For those who chase the BIG STRUTTING BIRDS, Y'ALL need to read up on the Feb-Mar issue of the OUTDOOR-LIFE article concerning the dangers of TICKS and the diseases that they carry. I'm sure that there are several on here will recount that LYME Disease ( or other tick born diseases) can really ruin Your DAY (maybe EVEN Your life) This advice should be heeded by bow-hunters, gun hunters or anybody who ventures outside in the wilds or woods you probably DON'T have to go far to encounter ticks! BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

Had over 60 ticks on me on Thursday while antler shed hunting, and I stayed out of the thick stuff. Figured we need more 0pussoms.

I used to spend a ton of time in the woods scouting, stumping, chasing thunder chickens,shed hunting and exploring. Now I don't go at all, what caused this explosion of ticks? Anyone know?

THE OL article mentioned deer expanding into new territories and also something about YOTES?

There's simple fixes to tick problems though. They make several different things you can soak your hunting clothes in that will repel ticks. The government uses a certain formula for cammies in the military and I cant say I ever remember having a tick on me while I was training in NC, and there awful down there.

Will be trying once again to get a tom with the bow this coming season, but definitely not looking forward to the ticks. And I too would like to know why they are so prevalent in the last few years. I grew up in rural NJ and spent every hour possible in the woods. Never saw a tick and always wondered what they looked like.

We need more than 'possums to tackle this problem.

Got rocky mountain spotted fever from a tick in Virginia back in 2001 sickest Iv ever been. Keep an eye out for bites that don't heal quickly & the bullseye bite (Lyme) is unmistakable

Panty hose!

Spray all your exterior clothing with Permethrin. Works great. Wear high boots and tuck your pants in.

Stay Safe!

What Bill C said. Permethrin, the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Apparently the increase in tics is due , in large measure , to certain changes in climate , forest fragmentation , and increases in food sources coupled with fewer predators . Regardless of the reasons for this increase , I know it has certainly affected the ways I enjoy our precious woodlands !

I heard one farmer tell me when they were kids they burned the fields and woods every year and didn't have problems with ticks and insects until the government stopped them from burning.

Permethrin. Walmart sells Sawyers that is in a spray container and is enough to do two complete sets of clothing. Spray the clothes you want to hunt/stump with and dedicate those for that use. I had a several ticks embedded over the years and had one Thursday. I get them out quickly and use antibiotic cream on a bandaid to help heal the bite area. I get a blood test every year to make sure I don't have Lymes. Tick bites don't necessarily mean Lymes, but you can't take chances. Any ill feelings, even minor ones after at tick bite should be shared with the doctor.

Some of us can't use the permethrin. I have terrible reactions to it. I have found a light dusting with good sulpher around the ankles, and waste, keeps most ticks off. I went out last weekend and came home with 7 hitch hikers. Didn't realize I needed the sulpher yet. I do now. We start chasing turkeys March 17 and I have a few scouted areas to start with, but most likely going to be like last season. Scout good, and be ready to relocate.

-Bones

Ticks can be active twelve months of the year and even in northern states. Especially in February when the sun angle is higher than previous months. Spray your clothes and keep them in a container of some sort. There are other things that help keep ticks at bay, but permethrin will kill them. Use whatever you can tolerate...but use it.

By the way, the one I picked up Thursday was just below my back yard...not out in the boonies anywhere.

I'm glad you clarified what you meant by "just below my back yard" George>>>>>>

Flee and tick collars blouses up in our camo pants

I bought a full set of ElimiTick camo two years ago and haven't had a tick on me since. They say the repellent in the fabric is good for 70 washes. Not sure how accurate that is but they should last for a few years.

Glad that people are taking this serious, cause IT IS SERIOUS! REAL SERIOUS! I remember that E. Donald Thompson (? name) mentioned a serious disease from ticks that I had never heard of. Can't recall the name but it may have been as bad as Lyme?

Batman, folks have to use good judgement as there are several illnesses that folks can get from ticks...or even mosquitoes for that matter. Folks with issues with their own immune system can be particularly bothered.

I don't want this to be too alarmist since folks would be too afraid to even go into brush woods. It's a common sense thing as well; you live in areas of tick infestation, you take steps to minimize your contact with them. DEET on the outside of your clothes will also work to repel them. Permethrin will kill them and lasts through many wash cycles. Frankly, if you have some dedicated outdoor clothes, there is no need to wash them as often as you would your everyday clothes.

I personally think you need to keep those 'dedicated' woods clothes separate, maybe in the truck so you can put them on when you go afield. Don't forget socks and shoes either. Many folks will actually rubber band their pant legs to keep them out.

Be aware of limitations of Lyme disease blood tests. Often, initial testing screens for something like 60-70 strains. Very easy to get “negative” ( non- conclusive diagnosis) results of Lyme disease.

There is a Lyme disease blood test that screens something like 300 strains of Lyme disease. I believe it is a California lab-don’t remember the lab’s name, or the “300+ strain” blood test- but it’s out there. That’s the one you want if your first test is negative.

Many possum references on this thread. Good to read. Came across a study which showed possums eat 5000 ticks/season. Ticks hop on them, as they are slow moving mammals, then possums being fanatical groomers, and eat/ kill the freeloading ticks. Don’t kill possums.

It's not just Lyme that is a problem, from a Lone Star tick bite you can contract Alpha Gal. I have a friend who has dealt with that for 5 years, it causes a potentially lethal allergic reaction to any red meat. Google that and educate yourself about Alpha Gal, it is a real eye opener. Treat you clothes, it's easy to do...

Is the elimitick clothing quiet? Like washed cotton or wool

Shawn, a shower after you’re in the woods won’t do any good if you get bit by a tick that is carrying Powassan’s disease. You can be infected 15 minutes after the bite and it’s worse than Lyme’s. You can also get an alpha gal allergy from a lone star tick bite. If you do you can’t eat red meat, ever, you’ll have an allergic reaction to it. My daughter was in the hospital for a few days because of Lymes when she was 10. Couldn’t walk and was in a wheel chair for a week after she got out. Really scary stuff, I can understand people not wanting to risk getting bit

Hawkeye, elimitick is polyester, soft and as quiet as any of my other camo. It is also great for mosquitoes and the little black flies that move through here every spring.

Personally, I feel the absence of regular burning, particularly in the south allows ticks to reach high numbers. But, nevertheless, use all the precautions listed in this thread.

Got to agree with Shawn & Iv had rmsf. Check yourself after the woods & pay attention to unusual bites. But give up hunting NEVER.

Very true James, very true no darn joke men. I try to protect myself best I can. I wore Hec's underwear last year with knee high compression socks over the leggings. I spray everything also cloths and wipe off with clove oil on my hands and neck and face also too.

My dog is treated with the shot along with her getting the tick and flee med and I spray her every outing. She has brought in tics and one year 9 tics got in my bed I found who how they got there.

I thought darn things might have been female tics.LOL

Or I got voodooed?

I don't know about if we panic to easily us who have had Lyme's because we certainly know what it did to us and could still be doing you never get rid of it Shawn after you have it.

plum Island is the fault and the government war far on the public is what i believe I truly do. LOL

I have a problem with my dog has so many spots and them tics know to hide in her spots I have to look over all the time on her. There were so many on her from and outing one time was over 30 I picked off that were dead.

You want to identify with panic I've driven down road on a claim on a Monday in past and had 2 tics in my truck crawling towards me in traffic at different times. Man that's some panic if ya want to hear it.

I pulled of to side jumped out and spray whole inside of truck I screw this I'll get the rest of your family now tics just take this. I was total freaked out wouldn't ya say.LOL

I keep spray in my truck all the time.

winters are not cold enough

This tic stuff ins't a panic, if you've been anywhere around outdoors and hunting, reading listening, you've bound to have been exposed to the information. I've been going to the mother in laws cabin now for 25++ years. You darn sure right we monitor and keep an eye on the ticks. Mostly wood ticks but there are deer ticks mixed in. Both son and I have had full treatment for lymes, and I've had a couple of other times the short term high dose treatment. Permitherine is my friend. Just won another bottle of it at our annual club banquet last weekend....it will get good use...

There is Sunday evening radio show (7 - 8 pm) up here in Maine called “The Maine outdoors.” On WVOM 101.3. , 104.3 ( Augusta/Bangor, podcast probably available:

A couple of weeks ago, they had a Maine Game warden as guest that had an interesting theory on the increase in ticks in Maine. Many people attribute it to re- establishing the turkey population ( which has taken off / higher in the past 20 years), as being transporters of ticks. Others feel turkey ( and guinea fowl) eat a bunch of ticks. The game warden’s theory was different- and I found it plausible.

He believes the increased numbers of turkeys have caused an increase in ticks, but due to what turkeys eat. Turkeys will eat “insect predators” which include beetles, grubs, spiders etc WHICH EAT TICKS. Since the turkeys are eating the bigger insects ( more food value per time for the turkey, instead of eating tiny ticks with low food value) a level of tick harvesting / control is being wiped out. With tick predators gone, tick numbers skyrocket.

I think he may be on to something.

Having hunted in several states that have lymes disease present i studied up when i got sick with little indication as to why, it appears lymes can hide and often they found it on the second or third attempt. I did not have it, nothing to mess with. When we were kids my uncle put sulfur on our legs and socks

Last spring I was diagnosed w Lyme, Babesi another tick borne disease and a worse ailment. The thing that was the worst w the ticks w the doxy, I hated that stuff it didn’t agree w me. That’s reason alone to never want it. Last spring was really bad around here

Not to kick the dead horse but a fellow Waller asked me about the "typical" symptoms showing that a person had been infected with Lyme disease. At least 30% of people ( according to the OL article) do NOT display the bulls-eye of Lyme disease when bitten. Same deal about the rash from Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. 30% do NOT display the rash. Take any and all precautions against being bitten by a tick.

Fellows then tic that got me guess 20 years ago now was a wood tic. They all carry it don't trust just deer tic.

Plum freakin island and the government. That's who got me again guess they want to kill me is what I figure.

You tell me where these Tic came from if they weren't induced for population control and feed the beast big Pharma. When will you all finally believe all this I been saying this is not fake news get informed will ya please.;

Our parents didn't have this nonsense going on when they were in the bush when they were young now did they!

I'm sick of these things and what government is doing to us to feed the beast!!!!!!

Diseases and weather they have screwed with causing disasters. I feed the doctors and hospitals.

They should give me ins. for free since I landscape the doc tors house and put fuel in their boats and payroll their mistresses!

I never had a rash either. I had to tell the Dr. what to test for since my buddys son had what i got they found out from the special blood test at the time.

A little tidbit about ticks and dogs. Just had this talk with a veterinarian a few weeks ago. He says the stuff you squirt on the dogs back is much better. The reason is the shot only prevents the dog from getting the disease, it does not kill the tick. Then the tick can move from the dog to you. The stuff that’s applied to the dogs back kills the ticks when they bite.

MP

I use the liquid stuff on my dog's back, he was always treated and he still got lyme disease. They will attach up in the facial area. Now he has both.

For you dog owners, I swear by the Soresto collar on my dog. It is good for months and kills the ticks that get on your dog. You will start to notice dead ticks on your dogs bed. Works wonders.

Wait till you get Anaplasmosis from a tick bite-thought I was gonna die ! no laughing matter!

Like spike78 said, use the soresto collars on your dogs for ticks. Another good product to keep ticks off of your dog is Vectra 3D. It contains permethrin and It acts as a repellent, as most other flea and tick prevention (oral or topical)requires a bite from the tick to work, Vectra 3D does not require a bite. When you apply the Vectra 3D it creates what they call a “hot foot” reaction, meaning the flea,tick, mosquito or biting fly even touching the fur will create a painful sensation to it and get off as quick as it can. Oh and by the way, it will still kill the flea, tick,whatever... You won’t be able to find this on any 1800 pet meds or any online retailers, has to be purchased through a veterinarian Anyone using anything containing permethrin needs to keep cats away from it, as it is toxic to them

There is a company called Insect Shield - google it. You can send them your clothes and they will treat it with permethrin and it's supposed to be good for like 70 washings - probably several years worth or more for hunting clothes. I don't think there's any residual smell to alert game. Fairly reasonable, i think it's under $10 per item of clothing. I don't think you can buy the cans and do your own for anywhere near that cost and have it last that long or get the entire item treated as well. Check it out.

A few years back on a piece of public land. I had a tom going hot coming right at me from a corner hill top piece of private ground that was bordered on two sides by public. The little private corner field was at most 50 acres. The tom was now visible up the hill. I snagged my pants on a single strand of barbed wire and cut a thumb sized tear in the front left leg. The tom was gobbling and strutting back and forth up top, the TICK was working up my leg, if I went for the tick, i would scare off the tom. I heard a car slam on it brakes and a door slam. The tom came down the hill, the tick found the entrance hole and went into my pants. I was getting ready to shoot and a total dick run and gunner wearing a light blue T shirt blue jogging shoes and blue jeans comes tearing down the hill spooking the turkey. I did not shoot him. On my way back to the car I found my tick. Taking a shortcut over a grassy hill, I noticed something shine on my ankle. I was wearing canvas military boots with zip on uppers. Those uppers had my pants tucked into them, but there was a small gap just above the boot lacing. The shine was a solid was of ticks on my wool sock about the size of a half ping pong ball. I looked at the other boot front, that also had a solid wad of ticks stuck to my wool sock in the gap, about the size of a ping pong ball. I sprayed my shirt and pants like usual, but not the boots and socks. When I got to my car car i found a Bic lighter and lit the sock dwellers on fire. Maybe ticks don't stay on permethrin, but they sure were on me that day. While walking to my van I swore I had ticks running wind sprints on the back back side of my testicles. I was correct. I took off the camo pants and shirt and my underwear and put on a fresh shirt and pants right there on the road. Don't you just hate it when your shirt won't stay tucked in you pants on the back side? I tried to shake them off my camo. I had ticks running all over the van by the time I got home. I fogged the inside of my van when I got home.

Came across some info and studies about possums and ticks.

Possums are slow moving, and as a result, they are “tick magnets.” Ticks jump on possums for a blood meal, as the possums mosey through the brush.

Possums are incredible groomers, and eat / groom the ticks that are on them. The study estimated that ONE possum eats ( and kills) several thousand ticks per season. One study estimates 5000 ticks/ season. Another site reported 4000 ticks / week ( which to me sounds high, and may have mistranslated the other study). In any case, it seems like possums can be a tick population controller.

Possums could be natural tick population controller. Might even be a way to address tick-born diseases.

http://www.caryinstitute.org/newsroom/opossums-killers-ticks

https://blog.nwf.org/2017/06/opossums-unsung-heroes-in-the-fight-against-ticks- and-lyme-disease/

http://lymediseasecentralmass.com/they-may-be-ugly-but-opossums-could-be- saving-your-life/

Maybe we should breed them and release them in high Lyme disease areas?

Bottom line: don’t shoot possums.

That sure sound more reasonable than them hunting and eating them. I know some spots that ripe for transplanting them.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here