Anyone Actually Carry a Big-Ass Bowie and/or Rambo and/or Crocodile Dundee type of knife while hunting?

[northernmadman]

I have a buck Hoodlum knife that stays under the seat of the Argo, the blade is a little over 11" if I remember correctly. In the past it was used for taking apart moose in the field like the head coming off and the front legs. It doesn't come out much anymore unless I find an excuse, Havalon knives have been a big game changer for my group

 

[Hunterscamera]

Got a small buck 4inch, never really used it. Just stays in the camping tote now

 

[2531usmc]

Not a hunting story… but one of the most cringe-inducing things I’ve ever seen was the most clueless second lieutenant in my TBS Company pulling out his Ka-Bar and stabbing it into the ground while declaring, “Gentlemen, this is your objective!” I was really expressed by the professionalism displayed by the sergeant observing the training event. I was so embarrassed on his behalf that I felt a little bit nauseous. Those of you with experience around second lieutenants might do well to reflect on what it takes to be regarded as the most clueless out of a class of 300.

There’s a time and place for a Ka-Bar or similar knife, but it’s in camp as a general purpose knife… unless you plan to go hand-to-hand with something or someone.

My older brother got this huge Bowie knife and carried it one time on a hunting trip. He said it was completely impractical and he never used it

Not a hunting story… but one of the most cringe-inducing things I’ve ever seen was the most clueless second lieutenant in my TBS Company pulling out his Ka-Bar and stabbing it into the ground while declaring, “Gentlemen, this is your objective!” I was really expressed by the professionalism displayed by the sergeant observing the training event. I was so embarrassed on his behalf that I felt a little bit nauseous. Those of you with experience around second lieutenants might do well to reflect on what it takes to be regarded as the most clueless out of a class of 300.

There’s a time and place for a Ka-Bar or similar knife, but it’s in camp as a general purpose knife… unless you plan to go hand-to-hand with something or someone.

My older brother got this huge Bowie knife and carried it one time on a hunting trip. He said it was completely impractical and he never used it again.

It seemed like every infantry Marine just out of boot camp goes to the px and buys a polished chromed Rambo knife that is a cross between a Bowie knife and a sword. He’ll carry it the first time in the field any quickly realize how foolish he was to buy it and how goofy he looks carrying it.

 

[ozyclint]

You think a big knife is cool? Wait till you go dynamite fishing.

 

[medvedyt]

i did for the first part of my caribou season carry a buck 119 then i saw the light when a taxidermist gave me a mora orange knife and a victorinox lamb skinner. the rest is history ...

 

[RWT]

When I was a teenager. Yeah I carried a big knife. Then again Rambo came out when I was 14 so it was a big deal. After college they just stayed in the truck and only came out for watermelons and brisket. Now for 30 years nothing longer than 4” for hunting. I prefer a 2 knife system, a 3” folder and a 3.5” fixed blade in the kill hit.

 

[Pony Soldier]

My main knife is a 4" solingen about 3/4" wide that I have built into my pistol scabbard. I have an old timer and a fancy knife given to me by RMEF in my saddle bag that I use for skinning. Both of those have about a 6" blade that is about 1" wide. Big knives are cumbersome and ackward.

 

[OsoMountain]

Every man needs a pig sticker in hog country.

 

[OsoMountain]

I love it when guys say “ oh that’s not practical. A real outdoorsman knows they aren’t necessary.”

Some time ago, a young couple was hiking with their children in a state park not far from my home. An absolute psychopath appeared on the trail, stabbed them to death in front of their children, and simply left. They weren’t armed in any way. Their children are now orphans.

Further back, I had a friend go missing in the backcountry of southwestern Colorado while volunteering for an ultra race. To this day, we’ve never found Daniel. My friend never came home. He was hiking unarmed.

I spent two years of my life in direct ground combat in war zones across the world. Often times, we don’t need something until we need it. It seems silly because we’ve been desensitized to the wild.

A friend of the family was hiking in the backcountry of Arkansas and was cut up by a decent sized boar. He was a small child at the time and still wears the scars from that day.

Boone carried a blade.
Colter carried one
Mike Fink knew how to throw them.


My point is this. I’ll carry that knife just as I carry my handgun. It’s a specialized tool that I hope never gets used.

 

[psirus7]

My Dad gave me his Buck 120 when I became a father. It is my go to PB&J maker at the truck.

 

[OsoMountain]

My Dad gave me his Buck 120 when I became a father. It is my go to PB&J maker at the truck.

Your dad got it. One knife to rule them all!!

 

[RockAndSage]

I love it when guys say “ oh that’s not practical. A real outdoorsman knows they aren’t necessary.”

Some time ago, a young couple was hiking with their children in a state park not far from my home. An absolute psychopath appeared on the trail, stabbed them to death in front of their children, and simply left. They weren’t armed in any way. Their children are now orphans.

Further back, I had a friend go missing in the backcountry of southwestern Colorado while volunteering for an ultra race. To this day, we’ve never found Daniel. My friend never came home. He was hiking unarmed.

I spent two years of my life in direct ground combat in war zones across the world. Often times, we don’t need something until we need it. It seems silly because we’ve been desensitized to the wild.

A friend of the family was hiking in the backcountry of Arkansas and was cut up by a decent sized boar. He was a small child at the time and still wears the scars from that day.

Boone carried a blade.
Colter carried one
Mike Fink knew how to throw them.


My point is this. I’ll carry that knife just as I carry my handgun. It’s a specialized tool that I hope never gets used.

Your reply here is more about the value of never being unarmed (which I 100% agree with) and how people seem to think they're "safe" in the outdoors, than it is about the utility of a big bowie in the hunting context, which is what the OP wrapped his post around. But yeah - you show me an adult who goes into the outdoors unarmed, there's a 95% chance you're showing me a mental child who either simply hasn't had contact with the unforgiving, or is intentionally disregarding it.

 

[nm.otter]

Opinel #12 -- mostly for cutting melons and reaching to the bottom of jars.

 

[medvedyt]

I love it when guys say “ oh that’s not practical. A real outdoorsman knows they aren’t necessary.”

Some time ago, a young couple was hiking with their children in a state park not far from my home. An absolute psychopath appeared on the trail, stabbed them to death in front of their children, and simply left. They weren’t armed in any way. Their children are now orphans.

Further back, I had a friend go missing in the backcountry of southwestern Colorado while volunteering for an ultra race. To this day, we’ve never found Daniel. My friend never came home. He was hiking unarmed.

I spent two years of my life in direct ground combat in war zones across the world. Often times, we don’t need something until we need it. It seems silly because we’ve been desensitized to the wild.

A friend of the family was hiking in the backcountry of Arkansas and was cut up by a decent sized boar. He was a small child at the time and still wears the scars from that day.

Boone carried a blade.
Colter carried one
Mike Fink knew how to throw them.


My point is this. I’ll carry that knife just as I carry my handgun. It’s a specialized tool that I hope never gets used.

Your reply here is more about the value of never being unarmed (which I 100% agree with) and how people seem to think they're "safe" in the outdoors, than it is about the utility of a big bowie in the hunting context, which is what the OP wrapped his post around. But yeah - you show me an adult who goes into the outdoors unarmed, there's a 95% chance you're showing me a mental child who either simply hasn't had contact with the unforgiving, or is intentionally disregarding it.

it is always hard to understand why someone is going out with no firearms or knife. but there are reasons for that: not socially accepted like living in a big city or a state or a country that make you thinking guns or knife are bad (valid even for usa), the approach of some about what tools is good for me and not for you (a hunting knife like a bowie is a great idea up to the time you use it ... at least my experience) and finally your experiences as an end user.

 

[TheBaileyForest]

I don't carry it while hunting at home here in Iowa but out west I always have a Knives of Alaska Bushcamp if that counts as big

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I'll bite. I do carry a big ass knife, albeit not really a "rambo" style. I have an old Mora 749 I bring for skinning. Its long, but the blade is very thin. I love that knife and find it very useful. I also carry two smaller Gerber skinning knives. I wish I had bought more 749s before they were discontinued. It was a phenomenal knife for 20$.

Picture isn't mine, just showing the scale of it.

 

[Shootier]

So, I grew up the 80's and after seeing the above scene I think it was burned into my growing brain that really big bowie style knives are cool.

Over the years, I have ended up with a bit of a collection of them, Buck 119, Buck 120, several Muela bowies from Spain, a couple big Bear & Sons Bowies, even the "Space Force" Ka-Bar, plus a few swords too.

But when I go hunting/hiking, I usually don't feel like carrying anything bigger/heavier than about a Buck 119 (which has a 6" blade and weighs about a half pound with sheath).

I even sometimes just carry a very lightweight Spyderco folder.

I am curious, do any of you actually carry a really big bowie knife as your hunting knife, something with substantially bigger than a 6" blade?

OR are these bigger heavier blades just too much extra weight and/or too ostentatious to actually carry in the field for you?

I think they’re cool just not practical I would opt for a changeable blade knife always sharp and light weight

 

[MallardSX2]

My wife went to drop off some stuff at sharing and caring yesterday and there was some idiot with a bowie knife on his side rummaging through their drop-off box.

She did a U-turn. lol

 

[OsoMountain]

My wife went to drop off some stuff at sharing and caring yesterday and there was some idiot with a bowie knife on his side rummaging through their drop-off box.

She did a U-turn. lol

Why is he an idiot for wearing a knife ?

 

[OsoMountain]

I think they’re cool just not practical I would opt for a changeable blade knife always sharp and light weight

I really, really want to like those changeable blade knives. But I snap them every three seconds and it’s infuriating to look for a broken blade while working on something.