It's believed that coon hunting began as a practice among Native Americans, who harvested racoons for fur and pelts. Eventually, the practice was adopted by European settlers, who starting breeding coonhounds during Colonial times. Today, there's no shortage of handy coon hunting equipment to help hunters trap their game, including premium baits, chums, lures and coon squallers. But of all the tools you need, one of the most essential is a top-quality hunting knife. Here, we've rounded up our top picks for coon hunting knives.
For Beginners
While this Game Process Kit is a reliable set for anyone, it's especially helpful for newly minted coon hunters. It has everything you need to process and prepare your game, including a four-inch gut hook skinning knife, a three-inch caping knife, a three-inch small game skinning knife and a 5-5/8-inch T-handle zip saw. It also comes with game shears, a gutting tool, a Safe Sharp knife sharpener and a cutting board, all packed in a strong, sturdy case that's easy to carry.
If you've got a grandkid who's new to coon hunting, this sweet Grandson Trapper Box Set makes the perfect gift. It features a 3-½-inch master blade etched with "World's Greatest Grandson", as well as brown jigged bone handles with nickel silver bolsters. It comes in a charming wooden display box with a presentation lid label you can personalize.
For Skinning
This general duty skinning knife is perfect for all kinds of game, but works especially well for coon fur. We also recommend this beaver skinning knife from Dextor, which features a round hardwood handle and 2-1/8-inch blade. While it's designed for beavers, it also works very well on heavy, greasy racoons.
Keeping your blades sharp is also a must and can be done easily with this professional-quality WorkSharp tool and knife sharpener. Using belts instead of stones, it includes precision sharpening guides to polish blades to a perfect, hair-splitting edge each and every time. It's also an excellent sharpening tool for scissors, lawn mower blades and other common household tools.
For On the Go
Tech-savvy coon hunters will like this cool Pal+ gadget, which is a powerbank, flashlight and folding knife in one. Made of anodized aluminum, it fits easily in your pocket and features a three-inch, 420-grade stainless steel folding blade that can be conveniently removed for travel. The built-in 400-lumen flashlight is rechargeable and also serves as a backup power source for mobile phones, tablets and other USB electronic devices. It's also water- and impact-resistant while being powered by an included rechargeable battery.
For Gifts
These breed series pocketknives feature a choice of coonhound breeds on the handle: Bluetick, Redbone, Black and Tan, English and Walker. With a three-inch stainless steel master blade, they're crafted with real bone handles, silver-nickel bolsters, and genuine brass pins and liners. What could make a better present to a hunter who takes pride in their trusty hound?
Another great gift idea is this Nite Lite stainless steel knife, which has a 2-1/2-inch lock back blade and a 3-3/8-inch total closed length. It can be purchased with laser-etched American Heritage logo or "Midnight Bandit" with a coon on the blade. It can also be personalized to feature any dog breed or name you'd like.