Budget knife

[deerkiller]

Outdoor Edge from a PRACTICAL sense will out perform any mentioned - extra blades are inexpensive, easy to change out, safe and THEY WORK

 

[Wolverine]

Mora. For their price you could get multiple.

 

[Ag111]

I would look strongly at the Spyderco Endura 4 folding knife in VG10 steel. Lightweight with great ergonomics and the thin full flat grind blade is great for skinning. VG10 will hold up for an elk, it is not a super steel but is much better than most 420/440 type steels. Reasonable price for a great knife. Also pretty easy to sharpen in the field.

 

[Mike 338]

Ehhh, except to skin and maybe bone, it'll hardly see daylight unless that's the knife you use to spread peanut butter and jelly. A $10 Mora will exceed everything a dude "needs" a hunting knife to do, and then some. I have a Leatherman on my belt and the hunting knife in the bottom of the pack. Take the "fashion knife" money and spend it on boots and a decent sleeping pad.