Saws for gralloching, splitting a pelvis and general game processing — the job a knife does badly.
- Folding and compact — the BushWear Bush Saw, the HME Mini Folding Saw and the Outdoor Edge Flip N' Zip live in a pocket or roe sack without catching on anything.
- Fixed with a sheath — the HME Bone Saw with scabbard and Gerber's Exo-Mod, for when you want it on the belt and instantly to hand.
- Modular — the Gerber Vital Pack Saw takes replaceable blades, which is the low-faff option if you dislike sharpening.
Choosing a bone saw for deer
- On the hill. A short bone saw for splitting the pelvis or chest and taking off the head and legs. The BushWear Bush Saw, Gerber Vital Pack Saw, Schrade Isolate Compact and Outdoor Edge Flip N' Zip are all sized for a roe sack.
- In the larder. A longer blade makes quicker work of a red or fallow carcass: the Outdoor Edge GrizSaw, Schrade Isolate Large, Böker Plus HL processing saw, or a G-Man 21" meat blade in a bow saw.
- Combination kits. The Hooyman MegaBite Hunter's Combo has bone and wood blades, and the Old Timer Hunter Kit pairs a knife with a bone saw.
Use a bone blade for bone and a wood blade for wood: a coarse wood blade clogs in meat and fat. Rinse and dry the blade after use — carbon steel blades such as the G-Man and Opinel will rust if they are put away wet.
Saws for the shooting ground
For clearing shooting lanes, trimming round a high seat or cutting firewood, there are the Hooyman extendable tree saws, the Opinel No.12, the Gerber Bushcraft saw, and pocket chainsaws from HME, Web-Tex and Hooyman. The Böker Plus Appalachian axes sit here too.
See also knives, sharpeners, deer extraction and larder equipment. For hanging the carcass, read best deer gambrels UK; for the rest of the kit list, deer stalking equipment: what you need.
