I'll agree with others that the hype surrounding some of these boutique knife makers is a bit much. I'm also getting a bit tired of Benchmade jacking up their prices. The best pocket knife I have ever owned (and still EDC) is a Benchmade mini griptillian that cost $60 about 15 years ago. They're now double that. 
For hunting knives, I've been a fan of:
- Cold Steel: the Pendleton hunter, big or small, are absolutely the sharpest OOTB knives I've ever seen. The handle material and sheaths are great, too.
- Silver Stag: More traditional knives, but they use D2 steel and the prices are acceptable.
- Arno Bernard: If you want a little exotic flair. I have a "Squirrel" model from them with a giraffe bone handle and it's the perfect small game knife. 2" fixed blade with a slight drop point.
On a whim, I just bought one of these Browning knives: Browning Back Country Small. For $50 and with the steel and handle materials being what they are, I figured it was worth a shot. The blade is pretty stumpy, short and with a lot of belly, but it seems like it'd be good for a whitetail or two. I'll give it a shot this coming season and see how it does.
For hunting knives, I've been a fan of:
- Cold Steel: the Pendleton hunter, big or small, are absolutely the sharpest OOTB knives I've ever seen. The handle material and sheaths are great, too.
- Silver Stag: More traditional knives, but they use D2 steel and the prices are acceptable.
- Arno Bernard: If you want a little exotic flair. I have a "Squirrel" model from them with a giraffe bone handle and it's the perfect small game knife. 2" fixed blade with a slight drop point.
On a whim, I just bought one of these Browning knives: Browning Back Country Small. For $50 and with the steel and handle materials being what they are, I figured it was worth a shot. The blade is pretty stumpy, short and with a lot of belly, but it seems like it'd be good for a whitetail or two. I'll give it a shot this coming season and see how it does.
