How do you handle ticks?

[SaskHunter]

Permethrin by itself isn't a magic trick. It works but you still have to be careful; tuck your pants in your boots, wear long sleeves, a hat, etc. Take your clothes off before you get in the house and do a thorough tick check.

 

[1_pointer]

THE most sobering/scary talk I've sat through in my career was a talk by a local doctor that specializes in tick borne diseases. Lymes and RMSF aren't the only ones and not the ones that spook me the most! I'll deal with large predators over ticks!

I have also taken to liberal use of permethrin on my clothes, but also spray with a bug spray as well. I prefer 100% DEET sprays when I can find them. This spring I'll probably also incorporate other measures, especially on my lower half. I'll likely be using insect repelling cattle ear tags on my boots as an added precaution. These are similar to flea/tick dog collars, just cheaper. My dog is also on a regiment of flea/tick medicine (Advantix II) and I've yet to find a tick on him since doing so.

 

[MarvB]

^^^what Tyler’s said above. My wife has Lyme and has been battling it fir years. On the mend now or so it seems but the damn disease is a lurker to the utmost! Never know when a flair up will happen and most GPs don’t know shit about it

 

[hank4elk]

I moved to NM.............lol Only seen a couple since moving here.

Hate ticks. They were thick on the Central Coast CA.
Don't think I ever took a buck in CA that did NOT have ticks & fleas on them,at least a few.
Debate was let the deer lay for an hour and most would leave the critter, but by then the meat bee's would be all over you.

 

[R.K.]

When I was living in Missouri, tuck everything in everywhere. Use picaridin spray everywhere. Investigate every itch immediately. Avoid high grass and dense cedars. I have some permethrin sitting in the closet that I'll use soon.

Since moving to Montana, I've noticed the ticks here are fat, slow, and lazy, and I've only found one dug in over the last 2.5 years. But Missouri turkey season, I'll probably find one dug in daily that made it past the defenses, and pull at least a half dozen off my skin.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

No love for ticks here and have dealt with them a lot where I used to train. This works pretty well:

1. Permethrin all clothes, backpack, tent/tarp
2. Wear long sleeve shirts and pants, even if 100+ degree weather (Outdoor Research echo half zip shirts and KUIU tiburon pants great for me in hot weather)
3. Tuck pants into socks for that oh so cool fashion look, preventing the ticks from being able to crawl inside your pants
4. Tuck shirt into pants (same reason as 3)
5. Personal choice, but after having a couple fall from my hair below my cap, I now cut my hair very short in areas cap doesn't cover. So much better for my peace of mind not worrying about every wisp of hair being a tick crawling around.
6. Check regularly throughout the hike for ticks. Often find them, even with permethrin clothes. Don't wait long enough to see if they jump off when don't like the permethrin as I flick them off as soon as I see them.
7. Body check before sleep each night after being in the field. Ask a hunting buddy, if possible, to check my back and underarms where I can't see.
8. Always sleep in a very light nest (11-14oz) or borah bug bivy (5oz) in the tick months, with a backup tarp in my pack in case I hit weather. The peace of mind helps me sleep so much better.

Cheers

S

 

[ccc23454]

I shave ALL my body hair and then spin naked around in front of buddies every night in camp. If hunting solo i stand on edge of road and wave people down then have them check me.... its embarrassing when its cold!

 

[Sytes]

I never used permethrin on anything other than my horses during skeeter season in my earlier years however, over the past decade, permethrin is as large a factor in my spring hunting as selecting my location, ensuring I have my rifle, ammunition, etc.

I've begun rinsing my hunt clothing with a permethrin solution. My side door panel has a bottle for a final dousing before heading out. Little tips learned from other hunters.

I sat in a concealed ground covering while glassing an area a few years ago (spring bear). Within 15 minutes I flicked enough off me to leave my concealment and position myself directly on the gated road.

Thankfully, I've not had very many burrowed - maybe my blood is no bueno. Haha!

 

[hcenvinc]

I didn't know which forum this belongs in but this one seems decent enough. How to handle ticks in the woods or foothills? do you treat your clothing? do you avoid specific areas?

Wear long pants. Stay away from tall grass and strip and check yourself after every outing.

 

[Durango Mike]

Permethrin. I buy the concentrate and mix my own and then apply it to all of my clothes with a garden sprayer prior to the season. I also keep a can of the sawyer aerosol in my truck door for a quick blast on my legs if needed. Works wonders.

Go to local Co-Op or tractor supply for the concentrate. I have had Lyme disease twice and it is not pleasant, about 20% of tick bites are asymptomatic with no red bullseye to get your attention.

 

[NoWiser]

I soak my clothes (literally) in permethrin. In the 15 years I've been doing that, I've never had a single tick attached to me. I spend all spring hunting turkeys and picking morels. It's not worth taking a chance.

 

[Jturkey605]

I shave ALL my body hair and then spin naked around in front of buddies every night in camp. If hunting solo i stand on edge of road and wave people down then have them check me.... its embarrassing when its cold!

LMAO!!! I think I passed you one time driving home!!!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Permethrin spray on the clothes & Deet spray for the skin, either a chewable or the skin treatment for the dogs. Just used Permastar on the dogs this last week and no ticks in some areas that usually produce one or two on the dog.

As for removal, I've had good luck using the Dr. Slick's hemostats that are bent at a 90 degree angle. Just have to be careful on how you attach & pull, but it gives great control over the tick & you can see what you're doing.

 

[Jturkey605]

I use this stuff when hiking and its is safe for skin:

Cedarcide Original (Gallon)... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D0LP0W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And this stuff to treat clothes:

Sawyer Products SP6572 Twin Pack... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CD9NFB4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Beignet]

Lyme is no joke in the NE. Pretty much every outdoorsman I know over there has had it at some point, myself included. (This was back when I was naïve enough to bushwack my way to fishing holes in shorts and short sleeves)

Permethrin is best, but be careful when applying if you happen to have cats as it’s extremely toxic to them.

I also use a chemical called picaridin which has been shown to be as effective as DEET but without the smell or irritation (perhaps an important factor to tree stand and archery hunters).

 

[C17loadclear]

Tick twister is awesome!!

 

[Jturkey605]

Lyme is no joke in the NE. Pretty much every outdoorsman I know over there has had it at some point, myself included. (This was back when I was naïve enough to bushwack my way to fishing holes in shorts and short sleeves)

Permethrin is best, but be careful when applying if you happen to have cats as it’s extremely toxic to them.

I also use a chemical called picaridin which has been shown to be as effective as DEET but without the smell or irritation (perhaps an important factor to tree stand and archery hunters).

Just ordered dome picaridin from amazon. Thanks for the heads up

 

[Pucky Freak]

Thorough clothing, skin, and gear check before getting in the tent or truck. After walking through tall grass I do a quick clothing check and catch about 90% of them that way. Chewable flea/tick meds for the dog.

 

[hank4elk]

I shave ALL my body hair and then spin naked around in front of buddies every night in camp. If hunting solo i stand on edge of road and wave people down then have them check me.... its embarrassing when its cold!

That's not a tic, it's a derangement...carry on.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Wow, I guess I need to step up my tick game. I usually just pick them off as I find them. There have been instances between the dog and I that I will pick off well over 50 of them at a crack. Then do it again a hour later.

Permethrin does work well and I should use it more often.