We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Completing a successful hunt is only the beginning of a hunter’s journey. Field dressing, quartering, and skinning can be messy and challenging. This is especially true when dealing with larger animals like elk and moose. The right knife, tailored for these specific jobs, can significantly ease the process, making it a crucial tool for every hunter.
Choosing a new hunting knife can be daunting, especially with the market flooded with options. That’s why we tested a range of modern options to identify the best hunting knives currently available.
Key Considerations
Hunting knives come in a variety of shapes and styles. I considered the specific tasks for which each knife was designed in order to ensure that I had options fitting different species and situations. For example, knives that are ideal for whitetails might not be as effective on a moose. Likewise, a knife ideal for cleaning ducks might not efficiently handle skinning and quartering an elk. I also considered each knife's blade length, handle design, and balance. Each factor plays a crucial role in the knife's performance in the field.
- Ergonomics: Field dressing is messy; I wanted comfortable handles that wouldn’t slip when one’s hands are wet with blood. Additionally, I examined the handle’s texture, grooves, and jimping because they all help give that control.
- Blade Types: For the purposes of hunting, I looked specifically at drop points and clip points. These styles are best suited for the job, and I didn’t consider many other types beyond these two because of that.
- Steel Type and Edge Retention: I specifically looked for knives that could hold an edge for a long time in tough conditions. However, I was also cautious not to fill this list exclusively with $300+ knives made of high-grade steel. We understand that some hunters are on a budget, so we also looked for affordable types that could still hold an edge. Knives that are easier to sharpen were also given more consideration.
- Weight and Size: I considered a knife’s weight, especially for anyone carrying it for several days in the backcountry. Although I’ve gutted deer with longer blades, I tried to keep my picks in the 2.5-to-4.5-inch range. That is simply because that’s the size that’s worked best for me in more than 23 years of hunting.
Top Picks
- Best Overall: Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter
- Best For The Backcountry: CRKT Soldotna
- Most Versatile: ESEE Izula
- Best Ergonomics: Case CT Hunter
- Best Vintage: Buck Woodsman 102
- Best Budget: Gerber Moment Gut Hook
Best Overall: Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
The Hidden Canyon has one of the best out-of-the-box edges I’ve ever seen on a knife. I tested the slightly more expensive S90V version. Not only did it effortlessly slice paper in my initial test, but it also cleaned shaved hairs off my arm. It did this without my ever taking a single sharpener to the blade. Consider me impressed. I love the jimping Benchmade put on this one. They put some in the usual spot just ahead of the handle. However, they also added jimping further down the blade near the point. It adds excellent control in tighter areas with a stubborn bit of muscle or tendon. Although this blade is sharp enough, I rarely see that as an issue.
I’m not a huge fan of the sheath design, but this will ride in my pack most of the time. For that kind of carry, it’s fine. The wooden handles on this knife shocked me when I picked it up. These handles are beautiful but very smooth and almost slick to the touch. Subsequently, I did some cutting tests with my hands wet. Surprisingly, the wooden handles felt better while wet than dry. Ultimately, that test, the edge retention, and great overall ergonomics made it an easy choice for best overall.
Best For The Backcountry: CRKT Soldotna
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
I love the overall feel of the Soldotna. Some excellent ergonomics in the Micarta handle impart great control through the tip of this longer blade. I like this knife for backcountry hunters who need to handle everything from pronghorn antelope to elk. It has the size and weight to do everything. As a bonus, this durable and functional fixed blade can double for lighter camp tasks, especially food preparation. At only about 3 ounces, it’s also extremely lightweight. At the same time, it doesn’t feel extremely unwieldy like other light knives.
Unfortunately, this is an expensive knife for 1095 steel. Although this is a good steel, it normally doesn’t come at this premium price point. I know this aspect of the knife has had some people scratching their heads. The inflated price tag is probably because they gave this knife a Cerakote finish on the blade. This ceramic finish helps protect the blade, especially in wet environments like those encountered by hunters. It drives up the price tag, but it also adds some additional longevity to this blade. This is a knife that will last through years of abuse.
Most Versatile: ESEE Izula
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
The Izula is ideal for hunters who want extreme weight savings. This knife weighs just 1.90 ounces. It has a skeletonized build that can easily slip into extremely slim pockets. This design also makes it a breeze to clean at the end of the day. I found that this knife had an excellent factory edge during my testing. It wasn’t hair-popping sharp, but it effortlessly sliced paper, cord, and everything else I threw at it. The size is perfect for small game, turkeys, whitetails, mule deer, pronghorns, and more. This knife can double as a neck knife for EDC carry, which adds even more versatility.
I found the sheath to have a tight retention, but I think it will eventually break in and become more usable. It also took me a while to get used to the skeletonized profile of this knife. However, I don’t think that’s a deal-breaker since aftermarket scales are common and affordable. This would be a good option for a paracord wrap. Considering that this knife is around $60, this is an incredible value.
Best Ergonomics: Case CT Hunter
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
The handle of the CT Hunter sold me immediately on this knife. Case went with an orange textured G-10 with a grippy, texturized surface. It feels great to the hand, especially when the handle’s finger groove is thrown into the mix. This is an excellent option for hunters like me, who have a perpetual case of butterfingers. I won’t have to worry about this one slipping when my hands are bloody. Thanks to the large, clip-point style blade, this knife feels like a hybrid of new and old ideas. The Bowie-style blade harkens back to a time when hunting was simpler. I loved how it performed in my edge tests, too. It had a solid edge straight from the factory.
I have two small nitpicks for this knife. One, there’s no jimping on the blade spine. It feels like that would add just a tiny bit more control. Secondly, the sheath’s closure strap lands in a spot where it’s easy to rub it on the knife edge. There is already a small cut on the sheath I tested. Eventually, it will weaken the sheath and likely dull the blade. I suggest getting an aftermarket sheath to replace it. Again, these are small gripes, as I feel the roughly $110 price point is very fair for what’s being offered here. This is a solid do-all hunting knife for hunters from about every walk of life.
Best Vintage: Buck Woodsman 102
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
It’s hard to go wrong with anything from Buck Knives for hunting. These are the blades that many people grew up using. Buck makes a few different variants of this knife. Anyone wanting a steel upgrade can pay a little more for a D2 or S35VN steel version and better handles. In any combination, the Woodsman is for anyone wanting versatility. The 4-inch size makes it capable of handling small game. However, it also keeps the knife compact enough for the body cavity of a smaller deer. This knife weighs less than 3 ounces, making it easy to carry in a pack or belt loop. Unfortunately, like many knives made in the USA, there is some disparity between the knife and the sheath.
Although the sheath isn’t horrible, it also has nothing as far as retention goes. The knife tends to rattle around inside. It’s not a deal-breaker because there are aftermarket options out there. The handle on this knife may also feel undersized in smaller hands. This is fine because I like this one best as a first hunting knife for youngsters. The Buck 102 is a great hunting/fishing/bushcraft knife for youngsters to learn the basics of knife safety. Adults can consider upgrading slightly to the Buck 105 if they need more handle.
Best Budget: Gerber Moment Gut Hook
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
Gerber’s hunting knives have been excellent for me for years. Unfortunately, my favorite option has since been discontinued. However, the Moment is a solid offering that utilizes a near-identical design in an affordable package. In any case, the 3.5-inch blade is just the right size for whitetails in the Midwest. This knife comes with a gut hook, a feature I love. It makes it easy to open the body cavity like a zipper. This is ideal for hunters who have had problems puncturing the stomach on their harvests.
The only downside is that these gut hooks are notoriously difficult to sharpen. It can’t be done on a traditional whetstone. I’ve found that an electric sharpener with a belt like the Work Sharp Mk.2 is usually best. Additionally, Gerber’s budget sheaths leave a lot to be desired. They are functional, but they aren’t much more than that. Still, this knife is a bargain at this price. I’ve seen it as low as $13 during sales. It makes a nice backup for hunters who want to ensure that they are always prepared.
How To Choose The Best Hunting Knife
When it comes to the best hunting knife, blade sharpness is everything. A few seasons ago, I shot a funky-looking Michigan 9-pointer that I wanted to mount European style. My processor cut the head cleanly off that buck in under a minute using only a long boning knife. There was no hacking or chopping, just clean knife work from an expert in butchering and sharpening. That’s what a sharp edge can do on most big game animals.
Almost any knife can be used for most hunting tasks. I know plenty of people who have done field-dressing jobs with knives that weren’t ideal for the job. However, some features will make an extremely messy task much easier.
Folding vs Fixed
This is a trade-off decision. Folders have a huge edge in the weight and storability department. It’s nothing to slip one into the front pack of a hunting bag or a pants pocket. These knives often have additional tools like gut hooks and serrations for slicing tendons. However, they also have many nooks and crannies that can get clogged with blood, hair, and fat. Unfortunately, these make cleaning much more difficult. Conversely, most fixed blades wipe clean in seconds. If storage space allows, then it’s not a bad idea to carry both.
Steel Type
The type of steel hinges largely on a hunter’s budget, intended use, and edge retention. I’ve gutted whitetails with lower-quality steels like 5Cr15Mov. However, larger animals like elk and moose necessitate more edge retention unless a hunter carries a knife sharpener into the field. I like S30V or S90V for those tougher jobs because they have incredible edge retention qualities. The downside is that it comes with a higher price tag. One decent budget trade-off steel type is 440C. It offers good edge retention and corrosion resistance at about $35–$60.
Blade Type
Drop point blades will suffice for most hunting styles. The blade’s deeper profile is great from a control standpoint. I like this style for those delicate cuts around the inside of the body cavity, especially around the stomach. Longer blades with fine tips are better for cutting precision in tight areas. These are helpful for skinning smaller animals. The classic clip point knife also has a well-suited tip for these tasks.
Blade Size
Most hunting tasks don’t require a huge blade. In some instances, a large knife can become a hindrance. Last year, I used a larger 4.5-inch blade on a small doe, which was too large for the chest cavity. I had to switch to a smaller 3-inch blade to finish the job. For most hunters, 2.5 to 4 inches is the sweet spot for blade size.
Handles
Field dressing and skinning are messy tasks. I prefer my knives to have a texture that makes them easy to grip when my hands are bloody. Additionally, slick handles can be tough to grip in cold or wet conditions. Rubberized, wooden, G-10, and Micarta handles are all solid choices. Consider an ergonomic handle that fits the whole hand. Shorter grips that allow only a few fingers on the blade prevent leverage for tougher tasks. I also prefer my knives to have bright colors like blaze orange on the handle. This is so I can easily find it if I set it down while field dressing in the dark. It also makes the knife easy to find if accidentally dropped on the ground. I’ve had to hunt a few darker knives in leaf litter before, and it isn’t fun.
Why Trust Us
I’ve hunted for more than 23 years, mostly Midwest whitetails and various birds, but I’m always expanding my horizons to new species. During that time, I’ve carried and used many types of knives. Thus, I’ve learned what features and styles work for hunting and which do not. I purposely made sure to include only blades that I have or would carry afield.
Final Thoughts
Hunting knives come in many flavors and are often capable for other uses. The Benchmade Hidden Canyon was the right size and weight combination, making it ideal for many hunting scenarios. An awesome edge and jimping just helped to seal the deal as our favorite hunting knife. The ESEE Izula was a close follow-up for its incredible weight savings and versatility beyond just hunting scenarios.
FAQs
Q: What kind of knife do I need for hunting?
A: It depends on the type of hunting. For most hunting scenarios, a 3-inch drop blade knife will suffice for whitetails, mule deer, and small game. I like folders for whitetail hunts here in the Midwest. However, a fixed blade knife is more versatile for a backcountry hunt, mainly because this style can be used for food prep and bushcraft.
Q: What is the best blade shape for a hunting knife?
A: Drop point blades are ideal for hunting because the deep belly offers excellent control. It also gives the knife the right amount of heft for slicing muscle and tendons. Try to get a knife with some jimping on the top of the blade for additional control.
Q: How often should you sharpen your hunting knife?
A: As with every knife, this largely depends on the frequency of use. Knives used across multiple seasons may need to be sharpened frequently. Doing a quick touch-up before a larger task is not a bad idea, like quartering an elk. We recommend carrying a simple field sharpener in your hunting pack, just in case.
Q: What is the best thickness for a hunting knife?
A: It again depends on the type of hunting, but about 1/8 of an inch is usually a good starting point. Thickness isn’t super important for hunting knives. Hunters who need more strength might consider bumping things up to a blade about 3/16 of an inch maximum.
