Big knives and small game

[Ron LaClair]

There's been a lot said against carrying a big knife in the woods. Actually there are times when a big blade comes in handy. There must have been a reason that the early Mountainmen carried them, you can skin anything from a mouse to a moose with a big blade. Works pretty good for dressing squirrels too...    

 

[Tom Leemans]

A few more of them and you got a crock pot full!

[RkyMtn Joe]

Saw this same thread over on another site.  Ron seems to have had lots of experience with these large knives over the years and I'm sure he is quite expert with them.  For my own use though, I am much more comfortable with a smaller knife like his "Skinner" blade.  I do not own one of Ron's knives yet, but when I do buy one, it will be his skinner knife.  Looks like the perfect knife for what I do.

Joe

[captain caveman]

I love knife pics.  Big blade great for chopping little critters legs off.  Looks like you made a clean heart lung shot right behind shoulder.  About time to fire up the crock pot.

[Ron LaClair]

A big knife does makes lobbing off the feet and heads of small game an easy job.

 

[ron w]

You can do what you have to do with a smaller knife. You can "EVERYTHING" you need to do with a BIG one. But that's just me......      

[Ron LaClair]

No crock pot for me when it comes to cooking squirrels. Flour, season then brown in a cast iron pan in bacon grease. Add a little liquid then cover and put in a 350*. oven for 3/4 of an hour or until the meat is tender.

   

Make gravy from the drippings and serve with mashed potatoes.

 

[John McCreary]

I have always prefered a 3" to 4"  blade. The thinking being anything more is just a waste or compensating for one's short commings. But Ron you do presnt a good argument. Besides that is just one cool looking knife.

John

[Razorbak]

that looks good..gonna have to try squirl one day...kill them and give them to my friends but no more
PS. over the years reading your threads and specially about food..you got to write a cookbook about the game you killed and ate..would help the youngsters and ol timers alike to eat like you do Mr. Ron  

[Hopewell Tom]

Looks like a deer track in your potatoes there, Ron...
I've never eaten squirrel(we only have the little red ones) but man that looks good. So does the knife. Love the finger grooves in the handle.
I don't have one, but a big knife is in my future. I agree, if a mountain man carried one, it's gotta be a necessity on the trail.

[bigbadjon]

I think a big knife can still have finesse. A Marbles Trailmaker comes to mind. I also think big knives were a necessity on the frontier as a weapon once they fired their rifles, its utility was just an added bonus.

[bigbadjon]

I might also say that you guys up north must have way bigger squirrels than we do in Florida.

[Ray Lyon]

I take it we're not having tree rats in camp this year since you're eating them as fast as you're getting them???    :rolleyes:  

p.s.  Nice lookin vittles buddy.

[arsurveyor]

Your making me hungry........

[non-typical]

Bacon grease....cooking's elixir!

[Ron LaClair]

I might also say that you guys up north must have way bigger squirrels than we do in Florida.  

Yes we do Jon, we've got one up here called the Saber Tooth squirrel. It takes a big heavy blade to cut through the hide. They're tough to kill and you have to boil em for 5 hours to get em tender enough to eat...   :rolleyes: ...  

 

[wooddamon1]

Good looking grub, that saber-tooth looks like the ones around camp...

[snakebit40]

This makes me really want to go shoot some squirrels. I've never ate one but the next chance I get I will. Thanks Ron

[David Mitchell]

Yeah, you just HAD to go and post that picture of squirrel, gravy, and smashed taters, huh, Ron?    

[Lin Rhea]

Squirrel is some mighty fine eatin! I was raised eatin em. The gray squirrels especially. Some of the Fox Squirrels taste like terpintine.   :eek: