Mountain boots

[Professor]

My son and I just got back from our first Idaho bear hunt. Saw three. A sow and one cub and then I missed a small boar at 150 yards down the mountain. I learned that lesson about downhill. It was 150 to the bear but really more like 25 or 30 yards of gravity so I shot over his head. Anyway, my son had a prairie rattler strike at his thigh before got even got to the snake. From my observations the likelihood of a no warning strike is highly dependent on the temperature. It was really hot.

 

[BeefMaster]

I dont think a snake would bite a man just walking by. I say that because i've walked by so many that never moved. Rattlers & copperheads up here and several cottonmouths down south that are supposedly real aggresive. They've all just sat motionless or coild up as i cruise by. Now if you actually stepped ON one and smashed em, well then you'd probly find out what a snake bite feels like!

I was struck by a copperhead in late July while working hounds at night. Dad was walking the deer trail in-front of me and probably aggravated it. I looked back when I felt the whack on the outside of my lower right leg which was protected by plastic snake leggings (thank goodness) and saw it coiled back up in the trail. Scared the daylights out of me and Dad. We ain’t run hounds in the summer since then either. I am a believer in some form of snake protection.

 

[ScarFoot]

Thanks for the replies, I grew up in South Louisiana, I was bitten on the boot once (rubber) while I was catching water moccasins. We would sell them to a labratory when I was in high school. I stepped on the snake accidently and was standing on it while it tried to bite through the boot, venom was on the boot but the snake couldn't penetrate it. I couldn't imagine trying hunt in the mtns wearing snake proof boots or leggings. That was 25 yrs ago. I've do alot of spring and summer hog hunting and I walk creeks looking for arrowheads with my wife. It wasn't till I had her walking directly behind me in the last ten years that I realized how many I actually nearly walked on/over. I disturb them and she sees them because they move. Happens quite often

 

[WoodlandScout82]

I wear danner fort Lewis boots. 10" height gives me plenty of support and decent protection from snakes. I don't wear anything lower than 8".

 

[strothershwacker]

I'm just glad we aint got dem spittin' cobras round here. I'd hate to have to hunt with safety goggles on!

 

[JN86]

I like the chaps. I'm usually in some step places where a good size timber could hit you above the knee and maybe even above the wast.

 

[strothershwacker]

So who makes good snakeproof gaiters?

 

[whitetailfreak]

So who makes good snakeproof gaiters?

I don't own any but hear good things about Crack Shot gaiters. Made in America.

 

[JN86]

So who makes good snakeproof gaiters?

Me and dad always got rattler brand. H&H in Murphy carry them.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I like Danners. I don't wear snake boots, I just don't think they are really needed here in the mountains. Maybe down there in the flat palmetto thickets where there are half a dozen different species of venomous snakes, but not up here. There's a lot better chance of being hit by a falling limb or tree than getting snakebit, but I don't wear a hardhat hunting either.

 

[Triple C]

So who makes good snakeproof gaiters?

Check out Turtle Skins. Ultra lightweight snake gaiters that seem to thin to work. I’ve quail hunted quite a few times on one of the plantations around Albany and picked up a pair at the hunting lodge. All the guides wear them. Super light and comfortable. Most trips result in someone bringing a diamond back to the lodge after a morning or afternoon trip. A bit pricey but worth the money.

 

[Tio Hey Seuss]

I wear rubber lacrosse boots for whitetail. What boots do you guys like for running around in the mountains?

Boots are a tough topic. I've tried a bunch from low end to super high end. It really depends on how much ground you cover, how steep/rugged is the terrain you hunt and how much weight do you carry on your back. Are you in a treestand or stalking? No boot does everything well. After that, you have to look at your foot shape/structure. Different companies favor different foot shapes. I strongly recommend joining the REI co-op to figure out what you like. $20 for life and you get a year to rag the boots out and see how they work. Return them for ANY reason in ANY condition.
Stay away from Danner, Underarmor, Irish setter...all that...unless you like buying boots every year spend the $$$ on a premium boot that can be re-soled and take care of them. If you must go cheap, I like Solomon or LaSportiva.
Forget snake boots/chaps. They are hot, heavy and uncomfortable and like Hillbilly said, you're much more likely to need a hardhat than snake boots. Or bee suit for that matter. Watch where you step. It provides the added benefit of getting you closer to your quarry?
Goodluck on your quest for boots!

 

[gobbleinwoods]

If you can try them on and walk around in them. I have a pair that are light weight and comfortable but tend to gape open in the back around the ankle area.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Stay away from Danner, Underarmor, Irish setter...all that...unless you like buying boots every year

I had a pair of Danner Pronghorns that I hunted these mountains in for 6 or 7 years before they started to leak. Very light, very comfortable, very durable.

I replaced them with Meindl boots from Germany. I think I hunted out of them for 6 years before the sole came off of one. I loved those boots. Best boots I ever had. Now Cabelas no longer carries them, and unless I want to buy directly from Germany, I'm out of luck.

I currently have a pair of Danner Highgrounds. They're like wearing sneakers. Ridiculously lightweight and completely waterproof. Great boot for early season trekking in the mountains.

I'm either going to replace those Meindl's with a different model from the same company, or I might look at Kenetrek. I've heard good things about them.

Also, there's no way I'd attempt to hunt the mountains in rubber boots or snake boots. Too heavy, too hot, and very uncomfortable. Walking 100 yards and sitting in a treestand is one thing. But actually hiking in the mountains requires good support and comfortable fit if you don't want to be hobbling back to the truck.

 

[Nicodemus]

I had a pair of Danner Pronghorns that I hunted these mountains in for 6 or 7 years before they started to leak. Very light, very comfortable, very durable.

I replaced with with Meindl boots from Germany. I think I hunted out of them for 6 years before the sole came off of one. I loved those boots. Best boots I ever had. Now Cabelas no longer carries them, and unless I want to buy directly from Germany, I'm out of luck.

I currently have a pair of Danner Highgrounds. They're like wearing sneakers. Ridiculously lightweight and completely waterproof. Great boot for early season trekking in the mountains.

I'm either going to replace those Meindl's with a different model from the same company, or I might look at Kenetrek. I've heard good things about them.

Also, there's no way I'd attempt to hunt the mountains in rubber boots or snake boots. Too heavy, too hot, and very uncomfortable. Walking 100 yards and sitting in a treestand is one thing. But actually hiking in the mountains requires good support and comfortable fit if you don't want to be hobbling back to the truck.

Just curious because its been a truly long time since I hunted the North Georgia mountains, and I can`t remember the name of the boots I wore on that trip. In cold weather, I wear the original LL BEAN Maine hunting boot. Leather top, rubber bottom 12 inch tall lace up. How would this boot do up there?

 

[jbogg]

Just curious because its been a truly long time since I hunted the North Georgia mountains, and I can`t remember the name of the boots I wore on that trip. In cold weather, I wear the original LL BEAN Maine hunting boot. Leather top, rubber bottom 12 inch tall lace up. How would this boot do up there?

I have never owned a pair of the LL Bean’s, but a 12” lace up should give you excellent ankle support when you start side hilling.

 

[jbogg]

My Irish Setter Vaprteks have held up well. I have a few hundred miles on them and this will be my fourth season wearing them. I use them almost once a week from April through October. They are super lightweight, and as far as being hot I don’t even notice them once I get hiking. To busy trying to suck air in my lungs while climbing those hills.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Just curious because its been a truly long time since I hunted the North Georgia mountains, and I can`t remember the name of the boots I wore on that trip. In cold weather, I wear the original LL BEAN Maine hunting boot. Leather top, rubber bottom 12 inch tall lace up. How would this boot do up there?

What tread is on the sole, Nic? If it's the one I'm thinking of, I wouldn't want to try it on steep terrain. You need a good, aggressive sole for stability on hilly terrain with leaves on the ground.

 

[Nicodemus]

What tread is on the sole, Nic? If it's the one I'm thinking of, I wouldn't want to try it on steep terrain. You need a good, aggressive sole for stability on hilly terrain with leaves on the ground.

It`s the chain tread. It can be somewhat slippery on a leaf covered hillside, and even more so if it`s longleaf pine needles.

 

[Tio Hey Seuss]

I'm either going to replace those Meindl's with a different model from the same company, or I might look at Kenetrek. I've heard good things about them.

I hear good things about Meindl boots. Another good German manufacturer is Lowa. I liked the roomy toe box compared to the pointy ones some European companies seem to like.
I looked at Kenetrek real hard but haven't tried them yet. Guys seem to love em or hate em but I think they would work well for our hills.
You might want to look at schnees too. They make a similar boot to kenetrek.