WINNER
Gerber Gator Premium
MADE IN USA
Vanguard Hunting Knives
TACTICAL
Border Guard 2 Tactical
CAMO
Bantum BLW Camo Knife
- 1 Hunting Knife Reviews 2023
- 2 Best Hunting Knife - Handle 2023
- 3 Best Compact Hunting Knives
- 4 Best Value Hunting Knife
- 5 Best Hunting Knife Set
- 6 Best Hunting Knife Brands
- 7 Types of Hunting Knives
- 8 Hunting Knife Blades
- 9 Hunting Knife Handles
- 10 Best Hunting Knife Sharpener Reviews
- 11 Which is the Best Hunting Knife?
To help you navigate the vast world of hunting knives, we’ve put together a guide to the best hunting knife in the world.
Not only have we reviewed nearly three dozen hunting knives for you to feast your eyes on, but we’ve also taken an in-depth look at some of the makers of the top hunting knives.
And just in case you can’t find the right hunting knife among the large selection of best hunting knife reviews we’ve got for you, we’ve also provided you with all the information you need to judge the worth of these top rated hunting knives and whether it can hold up to how you’ll use it.
We’ve taken a look at the various materials available for hunting knife handles and hunting knife blades, pointing out their strengths and weakness.
From there, we discuss the virtues of some of the best rated hunting knife designs and what their intended use is.
But in case that isn’t enough, we’re going to wrap up with a look at some of the top hunting knife sharpeners so you can keep your new hunting knife in good working order.
As mentioned earlier, we’ve got nearly three dozen different hunting knife reviews for you to check out.
These knives exhibit a variety of designs, uses, price points, and materials so you can get a better idea of what you truly need a knife.
Hopefully, we’ll give you an idea for your next hunting knife purchase, too.
Hunting Knife Reviews 2023
Our Top Pick for the Best Hunting Knife: Gator Premium Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
Gator Premium Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
When it came to selecting the best hunting knife, there was some pretty steep competition. We looked at dozens of knives - many of which were not included in this review- and consulted the wisdom of people who have firsthand experience with these knives out in the field.
In the end, the combination of surprising quality, outstanding opinion by real owners, and price point made it easy to choose the Gator Premium Fixed Blade Hunting Knife by Gerber as the top rated hunting knife.
This fixed hunting knife is available as an all-purpose hunting knife and with a gut hook. These are virtually identical except the gut hook and a slightly deeper belly on the gut hook hunting knife due to the extra upsweep to accommodate the gut hook.
The blade is 4 inches long and made of CPM-S30V, an American made steel that was specifically created for use in knife making. This steel is sturdy, durable, has excellent edge retention, is highly resistant to corrosion, yet it sharpens easily.
These are great qualities to have in a knife blade yet this steel isn’t as common as, say, 440 steel or 420 steel, as it does cost more to produce.
This knife is a drop point full tang blade with a clean sweeping edge that gives plenty of bellies to make for a good skinning knife, but not so much that you couldn’t use this as a caping knife or for boning fish. The spine has jimping just before the guard to provide greater control for finer tasks. The guard itself extends low to keep your fingers from slipping forward to the blade edge.
However, given the construction of the handle, there is little if any chance of this knife slipping in your hands - even in the pouring rain. The handle is made of glass-filled nylon wrapped in rubber to provide a secure grip. The rubber is also texturized in a stylized gator pattern that provides greater texture where you need (such as along the bottom where your fingers would be gripping) and less where you don’t (such as the top where it could otherwise cause chafing on your bare hand.)
This makes it possibly the best fixed blade hunting knife for heavy tasks as you can work comfortably with it barehanded or with gloves and not be slowed down. Small details like that really contribute to not just the functionality of the knife but how well you enjoy using it, too, which is why this is the best fixed blade hunting knife for the money.
The rear bolster matches the guard and has a lanyard hole. The handle features a dropped heel and forefinger groove to make for an even surer grip. It weighs 6.9 ounces and comes with a leather sheath. This knife is also made in Portland, OR.
Best Hunting Knife Made in the Usa - Vanguard by Buck Knives
Buck knives have a long history of knife making and continue to manufacture knives with the same care and attention to detail as when they first began. This Vanguard by Buck Knives is a fixed blade hunting knife with a hidden tang. It measures 8 ½ inches long and weighs 6.3 ounces.
The blade is made of 420 HC steel. This is a high carbon version of the commonly used 420 stainless steel. It contains higher amounts of carbon that render it stronger and less susceptible to wear resistance.
This type of steel also contains higher amounts of chromium which improve upon the blades resistance to corrosion. Buck Knives also has a unique heat tempering process that further enhances the strength of this blade. The result is a far higher quality blade than comparable knives that also use 420 HC steel. As this is a very durable blade and has excellent edge retention, it is harder to sharpen than a softer steel.
The blade is drop point, hollow ground, and has a good thick spine on it that further increases the blade strength. The blade edge is smooth with a gentle sweep that maximizes the blade edge and width to give a slightly longer stroke. It is 4 1/8 inches long.
The handle is made of heritage walnut Dymondwood, which is a stabilized wood that is more durable than hardwood alone and is better able to withstand high humidity and wet conditions. This hunting knife has a polished brass guard with larger forefinger quillon and polished brass pommel. There is no lanyard hole.
This American made hunting knife is built to last but comes with a lifetime warranty, too. It also comes with a leather sheath with a snap button closure and belt loop. Please note that the sheath is made in Mexico.
Best Bowie Hunting Knife - Bowie Knife by Colt ct410
Colt Bowie Hunting Knife
Bowie hunting knives have a strong American flavor as they were the knife of choice throughout the rugged wilderness of the West during the 1800’s. True to form, the Colt Bowie Hunting Knife strikes a good balance between size and weight, with a total length of 12 ¾ inches.
The blade is made of 440A high carbon stainless steel. This type of steel is relatively common for hunting knife blades as it has fairly good edge retention, corrosion resistance, and it’s quite easy to sharpen, too. The blade measures 7 ¾ inches long, 1 ¾ inches at its widest, and 3/16 of an inch thick. The blade is touch heavier than the handle, with the balance point being about ¼ of an inch before the guard.
The blade has a full tang and a swaged clipped point that extends more than half way back across the spine. The edge is clean and straight. It has a large “S” curved brass guard with a star embossed on the sides of the rounded ends.
The handle is 5 inches long and has a dropped heel to fit more comfortably in your hand. There is also a light finger groove behind the guard and a lanyard hole in the heel. The handle is comprised of six hardwood scales with brass spacers and pins. It comes with a leather sheath that has a belt loop and leather straps to tie the end of the sheath about your thigh.
Best Serrated Hunting Knife - Vantage Force Serrated Folding Knife
Vantage Force Serrated Folding Knife
The Vantage Force Serrated Folding Knife is a good-sized folding knife that measures about 7 ½ inches long when opened and it weighs 4.3 ounces. The blade is 3 ¼ inches long with a drop point and is serrated along the first third of the blade edge. This serrated hunting knife has an advantage over other hunting knives as it can functionally handle greater tasks.
The blade is made of 420 HC -a high carbon variant of 420 steel that is durable, highly resistant to corrosion, and holds an edge well. The tradeoff here, as it is a stronger steel, is that it is somewhat harder to sharpen. The handle on this serrated hunting knife is black and is made of texturized nylon.
This knife is made by Buck Knives, so you know the quality is there for the price. They’ve put together a great folding knife that you can use for everyday carry and while hunting.
Unlike similar looking knives with 420HC steel, Buck Knives has a distinctive heat tempering process that makes the blade on these knives nearly indestructible. That makes for a great folding knife that may easily outlast you with proper care and maintenance. It has a metal belt clip that can be removed and attached to the other side so you can wear this knife on either your right or left side. This knife is also made in the USA.
Best Tactical Hunting Knife - Border Guard 2 Tactical Rescue Knife by Smith & Wesson
At the most fundamental, a tactical knife is used for fighting and survival use while a hunting knife is used for field dressing and basic processing of game animals. While you’re unlikely to find yourself in a knife fight with a monster buck out in the forest, the combination of a tactical knife with a hunting knife can come in handy.
The Border Guard 2 Tactical Rescue Knife leans more toward the tactical than hunting, but it is designed to be functional when wearing gloves which cannot be underestimated when hunting outdoors in late fall or winter.
The blade measures 4 ¼ inches long and is made of 7Cr17 -a Chinese version of 440A. This type of stainless steel is commonly used as it is low cost to produce and has a right balance between corrosion resistance, edge retention, and ease of sharpening. So, even though it is Chinese, it’s still a decent enough steel that you’ve probably already used in several pocket knives and maybe even your kitchen cutlery.
It is a tanto style blade, indicative of the clipped point and clipped edge that produces a sharp point suitable for stabbing. Also, this creates a differently shaped edge of the blade, consisting of a smoothed corner rather than a sweeping edge.
This tactical hunting knife is also a folding knife, with about 2 inches of serrated edge just before the handle. This serration makes it useful for splitting open the carcass of an animal. The handle measures 5.6 inches long and is made of aluminum but has texturized grips along both sides to provide a secure grip even when wet. It has finger grooves that allow for a firmer grip whether you’ll be holding this knife with the blade out or in (as in defensive use.)
The handle also features a seat belt cutter and glass breaker on the end. It flips out easily, even with gloves on, though it does not have an assisted open. It weighs about 10 ounces and is a bit large but comfortable to hold.
Best Camo Hunting Knife - Bantum Blw Camo Hunting Knife by Buck Knives
This Bantum BLW Camo Hunting Knife brings all of the American made quality you’d expect from Buck Knives. It’s a folding knife that allows it to fit more comfortably in your pocket, and it comes with a removable stainless steel belt clip that can be placed on either side of the handle - making it perfect for righties and lefties.
It also comes in 8 different camo patterns, including one in orange and two in pink. Of course, it is also available in plain black. The blade is 3 1/8 inches long and made of 420 HC steel. This is a high carbon steel that is similar to 420 stainless steel, but it is stronger, more resistant to corrosion, and has better edge retention.
Buck Knives uses a unique method of heat treating the blades that makes this steel even more durable and wear resistant. It has a swaged drop point and an injection molded nylon handle that measures 4 3/8 inches long. The handle is also texturized and features lowered heel and forefinger groove for a more comfortable hand feel and grip.
Best Hunting Knife - Handle 2023
BONE HANDLE
Handcrafted Damascus
ANTLER HANDLE
Scrimshaw Series Antler Handle
SKINNER
Skinner Stag Horn Handle Knife
Best Bone Handle Hunting Knife - Handcrafted Damascus Hunting Knife with Bone Handle
These Handcrafted Damascus Hunting Knives are very unique-looking bone handle hunting knives. The blade is made of genuine hand-rolled Damascus steel and is 4 inches long. This is a simple hunting knife design, with a drop point and clean edge.
There is some detail work along the spine of the blade; it is also a full tang for increased durability. Many people claim that Damascus steel isn’t suitable outside of a show piece, but this steel has a long reputation for being robust and durable -which is why it is still in use to this day.
The wavelike pattern across the steel is caused by the folding of 1095 and 15N25 together -it is not acid etched as with fake Damascus steel. As it is genuine Damascus steel, this blade has a hardness of about 56 to 58 on the Rockwell hardness scale.
The handle is 4 inches long and is made of two bone scales along the full tang. As it is bone and not antler, the handle has a very soft and even tone, and it has been shaped and smoothed to a beautiful shine. While this isn’t a custom hunting knife, it is still handcrafted and an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more unique hunting knife. It comes with a handmade leather sheath.
Best Antler Handle Hunting Knife - Scrimshaw Series Antler Handle Hunting Knife
The Scrimshaw Series Antler Handle Hunting Knife is a bowie style hunting knife with a shed crown antler handle from either a deer or an elk. It measures 14 inches overall, but that larger style is typical of bowie hunting knives. The blade is 8 inches long and is made of D2 tool steel that has been heat-tempered to increase the hardness to 60+ on the Rockwell hardness scale.
This type of steel is sometimes referred to as a “semi-stainless” steel due to a higher chromium content. It has excellent edge retention which does make it a bit harder to sharpen. The blade has a clipped point that is swaged nearly halfway across the spine of the blade.
The handle is genuine antler, and each of these antler handle hunting knives features a freehand scrimshaw design carved into the handle. Some knives feature a leaping buck while others feature a standing wolf. While the option of choosing which design isn’t there, both designs are beautiful and really give this stag handle hunting knife a one of a kind look.
It has a large brass guard and comes with a hand-laced leather sheath. This knife made proudly and assembled entirely in the Pacific Northwest of the USA.
Skinner Hunting Knife by Joker
The Skinner Hunting Knife is an excellent choice for a go-to hunting knife. Overall, it measures 9.16 inches and has a blade length of 4.68 inches. The blade is a full tang and is made of 440 stainless steel. This is a popular choice of steel for knives as it has good edge retention, is durable, and is also relatively easy to sharpen.
The blade has a gut hook and an upswept point to lengthen the cutting edge. These deer antler handle hunting knives are perfect for field dressing and skinning medium to large game, but it also has enough of a point to function as an all-purpose hunting knife. There is also about an inch of serration along the spine of the blade just before the handle.
The handle has genuine deer antler scales with a reinforced lanyard hole in the heel. It has slight finger grooves and a dropped heel for a more comfortable fit in your hand. It weighs just over 9 ounces and comes with a leather sheath. These are great looking deer antler hunting knives that have all the features and the quality you need for hunting.
Best Wood Handle Hunting Knife - Antique Style Hunting Knife with Wooden Handle
Antique Style Hunting Knife with Wooden Handle
Wood handle hunting knives are a traditional favorite due to their history, durability, and appearance. The Antique Style Hunting Knife with Wooden Handle is a folding style hunting knife that is made in the form of hunting knives of bygone days.
It has 3 ½ inches long blade that is made of 3Cr13 stainless steel. This steel is in the 420 stainless steel family that is common in knife making due to its low production cost and good balance among edge retention, ease of sharpening, corrosion resistance, and strength. Additional heat treating has increased the strength of this blade, with a Rockwell hardness rating of about 56.
Wooden handle hunting knives typically have wood scales even on a fixed blade knife. This wooden handle knife has the scales finished off with a brass guard and pommel embossed with a floral pattern. The handle has a dropped heel and measures 4 3/8 inches when closed.
It measures 7 5/8 inches overall and features a nail notch along the locking blade for easier opening. It weighs just 4.5 ounces and comes with a nylon sheath with a snap button closure and belt loop.
Best Compact Hunting Knives
SMALL
Compact Tanto Hunting Knife
6 INCH
Benchmade 6 Inch Skinning Knife
FOLDING
110 Famous Folding Hunter Knife
SWING BLADE
Swingblaze Double Blade Hunting Knife
Best Small Hunting Knife - Compact Tanto by Karambit Knives
Compact Tanto Hunting Knife
A small hunting knife works great as a back up to your big hunting knife, but many smaller knives can hold their own as your go-to hunting knife just fine. This Compact Tanto Hunting Knife measures just 5 ¼ inches overall and has a 2 ¼ inches long blade.
The entire knife is made of 440 stainless steel, which is a strong steel that has a good balance of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and durability. The blade is a tanto style, 4mm thick, with a finger choil to complement the finger groove in the handle.
The handle also has two finger holes, so there are a variety of ways that this small hunting knife can be held depending upon the task. It also has a thumb rise and finger groove along the top which only increases the functionality of this compact knife for hunting. It weighs less than 2 ounces and comes with a black nylon sheath that hangs vertically from your belt and has a snap button closure.
Best 6 Inch Hunting Knife - 6 Inch Skinning Knife by Benchmade
This 6 Inch Skinning Knife has a relatively straightforward looking design, but closer look at the details shows just how much performance this small knife brings to the table. The blade is 2.67 inches long, but it has a sweeping edge that gives it a deep belly.
This knife makes an excellent choice for skinning as a shorter blade with a convex edge provides extra length for every stroke but also works more efficiently with the way your arm naturally moves. This is a drop point blade with jimping along the spine at the point and just before the handle.
The blade is full tang and made of S30V -a type of Martensitic steel that offers excellent hardness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance thanks to double tempering and a complex blend of metals. This kind of steel has excellent hardness, coming it at between 58 and 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale.
This is possibly the best hunting knife steel if you’re looking for something that can really take a beating and still be ready and sharp when you need it. However, it is somewhat harder to sharpen due to that extra wear resistance and strength.
This smaller hunting knife has a larger sized handle, which is unique for a blade of this size. It measures 3.65 inches. It’s made of Dymondwood, a type of stabilized wood, and has a rich wood grain pattern. There is a lanyard hole in the heel and a forefinger groove to provide a more ergonomic hold.
It comes with a leather sheath with a belt loop and a snap button closure. It also comes with a Smith’s pocket knife sharpener that has both fine and course sharpeners as well as a folding honing rod.
Best 12 Inch Hunting Knife - Apache Hunting Knife by Muela
If you’re looking for a 12-inch hunting knife, you’d be hard-pressed to find a finer quality knife than the Apache Hunting Knife. This fixed blade knife boasts a functional design for hunting rather than just weight and heft.
The blade is made of Martensitic steel -a high grade 440 stainless steel with excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance- and is the standard steel used in Muela knives. The blade measures 7 5/8 inches and has a slight trailing point with a gentle upsweep to bring out the belly.
There is a slight recurve just before the guard, which gives this blade a very sleek appearance especially with the beveled edge along the spine. The handle is made of genuine red stag antler with a dropped heel and lanyard hole.
It comes pre-strung with a length of leather cording that features an antler point on it. The Apache has a large brass guard to help protect your fingers. It comes with a genuine red stag leather sheath.
The quality that is involved in every detail of this knife makes it a strong contender for the best Spanish hunting knife. So if you like what you see here, you may like to take a look at a few more examples of the high-quality knives Muela produces with our review of Muela Hunting Knives.
Best Folding Hunting Knife - 110 Folding Hunter by Buck Knives
The 110 Folding Hunter originally debuted in 1962 and became an instant classic in the world of best folding hunting knives. This edition has all of the same features that made the 110 a favorite: lock-back design that provides increased strength and safety, nail notch for easier opening, wood grained handle, and brass front and rear bolsters. Measuring 4 7/8 inches long when closed, this folding hunting knife has a blade measuring 3 ¾ inches long.
The blade is made of 420 HC steel - a high carbon stainless steel that provides additional wear resistance and strength, as well as great corrosion resistance and edge retention. The blade has a crescent tip which provides a good sweep and thin point suitable for detail work.
The handle is made of Dymondwood, a stabilized wood that still provides a beautiful wood grain appearance. The stabilized wood provides increased durability and damage resistance even when repeatedly used in wet conditions.
The front and rear bolster are polished brass. This folding hunter knife weighs 7.2 ounces and comes with a black leather sheath with a belt loop and snap button closure.
Folding Hunting Knife by Blue Ring Gear
Folding Hunting Knife by Blue Ring Gear
As one of the best Australian made hunting knives, this Folding Hunting Knife is quite the bruiser. It measures 4 ¾ inches when closed and has 3 inches long blade. The blade has a black oxide coating and is made of 2CR13 stainless steel. This type of steel is similar to 420 and has decent hardness and corrosion resistance.
It has a drop point blade and clean edge. There’s just enough width for a gentle sweep, making this an excellent all-purpose knife, hunting knife, or even a utility knife. There is also a thumb stud at the base of the blade that allows for single-handed opening.
This folding hunting knife has a strong locking system, keeping this knife securely open. But it also firmly closes so you may need to pay attention consciously when closing it the first few times just to make sure you don’t get nicked.
The handle is made of ABS plastic with a woodland camo pattern. This material is lightweight yet durable and impact resistant. The heel is dropped, and there are finger grooves that make this larger pocket knife feel like it was made for your hand.
Best Swing Blade Hunting Knife - Swingblaze Hunting Knife by Outdoor Edge
The swing blade hunting knife is a new edition to the hunting knife family and are a cross between a fixed blade and a folding knife. It has two blades that you can choose between by folding whichever blade is out down. As the blades are forged from one piece of metal, when blade folds down, the other naturally folds up out of the handle. This gives you the strength of a fixed blade knife with the convenience of two knives in one.
This Swingblaze Hunting Knife has a skinning blade that measures 3.6 inches long with a drop point and slightly upsweeps for a longer cutting edge thanks to the larger belly. The other blade is a gutting blade measuring 3.2 inches long. This blade is thin and deeply concave with a dull point so you can easily cut the hide without risking damage to the internal organs or cutting the hair.
The blades are made of AUS 8, a Japanese stainless steel that is very tough with good edge retention yet easy to sharpen. The handle is rubberized Kraton to provide a comfortable grip that won’t be slippery even when wet. The handle is also blazed orange, so you never have to worry about setting your knife down and not being able to find it.
Best Value Hunting Knife
UNDER 200 DOLLARS
SOG Super Bowie Fixed Blade
UNDER 150 DOLLARS
Skinner Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
UNDER 100 DOLLARS
Ken Onion Blur Folding Knife
FOR THE MONEY
ESEE ESLSP-BRK Laser Strike
Best Hunting Knife Under 200 Dollars - Super Bowie by Sog Specialty Knives
The Super Bowie is a redesigned version of the SOG Bowie knife that offers improved quality and performance while still adhering to some of the traditional features that made this knife a classic. It measures 12.88 inches overall and has 7.5 inches long blade. It weighs 17.4 ounces.
The blade is made of AUS 8 stainless steel. It is a Japanese developed stainless steel that offers good edge retention, excellent strength, good corrosion resistance, and all at a relatively low production cost. This blade has an added black TiNi finish that the original did not add. This finish increases the corrosion resistance, increases the life expectancy of the knife, and makes for easier maintenance.
The blade has a clipped point, typical of Bowie hunting knives that are swaged - but not sharp - along most of the spine. It has a solid guard that provides a good rise to brace your thumb upon as well as to keep your forefinger from slipping forward onto the blade. The rear bolster has a lanyard hole and comes pre-strung with a length of leather cording.
The handle comprises of leather washers stacked along the through tang. While this doesn’t make for the most ergonomic design, it does still provide a comfortable grip as well as traditional appearance that is getting harder to find among modern hunting knives.
It comes with a black leather sheath with belt loop and snap closure. It also comes with a sharpening stone; the sheath has a dedicated pocket for the stone with a fold-over top and snap closure. The sheath does have a pair of holes at the bottom to allow for tying about your thigh.
Best Hunting Knife Under 150 Dollars - Skinner Fixed Blade Hunting Knife by Puma Knives
The Skinner Fixed Blade Hunting Knife is a great size for those who don’t want a knife that’s cumbersome but want something with a bit more presence than, say, a six-inch hunting knife. With 5 inches long blade, this full tang hunting knife comes in at about 10 inches in total length.
The blade is made of D1.4 German stainless steel and has a hardness between 57 and 59 on the Rockwell hardness scale. It’s labeled as a drop point blade, but clearly has a slight trailing point with a swaged spine extending back to the jimped thumb rise. The edge is clean with just enough sweep to make this knife an excellent choice for skinning as well as general hunting use.
It has a naturally shed deer antler handle with three brass rivets and a reinforced lanyard hole. The guard is polished metal in a silver color that compliments the blade, and it has a large forefinger quillon. The handle has a rounded heel for a more comfortable grip, and the bottom of the handle is slightly curved to fit the contours of your hand better.
Best Hunting Knife Under 100 Dollars - Ken Onion Blur Folding Knife by Kershaw
This folding hunting knife was meticulously designed to be highly functional and offer the highest level of performance. The Ken Onion Blur Folding Knife is an easy choice for the best hunting knife for under 100 dollars for us due to the amazing quality and how practical this knife is.
It measures 7.9 inches overall, with a closed length of 4.5 inches. The blade measures 3.4 inches long and is made of Sandvik 14C28N steel. This variety of steel has excellent edge retention and strength, yet is easy to sharpen with good edge stability. The handle on this knife is anodized aluminum with a Tak Tek coating that provides a superior grip even in wet conditions.
What really makes this hunting knife shine, however, is the care with which it was constructed so that you can easily open it one handed, and with either hand. It locks closed to protect against an accidental opening in your pocket. A small amount of pressure with your thumb on the torsion bar opens the blade and then locks it securely into place. This Speedsafe system protects against accidental closing but makes opening the blade smooth.
Best Hunting Knife Under 50 Dollars - Hunting and Skinning Survival Knife by YES4ALL
Hunting and Skinning Survival Knife
If you’re looking for a good-quality hunting knife that will be there when you need it, but won’t cost you and arm and a leg, then we’ve got you covered with the best hunting knife for $50. This 9 inches long hunting knife has already taken quite a few people by surprise with an impressive quality for less than you would spend on delivery pizza.
The Hunting and Skinning Survival Knife by Yes4All got our vote for best hunting knife under $50 thanks to a combination of excellent materials and design.
The blade is made of 420 stainless steel. This type of steel is favored for knife blade production as, despite being inexpensive, it is also strong, has pretty decent edge holding capabilities, and you won’t have too difficult a time sharpening it. Plus, it’s got excellent corrosion resistance that will help to keep this knife looking great for many years.
The blade is 4 ½ inches long which isn’t bad, but some hunters may find it a bit long for their taste. However, those who are used to a longer knife, such as a six-inch, may conclude that this is still a useful size for them. This blade features a gut hook and a slightly upswept point, giving it a deeper belly.
This knife makes an excellent choice for field dressing and skinning as you’ll have that longer edge for smoother strokes. The blade edge is also serrated just before the handle, allowing you to better quarter game as you can break through the rib cage or pelvis more easily.
The handle is 4 ½ inches long and made of Pakkawood. This is a stabilized wood that can hold up in wet conditions without the risk of damage that a wood handle would usually face. It has a dropped heel that better fits the natural contours of your hand and a forefinger groove that allows for a more secure use of the serrated edge.
This is a full tang knife that weighs just 10 ounces. It comes with a nylon sheath with a belt loop and snap button closure (though we suggest upgrading the sheath.)
That combination of performance-minded materials made this knife an easy choice for one of the best hunting knives under $50.
Best Hunting Knife for the Money - Laser Strike by Esee Knives
The search for the best hunting knives for the money can be long and arduous. For the money, the best knife has to have that combination of features and usability that make the price a true bargain -regardless of what that price is.
The Laser Strike does just that. While by its first appearance it is a high-quality hunting knife, looking at the details shows just how far that quality extends into the performance.
The blade is 4 ¾ inches long and 1 3/8 inches wide. It’s made of 1095 carbon steel with a black powder coating that helps to protect the blade and provide better corrosion resistance. The blade has a drop point that makes for faster sheathing and unsheathing as well as providing a sharp point. The blade also has a choil and jimping along the spine that allows for better control when doing detail work.
While it has a pretty clean edge, there is just enough of a belly to make for easier skinning, yet the blade isn’t so wide that you couldn’t use this knife for skinning small game or for filleting fish.
It has micarta scales which are purposely made to be removable as this hunting knife comes with tinder and flint within the handle. However, this also allows you to change out the handle easily to something that better fits your hand size or is more aesthetically pleasing that the simple canvas micarta scales. The pommel is rounded and has a lanyard hole placed low that allows you to attach a finger lanyard to increase the length of the handle for chopping wood.
The overall length is 10 inches, and this knife weighs 9 ½ ounces. It comes with an ambidextrous sheath made of black kydex.
Best Hunting Knife Set
HUNTING KNIFE SET
OUTDOOR EDGE Butcher Lite
2-PIECE HUNTING KNIFE
Outdoors 2-PC Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
DEER HUNTING KNIFE
Skinner Fixed Blade 103 Hunting Knife
ELK HUNTING KNIFE
Blood Moon Bowie Hunting Knife
PIG HUNTING KNIFE
Tops Knives Wild Pig Hunter Knife
HUNTING KNIFE WITH GUT HOOK
Omni Hunter Guthook Knife
Best Hunting Knife Set - Butcher-Lite Butcher Kit by Outdoor Edge
This hunting knives set comes with nearly everything you need to process your next harvest, with the tools you need for field dressing all the way to deboning and packaging. The Butcher-Lite Butcher Kit is an 8-piece kit that also comes with a rib spreader, knife sharpener, nylon roll-up carrying case that can be attached to your belt in apron fashion, and game cleaning gloves.
The combination of caping knife and all-purpose hunting knife has a blade 3 inches long and a drop point so it can cover all general cutting needs. The skinning knife blade measures 4 ¼ inches and has a gut hook. It also has a great upswept point that adds some depth to that belly to really make it a great choice for skinning. The boning knife has a blade 6 inches long with a thin trailing point so you can maneuver around bones to separate the meat. There is also a bone saw with a blade about 10 inches in length.
Each of these knives (and the rib spreader) is made of 420 HC steel that brings all of the benefits of 420 stainless steel, only with greater strength, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. The handles are made of black rubberized kraton, with the knife handles featuring a dropped heel and forefinger groove. This choice of handle material and design ensures that these knives and the saw won’t slip out of your hand even in wet conditions.
Big Game Hunting Knife Set by Get
Butcher-Lite Butcher Kit
This 5-piece Big Game hunting knife set is great as both a starter set for a beginning hunter or for a complete kit for a more experienced hunter who favors simplicity. It comes in three styles: camo that includes camouflage patterned handles and blade, black with black handles and blades, and standard with black handles and silver blades. It comes with 10 ½ inches long butcher knife with 6 inches long blade. The blade point is entirely rounded and edged.
It has 9 ½ inches long hunting knife with 4 ½ inches long blade. The blade has a gut hook and clean edge. There is also a 6 ½ inches long caping knife with a 3 ¼-inches long blade that doubles as a small boning knife. There is 8 inches long honing rod with 5 inches long sharpening surface to help keep your knives razor sharp. This hunting knives set also comes with a black nylon belt sheath that holds each of the knives and the honing rod comfortably.
2-Piece Hunting Knife Kit by Elk Ridge
If the previous two hunting knife kits were a bit more than you were looking for, this 2-piece Hunting Knife Kit set might be just the thing. It comes with two knives that can easily handle all field dressing, skinning, and processing needs for the skilled hunter. It comes with a combination hunting and boning knife that measures 7 inches in total, with a full tang blade length of 3 ½ inches.
This knife features a trailing point that allows you to cut up meat efficiently while processing but it can also easily handle any general knife use. The skinning knife measures 6 ½ inches long with a 3 7/8 inches long blade. The blade has a gut hook and a deeply concaved belly that is perfect for the natural movements you’ll make while skinning your next big game harvest.
The point is swaged, but not sharp, and the rear of the blade features a finger hole for better control while skinning. Both knives are made of black 440 A high carbon stainless steel. This particular steel is pretty standard among knives as it is a right balance of edge retention, strength, ease of sharpening, and corrosion resistance. The handles are made of green camouflaged ABS that is texturized for a more secure grip.
The hunting knife does have a lanyard hole while the entire set does come with a nylon sheath that holds both knives comfortably and attaches to your belt.
Best Deer Hunting Knife - Skinner Fixed Blade 103 Knife by Buck Knives
When looking for the best hunting knife for deer, you don’t need a huge hunting knife but having a little bit of length is definitely convenient. This Skinner Fixed Blade 103 deer hunting knife measures 8 ¼ inches overall, with a blade length of 2 ¾ inches.
Before you go scoffing at that shorter blade, remember that these deer hunting knives are designed primarily to be the best hunting knife for skinning deer. That shorter blade allows for more efficient skinning and less of a chance of errant strokes.
The blade has a great upsweep to the edge, giving it a deep belly that is perfect for skinning. While the point is pretty rounded, there is still enough of a should you need it.
This Skinner Fixed Blade 103 Knife is a full tang knife, and the blade is made of 420 HC steel. This one is a high carbon steel that has excellent wear resistance and resistance corrosion. This blade will stay sharp long enough for you finish whatever job needs to be done and still be sharp enough to keep going. But, that means that when it does come time to sharpen this knife, it may take you a while. But, that’s the tradeoff.
The handle is made of Cocobola Dymondwood - a stabilized wood with rich wood grain. The front and rear bolsters are both polished brass, and the rear bolster has a solid quillon. This is an American made hunting knife with outstanding quality and a great price, easily making it a strong contender for best deer hunting knife for the money.
It comes with a leather sheath with belt loop and snap button closure. Please note that while the knife is made in Port Falls, Idaho, the sheath is made in Mexico.
Best Elk Hunting Knife - Blood Moon Hunting Knife by Armory Replicas
One of the big things that sets apart elk hunting knives from other hunting knives is that the knife will be designed to allow you to field dress, skin, and quarter quickly the animal so you can more easily bring in your harvest. The Blood Moon Hunting Knife is a bowie style knife, measuring 11 ½ inches overall with a 7 inches long blade.
The blade has a trailing point, while many bowie knives feature a clipped point. But this allows for a greater sweep on the blade edge -making it more efficient for skinning. The spine is serrated to allow you to crack the pelvis and rib cage more easily with this elk hunting knife. The blade also features a full tang with large forefinger choil, jimped thumb rise, and jimped thumb groove.
This knife makes this the best hunting knife for elk as you can securely grip the knife in a variety of positions depending upon what the job you’re doing requires.
The handle has natural wood scales, a slight forefinger groove, and a lanyard hole. There are four additional tie-down holes along the choil that allow this knife to be converted to a bayonet or spear. It comes with a nylon sheath.
Best Pig Hunting Knife - Wild Pig Hunter by Tops Knives
When you’re looking for the best knife for pig hunting, you usually end up having to narrow your choices down by features and figuring out which knife can get the job done. But the Wild Pig Hunter hunting knife has made the process easier with a knife specifically designed for pig hunting.
Partly based off of the style of a Russian fighting knife, this pig hunting knife measures 13 inches overall and has 7 ½ inches long blade. While it’s not necessarily a huge hunting knife, it is still a long hunting knife that some may find a bit more knife than they need. However, that extra length is what makes it perfect for pig hunting.
The blade is made of 1095 stainless steel. This type of steel is relatively inexpensive and can be sharpened to a razor’s edge with ease. It has a clean edge with an unsharpened swaged spine that gives it an almost spear-like point. It is a full tang blade and is a beasty ¼ of an inch thick. The blade has a Black River Wash finish.
The handle is comprised of two green canvas micarta scales with a lanyard hole in the heel. It has a Rocky Mountain tread pattern for a textured grip as well as finger grooves. The handle is 5 ½ inches long and comes pre-strung with a length of paracord.
This is a big hunting knife but not so big as to be cumbersome. It can easily double as a survival knife thanks to its larger size and heft.
Best Duck Hunting Knife - Bird & Trout Hunting Knife by Silver Stag
Bird & Trout Hunting Knife
This Bird & Trout Hunting Knife was a natural choice for the best knife for duck hunting due to its gorgeous design and workhorse performance. The lines and coloring of this knife are sure to make it the envy of your hunting group. But make no mistake, this knife is built for continuous high performance and longevity.
It measures 8 inches in total length and has 4 inches long blade. That blade is made of D2 steel, a semi-stainless steel that has excellent edge retention and good resistance to corrosion. While it takes a bit more work to sharpen, this metal polishes up nicely -as seen in the near mirror finish on this blade.
It has a clipped point and good belly with a thick spine, making it a perfect duck hunting knife. The handle is made of genuine shed crown antler, either from a deer or elk. It has a decent sized guard to keep your forefinger from slipping forward and comes with a handmade leather sheath with a belt loop. The sheath is lacking a strap or snap closure to maintain the knife securely in the sheath, so while the quality is good, the design may leave you looking for a replacement sheath.