How are you fighting the ticks so far

[Luked]

I know a lot of you scout in the summer and this year seems to be a bad year so far for thr damn ticks. How are you all fighting these little bastards off.
I used to use permetherin and just spray my clothes and it worked well. But since going to more higher end clothing I don't know if it will mess up my sitka stuff or not so I have been leary of doing it.


Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

They're absolutely awful in Western IA this year. We had pretty severe drought the prior 3 years, and we never had any ticks or skeeters to speak of. This year we're back to a normal/wet spring and Mother Nature is ensuring things get back to average. Dogs are bringing them in the house almost every day and i pick them off even in just ankle high grass working around the farm.

Permethrin or Deet should work if you're going to spray for them. Regarding impact on higher end clothes, I'd say spray them and just go with it. If you see some discoloration or whatnot its kinda the cost of doing business scouting and hunting. You're not going to a fashion show.

 

[Brewski]

I spray all my gear including sitka and firstlite clothes, exo pack, keen boots, darn tough socks, ect with a heavy spring and fall application of Sawyers permethrin and have been for many years with no problems.

Avoid deet on ynthetics, polyester, and plastics. High deet concentrations will harm them

 

[SuperDUECE22]

I used to use permetherin and just spray my clothes and it worked well. But since going to more higher end clothing I don't know if it will mess up my sitka stuff or not so I have been leary of doing it.

I'd go back to using permethrin and not worry about any damage to your higher end clothing. Been doing it forever with zero issues!

 

[conley417]

I use sawyer's. I went on a short hike the other day and didn't think to wear treated clothing. I ended up covered in lone star ticks

Sitka has tick pants but I'm not sure they are worth it

 

[ThatredneckguyJamie]

Sawyers for me and my daughters boots and pants, seems to work better than anything I have found.

 

[smoke]

I buy a couple of flea and tick collars for dogs and wrap one around each leg above the knee. Works pretty well.

 

[ODB]

I buy a couple of flea and tick collars for dogs and wrap one around each leg above the knee. Works pretty well.

I’ve had a similar idea - that of dousing an Ace wrap in permethrin and wrapping the ankles. Ticks are programmed to climb and will keep climbing as long as there is something to climb or they find a place to latch on. They will get to the top of a bush or tall grass and stick their arm out in hopes of getting caught by a passerby.

 

[Wvroach]

Nexgard for the dog, Sawyer's on clothes.

Chickens in the yard and DE on all the other hoofed animals.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I douse my clothes with Sawyer permethrin spray a day or two before heading into the woods. DEET can degrade synthetic fabrics, but I've never seen any evidence of fabric damage from permethrin.

Light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot and remove ticks as they crawl up.

 

[summs]

Every year is always the worst year for ticks in ages. Permethrin and always keep my clothes doused year round. This year I have had 3 ticks on my clothes. Which is about my average over the last 5 years. But now turkey hunting and working on a buddies property, so I expected that number to go up.

Boots sprayed, calf socks with pants tucked into boots, shirt tucked into pants.

 

[sterlryu]

Never had permethrin damage anything. I also have a pair of pants from ex officio with permethrin built in. Looks like it works too slow to prevent mozzies from biting, but should work great with ticks which move more slowly Consumer Reports on permethrin clothes

 

[Yoder]

I live in PA and they are always bad. I had one spot last year near a river, after walking about a mile I had around 100 on me. I have never seen anything like it. I don't know how the deer survive. I've soaked my pants and boots with Permethrin and have watched them just walk up my pants. Doesn't seem to matter what you spray on yourself. Best thing I've found is to tuck your pants into your boots, tuck in your shirt and wear a hat. I still use the sprays but this will keep them off your skin for the most part. I've already had Lyme once so I really don't want it again.

 

[DooleyVT]

I've only had one on me this year so far since treating all of my hunting and outdoor gear with permethrin. Last year was horrible in Northern VT for ticks but seems a little better this year after a really cold winter.

 

[Mt Al]

I keep a few cans of Off/DEET in the truck and car and spray the crap out of myself and clothes when I step out to head up the trail. Have the tube-type Off in my pack and reapply regularly. I don't live where there are a ton of ticks, but this has worked for me. Bought some permethrin and will be apply that as well.

 

[Gutshot007]

Another vote for Sawyer. I don't wanna hear you sissies talk about how bad your ticks are until you've seen our mosquitos and ticks in northern Minnesota this year. It's nasty this year !

 

[WRM]

I've soaked my pants and boots with Permethrin and have watched them just walk up my pants.

Insects have an amazing ability to adapt to chemicals. Can't keep up with the fleas here. They laugh at most of what I use now. If you've never seen "drunken fleas", it's amusing--until they recover.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

If you are worried about hurting higher end clothing with permethrin, you shouldnt own high end clothing. Those little bastards are the spawn of satan. I got bit 7 years ago while bear hunting and came down with colorado tick fever. It was the worst sickness of my life. I spray everything with a super high concentration of permethrin, I wash my clothes in it and then spray them all every day.

 

[PVHunter]

Everything in here + being diligent about checking yourself for ticks. Bad outcomes are generally avoidable if you nab them after they've only just embedded.

 

[ODB]

I live in PA and they are always bad. I had one spot last year near a river, after walking about a mile I had around 100 on me. I have never seen anything like it. I don't know how the deer survive. I've soaked my pants and boots with Permethrin and have watched them just walk up my pants. Doesn't seem to matter what you spray on yourself. Best thing I've found is to tuck your pants into your boots, tuck in your shirt and wear a hat. I still use the sprays but this will keep them off your skin for the most part. I've already had Lyme once so I really don't want it again.

Permethrin isn’t a deterrent, and it can take a while to kill ticks, but it will start the incapacitation process quickly.

If using Sawyer, make sure you shake it very well. Better yet, do like I do and get it in bulk and use a small translucent garden sprayer. You will see the milky permethrin separate and be able to keep it suspended easier while spraying. I usually do two treatment and don’t wash my clothes until I really need to.

Natural permethrin come from chrysanthemums. In Kenya they grow huge fields of it, dry it, then crush into a very fine power to use for an insecticide. It’s an amazing chemical. I believe Sawyer is the same formula used by the army. It is good, cheap protection against ticks.