Relevant portions of the OP in bold (quoted in full)
Let me make the most important point first. Based on my experience, carrying a heavy knife in the northeast woods is more dangerous and encouraging the OP to carry a 5" or bigger knife is increasing his risk of real peril.
Now, if me saying that is going to cause you to go bonkers, instead of chimp screams about this being a general forum, I suggest you just report either this thread or my post to moderators. Just note, they have a history of tolerating questions about survival/bushcraft/woods knives here.
The OP is specifically asking about survival in the northeast. How about we restrict the responses to people who have spent, say, a minimum of 30 nights in the woods of the northeast? Or to people who have spent a minimum of 30 nights in the northeast wood during the cold months between October and April?
Subver (the OP), you're asking good questions. Survival in the northeast wood is worth thought and study and preparation. So many people need to be rescued in the Whites of New Hampshire that traditionally small government NH passed a law about 10 years ago by which people who require rescue can be charge with reckless behavior and be forced to pay rescue expenses. Rescues and lost hikers happen every year and there are deaths on a regular basis.
Typically these incidents happen on either day hikes or trips with the overnight plans were for 1 or 2 nights. The scenario generally goes down like this: the hiker (or party) gets pinned down for some reason and can't hike to a shelter/camp site by night fall. Getting lost, getting injured or getting bogged down by bad trail conditions and/or weather are all common reasons.
Here is the conundrum that you face. If you carry too little, you won't be prepared. If you carry too much, the weight of you pack will impede your speed and make you less safe due to both slower speeds and exhaustion.
"Survival" and "Bushcraft" as they get portrayed on the forums and on the internet are an interesting exercise in primitive skills. It's a good thing to learn about. But it's also potentially dangerous if you pursue it without first learning solid backcountry basics. If you already have good skills with stoves, tarps and clothing systems, then you can think about carrying the extra weight of big cutting toys like big choppers or hatchets or large bucksaws. (Just please, don't practice the harvesting on public lands.)
If you don't have those skills, I would recommend a survival bivy sack, a light stove (requires practice) and depending on weather and the trip, a light tarp. Would also recommend reading the backpacking books by Chris Townsend. He's from Scotland and most of his approaches translate well to the northeast. I would also advice forgetting about shelter building as a survival technique. IMO, you'll be safer first learning tarps and stove craft.
Here's the manifest of my "10 Essentials" pack which I carry in the woods 12 months a year. A decent pocket knife with a blade in the 3" to 4" blade is all that is needed and the lighter the better.
ESSENTIAL KIT
Basic tools
+ Map (typically moved to pants pocket)
+ Compass (in my pocket when off trail)
+ Altimeter watch (moved to wrist)
+ Lighter
+ Pocket knife (Opinel)
+ Leatherman Squirt PS4 (for small pliers and scissors, mainly)
+ Keychain flashlight on a lanyard (I wear this as a necklace at night)
Chemicals- Carried in a separate ziplock
+ Sun screen
+ Dermatone (in winter)
+ Bug dope
+ Ibuprofen
+ Iodine water purification tablets (water filter is carried separately on some trips)
Toiletries
+ Toothbrush and toothpaste (these are kept in a ziplock bag)
+ Toilette paper, hand sanitizer, disposable lighter (these are kept in a ziplock bag)
Repair kit - Carried in a separate ziplock
+ Spare Fastex 2" buckle (for backpack hip belts)
+ Section of adhesive nylon repair tape (for down jackets, bags and tents)
+ Heavy polyester thread, standard needle and curved upholstery needle
+ Spare stove filler cap (I typically carry a Svea 123 and this is the only part to fail)
+ Spare batteries (for headlamp)
+ Small roll of duct tape (wrapped around a cut-off disposable pen body
Emergency Gear
+ Headnet
+ Whistle
+ Folding saw (Carried October through April)
+ Mylar aluminum bivy sack/shelter
+ 2 Powerbars (emergency food)
+ Coil of parachute chord
Minimal 1st aid kit - Mostly focused on stopping bleeding and attending to feet
+ Antihistamines
+ Selection of gauze pads and band aids
+ Butterfly tape and small roll of bandage tape
+ Gauze wrap
+ Alcohol wipes, iodine wipes, small tube of triple-biotic ointment
+ Disposable razor (shaving shins)
+ Pre-cut moleskin and bottle of Skin Shield (for blisters)
+ Nail clippers, fine tweezers (splinters), Leatherman PS4 (scissors, pliers)
+ Spare disposable lighter
EDITED TO ADD: If you would prefer to carry a fixed blade instead of a folder and really like the ESEE knives (I would love one too), I would choose between the Izula II or ESEE 4 for what you describe. Biggest task for a knife will be cleaning a deer and either of those will do fine. I find 5" to get into the unweildly territory for general knife use.
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, I just really like the idea of living off the land, having these skills, eventually taking some extended trips into the woods and just roughing it.
