Mukluks and moccasins for the new age hunter

I have a book called "into the Deep" about hunting in the turn of century Kedji wilderness of NS before the national park was there. There are dozens of pics of guides and Yank sports all wearing mocs, ankle length in the summer or when canoeing and knee length in the spring-fall-winter in the woods.
 
Big_red_truck said:
Being a long day at work I've had a lot of time on my hands. I've been been some reading , internet browsing and thinking. I was wondering how traditional style mukluks and moccasin boots would fair out in the field, they are supposed to be quiet , their design muffles the sound of stepping on a branch that cracks. The few reviews I've read seem to be positive and people seem to love their mukluks or hide moccasin boots. One particular set of mukluks I was looking at are steger quetico tall mukluks. As crazy as it sounds I might just give them a try. They are rated for cold temperatures and seem comfortable. Same goes for moccasin knee high boots which I haven't been able to find a pair yet. Am I completely out to lunch or does anyone else think these would make great outdoor hunting boots?
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not to split hairs but mocs let you feel that branch before you put your weight on it, they aren't a muffler.

If you practice walking ball/heel instead of heel first you can get a lot quieter in short order.

The #1 for game friendly in the bush isn't always quiet, as you can never be 100% silent. Slow, and broken are more important than silent. Only man marches through the bush. Walk slow and stop often...pull some grass...

I wore mocs for decades, bow hunting, dog sledding, in camp...I always carried a set in my pack or saddle bags.

They have their place but are not good in every situation as leather has limitations as does certain designs. Stone bruises, stubbed toes and such are more likely than with boots. Designs with a raised rib around the foot hold snow on top and will get wet through the seams if they aren't oiled up properly. Leather is slippery as snot on a door knob in snow and when wet, or when oiled up to be water resistant. I never liked them much for snow shoeing because after many miles the ball of my foot would get tender where the break over board was. Not a big issue if you only do a few miles though.

I still have several pair of mocs and a set of sheepskins with a gum sole that are super light weight and kept my feet warm in the tree stand when Sorrels wouldn't do it.

To your question, no they don't make "great" outdoor hunting boot imo. They have their place and do a fine job for many things, but your feet have to be used to them to take advantage.

If you want to be a moccasin man, go barefoot as much as possible so your feet get used to it. Because that's what mocs are really, barefoot with a thicker skin.

I think a good compromise for bush walking is a set of those cheap thin soled canvas sneakers and a pair of those elastic ankle supports. The kind that are like a stiff sock with no heel or toe. Not so much for the support but for the protection. You get some feel and protection without weight.
 
BrotherRockeye said:
not to split hairs but mocs let you feel that branch before you put your weight on it, they aren't a muffler.

If you practice walking ball/heel instead of heel first you can get a lot quieter in short order.

The #1 for game friendly in the bush isn't always quiet, as you can never be 100% silent. Slow, and broken are more important than silent. Only man marches through the bush. Walk slow and stop often...pull some grass...

I wore mocs for decades, bow hunting, dog sledding, in camp...I always carried a set in my pack or saddle bags.

They have their place but are not good in every situation as leather has limitations as does certain designs. Stone bruises, stubbed toes and such are more likely than with boots. Designs with a raised rib around the foot hold snow on top and will get wet through the seams if they aren't oiled up properly. Leather is slippery as snot on a door knob in snow and when wet, or when oiled up to be water resistant. I never liked them much for snow shoeing because after many miles the ball of my foot would get tender where the break over board was. Not a big issue if you only do a few miles though.

I still have several pair of mocs and a set of sheepskins with a gum sole that are super light weight and kept my feet warm in the tree stand when Sorrels wouldn't do it.

To your question, no they don't make "great" outdoor hunting boot imo. They have their place and do a fine job for many things, but your feet have to be used to them to take advantage.

If you want to be a moccasin man, go barefoot as much as possible so your feet get used to it. Because that's what mocs are really, barefoot with a thicker skin.

I think a good compromise for bush walking is a set of those cheap thin soled canvas sneakers and a pair of those elastic ankle supports. The kind that are like a stiff sock with no heel or toe. Not so much for the support but for the protection. You get some feel and protection without weight.
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Thanks for sharing , I was looking at mukluks or seal skin boots more so for snow shoeing. I'd love to try a pair of mocs though.
 
Big_red_truck said:
Thanks for sharing , I was looking at mukluks or seal skin boots more so for snow shoeing. I'd love to try a pair of mocs though.
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If you want genuine sealskin mukluks I can give you a name. They'll be spendy and damnably warm, but she's a damn fine seamstress and can make fine products.

Another friend of mine refuses to wear her mukluks except when it's -30 or colder. Her feet get too hot.
 
Big_red_truck said:
Thanks for sharing , I was looking at mukluks or seal skin boots more so for snow shoeing. I'd love to try a pair of mocs though.
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I have a pair of tall Rocky Gore-tex boots that are as light as mocs, waterproof and have a sole that is a good cross between feel and protection. I wore them calving one spring in the rain and was dry inside the boots but nowhere else.
If gore-tex had been around generations back, moccasins would never have been invented :)
 
Mocs seems like a good alternative, especially being able to be stealthy a little easier, the main drawback for me would be a lack of ankle support. It seems I always manage to come close to twisting an ankle almost every season, and thats wearing boots that have some level of support in them. I could see myself getting in trouble with them quite easily. But I'd love to have a pair for wearing around the camp.
 
I'm going a little bit off topic here....sorry

Magellann said:
Mocs seems like a good alternative, especially being able to be stealthy a little easier, the main drawback for me would be a lack of ankle support. It seems I always manage to come close to twisting an ankle almost every season, and thats wearing boots that have some level of support in them. I could see myself getting in trouble with them quite easily. But I'd love to have a pair for wearing around the camp.
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if ankle strength is an issue, build yourself an ankle board, or set, and walk on it a couple of times a day.
simply put, it's a wide V and a wide A. A 4x8 sheet of plywood will make a dedicated set but they can be as simple as a couple of planks screwed together.
it's low impact but does the job. Your ankles are angled inward and outward as you walk down their length to build strength.
If you skate, don't lace to the top. As your strength increases, drop another set of eyelets.
 
I have a pair of the Camuks and they are awesome. Super comfortable - like having slippers on all the time. Have different liners depending on how warm you need your feet to be. And living on the WET coast of Vancouver Island the only hunting they see is wet. I've crossed small streams up to mid calf and never been wet. And QUIET! The only time I don't use them is if I'm hunting really steep terrain; there I still rely on my stiff support hiking boots.
 
Zanelike said:
I have a pair of the Camuks and they are awesome. Super comfortable - like having slippers on all the time. Have different liners depending on how warm you need your feet to be. And living on the WET coast of Vancouver Island the only hunting they see is wet. I've crossed small streams up to mid calf and never been wet. And QUIET! The only time I don't use them is if I'm hunting really steep terrain; there I still rely on my stiff support hiking boots.
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Did you buy them from steger directly? Or do they have distributors here in canada?
 
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