What type of knives should you use when hunting? Fixed, folding, and EDC knives hit the mark.

Sunday, 5 a.m., the call of the forest. With your senses on high alert, you tread carefully between the breathing trees and the hooting owls. It’s hunting day. Whether you’re tracking large game or birds, you keep your blade close at hand. You become one with the forest. Hunting knife or hunter’s knife: this detail reflects the moral distinction between dominating and accompanying nature. Nowadays, the art of hunting contributes to the regulation of species. The modern hunter evolves in total respect for the ecosystem of woods, marshes, and forests. He moves forward between tradition, age-old gestures, and the transmission of heritage. In this context, what type of knives should be used for hunting? Our answer remains the same: choose the one that suits you best, and here’s how to decide.

Hunting knife vs. hunter’s knife: what’s the difference?

The 21st-century hunter

The modern hunter’s game bag is filled with thermal cameras, camera traps, and shooting tripods, sure! But hunting in the 21st century also means taking your place at the heart of the living world while respecting the balance of its ecosystem. Bloody hunts with daggers are a thing of the past. Nowadays, the aim of hunting is to regulate populations in order to preserve the environment and ensure the survival of species.

His folding knife accompanies him on every trip to the forest. Tucked safely in his pocket, the hunter is ready for action at any moment. Hunting is a way of life that is not limited to killing. Hunting means blending into nature, breathing with it. Thus, the hunter’s knife is also used to clear brush, cut string, pick wild fruit, or slice sausage for an aperitif.

Changing attitudes and practices

Historically, a hunting knife referred to a powerful fixed blade for heavy-duty butchering tasks. Today, this terminology is evolving. Modern hunters prefer a hunting knife: a versatile companion that transcends simple utility.

This distinction reflects a philosophy whereby hunters equip themselves with several complementary tools: a folding blade for everyday use and a fixed blade for processing game.

At each stage—securing, skinning, cooking—the hunter performs actions not out of aggression, but out of respect. This passion deserves noble instruments that live up to its values. The Morta perfectly embodies this approach, where tradition and modernity come together in respect for the animal and the environment.

After that, as we all know, there are good hunters and bad hunters 😅.

What type of knife should you use for hunting? From big game to everyday carry (EDC)

When choosing a hunting knife, you first need to think about how you will actually use it. Are you more fond of venison or plains game?

Fixed blade, folding, or EDC knife, which should you choose? Some people talk about the best hunting knife, so let’s take a closer look.

The fixed blade knife: the companion for large game

To honor large game such as wild boar or deer with dignity, the fixed blade knife is the preferred choice: unfailingly robust, completely reliable, and easy to clean after use.

Our fixed knives, forged from 90mcv8 steel or Sandvik 14c28n stainless steel, ensure a secure and precise grip. They guide each cut with ethics and accuracy. Respecting the pieces of meat is a way of honoring the animal, in the same spirit as the dagger used in the past to finish off the animal, which was said to “serve the beast.”

Discover all our fixed knives: more than just hunting tools, they are must-haves for your finest hunts.

Small game and hunter’s folding knife: finesse above all else

When dealing with lowland wildlife, delicacy is key. For pheasant, woodcock, or hare, a thin, easy-to-handle blade is essential after the hunt. Our Morta folding knives, with blades measuring between 8 and 11 cm, allow you to work on small game with precision without damaging the flesh. The precision of their cutting edge prevents perforation of fragile organs, guaranteeing the taste quality of the meat. Practical and discreet, the folding hunting knife combines efficiency and elegance in the forest and at camp.

A handcrafted hunting knife guides bushcraft enthusiasts in their precise movements. With its Morta handle, the hunter becomes one with the forest that surrounds them: unique texture, millimeter-precise control of every movement.

Discover our pocket knives: the EDCs for hunters.

EDC hunter: a knife for everyday use

The compact and multifunctional EDC Morta knife embodies the understated elegance of the modern hunter. Stored in its sheath, it slips easily into your pocket. It guarantees unfailing reliability for all outdoor tasks: skinning your trophy, preparing snacks at camp, or rescuing a companion in need of cheese.

Discover our EDC model, the future witness to your finest catches.

When choosing, consider the shape of your hand, how often you hunt, and your hunting style. Opting for a French handmade hunting knife such as the Morta means investing in durability, authenticity, and tradition.

When La Brière inspires French artisanal hunting knives

La Brière, land of hunting and tradition

Since La Brière was created, the marshes have provided sustenance for its inhabitants. Burial mounds, standing stones, dolmens, and skeletons attest to human presence dating back to at least 2,700 BC (as at La Butte des Roches and Sainte-Reine de Bretagne). Hunting was already providing them with food.

La Brière, a marshy region, is a land of hunting, fishing, and gathering. Its rich ecosystem is home to thousands of animal and plant species. The marshes and canals are home to waterfowl. The peat bogs are teeming with teals and coots. The woods and meadows are home to nutria, wild boar, hares, and rabbits. Crayfish, eels, and European otters coexist in the tidal channels.

La Brière is thus a historic hunting ground where the knife remains an essential tool for hunting and sharing good cheese with friends. Echoing Diana, the ancient goddess of hunting and the woods, the spirit of the marshes still connects man to the nature he roams.

Morta, ancient wood used in hunting knives

Morta is a type of swamp oak that has been fossilizing in the Brière peat bogs for several millennia. Its extraction is strictly regulated to protect the ecosystem. The Brière Regional Nature Park, the Grande Brière Mottière Trade Union Commission, and biodiversity services ensure the balance and reproduction of fauna and flora.

🔗 I want to know the true story of Morta.

Today, this wood, produced through a unique process, is reborn in the form of handles for handcrafted knives. Its distinctive brown and caramel hues and its nobility imbue the knife with all the richness of the Brière tradition. Each handcrafted handle made from Morta embodies a thousand years of French expertise.

Morta: what this exceptional wood brings to hunters

The morning mist envelops you as you move silently through the heart of the marsh, your breathing matching the breath of the wind. What could be better than holding wood from this forest in the palm of your hand?

Worn smooth by time, it fits your palm perfectly. Your movements become natural. You are not hunting, you are evolving in a natural environment that welcomes you like one of its own. Your hunting knife takes on a whole new dimension.

Your knife reflects the quality and robustness of French materials and the soul of an exceptional handcrafted object.

A symbol of the Briéron heritage, it embodies the spirit of ethical and responsible hunting. The preserved ecosystem in Brière echoes the ethics of the modern hunter.

When you pass your knife on to your children, you will also be passing on your hunting tradition.

Transmission and lifestyle: the knife, a hunting heritage 

A thousand-year-old rite of passage 

The transmission of the knife from father to son perpetuates a centuries-old tradition, a true initiation ritual into the art of hunting. This symbolism embodies essential values: harmony with nature, respect for animals, precision of movement, and ethical hunting practices. 

The Morta, through its age, embodies this temporal continuity, with each generation enriching the legacy it has received.

Choosing a durable hunting knife

Nothing is wasted, everything is respected! This philosophy of the modern hunter guides the choice of noble tools. An exceptional knife honors the game as much as the hunter. In the face of disposable culture, investing in a Morta knife means choosing durability over consumption, authenticity over artifice.

From the forest to the table: the blade connects it all

The knife accompanies the entire process of game preparation, from gutting in the forest to gourmet carving in the kitchen. This respectful continuity transforms the act of hunting into a culinary celebration, where conviviality and heritage traditions come together around fine meats.

Choosing a hunting knife also means choosing a lifestyle: one that is practical, sustainable, aesthetic, and rooted in artisanal heritage. Today’s hunter acts as the guardian of a fragile balance, combining a detailed knowledge of ecosystems with environmental responsibility. The blade thus becomes an instrument of conviction, where tradition and ecological awareness come together in respect for living things. Choosing a knife with a Morta handle is about reconciling man and nature, putting this thousand-year-old swamp oak back at the heart of the forest, its original element.

I want a Morta knife for hunting.

Article written by the sharp pen of Christelle Lorant.🪶