Any deer hunters here use a Becker for game processing?

mrn8

mrn8

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I'm packing up the hunting equipment to be ready for gun-deer season here in WI, and I was wondering if anyone here uses their Becker for game field dressing. I can see the BK5 easily being used for boning or cooking, or the BK2 or BK10 used for quartering. Does anyone use a Becker of any sort for field dressing? I was thinking about using the BK14 for just that purpose this season, since I can use it "naked" and clean-up will be a breeze. The only concern I have is that it'll get hard to grip once I'm shoulder-deep in guts. I typically use my Benchmade Fixed Grip, but have to disassemble the scales to get it properly cleaned up after a successful hunt.

Just so nobody asks for pics, here's last years take:

Nov212010_1783.jpg
 
I'm plannin on carrying my 11- for that purpose this year. Haven't been successful with a bow yet otherwise there would already be pics of that up. I usually use a 2.5 inch pocket knife to field dress deer, so I think the 11 will work great.

BTW the 11 has done well cleaning turkeys and pheasants this year, I was really surprised that it was nimble enough for the pheasants.
 
I did hill hikes on the Knobstone Trail in Southern IN last December and got caught mid trail by a freak ice storm. Ended up bagging a large Tom out of necessity and found BK2 a great boning prep knife. I had that and a leatherman so it was slim picking. But I ate damn well & packed out 8 lbs of meat which I had for Christmas dinner! The BK2 has a great profile & I would say yes to anyone on small game thru dear.
 
I used my BK11 naked (the knife, not me) last year to dress a doe - hope to do more of the same this year and get that micarta nice and red. I had no problems whatsoever gripping the knife even when up to my elbow in the goopy bits. To me, the blade is the perfect size for this - I lay my index finger along the spine and it goes right up to the tip. Great for working in the dark (and wet).

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Beckerhead #42
 
Ill be carrying both the bk10 and bk11 in the woods. I expect the bk11 will do the inside work with the bk10 doing the main incision just because i wanna take pics :D
 
I use the 11 for all the hunting work, and my 7 is always on my hip for camp tasks/ SHTF survival (Survival knife should NEVER go in your pack, if you get seperated from it you're screwed)
 
I'm thinking between the .308 rifle and 1911 on my side, I'm probably not going to need a shtf knife! I'll have to take the 14 along and hopefully get it quite dirty.
 
mrn8 said:
I'm thinking between the .308 rifle and 1911 on my side, I'm probably not going to need a shtf knife! I'll have to take the 14 along and hopefully get it quite dirty.
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Guns run out of ammo, knives never do.
Also, I don't have any idea how I could build a shelter with a .45, but now I want to try. :D
 
I was thinking more about bear or psycho in the woods. I hunt about 1/2 mile from a friend's cabin, which happens to be nicer than my home, so the hope is that shelters aren't necessary!
 
Meh, gives you anothe excuse to use your knives, not to mention this method keeps your hunting blade sharp, cuz you're not using it.
 
I field dressed and skinned out a buck with my 11 last year. It was plenty to split the sternum and pelvis. I used a cleaver to joint it out and a flexible boning knife to break it into steaks. I think the rest are frankly, too large.
 
Same way I feel.I knew a guy who used a buck 119 to skin one year, bad idea. Accidentally stabbed the stomach.
 
thatotherguy said:
Same way I feel.I knew a guy who used a buck 119 to skin one year, bad idea. Accidentally stabbed the stomach.
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I think its funny (at least around my area) that gut hooks are all the rage, almost every hunter I have talked to carries one......How hard is it make a little slit, insert two fingers and lay the tip of any blade between them.

My 14 will be with me, as said above, the micarta handle needs some red tint.
 
DaPro said:
I think its funny (at least around my area) that gut hooks are all the rage, almost every hunter I have talked to carries one......How hard is it make a little slit, insert two fingers and lay the tip of any blade between them.

My 14 will be with me, as said above, the micarta handle needs some red tint.
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I know. It takes Sooooooo much more time to resharpen a gut hook then to just do it "the old fashioned way"
 
I feel the same way. Never cared for gut hook hipe, disposable blade stuff neither.
 
When helping someone find a good hunting knife, I usually tell them that a gut hook is only good for cutting safety straps. I've never had a field dressing knife over 4", and just for kicks on year, I dressed one with a BM Mini-Grip. The handle length on the mini sucked, but the blade was more than adequate.
 
I am going deer hunting for the first time (at 19) this year over thanksgiving break, I plan carrying my BK 14

i have a cord wrapped handle, For clean up I will just rewrap it, I have a 600 ft spool of para cord.

i have a buck 121 also that I may use though (any advice on which would be great, not trying to threadjack though)
 
If I recall, the 121 is over 5" long. I probably wouldn't use it for field dressing, but it might not be bad for boning or skinning if you process your own. I just find that a longer blade gets in the way when you are trying to work inside the cavity and not wanting to rupture anything that'll make a mess!
 
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