Abstract: A hay bale cutter and a method of cutting a hay bale open, particularly suited for large round bales. The cutter has an elongate generally horizontal blade with a sharpened cutting leading edge, a skid on a lower edge for keeping the blade above ground, an upward facing support surface for support of a cut bale on the blade, and structure for securing the trailing end of the blade to a motor vehicle. The method has the steps of mounting the blade on a vehicle, taking the vehicle and mounted blade to a hay bale, spearing the sharpened end of the blade into one end of the bale, and plunging the blade through the length of the bale to cut the bale open along a radius of the bale.