The Best Hunting Knives

Unlike a lot of other hunting gear, a good hunting knife is a necessary piece of equipment. Whether you plan on hunting squirrels in your backyard or elk in the backcountry, you’ll need a knife to break down your wild game. From large fixed blades to compact folders, there’s no shortage of hunting knives available at just about every price point.

Now, I know you’re thinking, “You’re just including these knives because you’re selling them in the MeatEater Store.” Yes, you can head over to the MeatEater Store and find most of these knives. But the truth is, we’ve included these options because they’re damn good knives that most of us use in the field. While this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, these are some of the best hunting knives for a wide range of hunting scenarios and budgets.

While you can never have too many hunting knives, finding one that does several tasks well will give you the most bang for your buck. If you opt for a premium model, make sure to consider these features before pulling the trigger:

The best hunting knives excel at multiple tasks. They also have reliable steel that won’t easily chip or dull when you’re breaking down an animal in the field. Even if they do, they’re easy to touch up or they include some type of manufacturer’s re-sharpening service.

1. Versatility

From cleaning your kill to cutting a new tow rope because you left yours at the truck, hunting knives should perform well at a variety of tasks. Knives with 3- to 4-inch blades typically hit the sweet spot. Folding knives are convenient, while fixed blades are known for their durability (that’s not to say these are mutually exclusive).

2. Good Steel

Like the best hunting rifles, it’s hard to crown a single steel as the best for everything. From S90V to Magnacut to Powdered steel, there’s a host of choices that excel at different tasks. Are you more concerned with edge retention, durability, or ease of sharpening? Your preference will largely dictate which steel best fits your needs.

3. Warranty/Sharpening

Premium knives like Benchmade or Montana Knife Company offer free or low cost sharpening services. If you’re new to sharpening or just not that great at it, you can send your knife back to the company and get it sharpened for free. These sharpening services factor into the price, so if you’re paying top dollar for a hunting knife, they might sway your decision.