Shopping for mountain boots.

[NCHillbilly]

I always thought the same thing until I broke down and bought a pair. No way I'm going back. I do without something else so I can have a good pair of boots. I wore danners for years until I bought the kennetreks.

Good for you.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I whittle mine out of trees.

Post some primitive kill pics. Ive got some buddies who do this and man is it impressive! Personally, even with a glass bow I want my shots inside 17 and prefer 7. I cant shoot a D longbow for the life of me so I cant imagine I could hit a fence with a selfbow.

 

[whitetailfreak]

Love that pic! Who's the baby? I bet he got around in the mountains just fine, too.

The baby is my grandfather's sister, Ruth Laney Chandler. She met and married Fred "Red" Chandler while he was working for the CCC on Hazel Creek and they lived out their lives in Waynesville after being pushed off Hazel Creek. A video interview of her and Red play on a loop at the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson. Aunt Ruth passed in 2002 but was an incredible woman.

 

[chrislibby88]

I wonder how Sam Hunnicutt and Big Tom Wilson ever got along in these mountains without $500 boots?

I was under the impression that those guys sought out and used the best technology of their time and bought the best gear they could afford. Unlike us their lives depended on their gear and skills. They didn’t use AC or motor vehicles then either, but we all use those. We are all lesser men with less grit than the guys that forged their own paths into the wilderness frontier.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I was under the impression that those guys sought out and used the best technology of their time and bought the best gear they could afford. Unlike us their lives depended on their gear and skills. They didn’t use AC or motor vehicles then either, but we all use those. We are all lesser men with less grit than the guys that forged their own paths into the wilderness frontier.

For sure, but some of “hunting” has just become silly.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Post some primitive kill pics. Ive got some buddies who do this and man is it impressive! Personally, even with a glass bow I want my shots inside 17 and prefer 7. I cant shoot a D longbow for the life of me so I cant imagine I could hit a fence with a selfbow.

I won't shoot outside of 15 with any kind of sightless bow. I ain't Fred Bear. . A selfbow is just as accurate as a glass bow if you spine your arrows right. They are just slow compared to modern bows. But, they have kept people fed for thousands of years, and they still work.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I was under the impression that those guys sought out and used the best technology of their time and bought the best gear they could afford. Unlike us their lives depended on their gear and skills. They didn’t use AC or motor vehicles then either, but we all use those. We are all lesser men with less grit than the guys that forged their own paths into the wilderness frontier.

To a point. I think they would have been disgusted with CB radios, cellular trail cams, GPS units, and a lot of stuff we use today.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

I've had two pair of wolverines. The last pair has lasted several years and I really like them but that model is no longer made so I bought a pair of Crispis and like them a lot. Trade back and forth wearing them. Although shorter the Crispi boots seem to have more ankle support.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

To a point. I think they would have been disgusted with CB radios, cellular trail cams, GPS units, and a lot of stuff we use today.

You're probably right about that. Technology has certainly made hunting more comfortable, even if it's made us softer. I'm only going as long and as far as my feet and knees allow me. If I choose to spend a chunk of change on boots that I feel will allow me to go further and longer, I will.

When I started hunting, my gear was pretty spartan by today's standards. Hand-me-down thermal underwear worn under sweat pants and Army surplus BDUs. A pair of government issue jungle boots from the Army surplus store. Brown cotton work gloves. I hunted the same woods then that I hunt now. But these days, I don't sit shivering with my teeth chattering.

 

[Buckman18]

Whether they wore expensive or cheap boots, our ancestors were much better physically conditioned to the elements than we are today.

My grandpa and great grandpa spent a fair amount of their teenage and young adult years in logging camps in Western NC and N.GA. My 20 minutes on a treadmill isn't going to condition my body anything like they were conditioned in camps working 12 hour days running a crosscut saw. Thats why their hands hung down to their knees in pics. They made due with what they had. But I guarantee you that if you had a time machine and gave them some of the amenities we enjoy today they'd gladly take many of them! However, they were stubborn in their ways, so who knows.

 

[splatek]

Whether they wore expensive or cheap boots, our ancestors were much better physically conditioned to the elements than we are today.

My grandpa and great grandpa spent a fair amount of their teenage and young adult years in logging camps in Western NC and N.GA. My 20 minutes on a treadmill isn't going to condition my body anything like they were conditioned in camps working 12 hour days running a crosscut saw. Thats why their hands hung down to their knees in pics. They made due with what they had. But I guarantee you that if you had a time machine and gave them some of the amenities we enjoy today they'd gladly take many of them! However, they were stubborn in their ways, so who knows.

I agree man. My dad grew up in Western PA and worked outside pretty much every day of his life; the man had hands that were like gorillas. It wasn't "fun" but it's what had to be done.
The thing about technology is that it draws the human mind in like a moth to the flame. Shane Mahoney has a take on technology that's a favorite of mine, I'll paraphrase here:

'Humans have been fascinated with technology since man first made a stone tool, or harnessed fire. If humans had not been absolutely consumed with technology during our evolution we probably would look different and act different. And, it's this fascination with technology that explains why children and young adults of today are drawn to electronics; the iPad, video game console, etc is simply today's stone tool and as our ancestors were drawn to that, so to are our children today drawn to the technologies of the day.

^^ That always gave me a different perspective on folks that were "addicted" to their phones and iPads, not that I like it, but it puts it in perspective.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I might wear expensive boots and carry a high dollar bow but Im still self limiting with a sightless stick and string. I think we need to be very careful how far we let this stuff into the woods and water. I think we have allowed way too much already. An inline is not a muzzleloader. An electric motorcycle is not a bike. A cell cam is legal but if I call you to say a deer is coming Ive broken the law. Things have gotten strange.

 

[livinoutdoors]

I agree man. My dad grew up in Western PA and worked outside pretty much every day of his life; the man had hands that were like gorillas. It wasn't "fun" but it's what had to be done.
The thing about technology is that it draws the human mind in like a moth to the flame. Shane Mahoney has a take on technology that's a favorite of mine, I'll paraphrase here:

'Humans have been fascinated with technology since man first made a stone tool, or harnessed fire. If humans had not been absolutely consumed with technology during our evolution we probably would look different and act different. And, it's this fascination with technology that explains why children and young adults of today are drawn to electronics; the iPad, video game console, etc is simply today's stone tool and as our ancestors were drawn to that, so to are our children today drawn to the technologies of the day.

^^ That always gave me a different perspective on folks that were "addicted" to their phones and iPads, not that I like it, but it puts it in perspective.

There must be somethin wrong with my mind then. I am drawn to technology, but mostly old outdated technology from centuries ago?. Yes, i do get the fact that im typing this on a phone on an internet forum?.

 

[livinoutdoors]

I feel like back in the day when people bought tools and equipment they did spend some big money on it, but they expected that it would last for a long long time and be repairable if it did wear out. Nowadays you can spend big money and it will still break or wear out like it was cheap garbage. Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes not.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I feel like back in the day when people bought tools and equipment they did spend some big money on it, but they expected that it would last for a long long time and be repairable if it did wear out. Nowadays you can spend big money and it will still break or wear out like it was cheap garbage. Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes not.

Pretty much. I like good quality stuff. But, it begins to get ridiculous at some point. I'm kind of glad I was raised poor, because I learned that you can walk through the woods without $500 boots, and $1k worth of hi-tech britches, drawers, and jacket on, you can catch trout without a $1000 rod and a $300 reel, you can kill deer without a $1000 rifle with a $1000 scope on it, and you can butcher and process that deer yourself with a pocket knife and fillet knife. Some folks nowadays seem to think all the above is impossible.

 

[splatek]

Pretty much. I like good quality stuff. But, it begins to get ridiculous at some point. I'm kind of glad I was raised poor, because I learned that you can walk through the woods without $500 boots, and $1k worth of hi-tech britches, drawers, and jacket on, you can catch trout without a $1000 rod and a $300 reel, you can kill deer without a $1000 rifle with a $1000 scope on it, and you can butcher and process that deer yourself with a pocket knife and fillet knife. Some folks nowadays seem to think all the above is impossible.

All of that is impossible for me. Broke *** Professor life. I’m sitting here drawing out the plans for the bow I’m going to build between now and season.

 

[livinoutdoors]

All of that is impossible for me. Broke *** Professor life. I’m sitting here drawing out the plans for the bow I’m going to build between now and season.

Money aint everything. Time. Thats all that matters. Time doing what you love.

 

[splatek]

Money aint everything. Time. Thats all that matters. Time doing what you love.

Couldn’t agree more
time with my boys and their mom, woods and water

 

[trad bow]

All of that is impossible for me. Broke *** Professor life. I’m sitting here drawing out the plans for the bow I’m going to build between now and season.

I’ve got two hickory staves in different stages of the process and two Osage staves waiting for me to hurry up and spend some time with them. Arrow slinging time is here though so the old Osage will get another season of hunting in unless it gives up the dust

 

[Professor]

For sure, but some of “hunting” has just become silly.

Oh yes sir. Most days I check out camofire and I wonder what do you do with that?