Well thanks for the responses Rob and Nobody. After posting this Rob, I did some more searching around. I discovered that you've just had a (no doubt) highly significant event in your life, so this must all seem a bit trivial by comparison.
I appreciate that certain steels aren't going to be THAT much different - all good kind of thing, assuming they're done right. Even so, I'm pretty taken with the S30V, from what I've seen about the place, including your 'testing'. Like many, I'm inclined to 'the best' going. My impression is that S30V has more to offer than D2, per se, although it seems as if it's more of a prick to work with. Also you see, things are just a bit different here in Au than in Montana. We spend a fair amount of time on or by the ocean, for example, in addition to inland activity. So, rust is a pretty serious consideration. I know any knife can/will rust, but D2 is likely to be a particular worry I think. That said though, I like your Pikuni a hell of a lot and might just latch onto one if I can.
I can also understand (I think) why you might be reluctant to have the Kootenai Hunter much over 4". I've got nowhere near your experience, but I've gone on hunts/spoken with some pretty dab old hands and the best of those would tell me something similar. They would tend to about 3" generally for that kind of work, although we don't have many Buffalo around here, so... Although we do have Water Buffalo, come to think of it. Don't know what would be best to skin a Croc, come to think of that also.
But, it can be done with a 5"-5.5" inch blade, just the same. 'Roos (they reach plague proportions), Wild Pig (same), Deer, Goats, Rabbits, you name it. I think I know just what Nobody meant when he spoke in a post about how he found he used either 3"-ish or 5"-ish. To my mind, the 5"ish is the 'generalist', leaving aside combat/tactical. On that basis, the one you'd take if you only took one and couldn't know exactly what to expect. The one you'd spend most time of all with, most likely. That's why I spoke about slightly thicker also - in between Raven and Hunter thickness. It would fill a gap both ways - upstream (Raven) and downstream (Hunter).
I saw you called for suggestions on USN at one point. Something like that would be mine and you aren't very far from it already, clearly.
I'm not trying to ingratiate myself here, (you seem to get enough of that already, frankly), but I've had a particular interest in Native Americans for a long time. I don't expect you to understand, but it would really be something to me, to go to a reservation or whatever, meet the people and so on - been on my mind for years now. I've been to the US a number of times, but mostly NY on business so never had the chance. Anyway you seem to be interested in works which have a perspective closest to your own, understandably, but for more general reading on the topic you might get hold of -
J. C. Ewers, The Blackfeet: Raiders on the Northwestern Plains (1958, repr. 1967); H. A. Dempsey, Crowfoot, Chief of the Blackfeet (1972); M. McFee, Modern Blackfeet (1972); B. Nettl, Blackfoot Musical Thought (1989).
I haven't read these so don't know what if any kind of 'angle' they might have, but they come from a source that's usually pretty decent.
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Nobody - thanks for that link. That is very much what I have in mind yes. I don't think Talonite for me though, not because of the price but because it wouldn't be tough enough I expect. All knives for me have to be users - not interested to collect.
Yes it is frustrating. Can still hope though. And have more children in the meantime.