This weekend I accepted the invitation, but perhaps it would be more honest to say that I extorted it, from three "woodcock" friends to take me with them on a hunt for the queen of the woods" the Scolopax rusticola . Unfortunately, having no pen dogs, I always have to tag along with some kind friends. All the premises for an exciting day were there, good company, expert dogs and optimal climatic conditions. In preparing the bag, I make a rather unusual and risky choice: I decide to bring a new pair of boots, the Certano model, from Konustex, the Konus Italia clothing and accessories line, which I asked the company to test.
A small gamble, because wearing new boots during a long day of hunting, without the possibility of changing, could have turned into a nightmare, for me, but also for my adventure companions, who I would have forced to slow down, if not even to stop. However, their ominous promise to leave me behind, should anything go wrong, eased my anxiety. I made the definitive decision to accept the challenge after wearing them for a while at home, and reassured by the easy fit, I decided to proceed with the experiment.
The stress test was really demanding, the battleground was the wild one of the Lazio Maremma, where shrubs, stones and "raccia breghe" that bind you like a sausage, have no mercy! In that environment, moving with agility isn't very simple and, to keep up with the dogs' stops, which obviously never happen in a nice, flat, open and comfortable meadow, you need to have a sure and decisive step.
At the beginning of the walk, the boot gave me the impression of being a little stiff, but then, over time, and above all after having covered a few kilometers between stones, mud and water, the foot and the shoe finally found their balance, until I forget I'm wearing them.
Excellent the grip on steep and slippery terrain, with the tread that resembles the wolf's footprint, and the reinforcement on the toe and heel that helped me a lot in cushioning the blows and resistance of the terrain. The hunt was exciting, the dogs were very good, they delighted us with textbook approvals and approvals and, once again, "Her Majesty the Queen of the Woods" bewitched us and kept us busy for more than 5 hours!
At the end of the day, tired after having run almost non-stop up and down the scrub, but satisfied by that regenerating effort that only a hunter can understand, and with a generous game bag, we returned to the farmhouse to treat ourselves to a well-deserved meal and to rest the dogs. To welcome us a warm fire, bruschetta and wild boar sausages, accompanied by a good red wine. Naturally the discussion at the table went from the analysis of the various episodes experienced to the joking provocations for the ever-present frying pans!
At the end of the day, changing before getting back in the car, I remembered that I still had my boots on! Once they were taken off, the dry foot only made me express a positive opinion on this Konustex product. Bet won!
Now I can't wait to test them in the mountains, but I'm very confident with the result… plus, let's face it, maybe they bring me luck too, a good bag of 4 woodcocks doesn't happen very often! 