Muzzleloading hunting & your knife .

[rwbaker]

Mine was made by Blind Horse Knves. I don't think they are still in business. The blade is about two and a half inches long. It's carbon steel which seems to hold an edge better than the stainless used in some current production knives. It has a neck sheath with it. It is amazingly convenient when hunting.

Blind horse knives are now battle horse knives . LT RIGHT and BLIND HORSE spit up .

 

[lptroll]

To Shawnt, learned the "take off the head without a saw from a local taxidermist" when I took my first Kansas buck to him.

 

[WV Hunter]

To Shawnt, learned the "take off the head without a saw from a local taxidermist" when I took my first Kansas buck to him.

Yep. Shoot, you can pretty much take the whole deer apart without a saw if you know where to cut.

Of course a sawzall works nice too :yeah:

 

[ShawnT]

To Shawnt, learned the "take off the head without a saw from a local taxidermist" when I took my first Kansas buck to him.

Yep. Shoot, you can pretty much take the whole deer apart without a saw if you know where to cut.

Of course a sawzall works nice too :yeah:

Iptroll, I have found they are usually always willing to show you lots of tips. In the end it usually makes his job easier too. :wink:

WVhunter,

When I was a Teen I did some trapping in the winter for extra money, mostly Fox. Had an old Trapper show me how to do my first Skinning. Guess that's how I learned. :wink: I have not used a saw in Many years.

The way I look at it...All good hunters have a knife, or 2, of some kind on them but might forget the saw. If you know how to find the joints what do you need a saw for? :wink: No need to hike back to camp or the Truck. I have one of those Wyoming takedown saws. They are really nice but never remember to pack it since I don't use one. Maybe if I ever get to go for Elk I will remember to pack it. :lol:

When my Nephew started hunting his dad had him learn from me, he was not really into it that much. First deer he got (8yrs old) he had to assist dressing/skinning it while I explained what I was doing and why. Next Year I assisted but he had to do it. Then the next year I showed him how to quarter without a saw and start butchering. Good way to learn anatomy. :wink: That's been several years ago and he is married. He has now taught some of his friends, plus his wife, how to Dress and butcher. Love it!

On this topic It sort of surprises me to see so many Buck Knives.

 

[Omega218er]

My favorite knife usually coincides with the one that is sharp! Probably the Buck knives are my favorite...

 

[Hac]

My favorite, at the moment, five mule deer, two elk last season on this one by cold steel, with a slight change to the tip,

 

[jg2006]

Absolutely agree, long thin blind for anus cutting is the best from a practical standpoint, Actually have a switchblade (don't ask) that would be perfect for the task, but have a classic Buck 110 that I have owned for 25 plus yrs that I cannot let go even though I know from a practical standpoint is not best for the job. Still amazes me that alot of hunters (and or city slickers) cannot figure out that you can gut a deer without removing the front pelvic bone with a saw.

It's not always the beginners or inexperienced hunters that use saws. I've done it both ways, and both ways work fine. I picked up a cheap saw this year and it worked great on the pelvic bone. Is it a necessity to have? Nope - it just gives me more room to work when i can spread the legs and finish gutting/butchering and its a preference thing not a "you're not doing it the right/easy way" thing.

As far as the knife, it's just a cheap Pine Ridge fixed blade knife that i picked up from Cabelas 10+ years ago when I was a poor college kid. It resembles a buck in many aspects, but I don't have a reason to replace it since the steel sharpens well and I love how the rubber grip doesn't get slippery when it gets bloody

 

[wolfer]

On the fanny pak a no name cheap guthook drop point and a BuckLite III, both VERY sharp, never cut pelvic bones as not necessary. and if close to the meat shed, 20-30 miles, don't even field dress, just skin and bone out and never any exposure to any guts or such. In the meat house a whole host of knives, my favorites are the old hickory boning knives. Most any Saturday nite we have anywhere from 3 to 5 deer to do, some whole and some field dressed and a whole bunch of coons and fox/yotes. I use a sharp cleaver or sharp hatchet to cut off feets. A buck muskrat to prep fur and then a different host of knives to skin but my muskrat is my favorite. Butchering big game is different and bigger knives are used like the hickory boners. Those tiny knives are nice looking but your hand gets cramped and the grips are slicked up 1/2 way through the 1st deer. Better handles and bigger blades do more work easier. Capeing/skinning/butchering 1 deer once a year isn't any way to test a knife. Do 3 or 4 deer or 20 coons or 10 beavers a night every night for a month and you'll develop a whole different feel for what a good knife is. And for those who know, if you are skinning, cutting or chopping meat an ulu is really hard to beat, I have 5. W

 

[stevenm2]

I have a Custom Huey I always carry. Steve Made that knife for me 15-20 years ago.
Not traditional but... I have found the Havalon knife very effective for getting the work done. 3 oz with a dozen replaceable blades. Very effective!
I carry both and usually a buck fixed blade with a gut hook as well.

 

[lptroll]

One more thing, Been using the Lansky sharpening system for years. Best system ever for a truly (if you want to shave) blade. Not needed for all applications, but if you want to boast you have the sharpest blade in camp, you will win!! P S , to get the sharpest blade you have to put the time in. Have cut fingers/thumb while gutting deer more than once. Literally cut myself by barely touching blade while reaching inside deer

 

[Vandy]

My primary and favorite for the last 18 years has been the Buck Vanguard with the rubber handle and without the gut hook. For the last few years I have also taken a Swingblade and use it at times.

 

[TheHardWay]

Havalon Piranta and a Randall Made for me.