Foxes - What Knife?

J

JDBLADE

Joined
Dec 8, 2003
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1,373
I raise this as a customer was considering a 4" blade for skinning foxes. It has always been my contention that small was better for foxes. Something in the 2-3" range similar to a caping knife. Is this the current thinking or has there been a change? What do you use? If you don't hunt foxes what do you use on similar size game?
 
Almost any small straight bladed or slight drop point knife will work to make the initial cuts and to do the area around the front legs, ears, eyes, jaws and nose. For the most part, the pelt is separated from the fat and muscle using something like a small spatula. This produces a pelt that is ready for the stretcher. The alaska dept of fish and game has a video that shows how to skin fur bearers.

For small furbearers with easily removed pelts, the old two bladed " muskrat" skinners are the most commonly used. The plain edge blade on a Leatherman wave also works fine.
 
I used to trap and hunt fur bearers for extra money in high school and used either a mid size stockman or a trapper style folder. Skinned everything up to whitetail deer with one or the other. Used a muskrat pattern at times too, never saw much need to use anything bigger.
 
It must be our British heritage but knives such as the Muskrat are not popular over here. Most of the old timers will tell you they used a Joseph Rodgers Bunny Knife although the Schrade Senior Stockman or the Taylor Eye Witness Stockman and the Schrade Sharpfinger have been popular.
 
The Mini and Micro Canadian from BRK&T are great for small game.
My Victorinox Hunter and trusty Nº8 Opinel worked well, too.
I don't have any experience with foxes, though.
 
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