Bear & Son Hunting Knives Reviewed: A Stag Party

Can you feel it? That special something that every hunting season brings with it? Excitement builds, and everyone starts sharing the trail cam footage of the monster buck near their blind. What a time to be alive. It is also a time when hunters start checking their gear to make sure they are ready to bring in the big one. But once it’s down, you have to process it. As you evaluate your knife situation, let me tell you about a few hunting knives from Bear & Son.

I have always advocated skill over gear. However, full disclosure, I am also a bit of a closet gear nerd. It is almost comical that I have so much gear, but tend to carry very little into the field. I typically just make most of what I need when I get there. However, when it comes to knives, that is a different story. My knife addiction is more than just a social problem. I would classify myself as a full-blown junkie.

I have an extensive knife collection, with everything from hard users to some very valuable pieces. However, I don’t feel that you have to break the bank to find cutlery that delivers solid performance. In fact, sometimes, you find options that outperform their price tags. This hunting season, go for the best bang for your buck and use the savings to buy your wife that new rifle you’ve been looking at. If she doesn’t like it, you can always use it.

Bear & Son Hunting Knives at a Glance:

• Pro Skinner — The all-around option: A 2 7/8-inch drop-point blade with a deep belly, genuine stag bone scales, and nickel silver bolsters. It handled heavy leather and pork loin smoothly in testing. Listed price: $109.99.
• Upswept Skinner — The dedicated skinning profile: A 3 1/8-inch blade with a sweeping belly and acute clip-point tip. It punctured thick leather easily and made clean work of a roast. Listed price: $52.99.
• Bird & Trout — The compact option: A 3-inch taper-ground blade and a lightweight, 2.4-ounce build. It made quick work of catfish fillets and deer-camp snack prep. Listed price: $52.99.

7-Inch Genuine India Stag Bone Pro Skinner

The most robust of the trio, the Pro Skinner features a sloping drop-point with a deep belly at the tip. Its deep belly helps prevent the tip from penetrating the hide unexpectedly while skinning your game. Constructed of high-carbon stainless steel, the 2 7/8-inch blade features a hollow grind. With less meat behind the edge, it glides easily through the subject matter, making field processing quicker and easier.

Sporting a full-tang design, the interface between flesh and steel is provided by Genuine India Stag Bone scales. Just forward of the scales at the hilt are beautifully polished nickel silver bolsters. The grip itself feels great in the hand with contouring in the right places. Likewise, the finger choil offers fast indexing, while the drop at the bolster provides a slight guard to keep the hand from sliding up onto the blade.

At 7 inches overall, the Pro Skinner weighs a lightweight 4.1 ounces, presenting a small footprint on the belt. Speaking of which, the knife comes with a simple leather belt sheath. Two rivets help to strengthen the single-stitch construction. Likewise, the interior features a Kydex liner that helps secure the knife while also strengthening the leather’s structure. As a result, it doesn’t collapse when you remove the knife, making resheathing easy.

Using the Bear & Son Pro Skinner

Unfortunately, although hunting season is close, it is still just out of reach. So, I was not able to test any of the three knives on actual game. But I feel that I found some adequate substitutes to get some use out of them and gauge their performance.

For the Pro Skinner, I found an old sheet of heavy-duty leather in my shed that capably filled in for fresh hide. Even though it was really stout, the edge glided through it smoothly and easily. I would have no reservations about taking this into the field to clean my game. Likewise, this knife would handle a skinning job back at deer camp with confidence.

Next, I processed two pork loins for some green chili and another dish. The Pro Skinner cubed up the loins quickly and easily. Its edge was very sharp out of the box, and it glided through the pork like you would expect from a butcher knife. This knife is ready for all your deer camp needs, from field to kitchen. And it was really comfortable.

7-Inch Genuine India Stag Bone Pro Skinner Specs

7 1/4-Inch Stag Delrin Upswept Skinner

Coming in 1/4 inch longer than the Pro Skinner, the Upswept Skinner has a profile that is specific to skinning. The aggressive clip-point on this model produces a deep, sweeping belly that is ideal for separating hide and flesh. However, it also creates a very acute point at the tip. While this makes it much easier to penetrate the hide and start your cut, it can also make it easier to accidentally pierce the hide.

When using a clip-point like this for skinning, it is recommended to place your index finger along the spine, up to the tip. This lets you guide the edge with precision, while preventing accidental penetration through the hide. But once you become more comfortable with the profile, you’ll understand why this style of skinner has been around for so long. It is very good at what it does.

Like the Pro Skinner, the Upswept Skinner is constructed of high-carbon stainless steel. This makes it easy to service in the field. The full-tang design keeps things simple, and the Stag Delrin handle scales beautifully capture the vintage styling. While the scales remain straightforward, without any contouring, the perimeters are nicely rounded for a comfortable grip.

Delrin is a durable handle scale material that has been around for decades and keeps the Upswept Skinner light in the hand and on the belt. The knife’s scales deliver a stag aesthetic while also remaining grippy in the hand.

The Upswept Skinner comes in a simple leather belt sheath with a retention strap. Its old-school design features a stiff, structured leather pocket on the front that the knife easily drops into. Likewise, it makes the knife easier to retrieve when you are ready to get to work.

Using the Bear & Son Upswept Skinner

As with the Pro Skinner, I had to make do with material I had on hand for testing, as hunting season is still on the horizon.

I used the same leather to test the Upswept Skinner. My first test was to penetrate the leather with the acute tip. As I mentioned, this leather is thick and robust. It is not easy to penetrate with a standard knife tip without a lot of pressure.

However, the aggressive clip-point on the Upswept Skinner proved why the design has lasted so long. It had no issue puncturing the thick leather. In fact, you will want to be careful not to overdo it when cleaning your game, so you don’t over-penetrate. Likewise, slicing the leather was smooth and easy. Fresh hide may behave differently from processed leather, but based on this test, I feel that the Upswept Skinner would handle it well.

Next, I processed a roast for stew. As with the Pro Skinner and the pork loins, the Upswept Skinner cubed the roast smoothly and cleanly. We now have a couple of pounds of cubed roast for the pot. Needless to say, my wife loves it when I have knives like this to test during the off-season. All of her food gets processed for her.

7 1/4-Inch Stag Delrin Upswept Skinner Specs

6 1/2-Inch Stag Delrin Bird & Trout

The smallest of the three is the Bird & Trout, which is geared toward small-game hunters. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t handle larger jobs. But for big jobs, you are probably better off going with one of the options above. Where a good Bird & Trout knife shines is on small game like rabbit or squirrel, and fish. However, they also do really well at processing larger game once it is quartered.

Like the previous two models, the Bird & Trout is made of high-carbon stainless steel. Likewise, it features a full-tang design, offering strength and durability for an extended life. The blade features a subtle clip-point design, leading to its acute tip. Additionally, the extended ricasso includes a finger choil, allowing you to choke up on the edge for finer, detailed work.

The Bird & Trout has handle scales similar to those on the Upswept Skinner. Constructed of Delrin, the scales feature a stag aesthetic and deliver classic ergonomics. The combination of the taper-ground blade and the taper from ricasso to tip gives the knife a keen edge and acute tip. Likewise, the taper reduces the blade’s thickness at the tip, making it more nimble in hand.

The Bird & Trout includes a similar sheath to the Pro Skinner.

Using the Bear & Son Bird & Trout

I’ll be honest, I have always really liked the Bird & Trout pattern. It is a very capable and handy design. However, although it can handle bigger processing jobs, its more diminutive size makes it better suited to smaller jobs.

For this reason, I began my testing by slicing up a catfish (I know it’s not a trout, sue me) for a delicious Filipino soup called sinigang. The Bird & Trout reduced four fillets down to a pile of short catfish strips in very short order. There was enough there for a pot of sinigang and some extra breaded catfish bites. I bet you wish you were coming to my house for dinner, don’t you?

Finally, after all this work, it was time for a snack. Like getting back to deer camp at the end of the day, it is nice to have a snack while the venison chili cooks. So, I sliced up some summer sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, and an apple. After adding a few crackers, this made a nice little snack at the end of the day.

I really do love a good Bird & Trout knife.

6 1/2-Inch Stag Delrin Bird & Trout Specs

Straight to the Point

With hunting season cresting the horizon, it is time to get your gear in order. A good hunting knife should always be at the top of your gear list. There is a lot of gear you can do without or replace in the field. But a knife is irreplaceable. In fact, if you have to replace something using natural materials, your knife is what will make that possible.

When it comes to hunting knives, there is something special about stag handle scales that accentuate the occasion. The classic styling is reminiscent of the deer camps of those who came before us. Bear & Son captures that heritage with this trio of hunting knives with genuine stag bone and stag-style Delrin handles, without breaking the bank. And they perform well for their price point, too.

Before you hit the field this year, bolster your kit with one, or all, of the hunting knives above for a well-rounded, classic experience.

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