The Best Hunting Knives of 2026

In the fall of 2025, Editorial Director Sean McCoy took to the elk woods with the Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner ($250-$300). After nearly four decades of hunting and being fortunate enough to test countless hunting knives, McCoy is tough to impress.

Impress is what the Saddle Mountain Skinner did. McCoy successfully filled his tag on opening day and used this knife almost exclusively to take his bull from a ditch in the Colorado backcountry to burgers, brats, and steaks in his freezer.

A number of things stood out to him, starting with the steel. The S90V version he used (also available in S30V) was still plenty sharp after skinning, quartering, and packing the animal off the mountain. It wasn’t until he had completely processed the elk in his garage over three days that the blade required a touch-up. Despite its tough steel, he found he could bring it back to life on his own with little trouble.

The handle is one of the best a hunter could use. Thanks to the Richlite scales and the exposed full tang, which protrudes along the spine of the handle, the knife is grippy, even when wet and coated in blood. It makes the knife effective and safe.

McCoy’s only complaint is the included sheath, which, in its stock configuration, can’t attach to a belt. However, that can be easily solved with Benchmade solutions. The important part is that processing big game is a big job, and the Saddle Mountain Skinner tackles the task with ease, without needing any TLC. What more could you want?

What you’re looking at here is a whole lot of bang for the buck. The OUTDOOR EDGE WildPak 8-Piece Hunting Knife Set ($54) includes everything you need to break down just about any animal in the field.

This kit includes a gut hook, skinning knife, boning and caping knives, bone saw, spreader, and knife sharpener. Everything fits in a slick little case, keeping you organized. This might include more than you’ll ever use if you’re a minimalist, but for those who like options, the set offers a ton of metal at an impressive price.

Editorial Director Sean McCoy has had a set for years and says the quality is impressive. They won’t hold an edge quite as well as more expensive steel, but they certainly perform better than their price tag suggests.

McCoy used his set to field-dress and process deer in the past and still keeps it as a backup under the back seat of my truck. The knives are easy to sharpen with the included sharpener, which is good. You’ll likely need to give them a few touchups throughout your processing to keep that edge fresh. Given the price, though, that’s a-ok. Throw the kit in your pack, and you can handle any big game hunting task.

For many years, the Buck 113 Ranger Skinner (starting at $125) held the top award on this list of hunting knives. However, due to modern steels and improved designs, it’s fallen a bit behind. However, it’s still one heck of a knife, especially considering the price.

For years, it was what Editorial Director Sean McCoy relied on. He says it’s the perfect size for his hand. And while the handle material can get slippery, it remains secure thanks to its excellent shape, which prevents the hand from sliding. The 3.125-inch blade is perfectly shaped for processing game and is easy to manage in cold weather. And the rosewood handle? Beautiful.

There are four steel variations available, including a 420HC Satin finish, a 420HC Polish finish, and a MagnaCut option. However, in our opinion, the S35VN steel version, which retails for $155, is the best value.

In that variation, hunters will find a steel that is more than capable of processing big game, offers excellent ergonomics, and can be customized with a handle if desired. And it’s less than $200. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

The hunting brand Argali Outdoors specializes in lightweight backcountry hunting gear. And with that, it developed its own run of hunting knives. The Argali Carbon Knife ($229) fits the lightweight theme to a tee.

At just 1.8 ounces, the featherweight is barely noticeable. And yet, it doesn’t compromise prowess. Our field testing has proven it to be an agile and effective knife for big game, despite its light build.

The grippy handle ensures that you don’t lose control even in wet and difficult conditions. Further, strategic jimping adds grip to the handle and knife spine. This one’s a precise tool in the hand.

Our hunting editor, Rachelle Schrute, said this knife is her go-to tool. “It’s much more grippy than a lot of other knives that size,” she noted. “The Argali is flat enough and with a wide enough blade that it lives in my bino harness.” That’s high praise coming from a woman who’s cleaned more animals than most.

Of course, as with anything designed to be ultralight, there are some things you give up. The handle isn’t as comfortable as bulkier options. After a few hours of processing big game, you may be left wishing for something more comfortable. And of course, the blade is smaller than others, though it’s plenty capable.

But the US-made S35VN, coupled with textured G10 removable handles, makes this knife simply great for the backcountry. If you need to shave ounces, this knife is the way to go.

While on a deer hunt in Oklahoma, GearJunkie contributor Morgan Nowels watched a few guides field dress and skin eight whitetail does in mind-boggling record time, all with the Havalon Piranta-Edge ($50). These are dudes who make a living processing game in ridiculous quantities, so their knife selection is telling. Every one of them swore by this knife.

The small profile of the replaceable blade makes it perfect for field dressing and skinning game. The thin design allows for scalpel-like precision, and it’s nearly impossible to nick something you don’t intend to. Cutting away the intestinal tube from the back of the animal was especially easy with this knife, and it makes quick work of a tricky task. Since the blade is easily replaceable, you’ll never have to work with a dull edge as well.

Speaking of replacement blades, the Piranta-Edge’s swappable design also lets you put a gut hook on this knife. Nowels has never been one to use gut hooks, but the guides in Oklahoma skinned the deer with two Havalon knives at once: one with a standard blade and one with a gut hook. They used the standard blade to make initial cuts, then used the gut hook to “zipper” the hide off. It was highly efficient, and if you like gut hooks, this knife allows for it.

However, this isn’t a knife capable of processing an entire big game animal. Since it’s small, it’s not suitable for deboning meat, splitting open a rib cage, or any heavy-duty task, for that matter. It’s best reserved for skinning and removing guts. It may be limited in its use, but it’s darn efficient at its job. Every hunter should have one, especially considering its low cost.

MKC founder and Master Bladesmith Josh Smith says the inspiration for the MKC Blackfoot 2.0 ($300) was his desire to have one knife that could do everything in his home range along the Blackfoot River in Montana. GearJunkie contributor Morgan Nowels put that to the test, carrying only this knife through the entirety of last fall.

Initially, he was concerned with the functionality of the small 3.375″ blade for processing big game. But after using it to entirely process two whitetail deer, those worries went away.

He tested the version made with 52100 Ball Bearing steel, though it’s also available in MagnaCut. The big advantage of the 52100 model is its resistance to chipping. After hammering at the knife to split two rib cages open, the edge was in pristine shape, with zero nicks. Even the highest-priced MagnaCut blades show some chipping after such use.

The downside, however, is that the knife dulls a bit more quickly than MagnaCut options and is also much more prone to corrosion, though this is somewhat mitigated by its black PVD finish.

Despite those downsides, the knife is very versatile. Nowels found it small enough to function well as a knife for cleaning upland birds and gutting trout, without being unwieldy or too large, as many big-game blades are. Couple that with its ability to tackle heavy-duty tasks, and the Blackfoot 2.0 aligns perfectly with Josh Smith’s vision. It may not be the best at anything, but the Blackfoot 2.0 can do everything.

Benchmade worked with hunter Steven Rinella of MeatEater to build a knife with the express purpose of turning wild game into food. So the Meatcrafter (starting at $200) really comes into play when the hunt is over.

Editorial Director Sean McCoy tested the premium S45VN version and found the 6.7-inch trailing-point blade holds its extremely keen 14-degree edge angle. A gorgeous Grivory handle sits beautifully in the hand. The long blade gives an exceptional cutting surface that can work for hours on end without losing an edge.

While we wouldn’t carry this blade in the field, it would live in camp or at home to complete the large task of butchering an animal into freezer-size steaks, chops, and loins. It, too, comes with a hefty price of $370, though there are now numerous versions available with different steels and handles.

If you need a processing-specific knife, you can get a Santoprene-handled CPM-154 Stainless Steel Meatcrafter for $200. The blade shape is fantastic for the task, and you’ll be glad you have it while processing big game. It makes an arduous process a bit easier.

Introduced in 2022, the Benchmade Raghorn ($325- $420) is a next-level hunting knife. Editorial Director Sean McCoy started testing it before its release and used it throughout a full big-game hunting season.

Now available in two versions, the original carbon fiber handle, CruWear premium model, and a more affordable version with S30V steel and G10 handle, this is a wonderful hunting knife. McCoy’s first big test of the Raghorn came on the second-to-last day of the Colorado archery elk season when he took a small cow. With his buddies still trying to fill tags, it fell on him to haul it out and process it, mostly alone.

From field dressing and breaking down the elk all the way to skinning quarters, cutting steaks, and even cleaning up scraps for the grinder, the Raghorn delivered. After one full elk was processed, it was sharp enough that he packed it back into the woods for (an unsuccessful) rifle season.

Sure, it could have used a sharpening. But the fact that it could certainly handle multiple big game animals with maybe a light stropping was impressive.

Most of this performance comes from cutting-edge steel (CPM-CruWear hardened to 63-65 Rockwell hardness). It’s a wonderful steel on a thin blade that’s accurate, slices well, and cuts clean. Couple that with an easy-to-see blaze orange blade, carbon fiber scales, aggressive jimping along the spine, and a finger choil for an excellent grip. The result is a darned near-perfect hunting knife.

Impressively, this rather large knife (4.64″ blade, 8.88″ overall) weighs just 3.5 ounces, or 5 ounces with the sheath. It’s incredibly light in the pack for a knife that performs beautifully in the hand.

The MKC Stonewall Skinner ($325) is a strong challenger for the best hunting knife on the market. In particular, the premium model with a Magnacut steel blade is a premier knife from a cottage brand making waves in the knife world.

We put the MKC Stonewall Skinner through rigorous testing in 2022. Hunting Editor Rachelle Schrute used it to clean four deer and a mountain lion, and throughout it all, it kept a keen edge, needing only resharpening by the very end of the season.

But the story goes deeper than edge retention and quality steel. Every component of this knife is genuinely fantastic. The blade shape provides an enormous cutting edge and a fine, sharp point. The handle fits beautifully in the hand. And the high polish not only looks beautiful, but it also makes the knife super easy to clean.

So why didn’t it take the top slot? Well, a few things give the Benchmade a minor leg up: weight, pricing, and availability. The Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner will save you over an ounce in the pack, with better-priced options. And, while MKC has been doing a better job of keeping things in stock, the brand does have a reputation for playing hard to get.

The Morakniv Basic ($13), while not necessarily a hunting knife, is up to the task. It can take a beating, and it’s a true fit for even big-game hunting. One GearJunkie tester said, “My longstanding adventure partner knife has been a Mora — a stainless steel blade with a bright-blue plastic handle, which is easy to find when you set it down.”

He continued, “It’s survived me hammering on it with a log to break a deer’s pelvic bone. I’ve also gutted many fish with it. It’s a do-all blade. It’s light, cheap, easy to replace, and easy to sharpen. Not at all fancy, but it’s all you need.” 

Morakniv makes the Basic knife in Sweden. While the steel isn’t as impressive as others on this list, when it comes to value, nothing can stand up to the Morakniv. The plastic handle is grippy and ergonomic, and the fixed blade is durable enough for any camp tasks. If you’re just getting into hunting and looking to save some money while having effective tools on hand, this is a great place to start.

DiamondBlade uses a unique friction-forging process that results in some of the hardest D2 high-carbon steel on the market. While the Pinnacle 1 ($325) comes with a hefty price, it’s definitely one of the best hunting knives on the market. The hold an edge for an incredibly long time

The handle is handmade and contains handset mosaic pins. The 2.55-inch blade has a deep belly for excellent skinning and shallow cuts for field processing.

Crisp jimping on the blade spine helps ensure a stout grip and varied hold methods. Overall, it’s close to the ideal hunting knife if your wallet can handle the high price tag.

Randy Newberg is a renowned elk hunter. He brought his decades of experience to Gerber to help the brand build the DTS ($68), a task-specific big-game hunting knife with some unique attributes.

First, the DTS has two blades. A primary blade made of mid-grade 440C steel provides a reliable cutting tool. And the DTS’s secondary “tendon tool” is made of extremely tough D2 steel.

This gives hunters a second, tough blade for cutting tendons or other burly flesh, bone, or hair, helping preserve the steel on the primary blade for more delicate cuts.

Our 2020 testing of this knife shows it to be tough and effective for breaking down big game in the field. For a similar price, you’d be hard pressed to find something as capable of big jobs like processing an elk. For 60 bucks, you’ll be in the elk woods and will have no issue getting your meat back home.