Getting to be that time of year…
Anyone have a recommendation on a quality pheasant hunting boot. Want something I can wear from the beginning to the end of the season. I know of the big brands/models Danner Pronghorn and Irish Setter Wing shooter. Just wanted to see if you guys and gals had any others I’m missing. Looking for a boot on the lighter side.
Thanks
Irish Setter Vapor Trek’s are very nice. Two of us have them and like very much.
Also Under Armour has several sweet boots that are light and comfortable but they are spendy.
Can’t wear Danners either…… nice boot but can’t make them work.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/footwear/men-s-footwear/men-s-hunting-boots/men-s-insulated-hunting-boots%7C/pc/104797980/c/104747580/sc/104826780/i/104841180/cabela-s-men-s-9-boa-reg-speed-hunter-boots-with-gore-tex-reg-and-400-gram-primaloft/1968579.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fmens-insulated-hunting-boots%2Fcabelas%2F_%2FN-1102846%2B1000002949%2FNe-1000002949%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104841180%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU I know a lot of guys in our group have switched to these and love them I on the other hand love my mucks!
Cabelas Meindl Perfekt 10″ uninsulated boot. I am 100% sure you will not need another boot for years to come. I used Danner when they were Danner, not owned by Lacrosse. They were a good boot but wore out. I went through a pair a year. Now that Lacrosse owns them I have had worse luck.
I used some of the cabelas kangaroo boots, nice for early season but again, wore out.
The Meindl product is comfortable, water proof and very durable. Spendy but the most amazing boot available period.
Lot’s of good choices out there but they are like shotguns where it comes down to the fit of the brand.
I’m a Pronghorn guy.
I’ve got Brownings with kangaroo hide. Opted for the Gore-Tex too. They are about the lightest around. I’ve have very good luck with many miles logged in them. No problem putting many miles a day with total comfort and dry feet.
I’m a Pronghorn guy.
Roger that. When 1 pair is 80% worn out, I order up the next pair.
Hardest thing for me is finding boots that are truly uninsulated. I don’t have a problem staying warm while bird hunting, so I don’t need 800g of insulation. Pronghorns are one of the few full-height boots out there that have no insulation.
Grouse
My current pair are the Cabela’s Meindl Hunter as well. Spent some time trying on lots of different brands and models and the Meindl Hunters were by far the best fit for me and I’ve been really happy with them.
As Francis mentioned, fit is the most important thing and if you haven’t tried on boots for a while, don’t rule anything out – I used to buy lots of Ecco for everything (office shoes, hiking boots, golf shoes) but they changed their sizing about 5 years ago and now they don’t fit me at all. Irish Setters are the same thing with their sizing, my feet just don’t fit their construction.
Hope this helps, good luck.
I’ve had a pair of Irish Setter Shadow Trek’s for years, and absolutely love them. I use them for everything pheasants, deer, all the way through ice fishing.
http://www.irishsetterboots.com/USD/product/hunting-boots/03858-shadow-trek-gtx-camo-3858
My brother had a pair of Red Wings (similar to the Wing Shooters I think), that he put hundreds of miles on. Only downfall was they were un-insulated and not good for late season. IMO you can’t go wrong with any of the Red Wing/Irish Setters, but I am biased by decades of great performance and being a Minnesota brand.
I like Russell South 40’s, but they are spendy……i think around $500.
Thanks for all the replies. It looks like I will be heading to Cabelas this weekend to try boots on.
For all you Muck boot people. Do you get enough support out of them while walking the fields?
Muck chore boots are a good boot for wetter cover. If you hunt even a little where the boot leather is getting wet, the constant wet/dry cycle will ruin even a great boot. I personally get enough support with the muck boots and I have a bad ankle and knee on the same drivers side.
Had a great pair of elk Hunter’s from danner, loved those boots! Not a cheap danner I would touch now. Replaced the elk hunters with Irish setter elk trackers. They are a high boot and they’ve been a good solid boot with a lot of ankle support. Bought from Chet’s and couldn’t be happier. They know how to size your feet correctly, give you free laces when you need them and have awesome customer service. They are a boot/shoe store, so no snot nosed kids who know less than I do about foot wear, a that’s saying something.
I use the muck and setters every other day if it’s wet or my feet get sweaty to let the one pair dry out slowly. Quick drying wet boots can kill a boot quickly.
Go to cabelas, then go check out Chet’s and pay attention to the quality difference. Imo it’s substantial.
Try these made in America and plenty of choices. I have had 1 set for 20 years and they are rebuildable.
Thanks for all the replies. It looks like I will be heading to Cabelas this weekend to try boots on.
For all you Muck boot people. Do you get enough support out of them while walking the fields?
yes, I get full support a d they are snug around the ankle. Never a problem from day one. I do wear 2 pair of socks in them. Thin and thin in warmer weather and thin and thicker when its colder.
i am still on a pair of irish setters i baught 7 years ago, I keep on digging them out, i have yet to find a boat as comfy as that pair. so I will keep on looking for them every year.
I have two pairs of Danner High Ground boots and love them. They feel “hard” initially, like they aren’t padded much, but you can walk all day in them so it works somehow.
Had rocky corn stalkers my whole life. Also my dad and brother to.
I’ve had a pair of Irish Setter Shadow Trek’s for years, and absolutely love them. I use them for everything pheasants, deer, all the way through ice fishing.
http://www.irishsetterboots.com/USD/product/hunting-boots/03858-shadow-trek-gtx-camo-3858My brother had a pair of Red Wings (similar to the Wing Shooters I think), that he put hundreds of miles on. Only downfall was they were un-insulated and not good for late season. IMO you can’t go wrong with any of the Red Wing/Irish Setters, but I am biased by decades of great performance and being a Minnesota brand.
Same here, I’ve had a pair of Irish Setters for over 10 years and still holding out! From fall hunting all the way through ice fishing, although I spend alot more time sitting on the ice than busting through brush. 
Agree with basseyes about Chets, they’ll make sure you get fitted properly!
With all the rain we have had here this year I think you will make a mistake buying a pair of “hiking” boots and expecting to use it the entire season.
I bought a pair of Mucks last year for the first time and wondered what the HECK took me so long to buy a pair. They fit amazing. Warm. Dry and you can walk in water well over your ankle and not worry about your feet getting wet.
Opening weekend last year I dropped a bird in the edge of the cattails and stepped in well over the top of my Danner’s. Feet were soaked the rest of the day.
I wore my Mucks all the rest of the season and then deer hunting. Feet were never cold and they are comfortable.
My Danners are 15 or more years old. They are in rough shape, but they still fit great and are waterproof except for the fact water can come over the top easily.
I am going to send them in to Danner to have them recrafted. Its pricey, but they aren’t made like this anymore. All leather, full lace.
For all you Muck boot people. Do you get enough support out of them while walking the fields?
this was actually my largest reservation about mucks in the first place. I have weak ankles and roll them all the time in the field and my danners always were sturdy for the challenge.
Well, I was worried that the mucks wouldn’t be up to the task but with how wet everything was I couldn’t use my danners. I have to say I am thoroughly impressed with the mucks.
So much so I plan on wearing them the entire season and sending my danners in to get recrafted.
Who carries Muck boots in the Twin Cities?
I went to Cabelas and tried a pair on to figure out my size. Going to order them online. They seem to be 30-40 dollars cheaper.
But most of the big name stores (and smaller) will have them.
Does amazon usually have the best price or are there better outlets online? I usually assume Amazon has the best deal but for hard core gear maybe that isn’t true?
I’ve seen good deals, and I’ve seen crazy high prices. Go straight to the mfr website and see if they have a coupon. Check out fleet farm and reeds too.
Does amazon usually have the best price or are there better outlets online? I usually assume Amazon has the best deal but for hard core gear maybe that isn’t true?
No. I do a ton of shopping on Amazon but you can typically find better deals elsewhere. Amazon is nice cause it’s quick and free shipping, easy returns. This is great for clothing/footwear in case you need to return. Be careful who fills the order as there has been an increase in shady products.
Prices will fluctuate on amazon like anywhere else.
here’s the amazon price tracking for a danner pronghorn uninsulated model size 13 EE.
danner-pronghorn-amazon.jpg
It’s really a shame how downhill danner boots have gone. I run meindls now – uninsulated hiker which I can wear through November and 400 gram hunters when things get chilly. Both are fantastic. Everyone’s foot is different tho. Best advice is don’t go cheap on boots
I put on a lot of miles walking pheasant hunting each year. I have Danner Pronghorns…. I have had 4 pairs the past 4 years, all have ripped, all have been exchanged under the 1 year warranty with pretty much no questions asked. So that said, I love them until they rip and I love their customer service. Hopefully this year they rip again before the warranty is up in early December or this is finally the pair that lasts forever. I haven’t worn them for anything other than pheasant hunting, so they literally sit on the shelf 9 months a year. I always carry a pair of Muck’s with me, because you never know how much water you’ll be hunting in. High ground and grass I wear the Danners, lower areas get the Mucks.
Thanks guys… Will do some hunting (<-heh) at manufacturer sites for better pricing.
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