Update: I went with the Danner sharptail snake boots. I'm liking them pretty good so far. 10 days straight in Ms and 3 day in Mo so far and they have performed admirably.
Still waterproof, didn't take very long to break in, very comfortable, the soles are soft enough to feel most sticks before breaking while stepping on them, have worn them all day even in temps in the high 80's. They were a tad warm but with the breathable nature of these boots my feet were dry as bone at the end of the day.
I thought the less aggressive sole would have traction issues walking through wet leaves on uneven ground but that's not the case. I'm actually thinking of picking up another pair to hold in reserve for when these wear out.