Short answer: the gifts for hunters that actually get used are the ones that do a job every season. For most deer hunters that means a fixed blade hunting knife with a blade somewhere between 3.5 and 5 inches, a gut hook if they do their own field dressing, a short skinner if they process their own meat, and a small folder for everything else in camp. Below is what each one is for, what to spend, and what to skip.
What actually gets used in deer camp
Spend a week in a deer camp and you learn that most hunting gear lives in two piles. There is the stuff that comes out every single day, and there is the stuff that came out once, got admired, and went back in the truck. The second pile is where the 14 function survival tool lives, along with the bowie long enough to clear brush that nobody ever clears brush with.
The first pile is short. The knife on his belt. The folder in his pocket that opens feed bags, cuts paracord and slices summer sausage. Something warm to wear, something hot to drink, and a headlamp that actually works at 4:30 in the morning. If you are buying hunting gifts for men who already hunt, aim for that first pile and you cannot go far wrong.
The main knife: a fixed blade he trusts
For whitetail and most other deer, a blade between 3.5 and 5 inches is the sweet spot. Longer blades feel impressive and get awkward fast once you are working inside the body cavity, where control matters more than reach. A drop point is the most forgiving shape for a first hunting knife, because the point sits low and is less likely to nick something you did not mean to cut.
The Bobcat is a good example: a 5 inch Damascus drop point with a stag antler and horn handle, at $173. The Chihuahuan Snake is our best selling knife of any kind, a gut hook with a 4.6 inch Damascus blade and a ram horn and buffalo horn handle, at $206. Both come with a leather sheath. The rest of the range is in the Damascus hunting knives collection.
If he is new to it, or you want to know what the knife is going to be asked to do, our step by step guide on how to field dress a deer walks through every cut and which knife suits it.
Gut hook or plain edge?
A gut hook is the sharpened notch on the spine of the blade. It opens the belly skin from the inside out without the point going anywhere near the intestines, which is the part of field dressing nobody wants to get wrong. Some hunters swear by them. Others never use the hook at all and are perfectly happy. If you are not sure which camp he is in, look at the knife he uses now. If it has a hook and it is worn, buy another hook. The gut hook knife guide has the full argument, and the gut hook knives range starts with the Slatra at $151, a 4.6 inch blade with a walnut and rosewood handle.
The skinner, for the hunter who processes his own
A hunter who takes the deer home and does the skinning and butchering himself will use a dedicated skinner more than any other knife he owns. Skinners have short blades with a wide curved belly, which lets you separate hide from meat in long sweeping strokes without punching holes in the hide. The Blue Racer Lizard has a 3.5 inch Damascus blade and a bone, turquoise and hardwood handle at $129, and it is one of the best reviewed knives we make. More are in the Damascus skinning knives collection.
The folder in his pocket
This is the knife that gets used most and thought about least. Ropes, tape, game bags, the plastic around a new box of shells, the apple at lunch. A small folding knife keeps the hunting knife clean and sharp for the job it is meant for. The Fallen is a good pick, with a 3 inch Damascus blade, dark wood scales and Damascus bolsters, at $112.
Gifts for deer hunters at a glance
| Who it is for | Our pick | Blade | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs one good all round knife | Bobcat | 5 inch drop point | $173 |
| Field dresses his own deer | Chihuahuan Snake | 4.6 inch gut hook | $206 |
| Wants a gut hook for less | Slatra | 4.6 inch gut hook | $151 |
| Skins and butchers at home | Blue Racer Lizard | 3.5 inch skinner | $129 |
| Already has a hunting knife | Fallen | 3 inch folder | $112 |
Prices are the live shop prices when this guide was written. Shipping inside the US is free and every blade carries our free lifetime craftsmanship warranty.
Useful gifts that are not knives
We sell knives, so take this as advice from someone with nothing to gain. If he already owns a hunting knife he loves, do not buy him a second one out of loyalty to this article. Buy one of these instead.
- Good wool socks. Cold feet end more hunts early than bad shooting.
- A bright headlamp with a red light mode, so he can find the stand without lighting up the whole woods.
- Reusable game bags for keeping meat clean while it cools.
- Hand warmers in bulk. He will use every single one.
- A decent cooler, if his current one is the same one he had in college.
Christmas gifts for hunters
A knife is a good Christmas present for a hunter for a slightly sneaky reason. In a lot of states the main deer season is winding down or over by late December, which means he gets the whole off season to sharpen it, oil it and make up his mind about which sheath he likes. By opening day it feels like his. For more ideas sorted by who you are buying for, see the Christmas knife gift guide and the knife gifts page.
Engraving that hunters actually like
Engraving is $29 per knife and fits up to 20 characters. Initials are the classic, but hunters tend to like something with a story behind it: the name of the lease or the family land, the year of a first buck, or a short line between two people who have hunted together for years. Keep it short. It is going on a blade, not a plaque.
Questions people ask
What do you get a hunter who has everything?
Something that replaces gear he wears out. A dedicated skinner if he only owns one knife, a small folder for camp jobs, or consumables like good socks and hand warmers. Engraving turns a practical gift into one he keeps.
What size knife is best for deer hunting?
A blade between 3.5 and 5 inches suits most deer. It is long enough for field dressing and short enough to control inside the cavity. Longer blades look good in photos and get in the way in practice.
Is a gut hook knife worth it?
For hunters who field dress their own deer, often yes. The hook opens the belly skin without the point touching anything inside. Some hunters never use it, so if he already owns a knife, check whether it has a hook he uses.
Are Damascus knives good for hunting?
A forged Damascus blade with a proper heat treatment holds an edge well and makes a capable hunting knife. Carbon Damascus should be wiped clean and dry after use, because blood and moisture will mark the steel if it is put away dirty.
What are good Christmas gifts for hunters?
A fixed blade hunting knife, a skinner, a pocket folder, or practical cold weather gear. A knife given at Christmas has the whole off season to be broken in before the next opening day, which hunters tend to appreciate.
Where to start
For the main knife, start with the Damascus hunting knives. For field dressing, look at the gut hook knives. For the hunter who does his own butchering, the skinning knives are the ones he will reach for every time.
Buying for a dad who hunts? The Christmas gifts for dad guide picks by the kind of dad he is, and stocking stuffers for men covers small folders under $125.
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