How to pick the perfect hunting footwear for every adventure

I long believed my wife owned too many pairs of shoes, but for personal safety reasons, I never voiced that opinion. It’s a good thing, too, as I recently learned I was dead wrong. To my complete surprise, I discovered I own at least as many pairs of hunting boots as my wife does shoes. In my defence, no one pair can do it all, and that’s how I’ve amassed quite a collection. Here are the boots I’ve found over the years that meet my specific hunting needs and expectations. Consider them recommendations if you’re looking for some new hunting footwear of your own.

WATERFOWL

For waterfowling, I have two dedicated sets of chest waders. For hunting big water early in the fall, I wear uninsulated Alpha Swampfox waders from LaCrosse. In terms of design and construction, they are the best waterfowling waders I’ve come across in more than 40 years of hunting ducks and geese. For late-season diver hunting, meanwhile, when it can be mind-numbingly cold and a custom fit is less important than having room for extra socks and layers, I have a set of Cabela’s neoprene waders.

I also have hip waders, which are ideal for walking sedge flats and shallow marshes when teal or snipe are on the menu; I’ve owned them so long I can no longer read the manufacturer’s name on the label. And for hunting from field blinds, when ease of movement and navigating through mud are the priorities, I have a pair of insulated, calf-high MudTrek rubber boots from Irish Setter (above). They also once served me well on a Newfoundland moose hunt, mitigating the challenge of slogging through muskeg all day.