Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Gut hook?

Just wondering if anyone uses a guthook? I have been thinking of using one. Good or bad experences

Lots seem to me to have too thin an opening and the hair of the animal balls up in them. The sweep of the blade also needs to move away from the guthook so that when you reverse the knife to use it the blade tip doesn't get in the way.

When well designed I find them to be moderately handy but a well designed drop point knife and proper technique has led me away from using one.

I used a Wyoming knife a couple of seasons, that's the strange looking thing with teh replaceable blades that has a gut hook and skinning blade in one utensil.

Th gut hook was kind of neat, once you start the slit it's like using a zipper on the belly.

But overall I've found a good knife with a proper blade tip just as usable. Plus, how do you ever sharpen those gut hooks? You need a special round stone or something.

After messing with them I've given up on them, just another thing to worry about when a good KISS principle knife works just as well.

I find a gut hook useful. But just for opening the belly. Especially handy when skinning birds, but deer too.

Hey guys,
Thanks for the info. I too just use a knife, and from the way it sounds, I will contine to use only a knife. I have not had problems with a knife. Just wondering if I was missing out on somthing, but I guess not

-Tzone

I have used them alot. Not all of them where on my own knifes some of them work better than others.

The way to help keep the hair from balling up in them is to cut the direction of the hair. From the ones that I have used the Buck zipper seemed to be the best.

gut hooks can be faster than a plain blade. I do have a couple of knifes with the blunt tip gutting blade on them and I like them a lot. You have less to worry about when you are runnig your fingers next to the blade.

With all of this being said Most of the game that I clean is with a old case 2 bladed trapper.
Sako

For a couple of bucks, the Wyoming knife works great for me. It doesn't clog and it is razor sharp every time. I've used it on turkey too.

I don't like the ones on the back of the knife blade as they always seem to get in the way..

However, I have a small Benchmade rescue/gut hook that was originally designed for Emergency crews to cut seat belts ect.



I have used it on several deer now including a couple of Reds and it is still sharp...when it loses its edge Benchmade will sharpen it for just the cost of postage. I am not sure the "hook" would be big enough to handle elk or bear, but on deer its just fine. Where it is really usefull is slitting down the insides of the legs prior to skinning.


regards,

Pete

This is a Puma Jaeger Maiester(sp?) folding knife that was given to me by my father some years ago.

The gutting blade works great, as does the rest of the knife blades and saw.

This knif is not available in North America as far as I know, and according to Roedeer, does not come with the bird hook anymore, due to some regulation or other. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Just give me a simple drop point and I'm happy. I've seen several hunters cut their fingers using those big knives with the gut hook on the spine...

Now there is a useful looking tool! I need to add that to my Sagan Saw packet.

Jeff

On the knife in the photo, what is that little wire blade with the end bent over for?

Rolly, ... that's a bird hook. It is used to reach up into the body cavity of upland birds and waterfowl to pull the lungs out.



Very cool knife, btw! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> Looks like a bottle cap lifter at the base of the saw, and a corkscrew on the flipside. Nice stag handle. What a great gift!

Walker,

"that's a bird hook. It is used to reach up into the body cavity of upland birds and waterfowl to pull the lungs out."

Have used a small maple branch where another branch joined and trimmed that so there was a hook with a 3/8 inch opening. Would push that through the anal opening, and twist it catching the intestine and would remove thhe intestines without opening the bird. This was important when we were out for a few days without refrigeration. It allowed us to clean the birds without leaving it open to bugs or flys. The heart, lungs and gizzard (sp?) remained in the bird.

Walker
Uhhh, birds do not have lungs...
art

Walker, yes it is one of my treasured possesions that were given as gifts to me from my father.

When I was drawn for sheep in the archery zone in Alberta in '92, my father figured I should have a good knife to hunt with , and sent me this one.

Not that my Russels wouldn't do! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

This knife has been my field dresser ever since.
It comes with a chamois case that can be washed without harming the leather, and riveted into the end of the case there is a little metal tab that can be used to flip open the blades if you fingers are cold and slippery.

The case also has a thong attached to it so it can be hung from you neck and put into yout shirt pocket.

The saw blade has a very big screwdriver end which fits scope turrets and rings very well!

My father told me that the corkscrew is standard on a lot of European clasp knives . The handles are apparantly Sanbar, maybe Roedeer can confirm that.

catnthehat

CATNTHERHAT,
I have been looking for that knife for years. I have a bother-n-law that has one just like it, he got his in Germany years ago.

It is a great knife glad to see another one. I don't think that Puma even makes them any more.

Sako

Art,
You've never seen a bird's lungs because you don't have one of those little thingys. See all the new stuff you'd learn if you had one of those? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Those bird disemboweling thingies are great stress relievers.

When I go to clean a bird, I think about all of the injustices done to me recently and get my dander way up, then pick up the bird and scream at it, "I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR M*****F****** LUNGS OUT, JACK!"

And then I do. Aaaaahhhh....., that's better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Jim
You have NEVER ripped out a bird's "lungs," honest...
art