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

[8mille]

Got a few beautiful Bowie style knives(large blades). But don’t take them hunting. Too big and impractical for field dressing; unless you’re hunting with them. I’ve been asking a co worker to go hog hunting with me with a knife. So far he’s not interested. Then I’d use one. So far he’s pussying out.

 

[yeti14]

I used to carry a kbar when I did a lot of backpacking. It was actually quite useful in that application. Used it as a knife, batoning fire wood, pry bar, etc. Basically a giant "leatherman" jack of all trades. Used it for everything your not supposed to use a knife for, ha. But it worked!

 

[homers]

Not since my testicles dropped

 

[betelgeuse]

An old friend of mine sent me a HUGE Kbar bushcraft type knife as a gift -the Becker Companion. He sent a note along with it that said something along the lines of it being a "hunting knife."
It stays in my truck. I don't think I've ever used it for anything ever.

I had a friend in college who's parents were paying for his school. He went into the Marine Corps and figured he would take advantage of the GI bill so he took out the max amount of student loans and blew it all on the most ridiculous stuff, one of which was a commemorative Robert E. Lee survival knife. The compass on the butt of the knife had a Confederate flag where the "S" for South would have been and inside of the knife handle, in addition to all of the usual contents of a Rambo knife, was $20 worth of Confederate cash.

That's a great knife.

 

[Macintosh]

My dad, who was a bona fide badass, drilled into my head from a young age that a mans competence in the woods was inversely proportional to the size of the knife he carried.

 

[MtnHawker]

Small, thin and sharp for me. At least for my East coast whitetail, fish and small game. Hunting knife is much different than a camp/survival knife imo. Even then...I feel there are far better options these days for camp/survival than bowie knives.

 

[wheatlandoutdoors]

No but my grandma in law got me a kbar for Christmas as a “hunting” knife lol

 

[Q_Sertorius]

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.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I did when I was young and stupid, but I didn't have 10 lbs of other gear with me. Now, light weight and sharp

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I have an old kabar that was gave to me but never carried once.
I do carry a mora kansbol sometimes.
Fairly light for its size

 

[RockAndSage]

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.

Man, that is pretty cringe.

 

[Marbles]

No. They are the wrong tool for almost every job.

I have a Ka-Bar, I picked it up for slaughtering pigs, it is only used to cut the carotid on a stunned pig, and sees no other use.

My smaller knife worked, but took two cuts as the blade wasn't long enough. No problem, unless the pig stops being stunned and stands up on you. Or, more commonly just starts thrashing about.

 

[Tailingloop]

Buck light knife and a cheap fillet knfe. But if camping a k bar goes and stays in the tipi for batoning wood for the stove and general camp chores.

 

[doc holiday13]

my buddy keeps a big ole esee with him. Its a thick spine so you can hammer on the back of it to spit kindling or cut through a thick branch. Works much the same as having a hatchet, which I do carry a hatchet with me

 

[wytx]

Spouse has a friend that makes a few knives so he made him one, a bowie type.
Spouse took him cow hunting and pulled it out to process his cow, the friend found out it is not applicable to a hunting knife.
Waiting to see if we get something more useful.
Nice knife but not for hunting.

 

[DMTJAGER]

I carry a original made in USA 6" Cold Steel SRK on my peron and a small Gerber compact hatchet in my pack if weight is an issue. In main camp have an Estwing medium length camp ax and a 13" Cold Steel Kukri for GP use and a extremely well made 13" pruning saw..
I find any knife longer than 6" to be to time consuming to re-sharpen especially in the field.

 

[RadialJett]

Ka-Bar for splitting wood, and scraping clumps of Cholla off of boots.

Not good for much else I’ve needed. Well, ‘cept shaving nose hairs or throwing at grouse.

 

[Bittereinder]

Yes, a ka-bar is nice on backpacking trips for making fine kindling and other rough work. I never took one hunting.

There are some fun threads on other forums about the knife to bring on an Africa hunting trip. At most outfits, you won't have the opportunity to do any game processing, skinning etc. So a knife is purely for minor tasks, same as a pocket knife in daily life. The consensus reason for carrying a fixed blade, especially about 4" or larger, is simply because it looks cool. I traveled carry on luggage only on my one safari to date, so I didn't have any knife. When I go back with a rifle and checked luggage, I'll probably just bring a Leatherman or moderate sized Swisser.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I've an old marbles skinner that while handy, is a bit on the large side IMO. Still seems to make its way into the pack though