Hunting knife

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An assortment of hunting knives

A hunting knife is a knife used during hunting for preparing the game to be used as food: skinning the animal and cutting up the meat. It is different from the Hunting dagger which was traditionally used to kill wild game.[1]

Some hunting knives are adapted for other uses in the wild; such as a Camp knife, which hunters may use as machetes or hatchets when those specific tools are not available. In this case, their function is similar to a survival knife.


A hunting knife with a deer-antler handle

Hunting knives are traditionally designed for cutting rather than stabbing, and usually have a single sharpened edge. The blade is slightly curved on most models, and some hunting knives may have a blade that has both a curved portion for skinning, and a straight portion for cutting slices of meat. Some blades incorporate a guthook. Most hunting knives designed as "skinners" have a rounded point as to not damage the skin as it is being removed.[2]


  • Fixed-Blade- Fixed-blade versus a folding knife is both personal and practical. If the game you hunt is large and the terrain more rugged, a fixed blade knife is often a better option for its strength and dependability.
  • Folding knives- Folding knives have the advantage of being easier to carry and to conceal. They are also considered safer.[3]


Hunting knives include the puukko, the yakutian knife and the Sharpfinger. Most American designs are based on a smaller version of the Bowie knife. Knifemaker Bob Loveless popularized the Drop point hunting knife and William Scagel popularized the Camp knife.[2]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Marrone, Teresa (1999). Dressing & Cooking Wild Game: From Field to Table: Big Game, Small Game, Upland Birds & Waterfowl the. Complete Hunter. pp. 8–11. ISBN 978-0-86573-108-0. 
  2. ^ a b Pacella, Gerard (2002). 100 Legendary Knives. Krause Publications. pp. 88–94. ISBN 0-87349-417-2. 
  3. ^ "Introduction to". Edge Hunting. Retrieved 2016-09-30.