Dealing with ticks

[NuggetN8]

Anyone have any advice for keeping the ticks away? They're really really bad in California right now with all this warm weather were having. I'm seeing bunches of them on the plants while hiking. Tomorrow I'm planning on going off the trails into the brush and I hate those little blood suckers. This may sound a bit crazy but I'm going to try wrapping white garbage bags around my legs so I can see them crawling up me! Haha if you see a guy stumbling around the woods with poofy garbage bags on his legs tomorrow that's me.. Also anyone know if any type of repellent works for ticks??

 

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[golden sluice]

Get some military pants, blousing straps and high boots, wear long sleeves with a hood. Gloves. Yup, your gonna be hot. But safe.

 

[GittyRivers]

Repell 100



Is best for Mosquitos says will work for ticks too. I buy it at Walmart camping section. Hope works for you.

 

[dave sharky]

make sure hunting is over.

 

[fowledup]

Long sleeve shirts and pants, collar up, and mini bungee or tape the pant legs. Bad idea with the bags- dehydration and you also increase your heat signature which attracts the little buggers.
If you do get bit keep the tick. If you see a bullseye develop around the bite get to the doc pronto and bring the tick. They will test the tick for Lymes disease and put you on antibiotics, that if started soon enough should keep you from getting the disease. The last tick I got ended up having Lymes I did the antibiotics and so far I'm good to go. I have a buddy I work with who didn't know about the antibiotics and he is in a very bad way. Also if you suspect you may have Lymes, you need the better test which if memory serves is the fecal test and very expensive. My buddy took the generic test 10 or so times, every time results were negative. First time they did the other one it came back positive. Ticks got bad JuJu don't mess around with them.

 

[mxer47]

Once limes disease sets in it is for life. You can only manage the symptoms. Go in as soon as the bullseye appears or suffer for life. Removal requires small tweezers. Grab from the head/neck area next to your skin not the body as that squeezes fluid from the tick into your bloodstream. I am thankful there are no ticks or fleas where I live in NV.

 

[Aufisher]

Dang! I only mine in shorts!

 

[jeff of pa]

get a pet http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/ticks/ after the tics are gone you can eat your pet

 

[goldenIrishman]

Easiest way to get them off of you is to take a cigarette (unlit of course) and get the end wet. Let it set for a couple of minutes and then squeeze the juice out onto the tic. The juice will cause the little bugger to back off so he can be removed easily.

One trick we used in the Army to keep them and chiggers off of us was to swallow some match heads. Take a couple each day for a week before you go out and then a couple every day you're out in the bush. The tics and chiggers don't like the Sulfur taste so they won't make a meal out of you. Of course I haven't seen paper book matches in a long time and ya don't want to use the wooden ones.

Another trick if you're wearing tall boots is to put a flea and tic collar around each ankle. Don't let it come into contact with your skin though!!!!!

 

[bug]

I dont think we have many of those lyme ticks N8. I have been bitten dozens of times over the years with no ill effect. Or my immune system kicks it out. Brush the pants legs often and you will keep most from biting.

 

[fowledup]

Dang! I only mine in shorts!

I still mine in shorts (or waders) but I definitely wear pants on the hike in and out. I need to get some of the light weight pants with the zip off legs for summer mining.

 

[simbad42]

Permethrin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
permethrin is the best. Used by snipers in the military. I found some strong percentage spray at an equine store.

 

[Fullpan]

Once limes disease sets in it is for life. You can only manage the symptoms. Go in as soon as the bullseye appears or suffer for life. Removal requires small tweezers. Grab from the head/neck area next to your skin not the body as that squeezes fluid from the tick into your bloodstream. I am thankful there are no ticks or fleas where I live in NV.

What part of Nevada you in ? I've been all over northern Nevada and find ticks everywhere, mostly in spring/summer. The record is finding twelve ticks AFTER I got home !

 

[Hard Prospector]

Tuck pants into boots, Lt. Wt. long sleeve T shirt under under Lt. Wt. long sleeve button up "military type" shirt, brush/snake chaps over BDUs and Lt. Wt. breathable mechanics gloves. Spray outer layer with Permethrin. Those anti-cling dryer sheets(Bounce) will repel and kill ticks so sometimes I'll rubber band them around pant and shirt cuffs or drop one down the banana hammock to protect "the package"

 

[NuggetN8]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I don't have too much to work with I think I'm just going to have to load up on repellant and brush off often. I need to stock up on outdoor supplies.. Don't even have hiking boots.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Shopping for boots? That's easy....Danner

 

[2cmorau]

eucalyptus oil works great , it's what i use on my dogs and myself, get a little spray bottle with a Fine Mist Spray, spray down clothes everywhere, good to go

 

[Hoser John]

Amen to REPEL a mix of eucalyptus and lemon oils. They may jump on ya but 1 good whiff and them nasty lil'buggers get away fast. I eat plenty of garlic for them mosquitos and they hover but don't land. DEET will rot your liver and eat your brain. Just spray some on your glasses or cameras and watch the destruction begin and you put that POISON on your skin,not only no but LL no. John

 

[Goldwasher]

Tea tree oil, pants tucked in, they mainly come from the brush rather than climbing from the ground up....worse where there are more deer especially where they bed down. When I hit a clear spot in the brush I check really well and brush off my pants legs and do the" get the hell offa' me dance " if I see them or not. Deer ticks that carry LYME disease are almost microscopic....you can get bit and lose the tick before and not even know it.

 

[goldenIrishman]

eucalyptus oil works great , it's what i use on my dogs and myself, get a little spray bottle with a Fine Mist Spray, spray down clothes everywhere, good to go

Just don't get near any bee hives with that Eucalyptus oil! It drives bees nutz for some reason. My dad and I found that out the hard way. I was faster than my dad so I didn't get stung. Can't say the same for the old man though....