Spring hunting poll

[Yooper906]

Permethrin for the win! One tick attached over four years of heavy spring hunting since starting using Permethrin as instructed. One dose on the external clothing and I’m good to go for the next 4-6 weeks.

For poison ivy I have adopted a new strategy which is working near 100% success even when I’m crawling around in nothing but the blasted weed. I’m as careful as if in the OR about touching hands to face and once I get back to the car, a liberal double dose of Tecnu lotion is applied, and shower as soon as I get home.

Do you make your own permethrin solution or buy the premade stuff (ie Sawyer)?

 

[kansasdad]

Do you make your own permethrin solution or buy the premade stuff (ie Sawyer)?

I have done both. As the son of a veterinarian I grew up with doggie penicillin and horse salve. Sawyers is 1/2% solution, while the Farm&Tractor or CoOp solution is 5% *** AND NOT LABELED FOR HUMAN USE***.

Dilution to .5% solution from 5% gives me similar protection compared to the commercially labeled stuff in my one man off label experience. It does seem to smell more “chemical” when mixing, and I do use nitrile gloves in the mixing procedure.

Sawyer label instructions warn to make certain the clothing has dried before use. I don’t recall a warning on the label, but Hunttalkers have shared about how toxic permethrin can be to cats. Please use wisely.

 

[Yooper906]

I have done both. As the son of a veterinarian I grew up with doggie penicillin and horse salve. Sawyers is 1/2% solution, while the Farm&Tractor or CoOp solution is 5% *** AND NOT LABELED FOR HUMAN USE***.

Dilution to .5% solution from 5% gives me similar protection compared to the commercially labeled stuff in my one man off label experience. It does seem to smell more “chemical” when mixing, and I do use nitrile gloves in the mixing procedure.

Sawyer label instructions warn to make certain the clothing has dried before use. I don’t recall a warning on the label, but Hunttalkers have shared about how toxic permethrin can be to cats. Please use wisely.

I've read something about it's harmful to cats! Thanks!!

 

[Id-Dave]

Watch out for the ticks, there out here in Idaho on the nice days. Me & my wife picked up around 5 last Saturday on a trail hike. Should have had some bug dope on.

Looking forward to Bear season if & when I can get up in the hills because of snow & other stuff. Always enjoy finding morels while out baiting/re-baiting spots.

 

[dgc1963]

No spring bear here in Pa turkey isnt for 5 weeks trout season delayed and my business is shut down been putting new windows in the sun room lol
need to do something, and it gets me brownie points at home

 

[dcopas78]

Spring Turkey. Supposed to go to black hills last week of May. Already have the cabin rented and everything. We got our tags, fishing license then Corona hit. We are hoping that things turn around by then and we can still go. Final payment is due by April 21 on the cabin so it would be nice to see where this thing is headed by then so we can make a decision. At least the cabin is out in the middle of nowhere so we wouldn't have to worry about social distancing. It is all the places you gotta stop in between that is worrisome.

 

[1_pointer]

I have done both. As the son of a veterinarian I grew up with doggie penicillin and horse salve. Sawyers is 1/2% solution, while the Farm&Tractor or CoOp solution is 5% *** AND NOT LABELED FOR HUMAN USE***.

Dilution to .5% solution from 5% gives me similar protection compared to the commercially labeled stuff in my one man off label experience. It does seem to smell more “chemical” when mixing, and I do use nitrile gloves in the mixing procedure.

Sawyer label instructions warn to make certain the clothing has dried before use. I don’t recall a warning on the label, but Hunttalkers have shared about how toxic permethrin can be to cats. Please use wisely.

So much cheaper from the farm store. Cheap enough that I can make a gallon or more and then can just dunk the whole garment versus trying to get everything sprayed evenly.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I’d love to try a spring bear hunt sometime, but turkey are not my thing although they are abundant around here. I don’t like to eat turkey, so no need for me to chase them.

I’ll go spring squirrel hunting when it opens, but that’s more for fun than anything.

 

[2rocky]

Turkey hunt for me is usually a sub 2 hr event. But if I could day hunt spring bears, I'd sure prefer that. 5 hours to bear country 16 hours to the nearest Spring season.

All my wild hog kills have been spring.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Snow geese in t minus 8 days, spring turkey when I get back and bears as soon as the mid level snow melts after that..

There is a spring snow geese season in MT? I had about 60 flying real low over the house the other day.

 

[Doublecluck]

There is a spring snow geese season in MT? I had about 60 flying real low over the house the other day.

North Dakota

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

North Dakota

Man, I almost peed my pants!

 

[FLS]

Spring turkey is one of my favorite hunts. A gobbling strutting turkey is one of the most exciting things in the outdoors.
I’ve killed one bear here in SC on a limited opportunity coastal bear tag. I got a nice rug and freezer full of bear meat, but the bear hunting bug didn’t bite me. I wouldn’t mind trying a spot and stalk hunt out west, but if I had to choose it would be turkeys every time.

 

[R.K.]

I grew up hunting southern Illinois & Missouri. Turkey hunting there shuts down at 1:00 p.m., which is amazing because it also coincides with the crappie spawn, sucker & white bass runs, and morel season. It's the perfect opportunity for a cast & blast. I've shot a turkey in the morning, found morels on the walk out, then fished all afternoon- the Ozarks have suckers, trout, crappie, white bass, panfish, catfish, pickerel, and three species of black bass. I absolutely love it.

But turkey schnitzel with lemon zest in the breadcrumbs is one of the best things about spring. Especially with fried morels on the side.

 

[El Jason]

Still crossing my fingers we are able to head to central Idaho by the middle of May for spring bear.

 

[runningmt]

My vote is

#1- Shed hunting

#2 - Morel hunting

#3 - Bear hunting

#4 - Turkey Hunting

 

[westbranch]

I voted turkey. But I think I might be looking forward to morel hunting more. Have never done spring bear hunting, so plan to squeeze that in somewhere as well. And finding some incidental sheds during all of would not disappoint. Either way, last year I could barely walk until Memorial day weekend due to achilles rupture. So just looking forward to getting out this spring.

 

[Sytes]

So much cheaper from the farm store. Cheap enough that I can make a gallon or more and then can just dunk the whole garment versus trying to get everything sprayed evenly.

Might have to give this a shot this year. I usually spray down @ camp and off I go.

 

[Big Fin]

For me, spring bear is a way to burn off a few pounds from Mrs. Fin's crepes and bacon breakfasts, served with warm homemade jam and plenty of UP maple syrup. History shows the bears are usually safe from me. I shoot turkeys like I shoot grouse; sneak up on 'em and pound 'em.

 

[Panda Bear]

Not a lot of turkeys up this way, but starting April 15th we will add Grizzly and Black bear meat to the freezer.