Well, I just got back from a couple nights out and I used my little 4" fillet knife after one of the whippersnapper backpackers I went with stumbled over his feet and fell into my tent and tore it up.

I suppose I could have tore the duct tape instead of cutting it with the knife, but I'm really glad I had that tape to fix my tent!

Ooo... I also filleted a big can of beans with my knife! Don't know how I would have got into them without it. I would never carry in a can of beans myself, but another whippersnapper did (with no way to open them) so I sliced my way into a share of them with no arguments.

Didn't see any bears again, not even any signs of them, so I didn't have to kill any of those again with my knife. It was still a close call though because they're sneaky. They were probably hiding and sizing me up when they watched me cut up that can of beans and duct tape and knew better than to mess with me after that.

That's why I figure a knife is still essential in the Ozarks. Unseen Bears and whippersnappers need to know you have one, and that you know how to use it too.