knifes for elk..

[blacktailchaser]

SO for the elk hunters...what kind of knife do you like to use....for some reason i have 4 of them i pack around..and i ask myself WHY....maybe its becuase i know they dull fast....maybe i need to look at a sharping system for in the feild...thanks john

[stevem]

Between myself and family, I generally get to help break down one elk each year.  My favorite, and one that doesn't need sharpening for one elk, is my least expensive one- a Mora Clipper.  It is carbon steel and goes for about $15 on ebay.  Last fall I worked on an oryx with my brother-in-law who was showing off his Randall (he won't divulge what he paid for it, but I suspect it was north of $350).  Pleased to say afterwards I would not trade my knife for his as I finished up my end then would help him with his end.  Just wish they had a nicer sheath.   

[Wudstix]

Mora is an awesome knife for the price, stay really sharp for a long time.  Easy to bring back, as well.
 

[TURKEYFOOTGIRL]

Outdoors edge replaceable blade folder

[A tag]

I used a Havalon Baracuta last year. I was a naysayer on this type of knife until I used one. This knife will also take the Baracuta saw blades which makes it a very light weight combo. This set up will save you so much weight in your pack it’s unbelievable. If you’re the kind of guy that goes long far and deep on all day or multiple day hunts don’t over look this one. Last year I boned out a rag horn bull sawed the horns off with no trouble by my self.

[BS]

Mora is an awesome knife for the price, stay really sharp for a long time.  Easy to bring back, as well.
 

Buy the ORANGE handle ones! Great knives for the money.

[rjackson]

Ruana
Montana made.

Randy

[Ron LaClair]

 The only knife I had when I killed a moose in 1979 was a Green River butcher knife Myself and my hunting partner skinned, quatered and boned the 1200 pound bull in two days.

[Bowguy67]

If your knife dulls fast get a better knife. Knives that don’t dull fast are harder to sharpen as they’re harder period. No such thing as a long lasting easy to sharpen knife. Buy good steel and touch it up after each use.

[Pauljr77]

I use my case folder on everything, I have a small Havalon in my pack for backup. That’s all I’ve needed.

[Ron LaClair]

Case trapper made in 1955

[Wodje96]

Mora, or the cold steel version of the canadian belt knife, both can be had for $15 and weigh less than 6oz The mora is a better blade imo (I've skinned 5 elk with one and didn't want for another knife).   I also have a herbertz hunter folder that is awesome, that comes with these days (it has a saw and the best gut hook Ive used) super super scary sharp knife but not cheap.

[Wodje96]

Mora is an awesome knife for the price, stay really sharp for a long time.  Easy to bring back, as well.
 

Buy the ORANGE handle ones! Great knives for the money.

Definitely the orange one!

[Wudstix]

Orange handle would help keep track of if, for sure.
 

[kopfjaeger]

My elk knife.

I also carry a mora in my daypack for an extra.

Skinned and quartered four elk for me.

[cacciatore]

Lin Rhea Hunters, the big one has skinned more than a dozen of wild boars, so I guess that for elk is a charm. The smaller one is mint😂

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I took one apart myself, did half of three others with a buddy, and took most of an Alaskan moose apart with the same Buck 110 (440C steel) that my folks gave me for a high school graduation gift in '92.

I like to pack one knife that size, will likely take Dads old Buck 317 that he had the blades replaced on with D2 steel, on upcoming moose hunts.  I take a small diamond stone and piece of leather for touch ups...I have those along for broadhead touch ups anyway. I also have a scalpel or havalon and a few extra blades for caping and turning the nose, lips, eyes and ears.  If you aren't getting a head mounted no need for the scalpel.  (Or if you dont know how to prep a cape).

I also have a small pocketknife, usually a stockman, on me for normal stuff.  That stockman gets pulled into rough taxidermy duty though, like cutting around pedicals and heavy parts of caping.

I know of guys using knives of such hard steel or blade design that they need to send them back to the manufacturer for sharpening.  Not me, I want a knife I can sharpen and touch up as needed, I'll take having to do that a couple times while butchering an elk or moose over having "super steel" that i cant sharpen with a diamond stone.

R

[cacciatore]

I took one apart myself, did half of three others with a buddy, and took most of an Alaskan moose apart with the same Buck 110 (440C steel) that my folks gave me for a high school graduation gift in '92.

I like to pack one knife that size, will likely take Dads old Buck 317 that he had the blades replaced on with D2 steel, on upcoming moose hunts.  I take a small diamond stone and piece of leather for touch ups...I have those along for broadhead touch ups anyway. I also have a scalpel or havalon and a few extra blades for caping and turning the nose, lips, eyes and ears.  If you aren't getting a head mounted no need for the scalpel.  (Or if you dont know how to prep a cape).

I also have a small pocketknife, usually a stockman, on me for normal stuff.  That stockman gets pulled into rough taxidermy duty though, like cutting around pedicals and heavy parts of caping.

I know of guys using knives of such hard steel or blade design that they need to send them back to the manufacturer for sharpening.  Not me, I want a knife I can sharpen and touch up as needed, I'll take having to do that a couple times while butchering an elk or moose over having "super steel" that i cant sharpen with a diamond stone.

R

I agree with you Ryan.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I have a small custom knife on my arm guard made by Tim Roberts and I carry a Benchmade pocket knife I d-bone everything.

[Tim Finley]

You can do everything with a 110 buck knife Its an all around hunting knife . My son gave me one 2 years ago, has the S30 steel it holds an edge very well .
  Most of the time I also carry a belt knife (one at a time) I have a Randall Pathfinder, also a Puma Hunters Pal , some Marbels knives of the old variety or a Western 648a all good knives .I also have in my daypack a replacement blade knife for small work .
  Ive skinned a number of elk and a couple of moose lots of hogs (which can be difficult)  the only trouble I have had was skinning a elk with a Marbels knife that had bad steel I must have sharped that knife 20 times be for I got it done..
  All the knives people mentioned above will work its more of a preference of what you like in blade and handle style if you like clip points or drop points, antler handle, horn or plastic .