Must-Haves for Any Big-Game Hunter
While we can simply carry our small game or upland bird harvests home to clean, hunting big game means some level of gutting, skinning, quartering, or field butchery. Having the right tools at the ready makes the process quicker, cleaner, and more efficient.
At the very least, hunters should have one quality-built hunting knife. For most tasks, we prefer a full-tang fixed blade option. As a backup, a nice folder carries easily and can be pressed into service. For big game in backcountry hunting where space may be a premium, choosing one of the following is always important: camp chopper, bone saw, or hatchet for breaking down the animal and other field tasks. Where access to a vehicle or base camp is easier, a more complete butchery kit is ideal, including specific blades for gutting, skinning, major butchery, and sharpening.
Regardless of your choice, revel in the fact that you’ve made the responsible, ethical choice not only to harvest your own game but to honor and process it as well.