What's the "ideal" footware for hunting?

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Mick Smith · #1 Post by **Mick Smith** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:36 pm

Bowhunting is a very specialised type of hunting. You need to get in real close to your prey to be successful. Your footwear needs to be, above all else, quiet. It also needs to be comfortable. You can't hunt well with uncomfortable feet.

I'm sure we would all be interested to see what our fellow bowhunters consider to be the ideal footwear. I'd like to break up the answers into two catagories, one for summer and one for wet and cold winters.

I'll start the ball rolling .......I like a cheap pair of ankle high joggers I bought in K-Mart for 30 bucks for summertime use. They're nice and light and comfortable with very soft flexable soles. For winter footwear, I like my Rossi Eclipse bushwalking boots. They are tough, comfortable, warm, waterproof (I use Dubbin) and thanks to their soft rubber soles, nice and quiet.

What are your favourites?

Mick

hubris · #2 Post by **hubris** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:54 pm

After years of using hiking boots (because I used to hike with 30-40lbs on my back), and after giving them a go (Butchoman's advice), I've moved to:

Thermal waterproof or summer socks (depending on season) + Dunlop volleys + Ankle sleeves (to keep out the dirt). This combo is very silent, dries out quickly, and allows you good positioning of feet for awkward stalking.

Axe · #3 Post by **Axe** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:59 pm

Badly scarred bare feet, look at me avatar

patch · #4 Post by **patch** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:05 pm

fongs

Poppy · #5 Post by **Poppy** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:56 pm

Dunlop Volleys Work for me in the dry. For the wet can't beat the old bluntstones

hubris · #6 Post by **hubris** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:39 pm

Hey Axe, maybe you could put that bag around your waste onto one of your feet, that'd help a little, though it may be a little cold now that winter is setting in

stace · #7 Post by **stace** » Sat May 21, 2005 9:51 am

Ive just gotten a pair of Cabelas Hunting joggers (more a boot) very light ,100% waterproof ,but a little warm so they will be my winter gear
My summer one are a pair of Scarpa hikers but soles are a little stiff so will change them for a lght pair of joggers of some dicription with ankle support (lots a hill where I hunt)
But have been know to slip'em off when stalking in on a good boar as Axe does barefooted you feel every twig and leaf

cheers
stace

Axe · #8 Post by **Axe** » Sat May 21, 2005 7:36 pm

hubris wrote:Hey Axe, maybe you could put that bag around your waste onto one of your feet, that'd help a little, though it may be a little cold now that winter is setting in

Perish the thought mate, imagine the constant swallowing I'd have to do to keep things in their right place

Mick Smith to give your question the respect it deserves:
I really do go barefooted occassionally, but also have Scarpa boots for when I'm hunt'n in the rocky areas, & for the easy going country, "slip on" volleys & a pair of divers boots for swampy areas (neoprene with harder rubber soles)

Mick Smith · #9 Post by **Mick Smith** » Sat May 21, 2005 10:24 pm

Seems the Dunlop Volleys take the prize as most popular all round. They are a good stalking shoe no doubt about it. I've worn out more pairs than I can remember. These days I prefer a bit more ankle support. Maybe I'm just getting old and unstable.

Hey Stace, those Cabela's joggers you bought would be the same ones I had me eye on, I bet. They looked the goods alright with a camo finish and a Goretex membrane. They'd have to go close to being the perfect hunting boot I reckon.

Thanks for sharing your opinions with everybody.

Mick

jindydiver · #10 Post by **jindydiver** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:10 am

Until the winter really sets in I wear my Teva's. I can get them off quick and strap them to the bottom of my pack and I am then good to stalk in close.
Some red pellets from sat' and my footwear.....

Mick Smith · #11 Post by **Mick Smith** » Sun May 22, 2005 12:19 pm

Jindy I'm too much of a wimp to wear my Teva's hunting in the warmer months. Too scared of snakes. I always take my Teva's when hunting in warm conditions, but only wear them around camp and in the car. I find its good to let your feet air out regularly when its hot.

You can't beat the Teva's when around the water though.

Thanks mate

Mick

#12 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Sun May 22, 2005 1:24 pm

What are Teva's? I can see a bit by the photo and it looks like some kind of slip on sandle type of footwear - is this right. Never heard the term up this way.

I have hunted mostly in western Queensland. I have always preferred a good leather boot with a reasonably thick sole in this type of country because of the types of trees out that way such as Mulga and Gidyea etc. These woods are extremely hard and can penetrate most things including tyres and footwear. Also some of the burrs in that country can penetrate softer soles.

Many years ago now a fellow on a hunt with me was wearing those old jungle green canvas boots with rubber soles. He kicked the end of a Gidyea limb laying on the ground and it went straight through the top of his boot. We took him into the bush nurse (no hospital) and she cleaned and stitched it up. It ended his hunt.

It was very sore and when we got back home he had it checked at the local hospital. He spent many weeks in there and had two or three operations cutting his foot open from on top and from underneath. They got 4mm diameter pieces of Gidyea out of his foot. He was off work near on three months if I remember correctly.

One trip out west I decided to use my joggers. After an afternoons hunt I feelt as if I had a blister on the side of one of my heels. Back at camp I checked and there was no blister. On further inspection there was a piece of Mulga or similar sticking up on the inside wall of my jogger and had been rubbing my heel. It had passed through 25mm plus of sole and protruded 20mm inside my jogger. I am very thankful it wasn't 20mm in my heel.

Good strong leather boots with good soles are nearly essential in that type of country I feel.

When I can I prefer to use jogger type footwear because of comfort and softer soles for better stalking. Bare feet is best for the last part of the stalk though - just got to have the right type of terrain though.

Jeff

jindydiver · #13 Post by **jindydiver** » Sun May 22, 2005 1:53 pm

stickbow
Teva is a brand name for a type of sandal made popular by the white water rafting guys. Now they make all sorts of footwear for all sorts of things.
And I have to agree that it is definitely horses for courses. I wouldn't wear anything but the best of my hiking boots when hunting out at Hay. Those cats eye's will punch through a 5 ply tyre, sandals aren't going to cut it.

Mick
I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t wear my sandals if I am in overgrown creek areaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s with a bit of water around. I have found that snakes like those areas and if I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t see the ground I am very weary of having bare spots on my feet. I have some wading shoes from the Columbia Clothing Co for those times. They just slip off too and are very handy.
Not the best pic of themÃ¢â‚¬Â¦.

#14 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Sun May 22, 2005 2:20 pm

Thanks for that info jindy as like I said I hadn't heard of them.

Jeff

Axe · #15 Post by **Axe** » Sun May 22, 2005 3:01 pm

Bought Tevas 8-9 yrs back, like Mick, I wear 'em around camp, don't like hunt'n in 'em, they're a trip hazard (sticks get under the toes)

I notice now there are similar things on the market, called Keen Sandals, they have a toe in them & still very open around the sides, saw two different styles Newport $219, Newport H2$189 ( at Paddy Pallins) ordered a pair of the Newport H2