If you send out for heat treat, just about any steel normally used for knives would be a good choice, A2 would be an excellent choice for a hunter, EDC, skinner, when heat treated properly it takes a very good edge and holds it very well, but you can't go wrong with good old O1 either. For good prices on either in precision ground, check out Amtektool.com good to deal with, and you can buy steel in 18 inch lengths, 1 bar at a time. If you heat treat yourself, I would stick with 1080 or some of the other 10xx steels and make the one brick forge to do the heat treat in.
Dale