Mukluks and moccasins for the new age hunter

Big_red_truck

Big_red_truck

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Labrador , the big land
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?
 
I have a pair of knee highs with softer soles that I use for snowshoeing. I like them and they are more comfortable and quieter than tall rubbers. I'll walk through snow in them but I don't use them on bare ground. I prefer something with more ankle support for spring, summer, fall.
 
A decent insole would give ya some arch support. I would love to have a set of real quality traditional knee high moccasins and mukluks.
 
oldbill said:
I have a pair of knee highs with softer soles that I use for snowshoeing. I like them and they are more comfortable and quieter than tall rubbers. I'll walk through snow in them but I don't use them on bare ground. I prefer something with more ankle support for spring, summer, fall.
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Where did you get yours? I'd love to get a pair , can't knock em until I try em.
 
I think they would be great in dry conditions, or in powder snow, but where I hunt it's just too wet by the time hunting season rolls around. Early in the season, when it's warm enough that I don't care about getting my feet wet, I often go out in just old sneakers. Once the weather gets a bit colder, it's full rubber from sole to knee. Don't forget that leather has a tendency to stretch when it's wet, then hardens when it dries.
 
I got mine at the silver moccasin (.com). They are in Cobalt Ontario and have a pretty good online store. I got the knee high tan mukluks. I dubbin them every once and a while and wear a good pair of wool socks with them. They are hand made in Canada. Manitoba I believe.

As mauser says, I wouldn't wear them in the wet or mud, but they are great in snow. Since Labrador is a bit north of me, you probably have snow on the ground for a good portion of your hunting season too.

Mine are lined inside and have a flexible but sturdy rubber sole. You can also get plain moose hide mukluks which are simply leather all round, with a long leather wrap. They are durable but all padding and insulation is up to your other layers.
 
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I wasent aware so many of guys we're already doing this. The camuks seem to be designed for just that purpose , wet muddy conditions. I think they line the moose hide with some kind of rubber or something. I there's one thing I learned is the ways to spend money are unlimited! There's always something I'd like to buy
 
Tell you what I think folks. Back in the day many of the user groups were subsistence hunters and trappers pretty much most of the year.
When not used in the snowy and very cold dead of winter, these wonderful things were/are very stealthy for silently stalking animals on forested floors full of clutter compared to hard soled shoes of more modern manufacture.
Your foot so covered, can feel branches and twigs to avoid them. This is often not possible with modern footwear.
I think they would be great for early season hunting on ground surfaces that are dry, soft enough and mostly free of rocks. Such as the boreal forest floor in much of Canada.
Willing to admit though, I myself would not choose them for upland bird hunting over numerous miles of crop field edges! And I think you would invite frostbite for late season use in a tree stand.
The lack of arch support is a modern foot problem that probably was never heard of in the 1700-1800s or a bit earlier.

my 2 bits only
 
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Brutus said:
Tell you what I think folks. Back in the day many of the user groups were subsistence hunters and trappers pretty much most of the year.
When not used in the snowy and very cold dead of winter, these wonderful things were/are very stealthy for silently stalking animals on forested floors full of clutter compared to hard soled shoes of more modern manufacture.
Your foot so covered, can feel branches and twigs to avoid them. This is often not possible with modern footwear.
I think they would be great for early season hunting on ground surfaces that are dry, soft enough and mostly free of rocks. Such as the boreal forest floor in much of Canada.
Willing to admit though, I myself would not choose them for upland bird hunting over numerous miles of crop field edges! And I think you would invite frostbite for late season use in a tree stand.
The lack of arch support is a modern foot problem that probably was never heard of in the 1700-1800s or a bit earlier.

my 2 bits only
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Actually Brutus the mukluks are rated for -20 Fahrenheit I belive! I've read reviews of people in the northern territories wearing theirs daily for outdoor activities in the -30's to -50's!
 
Big_red_truck said:
I wasent aware so many of guys we're already doing this. The camuks seem to be designed for just that purpose , wet muddy conditions. I think they line the moose hide with some kind of rubber or something. I there's one thing I learned is the ways to spend money are unlimited! There's always something I'd like to buy
Click to expand...

The little old ladies in the Tlicho area (outside Yellowknife...Behchoko to Wha Ti to Gameti to Wekweeti) all wear little rubber overshoes over the moccasins. Even in the stinking vicious cold of winter. That and their blue skirts. My legs just started aching thinking about them wearing that and walking all over town. Never heard one complain about being cold though. Must be an equivalent that a person could get for mukluks. Or buy the Manitobah ones with the rubber soles. People in the Kitikmeot loved 'em.
 
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Id love to be able to find a pair like this to try out
 
Mocassin's are more suited for dry colder conditions. I prefer wearing them when snow shoeing for many reasons. Light, better feel and control of the shoe, don't wear the gut lacing of the shoes. Smooth soled traditional leather moccasins are slippery, you can end up on your butt very quick.
There are countless styles and models of moccasins and mukluks, all very interesting. But the ones I liked best were just the basic leather 8" top thick leather ones for snow shoeing.

If you want to try something as similar pictured in #16, and get the best of both worlds. Try the LLBean high leather top rubber bottom hunting shoes. I have worn them in various top heights for years and really like them. There not for real cold weather though, like in the minus F
 
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i use a pair for snow shoes, they are far easier to walk in for that.
As others have said, they are not great for wet conditions. They wouldn't last a day during moose camp, it's way too muddy. But they are amazingly warm. Partly I think because they don't cut off your circulation like stiff regular boots.
The native peoples must have had a pair soaked in goose or bear grease for wet conditions.

and yeah, if you wear a traditional pair in the mud, you best put a pad on your butt, because you're gonna land there before long.
 
Maine hunting shoe by LL Bean, same style and effect but it has a heal for pavement and man made debis. I like the 16 inch high version for fall and winter, unlined so I can add socks as needed. I used tall mocs for years but they are useless once you step out of the canoe at a landing with all the glass and crap around. There is literally no where in the world where there is no garbage.
 
When I was a kid, there was a year or two when we wore mukluks all winter long, except to go to school- when out in the deep snow, they didn't scoop snow inside like the galoshes we had. I used to wear them when fun-stalking deer and for general hunting as an adult. The nice thing about them is that you can feel a branch on the ground and avoid breaking it, and they are otherwise incredibly quiet (to human ears anyway). The downside is that they are slippery on wet rock, leaves, and moss. That is of course an even worse problem on snow and ice. I think I once read that the Inuit wear something on the outside of them to solve that, but the exact info escapes me.

If anyone uses or even remembers the British product called "Dubbin," in the 'mukluk years' we kept that company in business I can tell you. Nowadays I'd use Snowseal.

As far as arch support goes, when walking on snow or in the soft loam of the forest your feet sink in a bit and that tends to mean you don't need artificial supports like you do on cement or blacktop. It's how feet are supposed to work, I guess.
 
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