If you love hunting then there's lots of equipment that you need to consider purchasing.
Obviously you need a rifle, or a bow if you're a bow hunter, but that's just the start.
One of the things that you'll be using a lot if you're a hunter is your hunting knife.
A hunting knife is an essential tool for any hunter, and some thought should go into exactly what you will be buying.
Of course most sharp knives will do the job, however getting the right knife means that you'll be using the exact right tool to get the job done exactly right.
There are two basic choices when it comes to a hunting knife.
The first is a fixed blade knife, in other words the blade is fixed to the handle and cannot be folded back into the handle.
There are a number of advantages to a fixed blade knife.
And the second choice is a folding blade knife, or what is often called a pocket knife.
As a general rule a fixed blade is a stronger blade.
The metal of the blade is taken right through into the handle of the knife and this produces a sturdy solid blade that shouldn't break under any but the very roughest use.
They can often have a thicker blade, and this can also support serrations, which can be handy, for instance if you're trying to break a rib cage on a deer.
A fixed blade knife is easier to clean because it has no little nooks and crannies.
They are commonly cheaper than a folding knife of similar quality, because there is less work involved in making a fixed blade knife.
There are, however, also some disadvantages to a fixed blade knife.
Obviously, with a fixed blade, the knife cannot be folded together, and therefore is longer and more difficult to carry.
A folding blade knife will be roughly half the length of the fixed blade, and this means it's much easier to carry in a pocket, for example.
A fixed blade is more commonly carried on your belt, in a sheath.
And of course you will need to buy a sheath for your knife, which adds to the cost somewhat.
And a fixed blade, unless carried in a sturdy sheath, can also be dangerous.
It has an exposed edge and if it's been sharpened properly then that edge can be very nasty.
A folding blade knife, or what can often be called a pocket knife, also has its disadvantages and its advantages.
A folding blade is much more difficult to produce, because it will need a hinge.
It is therefore commonly more expensive.
It also has a thinner blade which is more prone to damage or breaking.
It has cavities where dirt, grime and blood can gather which can be difficult to clean.
And most good folding knives have a lock, and you need to operate the lock.
If you use your knife without it being properly locked there is a risk it will close on your fingers.
However a quality pocket knife still makes a very good knife, and it's small, unobtrusive and easy to slip into a pocket.
There is no risk from a sharp edge as the edge is folded away into the handle, and in some cases you can even choose from two different blades.
So as you can see, if you're looking to buy your first hunting knife, you have one big decision to make right at the start.
Will you buy a fixed blade or a folding blade? And then you've got to start thinking about which one.
But then again, why not just buy one of each?
Obviously you need a rifle, or a bow if you're a bow hunter, but that's just the start.
One of the things that you'll be using a lot if you're a hunter is your hunting knife.
A hunting knife is an essential tool for any hunter, and some thought should go into exactly what you will be buying.
Of course most sharp knives will do the job, however getting the right knife means that you'll be using the exact right tool to get the job done exactly right.
There are two basic choices when it comes to a hunting knife.
The first is a fixed blade knife, in other words the blade is fixed to the handle and cannot be folded back into the handle.
There are a number of advantages to a fixed blade knife.
And the second choice is a folding blade knife, or what is often called a pocket knife.
As a general rule a fixed blade is a stronger blade.
The metal of the blade is taken right through into the handle of the knife and this produces a sturdy solid blade that shouldn't break under any but the very roughest use.
They can often have a thicker blade, and this can also support serrations, which can be handy, for instance if you're trying to break a rib cage on a deer.
A fixed blade knife is easier to clean because it has no little nooks and crannies.
They are commonly cheaper than a folding knife of similar quality, because there is less work involved in making a fixed blade knife.
There are, however, also some disadvantages to a fixed blade knife.
Obviously, with a fixed blade, the knife cannot be folded together, and therefore is longer and more difficult to carry.
A folding blade knife will be roughly half the length of the fixed blade, and this means it's much easier to carry in a pocket, for example.
A fixed blade is more commonly carried on your belt, in a sheath.
And of course you will need to buy a sheath for your knife, which adds to the cost somewhat.
And a fixed blade, unless carried in a sturdy sheath, can also be dangerous.
It has an exposed edge and if it's been sharpened properly then that edge can be very nasty.
A folding blade knife, or what can often be called a pocket knife, also has its disadvantages and its advantages.
A folding blade is much more difficult to produce, because it will need a hinge.
It is therefore commonly more expensive.
It also has a thinner blade which is more prone to damage or breaking.
It has cavities where dirt, grime and blood can gather which can be difficult to clean.
And most good folding knives have a lock, and you need to operate the lock.
If you use your knife without it being properly locked there is a risk it will close on your fingers.
However a quality pocket knife still makes a very good knife, and it's small, unobtrusive and easy to slip into a pocket.
There is no risk from a sharp edge as the edge is folded away into the handle, and in some cases you can even choose from two different blades.
So as you can see, if you're looking to buy your first hunting knife, you have one big decision to make right at the start.
Will you buy a fixed blade or a folding blade? And then you've got to start thinking about which one.
But then again, why not just buy one of each?