# Favorite knife for cleaning birds?



## dawgvet (Sep 14, 2017)

So I'm just getting started in upland/dove hunting and had a question about cleaning birds. What is your favorite knife for cleaning birds? I used a filet knife on the doves from this year but was wondering if something shorter would be easier. I've seen several small knives labeled as "bird and trout" knives but never bought one. What are your opinions on this?

Also, I've seen some knives with a long skinny hook for removing some of the intestines? Is this very beneficial? How quickly and under what circumstances should this be done? Are these hooks really that useful?


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## rhbama3 (Sep 14, 2017)

Remington upland game knife. Also has the bonus of a choke wrench.
A close 2nd would be kitchen scissors and a havalon knife.


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## backhometrapper (Sep 14, 2017)

grab the feathers and skin on the breast, tear skin away to expose the breast, put thumb under tip of breast and rip away from carcass. use a good pair of scissors to cut off the wings. a little extra cleaning and ready for the frying pan. enjoy


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## gatortrax (Sep 14, 2017)

Havalon.  Super easy to put in a new blade but they last a long time.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 15, 2017)

With doves, usually a pair of poultry shears for cleaning. If I fillet the meat off the breastbone, I use a fillet knife or one of the little boning knives I bought a while back. They're like mini-fillet knives.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 15, 2017)

My Bird n Trout knife that Scott Davidson made for me.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 15, 2017)

That's a good looking knife. Anvilhead is making me a similar one.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 15, 2017)

NCHillbilly said:


> That's a good looking knife. Anvilhead is making me a similar one.



That is actually the one we gave away at the Dutch Oven Gathering last winter. I couldn't find a pic of mine on the computer, but it is it's twin.


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## gregg (Sep 15, 2017)

backhometrapper said:


> grab the feathers and skin on the breast, tear skin away to expose the breast, put thumb under tip of breast and rip away from carcass. use a good pair of scissors to cut off the wings. a little extra cleaning and ready for the frying pan. enjoy



This....I actually twist the wings off first, but the rest is what I do, clean a dove in 30 seconds.


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## dawgvet (Sep 16, 2017)

Wow Miguel, that is a beautiful knife. How do you contact the maker as I'd like one like that?


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## Hunter922 (Sep 16, 2017)

Chicken scissors..


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 16, 2017)

dawgvet said:


> Wow Miguel, that is a beautiful knife. How do you contact the maker as I'd like one like that?



He's actually a member here and does outstanding work. 

http://forum.gon.com/member.php?u=17862


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## bighonkinjeep (Sep 17, 2017)

Gregg has it dead on. 
No need for a knife with doves. twist off the wings grab em under the breast and pop it out. If you leave the heart attached it's a bonus.


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## CaptPaul (Sep 19, 2017)

I'll second the Havalon.     hardly waste any meat, been using one for about 4 years now


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## Killinstuff (Sep 20, 2017)

Pluck doves! Snip the wings and legs and pluck.  There isn't a bird out there that looses it's feathers easier.  For bigger birds and ducks I breast out, the 4" Rapala fillet knife can't be beat.  Easy to get sharp and keep sharp.


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## Rabun (Sep 20, 2017)

I like my game shears and case trapper for the small stuff


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## mguthrie (Oct 10, 2017)

I had a multi tool once that had a very sharp, small blade. Worked perfect for filleting the meat off the bone of a dove


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## Dirtroad Johnson (Oct 10, 2017)

I grip the wing between my thumb & point finger right where the wing joins the body & pop it backwards & it snaps right off, then just pull the breast out with thumb. I should have said this is with doves. As with others I just make sure whatever knife I use is sharp.


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