I'll piggyback off of recurveman's post.
Boots are a very personal gear choice, but I think boot choice is a lot simpler than most people make it. Your boots need to tick the following boxes:
1. Fit your feet. And your feet are broken into your boots too. Good boot shops can guide you to how brands generally fit (X brand fits low volume feet, Y brand has a wider forefoot, etc.) or good luck finding anything meaningful on forums. Try on several pairs before you buy, then don't be afraid to return them if they don't work.
2. Sole stiff enough for the weight you intend to carry. If the stars align and you kill one 15 miles back, your soles and ankles will be extremely unhappy packing +100lb in running-shoe flexible boots. Having said this, you probably do not want a rigid (no flex at all) sole or your feet won't last with trail miles.
3. Waterproof. You cannot risk wet feet on an extended hunt. You can change socks a couple times a day if they leak but that's very annoying too.
Beyond that, leather is a good idea and a rubber rock rand is a good idea. You can always add more insulation to a non-insulated boot with thicker socks but you can't take insulation out of an insulated boot.
And pick a brand that has a warranty. I personally wear Scarpa's, but the ones I've had seem to be prone to leaking. I think I'm on my 5th pair now and usually get a hundred days or so to a pair before they start to leak enough for me to notice. I've never had a seam, sole, rock rand, lace guide, or any kind of issue other than leaking. Scarpa's have a 1 year warranty, so now 11 months after I buy them I leak test them. If they leak, I send them back, and they send me a new pair.
