Favorite/Beloved Bird Knives

Hydr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
Messages
111
After using a shrade old timer for years I have recently been taking a bit of a dive on knives, production, semi-production, and custom. Just out of curiosity, what are your favorite knives for handling upland birds? Favorite steel/blade shape?

Thanks gents!
 

CCH

WKR
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
450
Location
Colorado
My dad and his pals always carried Camillus bird knives with the gut hook that they put to good use. I don’t bird hunt much now, but have a very similar pattern Buck that does the same thing. My Gerber Bird & Trout is my long time general small game knife.
 

2ski

WKR
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Messages
1,777
Location
Bozeman
I had this Remington set that had a knife, a separate gut hook, and s pair of shears. I lost the shears so I bought a Gerber set of shears a year ago.

How do you use a gut hook on birds? I pretty much just use shears and maybe a knife for a cut or two, literally.
 
OP
Hydr

Hydr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
Messages
111
I don't use a gut hook I'll just open up below the breastbone and pull it out with my fingers. I always have hand sanitizer in my vest anyways.
 

Holmes

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
216
Location
Alaska
Standard Havalon Piranta is all I use for butchering. Nothing works as well for getting the breast separated from the wishbone or popping the legs out of the pelvis, imho.
We almost never get a bird (including ducks) up here with any fat on it, so 99.9% of birds get breasted out.

I use Gerior shears for detaching wings and head to send in the state small game biologist.
 
OP
Hydr

Hydr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
Messages
111
Those Dawson blades are nice knives!
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,408
Location
OC, CA
For birds I like to fall back to the Havalon scalpel. OR the blade that comes on the Leatherman Skeletool. Although the Argali Carbon blade worked well with birds too when I tested it.

I kinda like just using the Skeletool for small game because with the pliers part I can cut/snap off the forelimbs of a Rabbit quickly, then just peel off the skin.
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Messages
1,821
Location
Montana
Three blade old timer pocket knife. My backup for big game and bird knife. In the late 70s and early 80s, it skinned and fleshed a lot of beaver, cats and coyotes. Keep life simple!
 

Jimss

WKR
Joined
Mar 6, 2015
Messages
2,121
For skinning birds for life-sized mounts it's tough to beat Outdoor Edge replacement blade knives.
 
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
1,777
Location
Kiowa/Deer Trail, CO
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OP
Hydr

Hydr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
Messages
111
I found the hogue, what are the names/model of the other ones? Thanks for putting pictures up.
 

WCB

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Messages
3,640
The cheapest 4" fillet knife I can find basically. A pair of shears for when I need to transport them or break them down more for I.D. If there is one place to put almost zero dollars into equipment it would be a knife specifically for small game.
 

DWD

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
107
Argali carbon has worked very well for me from partridge to turkeys.
 

TheGreek

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Messages
272
Location
NW Colorado
I use a pair of gerber game shears most of the time but have enjoyed the benchmade flyway the little I've used it so far.
 
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