Hunting boots vs. everyday boots?

[WhiteKnight]

Do any of you here wear the same pair of boots both for hunting and around the town?

The only reason I'm asking is that I have a handful of friends that have a broken in pair of boots that they wear pretty much every day, as well as for deer hunting.

I'm not sure if a deer's sense of smell is keen enough to pick it up, but I would think that a pair of boots that's been all over the place (fast food joints, shopping centers, classrooms, car parts stores, etc.) would have a lot more "human" smells ingrained into it than a pair stored in a scentlock bag all year except for a few minutes before one steps into the woods with rifle in hand.

I'm considering buying a decent pair of boots (Danners, etc) and I would like to know if they could do double duty as work boots/hunting boots.

 

[Kobun]

I doubt that nylon, plastic, rubber, goretex etc smells like dirt and grass.
But then I'm no deer so I wouldn't know.

 

[mustanger98]

Well, I wear the same boots all the time. I haven't noticed any problem.

 

[redneck]

All of my boots smell like horse****

 

[Smokey Joe]

Thoughts on boots and $$

Most of us who live in the real world, financially speaking, can't even think about affording a good, comfortable, well-made pair of boots to keep in a scentlock bag for 11 months/yr, and another such pair of boots for everyday use.

Of course, I'm not speaking for plastic surgeons, sue-'em-all lawyers, and members of upper management in large corporations.

Is scent discipline THAT important to a rifle deer-hunter? Deer experience people-smells at least every now & again in their daily activities, and 99.5% of the time the people-smell is of no consequence to the deer.

I know bowhunters--who have to get much closer than firearm hunters to the deer--who wear the same boots for everything they wear boots for, and who practice scent discipline to an extent, and who enjoy an excellent success ratio.

BTW, a new pair of boots is going to smell like new leather; hardly a natural woodsy odor.

If you're concerned about how your boots smell, there are a plethora of covering scents, scent removers, etc, etc, available at any archery shop, each of which costs a tiny fraction of the price of a decent pair of boots.

Lastly, if you're hunting in an agricultural area, no matter what you have or haven't done to your boots, sooner or later they'll just smell like cowpies.

 

[mustanger98]

Like redneck said,

All of my boots smell like horse****

Yeah. Mine too. The deer around here smell it all the time.

 

[Art Eatman]

I imagine that the smells of one's boots are the least of any scent problem. I always figured that my clothes and body were, to a deer's nose, a lot stronger aroma...

Good boots are an investment, not an expense. I still sometimes wear my Redwing "20-mile" boots I bought in the 1970s. Numerous re-solings...Same for a pair of Russell BirdHunters from not too long afterwards. They're not good in wet country, of course.

Art

 

[Smokey Joe]

Smells

'Gree with ya there, Art. And Russels are really nice boots. I actually wore out a pair, took abt. 30 yrs. And currently can't afford to replace.

BTW, I always have wondered: For the people who practice serious scent discipline: WHAT do you do when you pass gas?? I mean (grin) is there a special cover spray? Or is the odor kept inside your scentlock garments for you to enjoy personally all day long?

 

[sm]

Well my Russell Bird Hunters were stolen back in the late 80's - gave me ten good years of service before that happened.

My 25+ year old Danners still work, as do my 20 yr Old LL Bean rubber soled "Bean Boots" .

I rarely wear boots except to hunt, or when it snows. Hard Rain - most often wear the LL BEan rubber sole shoes.

Deer...well , where I'd most likley go they are used to farm smells, gas, diesal , various chemical sprays. Then again when I go where these smells are not common....I smoke, drink coffee, wear natural earth tones. Don't do camo or buy fancy scents. I do stay still or move real slow tho.

Last time I went to the woods , I wore white tennis shoes, and a blue oxford shirt ....umm...it just kinda happened that way....the critters didn't seen to care.

"Jump in the Truck and see if we can find out where they go to bed down"

WE found them!

NO - I will never get a contract to do a hunting show...I just kinda show up with whatever I have and run with it.

 

[sm]

Well my Russell Bird Hunters were stolen back in the late 80's - gave me ten good years of service before that happened.

My 25+ year old Danners still work, as do my 20 yr Old LL Bean rubber soled "Bean Boots" .

I rarely wear boots except to hunt, or when it snows. Hard Rain - most often wear the LL BEan rubber sole shoes.

Deer...well , where I'd most likley go they are used to farm smells, gas, diesal , various chemical sprays. Then again when I go where these smells are not common....I smoke, drink coffee, wear natural earth tones. Don't do camo or buy fancy scents. I do stay still or move real slow tho.

Last time I went to the woods , I wore white tennis shoes, and a blue oxford shirt ....umm...it just kinda happened that way....the critters didn't seen to care.

"Jump in the Truck and see if we can find out where they go to bed down"

WE found them!

NO - I will never get a contract to do a hunting show...I just kinda show up with whatever I have and run with it. Might be what I wore to work or College....or what I will be wearing to work or College.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Boots

SM--Yeah, the Bean Boots are really good in cold/wet. I use a pr. of their so-called Cold Weather Boots, with felt liners. Use 'em all winter. There are similar boots I could buy locally, and for less $$, but Bean will replace the rubber bottoms when/if they ever wear out. I have a lighter slip-on pair of Beans for less cold weather.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

My everyday boots are Durango (by Georgia Boot) Farm and Ranch (funny, in a Nashville TN western wear store they were just Georgia Boot Farm and Ranch). I have three pairs, two for weekdays and one old pair for weekend use. I have worn them antelope hunting but they are not warm enough for elk, deer or bird hunting.

The last couple years I have worn a pair of Rockies for cold weather hunting. GoreTex and Thinsulate are great products.

 

[mustanger98]

Georgia Boot is what I wear. The western work type- ranch wellington, but I'm thinking these last two pair aren't in the Farm & Ranch line. They wear good though. Two pair. Wore out a pair of flat-soled Farm & Ranch over the last ten years too. Got a pair of ranch wellingtons from Cabela's- 800grams of Thinsulate. If they find me froze to death, they'll note my feet are still toasty.

 

[SteveS]

I have four pairs of boots. A pair of camo "scent-lock" boots made by Rocky that were a birthday present. A pair of Red Wings I use for outdoor work. A pair of Columbia winter boots for snow, and a pair of Sorels that my dad bought back in the early 70's that I use for deep snow.

I don't wear boots all that often (I work in an office), so the camo boots are mostly worn just during hunting season. I don't worry about keeping them in any type of bag, I just spray some type of scent blocker before I head out in the morning. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but the scent blocker doesn't cost that much.

 

[sm]

Smokey Joe -

Yep - Kinda figure old "LL" was one of "us" .

Take a off the shelf arch support insole that slips in - and one can improve on an already well made - well designed boot. they don't pick up a lot a mud in the soles, but still give plenty of traction. R-e-a-l quiet in the woods too.

When at the car wash to get the mud of the truck - the LL's get cleaned too....that power wand is right handy - point at feet and boot cleaning is a snap.

Funny part is - most gals I know don't want the blue ones for ladies....they want the green or brown .

I really like my thinsulate Danners, still great boots after all these years...the LL's get more use - in my area, climate and environs.

LL's warranty , and customer service is top notch.