How to pick the perfect hunting footwear for every adventure

WATERFOWL

For waterfowling, I have two dedicated sets of chest waders. For hunting big water early in the fall, I wear uninsulated Alpha Swampfox waders from LaCrosse. In terms of design and construction, they are the best waterfowling waders I’ve come across in more than 40 years of hunting ducks and geese. For late-season diver hunting, meanwhile, when it can be mind-numbingly cold and a custom fit is less important than having room for extra socks and layers, I have a set of Cabela’s neoprene waders.

I also have hip waders, which are ideal for walking sedge flats and shallow marshes when teal or snipe are on the menu; I’ve owned them so long I can no longer read the manufacturer’s name on the label. And for hunting from field blinds, when ease of movement and navigating through mud are the priorities, I have a pair of insulated, calf-high MudTrek rubber boots from Irish Setter (above). They also once served me well on a Newfoundland moose hunt, mitigating the challenge of slogging through muskeg all day.