Ticks

[bbcoach]

Not going to lie, this stuff sounds sketchy!

I am reading the directions and warning labels on this stuff I picked up today. It says to spray the outside of the clothing only and if you get it on your skin rinse immediately and contact poison control centers....

What the hell happens if you sweat? Am I going to crap my pants and piss myself or something?

I only spray the outside of my clothing and gear and let dry.  When you mix it with water the 10% concentrate solution becomes 1/2 of 1%.  Personally I would rather use this, than take my chances with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme disease, very debilitating.  Ticks aren't something you want to mess with.

[Double B]

Yep, unless it is causing you problems like some have mentioned, the risks are worth it imo.   

[Spitten and drummen]

I spray all my outer layer clothing a week before season and let them air dry thoroughly.  They last me a full season and I haven't had any issues. Been doing that going on 6 years and have been tick free since.

[callmakerman]

With little to no snow in central NY this winter I think it's going to be a bad tick year this spring season. I started spraying all my hunting clothes a few years ago after I found a tick stuck to my leg and check myself well after every hunt.

[bbcoach]

Just wanted to elaborate a little more on permethrin.  Permethrin is used by the medical profession for the treatment of lice and scabies.  Lice at 1% and Scabies at 5% in a paste.  Also dogs are dipped in a .5 to 1% solution to kill fleas and protect against ticks.  I'm not saying you should take a bath in the stuff but a .5% solution sprayed on the outside of your clothes to keep ticks off and protect against lyme and rocky mountain spotted fever, seems to be fair IMO.  Use it or not to use it, is your decision.   

[OldSchool]

What brand of Pemethrin do you buy and where from?

Last year I just used regular bug spray like "off" and I'd didn't do much.

This is what I use:  http://www.amazon.com/Martins-Permethrin-10%25-32oz-Quart/dp/B00061MSS0/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1456633208&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=Martin%27s+Permethrin+10%25

I mix 1oz of concentrate to 19oz of water. You can use it as a spray or as a soak. I prefer the soak method. Mix up the concentrate, roll up your clothes and put them in a big ziplock bag(2gallon or bigger). Pour the mixed solution into the bag and let them soak for a couple of hours. Then just hang them up to dry. I always mix up a double batch, just make sure all the clothes were completely treated.

Just a word of caution to anybody using permethrin that has cats. Permethrin is HIGHLY toxic to cats!! Be very careful with the mixed solution around your pets.I believe, but I'm not 100% sure, that once it is dry it is safe for cats...you will have to decide that for yourself.

I didn't know that about permethrin and cats, thanks for the heads up.

Bob

[Dearhunter3450]

I live in Columbia County NY, just south of Albany and the ticks have been horrible for years. Lyme disease is wicked in my county as well. I have hunted all my life and have honestly had more ticks on me then I can remember. I actually thought Lyme was a joke until I got it last May while turkey hunting. It was so bad that my wife and doctor thought I was having a heart attack, so did I. It ended up being bad case of Lyme.

[bbcoach]

I live in Columbia County NY, just south of Albany and the ticks have been horrible for years. Lyme disease is wicked in my county as well. I have hunted all my life and have honestly had more ticks on me then I can remember. I actually thought Lyme was a joke until I got it last May while turkey hunting. It was so bad that my wife and doctor thought I was having a heart attack, so did I. It ended up being bad case of Lyme.

Deerhunter, can you share with all of us what your symptoms were and how long did you have those symptoms with Lyme?  I understand it is very painful at your joints.

[Dearhunter3450]

My symptoms came about two weeks after the tick bite. I was working three double shifts in a row and just didn't feel right  I figured it was just from exhaustion. The last shift before My day off I had a call and I was standing in the street listening to some nonsense and I started pouring with sweat and I felt weak, once again figured I was just tired. Got home and slept for four hours, I woke and my left arm, especially my hand was numb. I went from super hot to freezing cold to the point I was holding a heating pad while in a sleeping bag and still shaking so badly I was sore from it. The next day I was at my doctors office and I am a guy who hates going there. I had the round bullseye around the bite that I had failed to notice because I forgot about the tick. Like I said I had been bitten for as long as I have hunted and actually believed I would never get Lyme  Be careful guys, it's no joke.

[sixbird]

An experience I thought might be helpful to add...Had a g-friend whose daughter had contracted lymes and had been misdiagnosed. She eventually started hearing voices, had excruciating headaches and a number of other symptoms. She ended up with fibromyalgia, eye sight problems and recurring headaches (migraine).
She had a lymes specific lab check her blood because drs. had missed it so many times. I saw the readout. She had diseases that dogs get. I can't recall which ones specifically but they were startling (something like parvo). I never knew that was possible but I saw the readout with my own eyes! Best to keep those critters off of you and if you have odd symptoms that don't resolve, keep after your doctor and contact a local lymes support group for info. on lymes specific labs. It's not uncommon to come up neg. and still be pos.
Best thing is, is to keep 'em off of you!!!

[zombiewoof]

Advice: Get your clothes permanently treated w/ Permethrin and don't look back. You can send your clothes to a little company in Greensboro, NC, and they will treat them and send back to you at relatively cheap cost. It's around $8/garment + shipping back if you send 3 or more pieces, and it is supposed to work through the life of the garment (70 washings). This is the same company that GameHide uses to treat their clothes before selling $70 a pop, so it's much cheaper this way. Also, they treat clothes for US military which is a solid endorsement as well. I sent 5 pieces last year and had them back on my doorstep within the week. I am in Raleigh, so it may be a little longer if you live further away. I called them and they walked me through process, and were super nice to boot. I am confident in them and haven't found the first tick on me since treating my clothes. It's also a lot easier (and much cheaper in long run) than re-applying Sawyers every few hunts.

https://www.insectshield.com/PDF/IS%20Your%20Own%20Clothes%20-%20U.S.%20form.pdf

Btw- long time site reader, first time poster. And love the site!

[Swather]

You need to be careful using all those scented chemicals on ticks.










At worst, the tukeys will smell you, and at best, the chemicals will interfere with the effectiveness of you "Hen In Heat" concoctions. 

[Happy]

Just smear on some of that petuelly or whatever that cologne is. The hippie turkeys will come running. There not nearly as observant as regular turkeys.

[Cut N Run]

I'm just glad the mosquitoes haven't taught the ticks & chiggers to fly yet!

We have tons of chiggers (some call 'em red bugs), lots of ticks, and too many mosquitoes.  Between Permethrin and a ThermaCell, I've pretty much got a force field around me when I'm in the turkey woods.  We had snow a couple weeks ago and the ticks and 'skeeters are already out.  We never used to have the little seed ticks until about 10-12 years ago.  Now, they're everywhere. 

I use that Duration concentrate from Traveler's Supply through Amazon.  I use it on my work clothes & hunting camo.  It rocks.  I haven't had a single tick or chigger bite in the 3 years I've been using it and I bust some serious brush.

A couple friends of mine contracted Erlichiosis from ticks that made them very sick and really slowed them down for a few weeks.  There is also an allergy that can be contracted from a Lone Star Tick called Alpha-gal, which makes the victim allergic to eating red meat.  Hours after the red meat is consumed, the victim will go into anaphylactic shock.  That allergy becomes permanent and never goes away to my knowledge. Think about that one for a minute... You can just forget about enjoying a nice juicy steak, prime venison tenderloin, burgers at a cook out, or anything else like it as long as you live. I know 4 people who can no longer enjoy ANY red meat, all because of a tick bite.  Between Lyme, Erlichia, and Alpha-gal, it is crazy to go into the woods without maximum protection.

Jim

[Happy]

Hate chiggers! Have had two bad run- ins with them. Looked like I had chicken pox all over my legs. Felt like it also.