zaitsev:
big412 is spot-on with the K-bar, but a modern light-weight version which you might find much cheaper close to home is the Glock knife. We get them here for about $65 Australian, I have had one now for a couple of years and it still shaves with a few strokes on the white Spyderco ceramic stone.

I too have butchered buffalo with mine, but I use an inexpensive snap-blade box-cutter these days to get through the hide first. Saves the edge on your good knife from all the dirt and sand on an animal's hide.

Might even start carrying my Schrade PH1 in the field again.....