Tips & Tactics

Muddy Boots No More

Muddy Boots No More

By Tom Wertman

To get to my favorite stands, I often tread across muddy fields and my boots end up covered in muck. Not only is it dangerous to climb treestands wearing mud-caked boots, but when it dries, chunks can tumble to the ground at the most inopportune moment.

Too many times I’ve rotated to take a perfect shot and a falling piece of mud alerts the deer to my presence. The deer looks up and quickly realizes I’m a hunter, not a squirrel dropping a nut.

In my first attempt to remedy the problem, I secured a mat of mesh netting to the base of my stands with wire and camo burlap.  But between the elements and nesting birds pecking the mesh to pieces, the mat never lasted more than one season.

Then I tried something much simpler. I bought a pair of low-cut, slip-on rubber overshoes to fit over my boots. I simply remove them as soon as I get to my stand and put them back on when I leave.

Now my boot soles stay mud-free, and my stands and truck do, too.

Rubber does not retain scent, so I leave them at the bottom of my stand, taking care not to handle them much.

Tingley, Grainger and Totes make this type of overshoe, costing around $25, but you can probably find cheaper models if you shop around. If possible, try them on over your hunting boots before purchasing overshoes.

Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd