Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Moccassins?

Do any of you that hunt early season Elk or Deer from the ground wear moccassins? A long time ago when I was in high school in the 1960s San Fernando Valley, there was a local indiancraft shop named Fairchilds Indian Craft. The owner was a bow hunter who spent a lot of time in Montana, I'm not sure but I think he was married to a Blackfeet woman. Anyway, their specialty was an updated moccassin based on the Blackfeet style but made more practical for everyday wear and especially for bow hunting.

Well, "Fairchilds" became a fad in all of the local schools, the moccassins were very comfortable and looked cool. The standard Fairchild was a 6" high, full grain rough out cow hide with full gusseted tounge and 1/8" thin glued on rubber sole. I bought a pair that were higher and I also learned how to make the pattern and build the moccasins themselves. Fairchilds went out of business decades ago, but I make a pair for myself ever five years or so. I love hunting with them earlier in the year in dry weather. I also make a camp moc that is almost exactly like the original indian style. I'm not offering to make them for anybody, just wondering if anybody remebers Fairchilds or hunt with another style of moccassin? I'll try to post pics.

John

Haven't worn maccassins on the hunt as of yet, but I really want a pair.

Last season, on several bow hunts, I would take off my clunky hunting boots for the final stalk whenever I got withing 60yds. That way I would make less noise. The problem was that I hunt in texas and every time I would do that my feet would get full of stickers and jumping cactus. Did that stop me? Heck no because no pain no glory. But by the end of the season I had done it enough that I resolved to myself that I would get a pair of Moccassins by next season.

I've worn them quite a bit. I have a pair with heavy double leather soles.

the good -
they're quiet, very quiet. You can feel the ground as you walk.

the bad -
they're cold. Even heavy socks don't make up for a good sole under you.
They're slick, particularly on grass. You're not very quiet when you're tumbling down a hill. They're even slicker if they're wet. Climbing into a tree stand with them is a good way to get yourself badly hurt.
They're wet. You'd better like wet feet if there's much dew or rain
They have no foot protection. Walking in sharp rocks isn't nearly as fun as it sounds.

The Indians wore them because it's what they had. The white men didn't wear them because they had better.
Dick

During bow season for deer we have worn home made mocs and then put wool socks over them to help with the slippeness (sp) issue but where we hunted the soil was sandy not too many rocks but if I wore them too long my feet felt bruised. Makes for good stalking but not for long walking.

I'll have to post pics of my mocs. Without changing the cool indian look I have added a sewn on thin buckskin sole cut to fit my sole exactly. then I glue on a very thin composition rubber sole that has a molded in texture that really gives it traction. I usually backpack or horse ride into early September elk camp. I wear normal boots for the trek into camp with my moccasins in my backpack. But everyday when I get up to hunt I put on the moccasins and hunt with a light day pack and my recurve.

There is no way I would wear these in cold or snow or even a lot of rain. For those days and general rifle season in November I wear boots, but I have worn my moccasins all day, day after day hunting antelope over East in dry weather. They make you more quiet in two different ways, first they are just naturally more quiet than boots, secondly, since stepping hard on a sharp or pointed rock can bruise your foot, you tend to watch your step more carefully.

I bet it sure beats bare-foot stalking when one needs to get in close.
I wouldn't use them during rifle season either, because with all the wide open spaces I have in Texas I don't need to get that close to seal the deal.

Here are a couple of pics of my old hunting moccassins I took today.

Notice the Antelope blood on the toe of the right moccassin. I made these out of Elk hide I had tanned here locally by Hagels Tannery. Actually Hagles send out the hides that are to be tanned in a Gold color like this. They do the white looking psudo brain tan in their old shop that looks like it's been there a hundred years.

These are real comfortable for driving long distances to. There is only the one seam around the outside of the foot and with the full gusseted tounge there is no way for dirt or dust to get in. They are not waterproof, I guess you could silicone the leather or even snow seal them but that would screw up the nice buckskin look, and I don't know how effective it would be anyway.

I used these for a week of pig hunting in South Texas and never got a thorn in my foot, but like I said you tend to be more carefull, noticing where you place your foot when wearing these.

I think this is a great idea and i want to try it. I usually use heavy hiking boots for hunting. Last season I found my suede camp shoes so comfortable that I decided to try them on the mountain one day. I ended up using them the whole week. Made climbing easier and stalking more silent. When I did get an elk I switched to the Asolo's for carrying the heavy loads. I've been thinking about mocs ever since.

I like the rubber on the bottom that is a good idea I don't know how to post pictures or I would post mine but they are home made and have leather sole.

Moccasins are OK until you have to cross water or mud holes, and then you have problems. You can put heavy sock over your boots and tie them up tight on your leg with heavy rubber bands. Just as good if not better in damp terrain. It muffles the noise which mocassins do very effectively. But if hunting in dry country-no doubt the best and you can actually feel branches while stalking, which allows you to stay focused on the animal your stalking instead of looking down and checking where your placing your feet. Bow hunters old tricks. That's how native Americans could get close enough to kill with archaic old bows and arrows.

Hello Glacier John, Steve over here in FL. I grew up in No. Hollywood, and used to have A pair of Fairchilds I got around '69-'70, and yes they were very cool.They were at Victory Bl & Lankershim. I was trying to find them or something similar web searching and came across your posts with the pics. I drew up a scetch of what I remembered they looked like a few months back, and when I saw your pics, I was glad to know my over 50 brain is still working, as my scetch looks very close. I have a Seminole Indian lady down here who said she could make me most any mocs,and she likes to use moose hide, what do you think about that hide? She said she likes to use thick Buffalo for soles??. Could you possibly send me more detailed pics of them stuffed with paper and showing seams and construction? Did you get your pattern from an actual old pair of them? I think you could get Fairchilds w/ both leather and rubber soles, I do not remember, but I had the thin rubber soles like yours. Maybe you be so kind as to send me a pattern also, that is, if it is not Top Secret!! Regards, Steve Ruby Sanford, FL, scr458earthlink.net 407-562-7911

Hello Glacier John, Steve over here in FL. I grew up in No. Hollywood, and used to have A pair of Fairchilds I got around '69-'70, and yes they were very cool.They were at Victory Bl & Lankershim. I was trying to find them or something similar web searching and came across your posts with the pics. I drew up a scetch of what I remembered they looked like a few months back, and when I saw your pics, I was glad to know my over 50 brain is still working, as my scetch looks very close. I have a Seminole Indian lady down here who said she could make me most any mocs,and she likes to use moose hide, what do you think about that hide? She said she likes to use thick Buffalo for soles??. Could you possibly send me more detailed pics of them stuffed with paper and showing seams and construction? Did you get your pattern from an actual old pair of them? I think you could get Fairchilds w/ both leather and rubber soles, I do not remember, but I had the thin rubber soles like yours. Maybe you be so kind as to send me a pattern also, that is, if it is not Top Secret!! Regards, Steve Ruby Sanford, FL, scr458earthlink.net 407-562-7911

Steve,

You're right they were on Victory just east of Lankershim. I couldn't afford them when I was in school so I borrowed my friends pair and between that and an old book of indian craft I figured out the pattern. I made these from memory for myself and a couple of bow hunter friends, not bad memory for forty years later. Almost all of them had the thin rubber composition sole, a little thinner than what I used here. The rubber sole is glues to a leather mid sole that is stitched to the bottom of the moccassin. Fairchilds did make a lot of different moddles including the type I show which was by far the most popular, they made that one any height you wanted, 6" was standard. They also made various models of low, below ankle taditional style and a knee high SW Indian style.

If you trace your foot and take measurements around the instep, ankle and 6" up the calf, I'll make a pattern for you. Moose hide would make an excellent moccassin, deer hide is too thin for normal wear, but ok for camp use, I use Elk a little lighter than moose. The best thing for the sole is thin leather sewn smooth side out as a mid sole, then glue the thin rubber sole to it. Better traction and waterproofness. If you don't go with the rubber comp sole, Buffalo hide would be more traditional to the way the northern plains Indians did it. The problem is that when you eventually wear them thru the stitching you have to dismantle the whole moccassin to sew another sole on. With the rubber sole you just glue a new one on. I guess you could try gluing the Buffalo to the mid sole?

It's too hard to explain how to put it all together here. PM me.

John

Hello john, PM'd you a moment ago, do not know if it went through, not to sure how to use this site yet. Please confirm, and call if possible or email at scr458earthlink.net. Regards, your buddy from the valley. Steve

I read a book by G. Fred Asbell on bowhunting called "Stalking/Still Hunting: Ground Hunter's Bible." In the book he talked about using moccassins and he recommended the LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoe instead. He said he tried everything, including moccassins, and the Main Hunting Shoe was as quiet, if not more quiet, than moccassins.

After reading the book I bought a pair and couldn't be more happy. I actually bought a second pair that was insulated for really cold days.

Any one out there know where to get a pair of those "Fairchilds"

I used to get a short haired sheep skinn from tandys and glue a foot of it on thebottom of some moccasins when archery hunting in NM or west Texas. I carried them in my back pack and put them on for stalking.

When you can feel the ground with the sole of your foot you can be quieter.

Bean boots.

I use a regular pair of moccasins around camp all the time. I also have a pair of the Cabela's version of the Bean boot that I've used for a long time. Got the insulated version and cut out a felt sole to use under the insulated lining. They are very quiet and warm too.

I have two sets of Carl Dyer moccasins. One high top and one called the Canoe style low top. I wore these a lot at the Muzzle loading shoots and Rendezvous during the 70's and 80's. I took them, roughed up the sole a little with sand paper and after chopping up a whole bag of rubber bands with a chefs knife on a cutting board, I would put rubber cement on the soles and completely cover with the chopped rubber bands and press them onto the sole with latex glove.
They lasted many years. I still use the high tops I use for hunting if it's not too cold. This is just one idea you might try.
Here is a link to the place where I got mine. You can order single or double bottoms, or used to be able to.
Carl Dyer's Moccasins

Never tried hunting in moccassins. Pretty wet most places here where I hunt in PA. Like the idea though.

Glacier__John
Read your story on moccasins with interest.I would like to share a story of an old trapper I knew back in the 50's , who ran a trap line in northern Canada during the winter and wore only moccasins. He took heavy moose hide, anchored it at the toe and ran it back to the heel and anchored it, when it wore through he just replaced the replaceable sole. In the winter rivers and streams tend to flood ever once in a while. His method to cross them was to dip his foot quickly in the water and then out building up a layer of ice on each foot (at 20-40 below) doesn't take long and then continue on his way, back on the trail the ice would soon crack off. I talk to him in 54 and he had been trapping his registered line since 29. Any body wants to talk further PM your # and we can talk. Cheers NC P.S. good stalking.

Get a pair of canvas-topped bean boots, instead of a leather. With a little use they get nice and flexible, and make for a great stalking shoe. They sell them on the website.

Had a Pair of Fairchilds In 1969 do you have a pattern Available I love to make a pair for myself

I've made my own and used them for hunting on into the winter in northern WI and MN. If you get wet, stuff dry grass in the bottom. An insole cut from a tanned sheepskin works well. If your moving your feet stay warm. I made a pair of beaver fur mittens with gauntlets that came halfway up my arm and if I decided to sit somewhere to watch a trail I'd take the mittens off and slide my feet into the gauntlet part, toes stayed toasty.

A friend made me a pair some years ago that I wore bowhunting. They made it much easier to walk quiet, but they didn't fit well so I quit wearing them. I would like a new pair for the purpose one day.

I actually wear a pair of leather soled wrestling shoes, kinda like a moccasin, when still hunting.

I wore a leather pair of Moccasins for years, with additional deer skin soles inside, when I was a serious Stalking Bow hunter!
My oldest Son Has become a very proficient, and Serious Bow Hunter himself, and has kinda copied what I used to do,
and inherited my old, still good, moccasins, and has taken that to another level with the, Anxynt Moccasins, and has Taken a few nice specimens of Game with his Bow!
It's almost a must in my opinion to get close to game, with a Bow,IMO!

Carl Dyer makes great moccs, but man, are they pricey....
I still have mine that I bought in the '80s... so maybe, not so pricey after all.

I hunt in moccasins occasionally. Very light, Quiet, Easy to " feel" where you are walking.
Usually during muzzleloader season.