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A hunting knife has a single purpose: processing meat after a kill. We did the research to help you find the best hunting knife for your needs and budget.
Of course, your hunting knife should have secondary characteristics that make it useful for survival, camping, and all-around utility. But the big job, the one it must conquer, is getting the meat field dressed quickly so it’s preserved and will taste great on your dinner plate.
What to look for? The knife should hold an edge or be easily field sharpened. It should fit well in the hand to protect the user from accidental injury. And a good hunting knife is usually stout enough to crack bone.
It doesn’t need to be big or bulky like some sort of weapon. Remember, the animal is already dead when the knife comes into play. Use the links below to quickly navigate to what piques your interests, and don’t miss our Buyer’s Guide, comparison chart, and frequently asked questions sections.
If you’re in the market for the best hunting knife, period, and are willing to spend more than $300, it’s hard to argue with the Benchmade Raghorn.
Introduced in 2022, the Benchmade Raghorn ($420) is a next-level hunting knife. I started testing it before its release and used it through a full big game hunting season. And in short, it’s wonderful.
My first big test of the Raghorn came on the second to last day of the Colorado archery elk season when I took a small cow. With my buddies still trying to fill tags, it fell on me to haul it out and process it, mostly alone. But fortunately, I had this sharp tool as a trusty sidekick the whole way. From field dressing and breaking down the elk all the way to skinning quarters, cutting steaks, and even cleaning up scraps for the grinder, the Raghorn was the only knife I used to process the elk. And did it ever deliver.
One full elk processed, and the Raghorn was still sharp enough that I carried it straight back into the field for (an unsuccessful) rifle season. Sure, I’ll send it to Benchmade for a free re-sharpening before the next big game season — a nice perk from the brand. But the fact that it could certainly handle multiple big game animals with maybe a light stropping really impressed me.
Most of this performance comes from cutting-edge steel (CPM-CruWear hardened to 63-65 Rockwell hardness). It’s wonderful steel on a thin blade that’s accurate, slices well, and cuts clean.
Couple that with an easy-to-see blaze orange blade, carbon fiber scales, and aggressive jimping along the spine and finger choil an excellent grip. The result is a darned near-perfect hunting knife.
Impressively, this rather large knife (4.64″ blade, 8.88″ overall) weighs just 3.5 ounces or 5 ounces including the sheath. It’s incredibly light in the pack for a knife that performs beautifully in the hand.
What you’re looking at here is a whole lot of bang for the buck. The OUTDOOR EDGE WildPak 8-Piece Hunting Knife Set ($54) includes everything you need to break down just about any animal in the field.
This kit includes a gut hook, skinning knife, boning & caping knives, a bone saw, spreader, and a knife sharpener. Everything fits in a slick little case, keeping you organized.
This might include more than you’ll ever use if you’re a minimalist, but for those who like to have options, the set offers a ton of metal for an impressive price. These sets also make a pretty sweet gift.
These Outdoor Edge field dressing kits have been around for a long time for a reason. I’ve had a set for years, and the quality is impressive. They won’t hold an edge quite like more expensive steel, but they certainly accomplish more than their price tag lets on.
I’ve used mine to field dress and process deer in the past, and I still keep it as a backup under the backseat of my truck. The knives are easy to sharpen with the included sharpener, which is good. You’ll likely need to give them a few touchups throughout your processing to keep that edge fresh.
My several-year-old version has a few more pieces than this version, which, frankly, is a good thing. This particular kit is streamlined and has everything a hunter needs on a budget without having too many unnecessary parts and pieces.
The MKC Stonewall Skinner ($325) is a strong challenger for the best hunting knife on the market. Particularly the premium model with Magnacut steel blade, this is a premier knife from a cottage brand that is making waves in the knife world.
Why all the hype? Brand founder Josh Smith has been turning heads for some time now. Also the brand’s master bladesmith, Smith passed the Journeyman Bladesmith test at just 15 years old — the youngest anyone has ever passed the test. Something of a prodigy in the world of knife-making, Smith became a Master at just 19. Today, the demand for his knives is intense.
We put the MKC Stonewall Skinner through rigorous testing in 2022. Hunting Editor Rachelle Schrutte used it to clean four deer and a mountain lion, and through all that, it kept a keen edge, only needing re-sharpening by the very end of the season.
But the story goes deeper than edge retention and quality steel. Every component of this knife is genuinely fantastic. The blade shape gives an enormous cutting edge and a nice fine point. The handle fits beautifully in the hand. And the high polish not only looks beautiful, but also makes the knife super easy to clean.
This is one of the hot knives of 2023. So why didn’t it take the top slot? Well, two things give the Benchmade a minor leg up: weight and availability. The Benchmade Raghorn will save you two ounces in the pack for about the same price and similarly high-quality steel. And, well, you can get one.
If the MKC Stonewall Skinner is high on your list, act quickly, as it’s sure to sell out fast.
Read Review: MKC Stonewall Skinner Review: Magnacut Hunting Knife Done Right
This is a cheap knife ($13) that can take a beating, and it’s a true fit for even big-game hunting. One GearJunkie tester said, “My longstanding adventure partner knife has been a Mora — a stainless steel blade with a bright-blue plastic handle, which is easy to find when you set it down.”
He continued, “It’s survived me hammering on it with a log to break a deer’s pelvic bone. I’ve also gutted many fish with it. It’s a do-all blade. It’s light, cheap, easy to replace, and easy to sharpen. Not at all fancy, but it’s all you need.”
Morakniv makes the Basic knife in Sweden. While the steel isn’t as impressive as others on this list, when it comes to value, nothing can stand up to the Morakniv. The plastic handle is grippy and ergonomic, and the fixed blade is durable enough for any camp tasks. If you’re just getting into hunting and looking to save some money while having effective tools on hand, this is a great place to start.
The hunting brand Argali Outdoors specializes in lightweight backcountry hunting gear. And with that, it developed its own run of hunting knives. The Argali Carbon Knife ($193) fits the lightweight theme to a tee.
At just 1.8 ounces, the featherweight is barely noticeable. And yet, it doesn’t compromise prowess. Our field testing has proven it to be an agile and effective knife on big game in the field.
The grippy handle ensures that you don’t lose control even in wet and difficult conditions. Further, strategic jimping adds grip to the handle and knife spine. This one’s a precise tool in the hand.
Our hunting editor, Rachelle Schrute, said this knife is her go-to tool. “It’s much more grippy than a lot of other knives that size,” she noted. “The Argali is flat enough and with a wide enough blade that it lives in my bino harness.”
That’s high praise coming from a woman who’s cleaned more animals than most. And the Argali Carbon has the specs to back it up. US-made S35VN coupled with textured G10 removable handles make this knife simply great. And for the price, it’s a very good value that will last for decades if cared for properly. Finally, Argali offers a lifetime mail-in sharpening for their knives, at no cost to customers.
In recent years, I’ve begun carrying a replaceable-blade knife along with my fixed blade on any elk hunt. That’s because it’s impossible to beat the sharpness of a scalpel when it comes to fine work while quartering game. I still carry my fixed blade too, but a replaceable-blade knife is indispensable.
But where’s the Havalon, you ask? Well, it’s been bumped off by a replaceable-blade knife from Gerber. After using the Gerber Gear Vital Big Game Folder ($51), our team of testers found it much easier to replace blades in the field. And that means it’s safer and overall easier to use than its competitors. Many guides have made the switch, and we have too.
With the safest exchangeable-blade systems available, you can keep a surgically sharp blade ready and replaced in seconds. The 3.75-inch blades aren’t made for breaking a bone or batoning wood. Instead, these are for intricate, perfect cuts. That’s what you want for quality meat.
This model ships with four extra blades; two drop-point and two blunt, to get the work done fast and efficiently.
Benchmade worked with hunter Steven Rinella of MeatEater to build a knife with the express purpose of turning wild game into food. So the Meatcrafter ($370) really comes into play when the hunt is over.
The 6.7-inch trailing-point blade uses premium S45VN steel to hold its extremely keen 14-degree edge angle. A gorgeous Grivory handle sits beautifully in the hand. We tested the knife and loved it for meat processing. The long blade gives an exceptional cutting surface that can work for hours on end without losing an edge.
While we wouldn’t carry this blade in the field, it would live in camp or at home to complete the large task of butchering an animal into freezer-size steaks, chops, and loins. It, too, comes with a hefty price of $370. But with that, you get an heirloom-worthy tool that is a joy to use.
Read Review: Meatcrafter: Benchmade Blade Is Highly Functional Work of Art
After several years as our top choice in this article, Buck was finally dethroned this year, largely due to some wonderfully new modern steels and designs. But this is still one of my personal favorite hunting knives. I have used it to quarter and process multiple elk. At the end of these fairly significant jobs, it remains usefully sharp even before hitting the Wicked Edge GO sharpener to fine-tune again. Not many knives can do that job and still retain a keen edge even today, about 10 years after this one came out.
The key to this guy is the S30V steel ($106). I’m not sure of the Rockwell hardness, but the stuff just doesn’t dull. This steel has become very common in recent years, but even though newer steels now outperform it, S30V is still fantastic.
It’s also the perfect size for my hand. And while the handle material could get slippery, in my use it remains secure because of the excellent shape that blocks the hand from sliding. The 3.125-inch blade is easy to manage in cold weather. And the rosewood handle? Beautiful.
A less expensive model ($70) is available in 420HC steel. These are made in the USA.
Note, the photographed model under has a black finish and was a Cabela’s exclusive design. Today, you can get the same S30V steel directly from Buck, but only as a custom blade. And it requires an 8-week lead time, so be sure to buy early.
The CQC-11K is a newer model to Kershaw’s hunting line. In 2018, it replaced the previously featured Diskin Hunter as a blade that will work great for hunting but can also transition into the survival realm and back. Made in collaboration with renowned knifemaker Ernest Emerson, the CQC-11K ($91) has a 3.5-inch blade of hard-wearing D2 steel.
The blade is a great shape for the hunter, with a deep belly for skinning or game processing. It’s a folding blade, which can save some space in the pack or pocket. On the handle, G10 front scales will give a good grip even when wet or bloody.
Deep jimping on the back of the handle of this knife adds to your secure grip, and the thumb stud or wave opening system allows for quick deployment for EDC. The stainless steel back and sturdy frame lock will keep it open and safe. It has a reversible pocket clip for left- or right-hand carry.
DiamondBlade uses a unique friction-forging process that results in some of the hardest D2 high-carbon steel on the market. Its blades hold an edge for an incredibly long time.
While these come with a hefty price ($315 for this one), the Pinnacle 1 is definitely one of the best hunting knives on the market.
The handle is handmade and contains handset mosaic pins. The 2.55-inch blade has a deep belly for excellent skinning and shallow cuts for field processing.
Crisp jimping on the blade spine helps assure a stout grip and varied hold methods. Overall, it’s close to the ideal hunting knife if your wallet can handle the high price tag.
At a mid-tier price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better fixed-blade knife than a Buck. The Pursuit series is a great modern hunting knife line that takes advantage of Buck’s excellent steel-hardening capabilities.
The 656 Pursuit Large Knife ($60) uses low-priced but well-hardened 420HC steel in its 4.5″ full-tang blade. It’ll hold an edge well enough to process big game. And the slip-resistant nylon/Versaflex handle will stay secure in your hand.
Want this knife at an upgrade? Check out the Pursuit Pro line, which rocks S35V steel at a higher price.
Introduced in 2019, the Benchmade Altitude ($200) is incredibly light at just 1.67 ounces. But it packs huge capability into this ultralight package thanks to the premium S90V steel construction. It’s a simple design that’s almost entirely steel, with a couple of carbon fiber micro-scales and abundant jimping to add grip.
But don’t let the simplicity fool you. At 7.38 inches overall and a 3.08-inch blade with a 2.875-inch cutting edge, this knife is ready to get to work. And thanks to the ultra-high-end steel, it will hold an edge long enough to process an elk, deer, or most any big-game animal in North America.
We put it to the test hunting in Colorado in 2019 and 2020 to great success. Spoiler – this is also one of my favorite hunting knives, period. And if weight is an issue, it’ll be the one I chose to throw in my backpack.
The Altitude could arguably rank higher on our list, but ultimately, our top choice of the Raghorn is more versatile and should serve more users. But if super light weight is your primary factor, the Altitude is a great choice.
Read Review: Benchmade Altitude Review: Crazy-Light, Ultrasharp Mountain Hunting Knife
Randy Newberg is a renowned elk hunter. He brought his decades of experience to Gerber to help the brand build the DTS ($60), a task-specific big-game hunting knife with some unique attributes.
First, the DTS has two blades. A primary blade of mid-grade 440C steel gives you a reliable cutting tool. And the DTS’ secondary “tendon tool” is made of extremely tough D2 steel.
This gives hunters a second, tough blade to use when cutting tendons or other burly flesh, bone, or hair, which helps save the steel in the primary blade for more delicate cuts. Our 2020 testing of this knife shows it to be tough and effective for breaking down big game in the field.
This is a great, inexpensive camp knife at $18, and it works fine for small-game preparation. It’s the only knife on this list that we’d hesitate to choose for big game because it has zero finger protection. That said, the superb palm swell in the wood handle makes for a confident grip.
For the money, it’s a darned fine knife. No wonder it’s been around since the 1880s. The 3.25-inch blade is just about right for cleaning small and midsize game, and the high-carbon steel takes an incredibly keen edge.
Not our first choice, but for the money, it’ll do the job. Opinel makes the No. 8 Beechwood Handle Knife in France.
I and our team are avid hunters with decades of experience in the field. And we also happen to be total “knife knuts.” We put the knives listed here through rigorous testing in the field. Some of the knives listed here have gone through more than 10 years of testing. We also travel to trade shows to meet with brands and learn about their newest products. We then put those through tests to decide if they’re worthy of this guide. Ultimately, we recommend the same knives here as we do to our best friends and hunting buddies.
A post shared by Rachelle Schrute (@rachelle_schrute)
I know I’m going out on a limb here with this kind of “best of” column. Whenever you say “best,” someone’s going to get left out. Someone’s going to get their feelings hurt.
But I’m OK with that. Suck it up, buttercup. And feel free to tell me why your knife deserves to be on this list. There are a ton of great blades in the world, and the GearJunkie staff wants to hear about your favorite.
We tested and researched the best backpacks for hunting deer, elk, and big game. These top hunting packs shone through. Read more…
You may have gleaned this from the above selections, but to be completely clear: I don’t like huge knives for hunting, as I feel they are more dangerous to the user when it’s dark, rainy, slippery, or God knows what else. They’re also heavier.
And I don’t like gut-hooks, as I feel a well-handled knife does the job of opening the body cavity just fine. If that’s your bag, all right. It’s just not mine.
Finally, I prefer fixed-blade knives in general for hunting. That’s because, if they need to shift into survival or bushcraft mode, you have a tool you can baton through firewood with less risk. That said, folding knives can serve you well and I do include some here.
We included retail prices with our selections, but many of the knives above can be had for big discounts during sales. When investing, keep in mind that a good hunting knife can last for a literal lifetime, so it’s not a place to scrimp. Buy one you’ll love, and you’ll love it forever. Buy one you hate, and well, you’ll be stuck hating it forever, or buying another soon. Happy hunting!
In short, you sharpen a hunting knife the same way as you would any other outdoor knife. That means using a sharpening tool and following its instructions. You can use a sharpening stone, a powered sharpener like a WorkSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener, or a guided sharpening tool like the Worksharp Precision Knife Sharpener or Lansky Precision Knife Sharpening Kit. Using those tools is straightforward but requires reading and following instructions beyond the scope of this article.
It’s worth noting that several top brands offer free or cheap knife re-sharpening. For example, Benchmade, Argali, and Montana Knife Company all offer free lifetime sharpening of their knives. For hunters, that’s a great deal and something worth taking advantage of every year.
If I had to pick one “best” hunting knife brand, I would probably say Benchmade. But Buck, Kershaw, Gerber, Spyderco, Havlon, and many other brands make great hunting knives.
A good hunting knife will first and foremost be razor sharp. High-quality steel that will hold an edge for a long time helps keep that sharpness during the long process of cleaning a game animal. Next, you want a great handle that won’t slip in your hand. Finally, make sure the knife blade shape is appropriate. I personally prefer a blade around 3.5 to 4 inches long with a drop-point or clip-point shape.
You sure can, at least while hunting. Many good fixed-blade hunting knives come with a belt sheath designed for this purpose. Just be sure not to run afoul of the law while walking around cities or towns with open or concealed-carry knife restrictions.
To clean a hunting knife, simply wash it with soap and water. But don’t put them in the dishwasher as the powerful heat and detergents could damage the handle. Make sure to dry them well before storing them. If you have high-carbon steel, wipe them down with a light coating of oil before storage to inhibit rust.
From survival, craft, and self-sufficiency standpoints, there is no better place to start simplifying than by purchasing a camping hatchet.
No longer are women relegated to buying from the men’s section. Women’s-specific hunting jackets are available en masse, and we’ve got recommendations.
Sean McCoy is the Editorial Director of GearJunkie, and 5+ other All Gear websites.
He has been writing about hunting, fishing, trail running, camping, skiing, and more for 15+ years.
Prior to GearJunkie, he was the chief photographer for the Virgin Islands Daily News and former Editor In Chief for GearJunkie. Based in Denver, Colorado, McCoy is an avid trail runner, camper, hunter, angler, mountain biker, skier, and beer tester.
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