Camping
More Than One Way To Skin A Deer
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?
Click here to continue reading the full article on Wide Open Spaces
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Ray Lehtinen
November 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM
I find your articles most interesting but in some cases these do not
apply up here in Canada.
I would like sometime soon to write an article on future survival as
known here in Canada. There is coming soon in your country as well up
here a major crises but it will not be as severe here as in the USA.
I wait your comments if you feel interested in a
Canadian viewpoint. Please enter my name in the draw
for the Knife
Your Northern Brothers and friends Ray L
Bob Windsor
November 22, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Got to the bottom of “More Than One Way To Skin A Deer” where it says, “Want to know what the other two knives are?”. Then it says, “Click here to continue reading the full article on Wide Open Spaces”. So I clicked & got to the Wide Open Spaces site……nothing about the other 2 knives there !!!!
'Above Average' Joe
November 22, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Hi Bob, Sorry about that, the link is fixed now!
mark
November 24, 2013 at 4:13 PM
been lurking and enjoying your emails for a while now.
Important point is that no matter WHAT you use, KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
I’ve been a hunter & trapper for 40+ years and the ULU looked really cool, so I got one. well let me tell you, just like anything else new, it takes a few minutes to get used to a different technique. Now I have skinned animals with a sharp (knapped) rock when needed, but truly appreciate a good blade and have made many myself. Point being, don’t just get the latest & greatest, USE it and become familiar with it BEFORE you are trying to field dress a deer in the dark.
(from experience).
Thanks for the great info,
Mark
russell Drinkwater
November 25, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Hello,
Being a farm boy and butchering 100’s cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and various wild game here in Australia I can say a good knife is a friend for life. I have carried both fixed blades and also quality folders in numerous countries (legally and illegally). Shooting and skinning kangaroos for skins tests most knives. But most importantly I have learnt is that you need a good quality sharpening system and the knowledge and ability to use it. No point having a fantastic blade and it being that blunt you can ride to China on the dull edge. Constantly using your knife requires constant maintenance of the edge.
Put me in the draw for the knife thanks.
Keep ur powder dry and ur knives sharp.
Russ
Mark
November 28, 2013 at 9:41 PM
A knife is a personal tool. The choices I saw are nice, #1 the swing blade is excellent. But I have a hand made skinning knife with an antler blade that I’m partial to, overall it’s 5″ and it’s great for gutting and skinning!
Alexsandra Rokas
January 19, 2014 at 8:26 PM
I’ve been a prepper for thirty years or more; I’ll find this site most helpful.
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