Boots on the ground

With the dry undergrowth making silent stalking challenging, it's time to test out some new footwear that might just make all the difference

- CHRIS DALTON

An army, so they say, marches on its stomach. Well, as an ex-military man, I can tell you that is only true to a point and can categorically confirm that it marches on its feet. In fact, from the very start of any young military person’s career, the need to look after your feet and boots is frequently stressed.

Since my military days, I have spent over 30 years working as a stalking outfitter and, to this day, I am careful in my selection of footwear. I have certainly been through some boots in my time. I prefer a high-leg type and have become particularly enamoured with the range from Brandecosse, having been introduced to the brand a little over a year ago.

There is, however, a problem with a stout, heavy-duty boot when it comes to stalking in the dry conditions of summer, particularly so when trying to move silently in woodland. In fact, only this morning at breakfast one of my stalkers, Tony, was bemoaning the fact that, while he had seen plenty of roe that morning, he was unable to get close to them due to the noise he was making as he crunched through the undergrowth.

As it happens, Brandecosse has recently introduced two pairs of lightweight boots — the Stambecco and Capriolo — and with the ideal conditions to assess them, I now had the perfect excuse to get out to try for a roebuck myself. The ground was very dry after a long spell of warm weather and, coupled with the still conditions, moving around undetected in the woodland was going to be difficult.

Explosion of growth