Hunting knivesAbout the only thing hunting knives are almost never used for is hunting — today very few hunters drop from trees with a knife in hand, onto a hapless bear. Hunting knives are for everything else you do in the woods on a hunting trip. Making kindling and tinder, working on gear, performing crude first aid and personal grooming, and of course field dressing game. Strand a hunter in the wilderness with a choice of knife or rifle and many would choose the knife.

Hunting knives should be top quality — fortunately it isn’t hard to find good affordable ones. The decision is more about style. These knives can become prized possessions valued for scores of years, not just one vacation. Get the right one and you’ll love it. If it isn’t right, you’ll hate it. There’s always emotion involved.

There’s no social stigma associated with wearing a belt knife in the woods, and few things go wrong with a stout belt knife. Hunting folders double as everyday utility or emergency knives if they’ll fit in a pocket discreetly. The practicality of a hunting knife depends on what you hunt. Big game blades aren’t good with turkey and trout; with blades designed for small game you’ll be challenged by carving up a deer. If you’re saving hides as well as meat you’ll want a good skinner. Hunt big game and you’ll need something heavy for chopping or sawing through bone. Butchering is always a messy business — a simple knife that cleans up well in a stream or a snowbank is a big plus.

Some of Our Favorites

Our pick for the “Best Hunting Knife” is the Buck Zipper. It appeals to us because it makes sense on so many levels — with good looks, a guthook blade that works well as a skinner and butchering blade, and easy cleanup.

For a general purpose knife large enough for small game and small enough to carry in town, try the Buck 112 Ranger. Small knives often work better than large ones for camp chores and everyday problems. The 112 is an older design without all the frills that get in the way.

Unless you hunt in the north country, you probably won’t need a knife much bigger than the Puma Bowie Stag. Since Puma made it, you could probably get by with it up there, too.

See All of Our Hunting Knife Reviews Below


Hunting

Buck 103 Skinner Fixed Blade Hollow Ground Knife | Comes with Black Leather Sheath

The Buck 103 Skinner’s “turned-down” point blade resembles several famous Puma styles of hunting knives. With a forward-weighted blade that puts...
JT Hats
54 sec read

Puma Stag Skinner Bowie Knife | Full Tang Solingen Stainless Steel

The knives from Puma’s Solingen, Germany, factory always look more like weapons than the average factory-made knife, and the Puma Stag...
JT Hats
55 sec read

Boker Arbolito Hunting Knife w/ Natural Stag Handle | Fixed Blade, Sheath

This hunter skinner knife from Boker of Germany will need more upkeep than blades with higher grades of steel. Made with...
JT Hats
52 sec read

Browning Mossy Oak Folding Knife | 3 Hunting Blades inc. Gut Hook & Saw

Three of the most often-used field dressing tools combine in the Mossy Oak hardwood handled 3-blade Folding Knife from Browning. The...
JT Hats
54 sec read

Case Bird Hook Yellow Hunting Knife | Discontinued Collector’s Item

This unusual knife style — discontinued by many manufacturers — is so far still a standard offer at Case. Nevertheless the...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Buck Special Fixed Blade Bowie Hunting Knife w/ Cocobolo Brass Handle | Brown Leather Sheath

The frontier look of the Buck Special dates back to the days when Buck Knives was a two-man shop. This striking...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Buck Fixed Blade Pathfinder Hunting Knife | 420 High Carbon Stainless Steel

Since the Buck Pathfinder only weighs 4.5 ounces, it’s hard to argue that there’s no need to take a full-sized knife...
JT Hats
1 min read

Boker Automat Kalashnikov Knife | Cocobolo Hardwood Handle | Russian Military Collectible

Boker designed the original Automat Kalashnikov knife to resemble the clean engineering of the namesake Russian military rifle. This new version...
JT Hats
1 min read

Randall Buxton Custom Fighter Knife | Collectible Bowie

Bo Randall’s knives have such a great reputation that a buyer usually feels like he got a custom knife even if...
JT Hats
56 sec read

Ed Kalfayan Custom Bowie Knife | Collectible Designer Model

After more than 25 years as a knife maker, Ed Kalfayan finally retired and no longer takes orders for his fine...
JT Hats
55 sec read

Puma IP White Hunter Skinning Knife | Full Tang Leather Handle

Nowhere in the Puma lineup is the difference between the International Puma (IP) brand and the original quite so obvious as...
JT Hats
1 min read

Puma IP Scout Bowie Knife | High Carbon Stainless Steel, Stag Handle

Natural stag handles which vary in shape and pattern from knife to knife give each Puma IP Scout Bowie the unique...
JT Hats
51 sec read

Damascus Bowie Knife w/ Stag Bone Handle | Bear & Son

I’ve always wondered about the story K-Bar tells of the trapper who killed a wounded bear with one of their Bowie...
JT Hats
56 sec read

Blackjack Trailguide Hunting Bowie Knife | Antique Ivory Micarta Handle

The Blackjack Trailguide, a full-sized skinner, offers collectability as well as practical value. The wide Bowie-style blade with false double edge...
JT Hats
55 sec read

Puma Wapati Hunting Knife | Solingen Carbon Steel w/ Stag Handle

The stag-handled Wapiti follows the Puma Knives’ tradition of simplicity and excellence. This old Solingen, Germany knife-making firm has made sporting...
JT Hats
48 sec read

Beretta Skinner Fixed Hunting Knife | Bob Loveless 522 | Collectible Limited Edition

With the backing of the famous Italian firearms makers Beretta, this Bob Loveless drop point skinner design offers the essence of...
JT Hats
45 sec read

Taylor Cutlery Schrade Old Timer #80 Utility Pocket Knife

This Schrade Old Timer from Taylor Cutlery is a full sized pocketknife in the simple and reliable pattern of traditional American...
Ken
1 min read

Maxam Knives Painted Wolf Faux Antler Fixed Bowie Knife

This interesting display Bowie by Maxam Knives of Dallas, Texas, was created as a canvas for the hand painted wolf themed...
Ken
50 sec read

Gil Hibben Signature Edition Rambo III Bowie Knife | Movie Replica Blade

Created by Gil Hibben for Sylvester Stallone’s recurring role as John Rambo, this striking Bowie style fighting knife appeared in the...
Ken
50 sec read

Buck 501 Squire Gentleman’s Pocket Knife | Surgical Stainless Steel Blade

Gentlemen’s pocket knives are usually lightweights suited to light work. What has made Buck knives of this pocket class stand out...
Ken
49 sec read

Boker Mini Lockblade Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife

From Boker Knives of Solingen, Germany, this Mini Lockblade is a perfect pocket size with a closed length of only 2...
Ken
1 min read

Spyderco Byrd Wings G-10 Double Blade Folding Lockblade Knife

The Spyderco Byrd Wings G-10 tackles one of the most common modern knife problems and finds a good answer. The 4...
Ken
47 sec read

Buck Omni Hunter 12 Pt 397BK Folding Knife | Stainless Steel Utility Blade

If you’re looking for pure function, the Buck Omni Hunter ought to be of interest. The Omni 397BK gives full size...
Ken
54 sec read

Buck 112 Ranger Lockback Folding Knife | Stainless Steel Hunting Blade w/ Sheath

It’s pretty easy for me to talk about the Buck 112 Ranger, because it’s just like the big brother version (the...
Ken
1 min read

Brunton Litetech Compact Binocular Set | Gerber Paraframe Folding Knife

For spotting game or judging the results of a target shot, there’s nothing quite so handy as a good pair of...
Ken
1 min read

Solingen Puma Pro Hunter Gut Hook Knife | Stag Handle Full Tang Blade w/ Sheath

The 3 3/4″ dropped blade of this compact traditionally built hunting knife from Puma of Solingen, Germany, combines the hollow grind...
Ken
49 sec read

Kershaw Black Horse II Camo Folding Knife | Utility Lockback Blade

Kai USA, the Japanese producer of this American design by Ken Kershaw, makes some good choices in this utility camo knife–as...
Ken
55 sec read

Boker Tacticos Corto Military Tactical Knife | Full Tang Fixed Blade

With the Tacticos Corto, Boker of Solingen, Germany, brings a tactical design into the world where the rest of us live....
Ken
57 sec read

Bark River Mini Canadian Special Hunting Knife | Full Tang Blade w/ Sheath

As you go farther north, the bears get bigger and the knives get closer to the old forms that work the...
Ken
48 sec read

Bark River Upland Special Hunting Knife | Fixed Survival Blade

The clean ergonomic curves of this tool steel full tang sheath knife give stress free efficiency to an old and reliable...
Ken
51 sec read