dressing when fingers and knife are in close proximity looking for the wind pipe. Heard tell one can cut their hand or fingers to the bone with a Havalon and not feel it. If that's true? No thank you.
So I guess I'll keep using my old faithful's. My chrome plated Wyoming knife and rubber handled folding Rapala. For a cheap knife the Rapala has pretty good steel. Couple licks on a Steel rod and the blade is again reasonably sharp without having to stone.

http://www.rapala.com/rapala/knives...pala-knives#sz=36&start=52&cgid=rapala-knives

https://www.google.com/search?q=met...hVoxoMKHRvXDKoQ9QEIWzAI#imgrc=53mm24qFGTHTFM:
 
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Carolina65

New member
It seems that most of today's manufacturers are recognizing what I am also starting to see in my own small hunting circles; Sportsmen are not getting taught by their fathers how to properly sharpen a knife and they don't know how or wish to care for their knives. This leads to stainless steels and heat treatments that leave them harder (and thus more brittle) than they should be. Two previous posters, Art... and Jack... have already give the same advice I would give. Old school knives like the USA made Old Timers which used 1095 steel, were hard to beat if you knew how to sharpen them and were willing to properly care for them. I've been making knives for twenty years and haven't found an alloy or heat treatment that significantly improves on them, if used properly. There is a company however that has chosen this same steel though their heat treatment is a bit softer - Great Eastern Cutlery. I'd grab one of those (approx. $80-$100) and a good condition USA Old Timer off Ebay and work with those two for a bit. Good hunting.
 
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the possum

New member
It seems that most of today's manufacturers are recognizing what I am also starting to see in my own small hunting circles; Sportsmen are not getting taught by their fathers how to properly sharpen a knife and they don't know how or wish to care for their knives.
Click to expand...

Earlier in this thread, I told the O.P. to use whatever he wants, because even knife knuts can't seem to agree on the particulars. I honestly didn't expect him to come back talking about something that takes disposable scalpel blades.

When I decided my daughter was old enough to have her own first knife, I made it for her myself. I still have to teach her the nuances of sharpening, but this thread has solidified my resolve to pass on that knowledge.
 
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Radny97

New member
I’m a fan of Knives of Alaska. D2 steel holds an edge. I have dressed several animals now with no appreciable edge loss. I’m not interested in a scalpel style blade that doesn’t give me a gut hook, or the blade size and strength to skin the animal easily, or the weight to whack through bone or sinew when needed. Moreover, a scalpel blade makes a very poor survival tool. How would I take down a sapling to set up a lean-to if needed? Or split out some kindling for a small fire? My set gives me all those options and more.
Sorry but I’ll take the greater versatility of a real outdoor blade over Havalon every day of the week and twice on Sunday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Sure Shot Mc Gee

New member
Knife carry afield has allot to do with procedures done in the field. Gut & skinning in the field a typical blade knife is undoubtedly the most useful. But those hunters like myself field dress only. I finish up whatever is needed {skinning & quartering} in a garage. A few years back I was given a present by my so called friends (joke.) Yup!! One of those orange plastic looking intestine/ rectal removers. Surprisingly when correctly used. The tool works well. Although I found in its using its best to tie off the animals intestine in two locations in front of the tools reach. Not just one tie off.

I haven't used the gut puller tool in a long time. I'm one of those old school taught hands on type of fellows. "Get er done!! _Get it hung_Get it skun"
 
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lefteye

New member
Gerber Gator drop point folding knife became my favorite after several years. I have also used Buck folding knives. I preferred folding knives in the field because I'm short and didn't want a long knife on my belt or in my jacket or pack.
 
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TheLastGoodFight

New member
I am coming to the discussion late, I know, but I have to take a moment to promote Van Sickle Knives out of San Angelo Texas. Each are a handmade product made personally by Frank Van Sickle who will compose his work according to the buyers preferences and needs. There is a bit of a waiting list, and prices go from $89 to $300 depending on the details you ask for. If you send me a PM I'll email you a PDF of their online catalog.
 
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reinert

New member
I wanted to try something a bit different this year as far as cutlery goes in my hunting daypack. I always have had, and always will have, my Buck (#118; have had it for well over 30 years) fixed blade, and my Kershaw blade/saw change-out set in my pack.

This year I added a new knife, thinking batoning through the breast and pelvic bones might work well (experimenting) instead of the saw during field dressing. I used a Condor Final Frontier knife for this application on both my mule deer and cow elk this year; got my elk last Friday, and put that Condor knife through its paces on the breast and pelvic bones, using a stout pine stick for the baton. I didn't use any discretion abuse-wise on that knife, either, and used it any way I needed to use it to get the job done. I did get some very, very small chips out of the blade on the elk bones, and bent the very end-tip of the knife after the elk work. Again, I wanted to see what this new knife of mine could handle what I didn't want to put my old Buck knife through (again), though I can't say enough of what that old Buck has done for me in the past on elk, deer and antelope... and the Kershaw set.

Only for some final interior work on the elk did I use my dear old Buck knife, but for everything else on both that mulie buck and elk, I used that new Condor knife and it STAYED really sharp for both critters. It definitely has a permanent place in my daypack now along with my old Buck Personal and Kershaw set. The combined weight of all three knifes, sheaths included, comes to 1lb., 9ozs. That's easy essential weight in my pack knowing I have all I need for steel, for any application in the field. I do believe I'll get a hold of the Condor folks and quiz them on elk bones and blade chips before next season, though. All in all, that Condor Final Frontier knife is a good one, and a new keeper in the daypack.

www.knifecenter.com/item/CN24645HC/condor-tool-knife-ctk246-45hc-final-frontier-knife
 
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OzeanJaeger

New member
I use a tiny 2-3/4" Cub Bear caping knife that I power strop into a razor after every outing. I use it for everything but splitting bones. For that I use a sharpened hatchet.

Last weekend at deer camp all sorts of beautiful, big, $500 knives (including my Randal) sat in their sheaths on every belt, and my tiny little knife covered in thick blood, was passed from hand to bloody hand to dress deer after deer. With the double finger choils and that rubbery grip it always feels like you are in total control, and it never gets away from you no matter how covered in blood it or your hand and gets.

I've dressed and skinned many an animal with a "hunting knife" before watching a guide dress an Elk with this tiny caping knife. I was sold in the first thirty seconds and have never looked back.



https://www.knivesofalaska.com/item.asp?id=28
 
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