Best Deer Hunting Knives for Gutting and Skinning In 2025

Deer Hunting Knife Reviews And Recommendations

Let's get into the features of each knife and why you should consider adding one of these to your hunting arsenal.

I used this knife to skin a buck outside with temperatures in the 30s and the handle material was a pleasure to hold. My hunting partner was skinning his buck next to me and he couldn't believe how warm my handle on the Razor Pro was compared to his wood handle on his Buck knife.

After skinning the buck, I went on to quarter and debone the deer, all with the Razor Pro and it was flawless.

I have read reviews that claim the knife is a bit flimsy. Obviously those reviewers have not used the Razor Pro and are simply trying to sell other knives. The Razor Pro is as strong and rugged a knife as we have ever used.

The Outdoor Edge Razor Pro comes with six replaceable blades, which means you always have a razor sharp knife at your disposal.

It comes in black or orange and I have to tell you, I love the orange because it is so easy to find when you set it down in the leaves while field dressing a deer.

Here's my video showing the features of the Razor Pro, how to change the blade and why you should consider adding it to your arsenal.

Below is a Outdoor Edge testimonial from one of our readers.

After consulting with our readers, we found that a fairly large percentage like to carry a fixed blade knife for hunting and this knife was the choice of many.

It is called the Zipper because of the gut hook blade that makes field dressing a deer a breeze.

The 191 features a 4 1/8" blade of 420HC steel for superior Strength, and Corrosion Resistance. The blade is also known for holding it's edge.

The knife weighs in at a very comfortable 6.6 ounces and features a walnut handle with brass butt and guard.

The best part is it is made in the USA and comes with the Buck Forever Lifetime Warranty.

Edge retention can be an issue with a knife like this. It will require some maintenance to keep it performing well and razor sharp. A good knife sharpener is a necessity if you choose this knife.

Visit our picks for the best hunting knife sharpeners. 

While we have found the Havalon to be the best deer skinning knife, we also found it to be a very good knife for field dressing as well.

It's small size, lightweight design and incredible razor sharp blade make it ideal for maneuvering inside the chest  and abdominal cavity.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter is our top pick for the best knife for the money.

One of the top reasons is that Buck Knives are made to last a lifetime and hand down to the next generation.

The 110 was originally created in 1963 because Al Buck believed that a lock blade knife was needed by hunters that wanted a sturdy knife, but did not want to carry the length of a fixed blade knife.

Hence, the Buck 110 was born!

The 110 is 4 7/8 inches long when closed and weighs in at 7.2 ounces.

It is a very versatile clip point blade hunting knife that can be used as a field dressing knife, skinning knife, and even a processing knife.

The sturdy, made in the USA construction, reasonable price, and long lasting useful life make the Buck 110 a great choice for hunters.

We set out to bring you the best hunting knife and while we have done that, many of you have asked: "What is the best cheap hunting knife?"

While best and cheap are two words that don't usually go together, we wanted to give you an answer to your question, so we took a look at all of the less expensive knives to see what we could find.

I have to say, I was surprised at the sheer number of cheap hunting knives on the market, so the challenge was to find a cheap knife for deer hunting  in terms of quality for the price.

And I think we did a really good job of that when we found the Tac Force TF 469.

This knife is pretty good quality with an amazingly low price.

Keep in mind that you are not going to get a lifetime of use out of this knife, like you will with the other knives in our reviews, but we are fairly confident that you will get your money's worth.

Let's take a little deeper look at the Tac Force TF 469 

The Tac Force TF 469 has a spring assisted opening that allows for easy one hand operation.

It measures 4 inches closed and has a 3 inch blade.

It has a surprising comfortable pakkawood handle making it easy to maneuver inside the body cavity when gutting a deer.

If you are looking for the an inexpensive hunting knife, you won't be disappointed with the Tac Force TF 469.

What we love about this knife is that it can be completely customized, so that you have a one of a kind piece of artwork that you can carry with you on every hunting trip.

You can add laser etchings to the blade on both sides. The etchings can be images, like a deer, or patterns, or even text.

Very cool!

You can also change the blade color, as seen in the image below.

Final Thoughts

After thorough testing and field use, we have our favorite hunting knives reviewed above..

I think you will be well served and happy with any of the knives above.

If you are looking for one knife to satisfy all of your hunting needs, the Outdoor Edge Razor Pro is without a doubt, the best knife for you.

According to Wikipedia, a good deer hunting knife should be capable of completing all of the tasks associated with hunting, from field dressing to skinning, processing and cutting up venison for the meat grinder, and the Razor Pro does that.

Some hunters like to use a boning knife for breaking down your deer into manageable pieces when processing.

Please keep in mind that these are real reviews written by real hunters.

We actually buy and use each of these knives in order to test and evaluate them before we review them.

There are many articles out there that are clearly written by non hunters and are only recommending the knives that pay them the most money.

Don't be fooled by these articles.

From all of us here at Deer Hunting Guide, we thank you for your support and thank you for buying American made hunting gear!

We'd love to hear what you think!

Please leave your comments below.