Should I buy hip boots for my December trip this year?
- Thread starter irish1
- Start date
Unlikely to be much liquid water in December.
All the 'bring your ark' hype this year is way overblown. Yes - the water table is high, and a few roads are still flooded, but there is plenty of dry ground to hunt. Have been out there two trips and not gotten water above my boots.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
You don't need an ark, but let's not underblow the amount of water in this state. The eastern 1/2 of the state is incredibly wet. NOBODY recalls seeing this much before. Yes, there's plenty of dry ground to hunt, but there's soggy ground all over the place. Not so much you probably need hip boots to hunt in, but enough that you want to avoid or hunt around every single low spot. I'd recommend a good 10" boot (minimum) since you can't avoid it all. And I don't wear them, but there's been tons of conversation this year about muck boots. The problem in quite a few areas is that there's water preventing you from getting TO the dry ground. I've never hunted in hip boots & don't ever want to. But for brief trudges TO a place to hunt (carrying my comfy hunting boots across the water), I throw in my chest waders. Why limit myself to 2' of water when I could wade through 4'? For thoughts on whether it'll be frozen in December, see the "Water Freezing???" topic. I've gotten plenty of wet feet in December. In fact MOST of my wet feet come in December & not from snow. From breaking through ice in sloughs. And I'm not that big a guy. That said, in December I'd expect most low spots (not sloughs) to be hard enough to cross.
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3goldens
Active member
I am here now in Miller, i have worn my lacrosse 16 inch lacrosse deer boots and been ok. I still have to be choosey where i cross and walk. The dams are tough this year to hunt around and to be honest they are not producing very well either. Bird numbers as of now are tough but we are still dealing with a lot of standing corn.
randywatson
Member
i would bring chest waders....seriously we had to use them on the 5 birds we dropped on frozenish cattail sloughs. dogs were busting through 1/4” ice. and getting cut to heck on it. we had come from nodak duck hunting trip and had our waders in the trailer. we marked each bird and came back and found all but 1 of them. im guessing everything will be well frozen
by then, but it could warm
up and thaw some too. never know...the 10 day forecast looks really good for making ice
by then, but it could warm
up and thaw some too. never know...the 10 day forecast looks really good for making ice
Vammy
Member
I heard about these "reusable waders" from Hodgman on a PF podcast. They're NOT something you're going to wear all day, but might be something a guy could use in a pinch and in a hurry.
For $20, I'm going to try them. There's a couple places I hunt where these might come in useful.
http://www.hodgman.com/hodgman-wade...an-gamewade-chest-packable-wader/1347865.html
For $20, I'm going to try them. There's a couple places I hunt where these might come in useful.
http://www.hodgman.com/hodgman-wade...an-gamewade-chest-packable-wader/1347865.html
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Boy am I confused by these!! I'm sure there's no way you're going to get them over your hunting boots; plus it'd wear out the feet if you did. And if you put your boots on OVER the waders, now your boots are wet. And 25mm?? Presumably that's a typo; supposed to be 0.25mm?? Something tells me these are meant to be used w/ wading shoes (or something you don't mind getting wet).
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Benelli Rooster
Member
I didn't have them and my hunting buddy did; he had the Hodgman's hip waders. I wished I had them on more than a few occasions. I actually bought a pair of the Lacrosse knee-highs on the way back from my hunt just so I have them next time.
It's a good idea to at least have them. If not this time, maybe you'll need them another time!
It's a good idea to at least have them. If not this time, maybe you'll need them another time!
Highvoltage
Active member
It will be hard water by then.
jackrabbit
Active member
I heard about them on the podcast as well. I haven't bought them yet but am curious. There are a number of times where I come across a small creek or ditch that cuts a piece of public land in half- that is just too deep for my knee high boots or too wide to jump. It sure would be nice to be able to pull those out of my pack, walk across it quick, then back to hunting.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Similar to my previous comment, am I missing something? Or am I right that they'd be worn w/ only socks? No boots involved, since pheasant hunters won't have wading shoes/boots tucked in their vests. It just seems like something I'd put a hole in the first time wearing them & get cold, wet feet anyway. And then have to do it again on the way back across the deep water. Seems like they need some sort of light boot built into them. ???
Maybe you'd have to have some sort of little water shoe that you could easily carry along to be worn over them to at least try to protect the "bootie" part (and your foot) a little???
As for their claim, "Also a great choice for putting in or removing your dock when lakes freeze up." First, if the lake's frozen, you're too late. But if you do it BEFORE the lake freezes, we all know what that water's going to feel like. Thinking I'd want something insulated. Just sayin'.
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jackrabbit
Active member
From what I understood on the podcast, they weigh almost nothing and fold up so small that they fit in your pouch and you hardly realize they are there. The ones referenced in the podcast fit over your boots and are meant to be worn for short distances, but definitely wouldn't hold up to prolonged use through cattails,etc. Some pairs (not sure on exact brands) last years, some get a hole after a few uses. For $15 though, it is probably a good investment to have in your pouch if they take up no space/weight.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
OVER your boot??? Ugh. I can about imagine myself trying to pull them on/off OVER my boots. I'd put several holes in them putting them on. Then more when I step on an old, tough thistle. Then more when I ask my dog to grab on & try to pull them off me. It's definitely something you'd want to have your Gopro around for. I'm all for learning new things though & I like the premise. Please buy a pair & post a video of you putting them on/off. I'm wondering if a little pair of cheap water shoes isn't the ticket. Worn OVER them??? Like this. They'd have to last a minimum of 2 uses. Across....and back.
https://www.fleetfarm.com/store/detail/rocsoc-men-s-royal-grey-slip-on-water-shoes/0000000324777/5500?gclid=CjwKCAiAzanuBRAZEiwA5yf4ujSo7MMovNK6oVV0bwA1nlHWGApnpq7hn_dqhOy-LcSxe6NL5PJLPRoCEvoQAvD_BwE
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jackrabbit
Active member
The only real reason I haven't got them, even though it says fits over boots. Is I am willing to bet they will not fit over my size 16 boots no matter what they say.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I'm really starting to like this idea.
Not necessarily for cold weather/water, but early season maybe.I don't see where it says they fit over boots, & I don't think they're designed to.
But if I got some little wading shoes, like these, to wear over the sock part....
https://www.fleetfarm.com/store/det...HWGApnpq7hn_dqhOy-LcSxe6NL5PJLPRoCEvoQAvD_BwE
We might be onto something here. :cheers:
So I get through the slough, carrying my gun & boots, & hopefully don't lose the wading shoes in the muck.
Then I get out & find a place to change back into my boots. Shoes & lower foot or so of the waders are going to be covered in muck.
So after you try to get off as much muck as possible, you're going to want a garbage bag to put them in while you hunt.
Unless....you intend to cross that spot again & just leave the messy stuff there to put on again when you return. (done that many times w/ regular waders)
This would SOOOO not be the craziest thing I've done to try to shoot a pheasant. :10sign:
jackrabbit
Active member
I'm really starting to like this idea.
I don't see where it says they fit over boots, & I don't think they're designed to.
But if I got some little wading shoes, like these, to wear over the sock part....
I think the PF On the Wings Podcast was referencing something more like these. One is listed as hip waders and one as chest waders, although they both have the same picture... Pretty mixed reviews from leaks instantly to holds up for awhile.
https://www.amazon.com/Hodgman-GMWDE-CSXL-2X-Gamewade/dp/B00PCAGY58/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=reusable+waders&qid=1573651719&sr=8-10
https://www.amazon.com/Hodgman-Gamewade-Hip-Packable-Wader/dp/B00PCAGY4Y/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=reusable+waders&qid=1573651742&sr=8-11