Choosing the best hunting knife: why you need more than one

As we mentioned earlier, the term 'hunting knife' actually encompasses a variety of knives. There is no one 'Hunting knife'. In addition, there are many knives that call themselves “handmade Damascus pocket knives" that are really more in the category of mountain knife and survival knife. Many are ridiculously large and would be more at home in the belt of a Roman legionary. These are marketed for those who think they can handle a grizzly bear in hand-to-hand combat ... a very unlikely scenario for anyone in modern times. The hunting knives are designed to do exactly what their name suggests ... facilitate the collection and processing of wild game. Nothing more.

Let's take a look at what a hunting knife really is.

1. Utility knives

Utility knives are a compromise between the other different types of knives. There may be times when it is not possible to carry several knives, and you may need your knife for other purposes, such as cutting wood to start a fire, make a shelter, modify the equipment, clothing, etc. You may have to use that kind of knives. Knife to the skin, and dress a large animal. Utility knives can work in all those capacities, although not as well as one made for those purposes.

A utility hunting knife is usually a bit larger than other types, and will usually be a clip or a drop point knife.

The blade can measure between 4 "and 5" long, generally has a small belly to skin, a sharp point for the work of fine details and a strong spine for heavy duty cuts. Many refer to this type of blade as a Bowie knife, but that is really a misnomer. The most famous Bowie Knife (Jim Bowie had several different designs manufactured for many years), which was what he wore in the Battle of the Alamo, was simply a great clip. Clip points have existed since the Stone Age, and are the most popular blade style in the world.

Some general purpose hunting knives have drop points instead of clip points, but they are similar in all other respects. Many find that the drop point knife is more versatile, especially for hunting. Drop points facilitate drilling and cutting through the skin without damaging the flesh and internal organs below. Damaging the internal organs can ruin the flesh and make it inedible for humans. But, a drop point does not allow the delicacy of the sharp point of the clip point.

For serious hunting tasks, most hunters consider that the general purpose blades are too large for proper hunting and bird field clothing. They are mainly transported for last-minute emergency use, and because ... well, they're just great ... There's a certain sense of security that comes with having some weight hanging from your belt.

2. Field dress knives

The field dressing is just the process of preparing an animal for transport from the forest to your home for further processing (or a processor, if you do not want to do it yourself). In many states, it is illegal to do anything other than dress in the field of an animal until you have registered with a ranger station, and the tags have been registered.

The good thing is that dressing in the country is quite easy and does not take long. It can even be done with a razor in a pinch. Your task is to protect the meat from contamination. Depending on the type of animal. There are many things that can ruin meat. In a larger game such as deer, internal organs and musk glands can contaminate the flesh, so they must be removed. First, without touching them with your hands, remove the musk glands on the back of the rare knees. Then, simply open the body cavity, release the organs and intestines, up to the neck, saving the heart and liver (if desired) and remove them. Be careful not to break the bowels or bladder, or ruin the meat. Most people bury them, but you can also place them in a plastic garbage bag and throw them away at home. Next, leave the body cavity to dry it and slow down the bacterial action. Then place the whole body in a game bag, leaving the head outside so that rangers can identify the sex, and go to the check-out station.

Hunting knives for general use are fine for dressing in the field, as they do not require many details or critical cuts, such as peeling and dressing. However, if it is a small game, hunting mountain birds, hunting turkeys or waterfowl, or if you are