Which Hunting Knife are You Using This Year (Traditional)?

black mamba said:
Greg, at first I didn't see the bow and thought the arrow was stuck in that skinny little branch. I thought, "What bad luck!"
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Jeff, I recall two past hunts where I had shots at bucks from the ground and burying my broad head into the center of unseen thumb sized saplings just a few feet from hitting the deer in the chest. Bad luck indeed!
 
sunknife said:
Had the H-10 mini bowie on the hip for yesterdays hunt in these pics. No deer showed up so the only use I had for the knife was to cut and trim some brush for a natural ground blind set up. I have a handful of fixed blades I'll rotate thru on different hunts depending on my whims. For years I carried a Buck vanguard only but traded it away about 7 years ago
and now miss that knife due to sentimental reasons.

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Did you make the selfbow?
I built a few years ago. Endless supply of Bois D Arc around here and a fun way to pass time during the winter. But I never could shoot one well enough to hunt with it. I still hunt with single string bows but I need center cut risers and fiberglass laminations to prop me up.
 
The Kidd said:
Did you make the selfbow?
I built a few years ago. Endless supply of Bois D Arc around here and a fun way to pass time during the winter. But I never could shoot one well enough to hunt with it. I still hunt with single string bows but I need center cut risers and fiberglass laminations to prop me up.
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Yes I did, thanks. It's a hobby and passion of mine that started 30 years ago. I typically make 3-7 selfbows per year, mostly from osage but have used a dozen different wood species along the way. I've given away about half of them
that I've made to friends and family but still have about 80 around the house and shop. More than any one man needs
but I really enjoy them. I guess I'm a bow hoarder, lol.
Hunting traditional gear is addictive as you know. Good luck to you this season.
 
sunknife said:
Yes I did, thanks. It's a hobby and passion of mine that started 30 years ago. I typically make 3-7 selfbows per year, mostly from osage but have used a dozen different wood species along the way. I've given away about half of them
that I've made to friends and family but still have about 80 around the house and shop. More than any one man needs
but I really enjoy them. I guess I'm a bow hoarder, lol.
Hunting traditional gear is addictive as you know. Good luck to you this season.
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Dang, got any bow pics?
 
JM2 said:
Dang, got any bow pics?
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Yes, way too many bow pics, lol. I don't want to hijack a knife tread so I'll put some pics up in the arts, crafts and hobbies
sub forum in a few minutes. You'll find them at - Community Discussions> Whine & Cheese> Arts, Crafts & Hobbies.
Thanks for your interest, much appreciated.
 
After the skinning and quartering I have a nice little set of Forgecraft butcher knives I will be using for deboning and portioning. I reground all of them to be better cutters since the vintage forgecrafts were hit or miss on edge thickness.

7.5" slicer with the tip dropped to a spear point style.
7" bullnose butcher
6" boning knife in Bocote
5.5" semi-skinner reprofiled from another slicer. This one I just modified from a previous mod as a 6" warnclife style to something with a little belly and I'm real excited to test it this season. Went a little overboard thinning the edge and went to a zero grind. I sharpened up to a very narrow bevel for a little edge strength against bone and joints.
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BladeCommander said:
After the skinning and quartering I have a nice little set of Forgecraft butcher knives I will be using for deboning and portioning. I reground all of them to be better cutters since the vintage forgecrafts were hit or miss on edge thickness.

7.5" slicer with the tip dropped to a spear point style.
7" bullnose butcher
6" boning knife in Bocote
5.5" semi-skinner reprofiled from another slicer. This one I just modified from a previous mod as a 6" warnclife style to something with a little belly and I'm real excited to test it this season. Went a little overboard thinning the edge and went to a zero grind. I sharpened up to a very narrow bevel for a little edge strength against bone and joints.
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Very handy looking blades.
 
Thank you. These old knives used to be very common around here but they have dried up over the last few years. I have the 8" and 10" chef knives too which are the more desirable of the set.
 
Got me a nice doe this morning, opening day of muzzleloading season. The GEC H10 took care of field dressing duties, and the Dexter fish knife took care of skinning and initial breakdown.
Now I have to take me a shower and come back in a while and finish butchering, it is a good but busy day20251101_133613.jpg
 
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afishhunter said:
Congrats! 😁👍
Traditional sidelock, or inline?
If sidelock, flint or percussion, and what calibre?
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Inline, in 50 caliber. I shoot the 385 grain Hornady Great Plains lead conicals amd they work really good. Now that I have meat in the freezer, I will be going back out next week woth my CVA Hawkin rifle percussion cap side lock and start trophy hunting
**edited to add that I shoot round patched balls with the Hawkin rifle, twist is too slow for conicals
 
JM2 said:
That's a beauty. I carry a Folding Hunter on my belt daily. I am considering using it for deer this year, I ain't decided yet.
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I would. Since designed for the task, it should do well.
Tho to be honest, I would still pocket a stockman, and use the Spey for opening the belly. Less chance of accidentally nicking/cutting the intestines.
A Wyoming Knife (remember them?) would also be a viable option for opening (and peeling) your harvest, if you (or a hunting partner, if any) has one.

I've used a Buck 110, and a '78-'84 Old Timer (with Schrade's fantastic 1095 blade) to field dress and butcher a few deer back when I was young.
For cleanup, I just rinsed under hot running water from the sink to get rid of the blood, dried the blade and well, then lubed the joint with whatever oil I had ... or a quick spray of Water Displacement Number 40 ... I usually had a couple cans (large and pocket size) around the house and in my car trunk. 😁👍
 
afishhunter said:
I would. Since designed for the task, it should do well.
Tho to be honest, I would still pocket a stockman, and use the Spey for opening the belly. Less chance of accidentally nicking/cutting the intestines.
A Wyoming Knife (remember them?) would also be a viable option for opening (and peeling) your harvest, if you (or a hunting partner, if any) has one.

I've used a Buck 110, and a '78-'84 Old Timer (with Schrade's fantastic 1095 blade) to field dress and butcher a few deer back when I was young.
For cleanup, I just rinsed under hot running water from the sink to get rid of the blood, dried the blade and well, then lubed the joint with whatever oil I had ... or a quick spray of Water Displacement Number 40 ... I usually had a couple cans (large and pocket size) around the house and in my car trunk. 😁👍
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I remembered the name, but googled to verify my memory of the knife. Wyoming Knife is currently undergoing transition.
That's what the Ontario website said after they were sold out to an importer. I wonder if it's the same importer.
[Google AI tells me Wyoming Knife hasn't been sold, but is in a period of transition and hopes to have its products available again by 2024.]

A rigid Buck 121:
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Even though I buy a license annually, game hunting for me is pretty much a thing of the past.
On occasion between September and March, I carry a handgun and wander the northern woods. I'm hunting but instead of game I'm seeking fresh air, pleasant scenery, some light exercise and stress reduction. 😌
When meandering about in winter woods, wisdom dictates the carrying of a few essentials, a good knife being one of them.
Having owned many (many :rolleyes:) knives, experience tells me that Kellem knives are supremely suited to this task. So at least for some of this year's hunting adventures, this 3 5/8 " beauty will be along for the ride.

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Did anyone else have a successful hunt and a need to use their favorite knife this fall?

We didn’t have as much success as in years past as our 10 year old son was the only one to get a buck this season. He used his blue bone Case Barlow for field dressing duty and to help with skinning once we had his buck hung back at the barn.

The Mrs and I both filled cow elk tags so our grocery situation is good to excellent, they’re usually better eating than bulls anyway. I skinned and quartered both of them with my trusty 23 with only a steeling in between. Once again the great big trapper does the job with style.
 
I felt poorly most of the time through modern gun. Been having gall bladder issues and not feeling up to snuff. I did take the boy with me one afternoon and I hunting a few hours on the farm a couple of times. Kinda glad I didn't get anything with the way I've been feeling.
 
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