Opinion poll, best Becker for processing Elk and Mule deer

C

codycash

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Jul 1, 2013
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Wanted to see what everyone thinks, or uses in the field. I would think the 15 and 5 would excel at field dressing and processing but I have not tried it yet. The Tweeners in general probably fit the bill a bit better than the full size combat counter parts but I'm only guessing. My current rig is a San Mai III SRK with a Pendleton mini piggybacking on it, but I may carry my 15 next time or a 5 or?
 
After watching virtua voice "knife people" im going to say the BK16.

He preffered it over his bark river for comfort and he processes a fair amount of Deer. i have heard discussion that the pointiness of the 15 and blades alike can damage/puncture organs when field dressing which can spoil the meat if not experienced with field dressing. Eg: bile and such.
 
Never done any large game like an Elk or Muley.

The 5 would probably be better for larger quartering tasks but the 15 would better for everything else.

I seem to recall a fellow Beckerhead being a butcher/meat processor and awhile back he posted some opinions on their performance.
 
Gassy said:
After watching virtua voice "knife people" im going to say the BK16.

He preffered it over his bark river for comfort and he processes a fair amount of Deer. i have heard discussion that the pointiness of the 15 and blades alike can damage/puncture organs when field dressing which can spoil the meat if not experienced with field dressing. Eg: bile and such.
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Love watching that guy do his thing, got me into convex edges and I'm thinking about trying his method of field dressing without gutting. I am always keeping an eye out for my first Bark River as well because of him. Wish I could hunt that much!
 
TravisH said:
Never done any large game like an Elk or Muley.

The 5 would probably be better for larger quartering tasks but the 15 would better for everything else.

I seem to recall a fellow Beckerhead being a butcher/meat processor and awhile back he posted some opinions on their performance.
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I remember that, will see if I can locate the thread again. Thanks
 
Another Kabar (but non Becker option) is the JAB Gamestalker. It seems like it could be a good option, as I hear Mr Johnson is a big hunter, and that it fits the role you describe quite well.

Good luck with the search :).
 
Experience and care will allow one to
field dress a deer or elk with just about any knife. I've done whitetail with a SAK but would not relish the notion of doing it again.

I am an avid hunter and a big fan of the BK-15. From slicing pepperoni at the camp to gutting and skinning - the BK-15 is a charm. The BK-5 would be great for quartering and breaking down larger animals such as elk and moose but the 15 or similar would still be necessary IMO.

I've don a bunch of deer with the Busse Basic #7 and a ton of them with a Buck 110 Folding Hunter over my lifetime but both would have to give way to the BK-15.
 
ocnLogan said:
Another Kabar (but non Becker option) is the JAB Gamestalker. It seems like it could be a good option, as I hear Mr Johnson is a big hunter, and that it fits the role you describe quite well.

Good luck with the search :).
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I own one, the 440A stainless is junk. I moved it to kitchen duty but it just won't stay sharp
 
SALTY said:
Experience and care will allow one to
field dress a deer or elk with just about any knife. I've done whitetail with a SAK but would not relish the notion of doing it again.

I am an avid hunter and a big fan of the BK-15. From slicing pepperoni at the camp to gutting and skinning - the BK-15 is a charm. The BK-5 would be great for quartering and breaking down larger animals such as elk and moose but the 15 or similar would still be necessary IMO.

I've don a bunch of deer with the Busse Basic #7 and a ton of them with a Buck 110 Folding Hunter over my lifetime but both would have to give way to the BK-15.
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Left my fixed blade at camp once and had to dress out a 350lb Mule deer buck with my old Victorinox GAK. At that time I swore I would never carry anything less than a 4" blade in the field. I sawed and sawed on that deer, the hair dulled the blade immediately and then I couldn't get through the sternum so I was laying inside the carcass trying to reach up inside and cut the connective tissue. What a day, record book deer and 6 miles from camp
 
I have deboned a couple whitetail with my BK24, but in reality the 15 or 16 would be a better choice.
 
Gassy said:
Agreed - brilliant thread. Didnt think people ate bears. But thats coming from a bloke who eats roos, croc and emu.
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haven't had croc - but have eaten alligator from Southern USA
haven't had emu - but have had rhea, which is a very similar sized bird, only from S. Am
may have had roo -- in the 70's, McDonald's was supposedly adding it to their burgers to stretch out the beef.
:)
 
Gassy said:
Agreed - brilliant thread. Didnt think people ate bears. But thats coming from a bloke who eats roos, croc and emu.
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Bear is very good, but they look just like a human when you take off the hide, head and feet and hang them up lol. I've eaten just about everything North America has to offer, Elk, Deer, Moose, Bear, Big horn sheep, Mountain Lion, Geese, Pheasant, Dove, Quail, Rattlesnake, Gator, Croc, Squirrel, Rabbit. I've also had Caribou, Oryx, Ibex and some other odd ball stuff. I have some recipes for Kangaroo Tail and Camel but I've never tried it lol
 
The BK-16 would be excellent for large game field processing. I've used the BK-15 for butchering at home with very good success.
 
codycash said:
I've eaten just about everything North America has to offer, Elk, Deer, Moose, Bear, Big horn sheep, Mountain Lion, Geese, Pheasant, Dove, Quail, Rattlesnake, Gator, Croc, Squirrel, Rabbit. I've also had Caribou, Oryx, Ibex and some other odd ball stuff. I have some recipes for Kangaroo Tail and Camel but I've never tried it lol
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Nice, dude. Unfortunately, the most "exotic" things I've had are bison and gator. Not near the quality of your resume. [emoji3]
 
codycash said:
Bear is very good, but they look just like a human when you take off the hide, head and feet and hang them up lol. I've eaten just about everything North America has to offer, Elk, Deer, Moose, Bear, Big horn sheep, Mountain Lion, Geese, Pheasant, Dove, Quail, Rattlesnake, Gator, Croc, Squirrel, Rabbit. I've also had Caribou, Oryx, Ibex and some other odd ball stuff. I have some recipes for Kangaroo Tail and Camel but I've never tried it lol
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What no coon or possum :confused:
 
Unfortunately, I have yet to snag an elk...... Enjoyed eating it a bunch......

My friends Landon and Will took two elk, two pronghorns and a mulie last fall and dressed, not field dressed, but dressed and wrapped it all in camp...... Landon used a Fifteen for all of it and found it just fine......BTW, he did feel a need to sharpen it when he got back to Tennessee.....Landon has killed, skinned, dressed a lot more animals than I have........Sooo, based on that I gotta say a Fifteen........

I would give second place to the Sixteen.........

People tend to think of both the Five and Fifteen as food preppers but, they are both extremely versatile tools.......

E
 
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