Getting your feet wet might be fine in the summer but for backpack hunting, it might be hard to get them warm again when it's 20F and there's 4" of snow.
agreed; but often there is no other viable option- I've found even in cold conditions after fording- drying my feet, donning my dry socks and dry boots (which are usually tied together and hanging around my neck as I ford) and starting hiking again I'm good to go pretty quickly
slogging through a cold creek/river, in cold conditions and getting your hunting boots (and socks) fully soaked is
not a good strategy
