Hunting Knife

Hunting nickers (also called Nickers, Knickers, Nickfängers or Genickfängers, in Austria mostly Knickers) are classic hunting knives with a narrow, fixed blade and are among the most popular knives used in hunting.

Buy a hunting nicker – Nickers, Knickers, Nickfängers & Genickfängers for hunters and traditional costumes

The hunting nicker, also called Nicker, Knicker, Nickfänger or Genickfänger, is the classic among hunting knives and is part of the basic equipment of many hunters. In Austria, the term Knicker is particularly common, while in German-speaking countries the terms Jagdnicker or Nicker are usually used. Due to its fixed, narrow blade, the hunting nicker is suitable for gutting and dressing game as well as for numerous tasks in the hunting ground or during tracking. Many models are also worn as traditional knives with lederhosen and combine function with traditional optics.

What is a hunting nicker?

A hunting nicker is a 15–25 cm long, narrow, single-edged hunting knife with a fixed blade, which was specially developed for hunting tasks. Originally, the nicker was intended to quickly dispatch injured game with a targeted stab to the neck above the uppermost cervical vertebra (atlas), from which the names Nickfänger or Genickfänger are derived. Today, the hunting nicker primarily serves as a universal hunting knife for gutting, skinning, dressing and butchering game, as well as for cutting tasks around the hunting stand, stalking and tracking.

Names: Nicker, Knicker, Nickfänger, Genickfänger

The term Nicker refers to the hunting "Abnicken", i.e. killing an animal by stabbing it in the neck. Regional terms such as Knicker, Nickfänger or Genickfänger describe the same type of knife and have become established in various hunting grounds. In Austria, the name Knicker is particularly common, while in Germany Jagdnicker or Nicker is used more frequently, sometimes also in the context of traditional costume and lederhosen knives.

Areas of use in hunting and everyday life

The hunting nicker is primarily used for gutting and dressing hunted game, as the narrow, sturdy blade allows for precise and controlled cuts. In addition to classic hunting tasks, the nicker is also suitable for cutting ropes, sharpening sticks, preparing baits, and for smaller bushcraft and outdoor tasks in the hunting ground. Due to its compact design and traditional appearance, the hunting nicker is often carried in a belt sheath or in the knife pocket of lederhosen, making it always at hand.

Typical characteristics of a hunting nicker

Characteristic of hunting nickers are a fixed, relatively short blade, usually between about 8 and 15 cm, and a robust full-tang construction for maximum stability. Many models use corrosion-resistant or stainless steels such as 440A and combine them with handle scales made of staghorn, wood or modern plastics to combine traditional appearance and practicality. The shape of the handle is often slightly curved, so that the nicker lies securely in the hand and allows clean, controlled cuts even in damp conditions.

Hunting nicker as a traditional knife

Apart from hunting, nickers and knickers are traditionally worn as traditional knives with lederhosen and are considered a classic component of Bavarian and Austrian customs. In this role, the hunting nicker combines practical function with decorative appearance, for example through engravings, decorative bolsters or handle scales made of staghorn or noble woods. Thus, one and the same knife can be used both for hunting and for festive occasions.

Purchase criteria for hunting nickers and knickers

When choosing a hunting nicker, you should pay attention to a handle shape that fits your hand size, a sufficiently sturdy blade and reliable steels that can be easily sharpened. Depending on the intended use, the blade length also plays a role: shorter blades offer more control when gutting, longer variants are more universally usable in the hunting ground. A high-quality leather sheath or sturdy plastic sheath ensures that the hunting nicker can be safely carried on the belt or in the knife pocket.