When the hunt is done and its time to field dress your downed game, what is your favorite blade length and shape?

I love a caping knife, for just about everything.
But I'm an overall knife junky and would be happy with all of them except big bowies.

I like a about a 4 1/2 inch handle and a 3 1/2 inch blade.  However, I do have a 4 1/2 inch demaskus blade with a 4 1/2 inch cobolo handle that has enjoyed cleaning and skinning 4 deer this year.  I like a drop point or a sheeps foot blade.

Bob.

I like a drop point with a 3.75" blade and 4.5" handle for whitetails and hogs. For squirrels  rabbits and turkeys I like a 2.75" blade.

I'd say overall I like a 3-3.5" drop point best.  I do a lot of small game hunting and find a smaller blade easier to clean them with.  Also, I like to go slow and precise through deer and hogs and find that having a blade not much longer than my pointer when holding the knife helps me to put it right exactly where I want it.

Other knifes I really like using are my Rapala Superflex filet knifes.  They are super sharp, agile, and precise.  They are too flexible to do some stuff but great like popping open joints but when it comes to scraping bones close and thinning off silver-skin they are great.

2 1/2 - 3 1/2" drop point (Loveless style).

Richard

3-3/4" drop point.  Carbon Steel

Something like this is about right

I have become very favored of using my little Izula neck knife for field dressing whitetail.  The 2-3/4" blade allows me to hold my index finger over it and unzip the chest cavity and then work inside.  

1095 Powder coated and it takes and holds a shaving edge.  It's amazing how much a little knife can do.

     

As a belt knife my  Benchmade Activator (3.63" D2 steel blade) is a great size and shape.  Hard to sharpen but once sharpened stays that way a LONG time.

     

I carry both.

I have a nice collection of customs but this season I've been using a Puma skinner.Really has made me appreciate this design.

I carry a bunch of different knives, I always have my fathers Camillis, a small trout an bird fixed blade. I'm partial to medium to big fixed blades and I want them sharp........

I always carry my Buck 110, and my Buck 371 Stockman. my favorite

I have a case trapper that does the majority of my work.

I have a helle harding that I put my own handle on. love it, great workhorse knife

I like a 3.75 to 4.5 inch drop point blade with a nice belly on it.Four-4.5 inch handle.Good all around size and blade style.

Moleman,

I just wanted to say this is a cool post.  I have enjoyed reading waht folks are carring into the timber with them.  

Bob.  

 

 
I have both of these knives and love the smaller one for field dressing.  Both are semi custom knives made by Swamp Rat Knife Works

I always carry my Buck model 110 and usually carry a custom knife I had made a couple years ago. I don't really know it's dimmensions just that it works really well for me, although all my other Buck's, Boker, Mulea, and others serve me well to. Can you tell I am a knife fanatic  

Buck Vanguard or an ESEE 3 for most of my game needs in the field while hunting.  For general stumping and hiking I usually carry my Skookum Bush Tool or a BHK Bushcrafter.

I like my Buck mini alpha. 2 1/2" blade 6 1/4" overall.  Small and effective.

I've got an older Kershaw kit (not impressed with the quality of the new version) that came with three blades that change out to the handle. 1 saw blade, 1 blade about like a 110 buck and the 3rd was a filet blade that I sanded down to a 3" drop point. I also carry a Deperschmidt (beautiful, high quality knife if you are not familiar with Waynes craftsmanship, and.....it has been good mojo). I also have another hand built that I picked up years ago at a gun show with a gut hook. Looks like I am a knife junkie too! The combo above has done everything from antelope to moose, gutless, traditional gutting and or quartered and deboned.  

The smart guys I know carry the light units with the replaceable razor blades though.