So you’ve landed the shot, tracked the buck, and finished him off.
What comes next depends on what kind of hunter you are. Some will start gutting the animal and field dressing it right there in the middle of the woods; others will drag it to their car and take it to a butcher for processing; and some hunters will take the corpse home, set up camp in their shed or garage, and get to work turning the animal into meat for the freezer.
If you can stomach it, butchering and processing the meat yourself is a cost-effective way of making sure that you get every bit of usable meat possible off the animal.
However, to get the job done, you are going to need a proper set of tools, and it all starts with a sharp and durable knife that can cut through a deer’s tough hide and help you skin the animal. A regular kitchen knife won’t do: you will need something more specialized, and luckily for you,the folks over at Wide Open Spaces have chosen five of the finest skinning blades the market has to offer below.
1. Outdoor Edge SwingBlaze: By itself, the Outdoor Edge SwingBlaze is already one of the most functional and well-made skinning blades on the market. An orange rubberized handle makes the knife easy to find if you ever drop it, while the sharp design is perfect for skinning and gutting big game animals. In essence, the SwingBlaze is two knifes in one, with a 3.6-inch skinning blade and a 3.2-inch gutting blade that can be interchanged at the press of a button. In addition, Outdoor Edge offers a package where the SwingBlaze is bundled with a Kodi-Saw (both in a single sheath) that can help you in taking off animal limbs or heads.
Photo via Bass Pro Shops
2. SOG Huntspoint Skinning Knife: Sleek and beautiful, the SOG Huntspoint Skinning Knife is 3.6 inches of stainless steel blade meant specifically for hunting uses. The knife is corrosion resistant and boasts a full tang design that makes it rugged, durable, and powerful enough to stand up to any task and years of use. It’s no wonder that the knife holds a perfect five-star rating on Bass Pro Shops. If this seems like the perfect knife for you, why not get it for free? We’re giving away a SOG Huntspoint knife every week to our Shot of the Week winner. You can enter to win HERE.
Photo via Bass Pro Shops
3. Knives of Alaska Magnum Ulu Skinning Knife: It may not look like your everyday hunting knife, but this Magnum Ulu, built to replicate the knives used by native hunters in Alaska, is razor sharp and is perfect for slicing open a kill and taking off its skin. With a steady curve and a small handle that make the knife easily maneuverable for close-quarters cuts, the Knives of Alaska Magnum Ulu is tailor-made for hunters who want something a bit more unorthodox for their field dressing purposes.
Photo via Bass Pro Shops
Want to know what the other two knives are?
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