What knife should I get for hunting?
What knife should I buy first as a hunter?
Arguably your knife is #2 on the importance / valuable list, right behind the dominate weapon you’re using - Bow or Rifle.
The major thing to consider here is the main function of the knife:
If I can say anything, it’s that knives really are built for purpose, the geometry & angle of the blade, whether it’s folding or full tang, replaceable or fixed. When choosing what to buy, you want to be buying a blade specific for the task it’s designed for.
Using the right knife for the right task is the difference between field dressing an animal in 10mins and arriving at camp dry by dinner with meat for the boys. Vs arriving soaked, with a negligent cut across bleeding fingers, plummeting morale and a half baked attempt at recovering meat from an animal that no-one wants to touch.
Today, given the amount of detail that could be covered across all these topics, we’ll just be focusing on Field Dressing & Skinning knives - the main knife you’ll be likely to need when you’re buying your first (or first decent) knife for hunting. I used the same blade for both field dressing and skinning on a Red Deer hind recently - so let’s talk about the type of knife that can do both. As it’s going to be your most valuable blade whilst on the hunt. Buying multiple knives to serve each specific function you need them for would be great, but most people don’t have the spend. So let’s talk about the type of knife that can do both skinning & field dressing accordingly.
If you don’t feel like reading on and just want to go and grab a blade that suits; this is it just here: https://www.huntervalleytactical.com.au/custom-made-skinning-knife
I personally love this blade for this as it has a long handle that allows the hand to climb nicely to the edge of the steel and place the fingers nicely on the blade for precision cuts. A wide curved blade that’s great for sweeping across flesh, muscle, skin and tendons etc. This blade has a trailing point - but the angle isn’t steep meaning I’m not punching holes in my hide when skinning, and I’m not puncturing the guts (if i’m careful) with it either.
The steel is 1075 so although slightly more prone to corrosion than other blades, it’s easy to keep an edge on it and sharpen in the field, so a couple licks on the ceramic and its good to go - keeping me able to process at good speed. It’s full tang, giving strength and reliability there’s a good amount of press and solidity with it. The blade length is a nice 4”. Total length 9”. I don’t mind compromising some room in my bag for the length - given the amount of utility this knife provides.
A good knife is one of the best investments you can make for an effective hunting trip. It’s taken me years of getting it wrong, not knowing, doing it the hard way and trial and error to find a combination of what works for me in a blade and how I like to use them whilst using a knife in tandem for its purpose.
Here’s a checklist to consider when buying a field dressing knife. Field dressing, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is; “the process of removing the internal organs from a hunted animal as soon as possible after the kill. This helps preserve the quality of the meat, prevent spoilage, and make the animal easier to transport. It’s the first step in game processing and is typically done in the field, right where the animal was harvested”.
Skinning is; “the process of removing the hide (skin and fur) from a hunted animal. It’s typically done after field dressing and is an essential step if you’re preparing the animal for meat processing, tanning the hide, or mounting it for taxidermy”.
Skinning requires precision to avoid damaging the meat or tearing the hide, especially if the hide is going to be used. The process often involves making specific incisions along the limbs and body, then carefully peeling the skin away using a sharp knife and controlled hand movements.
Here’s a few things to consider below when looking for a knife to do both.
✅ Field Dressing Knife Checklist
Blade Design
Blade Material
Blade Size
Handle & Grip
Ease of Cleaning
You want to use a knife for it’s designed purpose. Life becomes much easier when this is the case, and I’d also say, invest in good steel, drop coin on it, they’ll last forever and be worth the investment.
