Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Good boots for stillhunting deer ?

I need new boots for stillhunting deer. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I think my danner elkhunters are about the best still hunting boot I’ve ever owned.

About 15yrs old and only went in to have the soles re-stitched once so far!

The old model of Lacrosse Alpha Burly. Soft is what you want. If you prefer leather, LL Bean makes a moc toe leather boot. I think they are made for upland, but waterproof and very light.

If you are thinking rubber, I wear Boggs in the early season and Muck in the late. I much prefer the Boggs.

If the terrain allows it, the gum soles on Clarks desert boots are quiet. Otherwise, pull some heavy wool socks over your regular boots; it really quiets them down.

The best I've ever used is this:

Wet- Lacrosse calf-high rubber boots ( tight around ankle type)

Dry- Browning ( Cabelas clone) Kangaroo leather/crepe sole upland bird hunter boots.

I'm going to say that it depends on a lot of things.

First off, let me just say that most of my still hunting days are behind me, and I wasn't that great of a pussyfooter at my best. I'm halfway to 62, and I'm a walking landform.

However, let me give you some ideas from my younger days.

First off, ask yourself if your terrain is going to be flat or on the bias. If you're on flat ground, a decent pair of light hikers will get the job done. Back in the day, I was big into Vasque hikers, but nowadays I'm using Hi-tec. The latter are fairly waterproof and I augment them with gaiters when I'm dealing with wet grass. Those birdhunting boots mentioned by others are great, but only if you're going to be hunting in the hilly stuff that requires more ankle support.

I second the LaCrosse boots if you're going into water and mud. However, I would warn against them if they're not needed. I have walked a few miles at a time in mine, but it would not be my first choice.

One thing I tried with some success is the use of indian mocassins. I had a pair that were ankle-high, tied in the back, and had a stiff cowhide sole. I'd wear a couple layers of thick wool socks, and these were the most silent shoes I ever wore in the woods. These allowed me to feel what I was stepping on, and it kept me from breaking branches. These were the ulitmate pussyfooters. You could probably do something similar with canvas gym shoes, but these had an additional cool factor. I used to go pussyfooting in the pine forests of Hocking Hills in these.

It's to early in the boots career to say that they are the best boots that I have owned, but 2 years and just starting to brake in the LL Bean guide boot is working great. Kept me feet warm and dry this year while hunting in snow.

I like these[url=https://www.irishsetterboots.com/hunting-boots/upland/wingshooter-00894.html?cgid=hunt-upland they used to have this same boot but without the speed eyelets. I do not like speed eyelets I find they bend out and break, plus they tend to grab tall grass. They are extremely comfortable and the crepe sole is quieter.

I am wearing a pair that is about 25 years old, they just work.

Thanks for all replies. Many good points to consider. I always think I have plenty of time to acquire & break in new boots, but suddenly deer season arrives......where did another year go!

I spent yesterday still hunting a mountainside in a pair of Boggs Diamondbacks....didn't need the snake protection yesterday but didn't want insulation. They have a aggressive tread that helps with traction on the mountainside and a fairly stiff sole. Yesterday was following 2 days of rain...the ground/leaves were quite, it was a little windy...perfect day for still hunting. The rubber boots help with crossing the runoffs from the heavy rain along the mountainside. Most any shoe will work, if the ground is level and you don't need traction or support, I think the thin gum soled rubber boots may be the best.

If you're going to still hunt a lot, I highly recommend a walking stick/treking poles and something like the Kifaru gun bearer. The walking stick/treking poles help me move a lot quieter and smoother. The gun bearer makes it easier to glass and leaves both hands free.

I have gotten good use with my LL Bean boots.

It's much more about using your eyes than the boots you wear....



Muck boots.




Mendl perfects.




Crispi's....





Can't recall, good chance it would be Mucks....





Use your eyes...
.

https://www.danner.com/grouse-8-brown.html#


Battue is right, but Danner's helped me sneak up on this little fella sleeping in his bed...

The Russell Moccasin Co. has some dandy ones. These for warm weather https://www.russellmoccasin.com/stalking-and-tracking-boots/

Then another pair with insulation and Vibram Airlight or textured crepe sole. These are pricey but I consider them a good investment. With regular maintenance and occasional re-builds you may not need another pair of boots again.

But any light hiker like Merrells will work. One bow hunting friend of mine would hunt in his bedroom slippers.

[img]https://www.hokaoneone.com/men-hiki...p;start=1&cgid=view-all-trail-hiking[/img]

Nice!!!!

I tried the L L Bean pac boots, but chainlink sole is two slippery. Been using Cabelas Rimrock Goretex hiking boots for several years now.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/CABELAS-RIMROCK-GTX-HIKER/2646747.uts



The latest deer I came up on sleeping in its bed.

My favorites were old Browning unlined Kangaroo birdshooters, but that was Long ago and Far away. This season I picked up a pair of 8" Merrill waterproof hikers for about $120 IIRC, and they're light and comfy, and have pretty good soles. I bought the Merrills plenty big and wide, and the extra room helps keep my feet from getting cold, down to the 20s even on stand with a heavy wool sock. My old 200gram Danners are getting a bit tight as my feet "settle", and have started to squeak a bit as well. The airbob soles also aren't as slip-resistant as regular Vibrams on rocks and wet logs either. For really cold weather, my 800gram U.S. Danners are still pretty light, and all that fluff helps cushion my ankles against side impacts. Good soles and they're repairable.

I thought the Bean boots would be ideal, but the chain soles are like skis on leafy slopes. They're fine on flat terrain, and pretty light. The Vibram models have (or had) steel shanks which adds a lot of weight.