Honestly, Kershaw has made its claim in the folding market. The Kershaw Leek and Blur are among the best folding knives ever produced.

On top of that, Kershaw has pioneered some serious technological advancements in the folding knife industry. This is, after all, the company that gave us all SpeedSafe Assisted Opening and Composite Blade Technology.

So, naturally, when you think of Kershaw, you probably think of folding pocket knives.

A Kershaw hunting knife just doesn’t sound like it would fall in league with a Buck or a Gerber or a Schrade Old Timer.

But you should change that impression - these 5 knives are great choices to take afield - and it’s September, so it’s the perfect time to treat yourself to a new bit of hunting gear.

Deschutes Caper

The Deschutes Caper is a great all-around Kershaw hunting knife, especially if used to clean small game or as a skinner.

It boasts a 3.3” D2 blade which will take quite a sharp edge and hold it decently. Honestly, for a caper, the ability to take a sharp edge is more important than edge retention, anyway. Better to have soft steel that you can touch up, as it’s going to get dulled on hair anyway.

The size and shape of the blade are perfect for skinning and breaking down small game, and the polypropylene handle is another great thing - it’s basically zero maintenance.

Also, the sheath. GFN with webbing slots and a drainage hole, is also basically no-maintenance and can easily be scout-carried or lashed to a pack.

The one thing to be cautious about is the fact that D2 will rust if you don’t care for it. So, by all means, use it to clean your next harvest but make sure you wash and dry it before sheathing.

(Also, Kershaw makes a Deschutes Skinner that would also make a great hunting knife. Check it out via the previous link.)

Federalist

The Federalist is a basic slip joint style folding Kershaw knife with a fairly generic mien. All the same, it works as a hunting knife.

The Federalist offers a 3.25” drop-point blade (sort of like a modified clip point, in this case) with jimping along the spine, and a nicely curved belly. It’s made of 154CM super steel.

In this respect, the Federalist is one of the best knives on this list. While 154CM is a bit hard to sharpen, it will take a razor-sharp edge and hold it for a long time. This alloy is also highly corrosion resistant.

Also, thanks to its pairing with comfortable and grippy Micarta scales, you don’t need to worry too much about corrosion or moisture damage here.

All in all, it’s pretty hefty for a pocket knife, and sized just right to skin or quarter. You can even filet with it - if the quarry’s not too large.

Just be sure to keep it clean, and to keep hair and blood out of the pivot area.

Husker

This is the only “Kershaw-esque” knife on this list, but it deserves to be here.

Like other folding Kershaw knives, this one features assisted opening technology and a flipper mechanism.

Unlike a traditional hunting knife in so many ways, the Husker has one thing that makes it suitable in the field: blade profile.

It is gracefully swept and perfect as a skinner, though it can also be used to quarter both small and medium game. You might want a slightly larger knife for bigger game, but this will work elsewhere.

Another good thing about the Husker is that the whole thing is just a few pieces of solid steel. It’s a corrosion-resistant alloy, too (8Cr13MoV) so you won’t need to worry too much about rust. Like the Deschutes Caper, it’ll take a sharp edge, though it won’t hold it for that long.

Just be mindful: folding knives like this get gummed up with fat, hair and blood very easily - so be conscientious about cleaning it if you do make a hunting knife of it.

Brace

The Brace is probably the best overall Kershaw hunting knife on this list. It’s everything any hunting knife should be, without being too overspecialized (which is often a problem in this category).

It’s 4.9” overall with a 2.0” even blade of 8Cr13MoV steel, just like the Husker. It’s a classic drop point, with jimping along the exposed tang and forward on the spine of the blade.

This gives the knife excellent dimensions and proportions for a great deal of detail work, whether it’s processing a squirrel or skinning a deer. Though small, it can tackle either task (and many in between) with equal facility.

The alloy may not hold an edge well, but it is easy to resharpen and unlikely to rust. Also, the scale material, though minimal, is basically immune to corrosion and present in just the right capacity to offer a sure grip.

Small, easy to carry, but able to take on big tasks, the Brace is also a great choice for its sheath, which, like the Deschutes Caper, is MOLLE compatible.

This one’s made of polypropylene, but it also has slots so it can be scout-carried, lashed to a pack or saddle, or even worn as a neck knife.

All in all, it’s a highly versatile little knife that would excel in the field as a hunter’s companion.

Camp 5

Last but certainly not least we have the Kershaw Camp 5, which, though undoubtedly large for a hunting knife, is not without its uses.

The Camp 5, named for its 5-inch blade (technically 4.75”), features a D2 blade, just like the first entry on this list. It’s a blade-heavy profile and good for chopping - as a camp knife, as the name might suggest.

Yet, for some hunters, this size is beneficial. It can power through joints and chop through bones if needed, yet will take an edge fine enough to use for more sensitive tasks like skinning and caping - although the size might make these jobs somewhat cumbersome.

All the same, the size and heft of the blade make it ideal for breaking down larger game and it will facilitate processing larger cuts of meat thanks also to its dimensions.

The sheath, like that of the Deschutes Caper, is also MOLLE-compatible GFN that is low maintenance and highly practical for all of the reasons so far enumerated. It also has a lock and a tie-down strap.

Definitely on the larger size for a Kershaw hunting knife, but it’s not something that’s going to balk at hard work.

In fact, a combo of this and another knife on this list would check off all of your needs - a bigger knife to handle rougher chores, and a smaller knife for skinning and finer work, or even for food prep.

A two-knife system is better in the field, anyway. One tool can rarely do it all.

Refresh Your Pack with a Kershaw Hunting Knife

Looking for a new Kershaw hunting knife to round out your collection? Any of the 5 mentioned here would be a good choice, beyond a doubt.

Let your instinct be your guide and check out our full Kershaw collection via the previous link. There are other good options in there besides the ones mentioned here.