Boots are more personal than a toothbrush. You've gotta go for fit, first & foremost.
AMEN!
I have wide feet. My hunting experiences and my enlistment in the Army have led me to try a variety of boots, and it has been surprising what works and what doesn't.
I've had boots from one manufacturer be awesome, and then another pair from that same manufacturer be a nightmare (Danner is the culprit here). I have found that I can't mail order boots--I need to try them on and walk around in the store for about 30 minutes (really! 30 minutes!) Now, if a boot doesn't feel terrific in the store, it's going to really feel "not terrific" outside. There is no sense in buying a pair of boots that doesn't fit just quite right and hoping to "break them in" through repeated use. Maybe that's what you had to do 30 years ago, but not anymore.
As for my own experiences with various brands, like I said, it's been all over the board:
Danners - About 10 pairs over the years. Mixed results. All bad with Chinese made Danners.
Irish Setter - 2 pairs. Same model. Fit and feel is great. One pair leaks and the other is tight as a drum. With a lot of SnoSeal I can waterproof the leaky pair. For the money, I like Irish Setter.
Meindl - 1 pair that I bought in Germany. They leaked and after 4 years, the sole fell off one boot.
Rocky - 1 pair. One boot rubs bad. Moleskin remedies that. Tough durable boots. Heavy though. I will definitely try another pair. For $130, if I can get a pair that doesn't rub, I'll be very happy.
Matterhorn - 1 pair. Good insulated, waterproof boot. Fit well for several years. Then one year I threw them into the closet wet and they dried with one boot bent at an odd angle. Next season, that boot began to rub my achilles really bad! Tried several fixes. Ended up tossing them.
Anyway, try 'em before you buy 'em. Then try 'em before you hunt 'em. Buy at Cabela's and you can return them w/o hassle. I bought a pair of Danners there last year. They felt great in the store, felt great in the summer getting ready, and they felt great while hunting. Except...the right boot leaked. I took them back to Cabela's in December. No questions asked. If a boot fails, they'll stand behind it. (So the next time somebody warns you about Cabela's high prices, keep that in mind.)
Good luck in your search! PLEASE let us know what you get AND how it works out for you!