How Do You Repel Wood Ticks?

[barryra]

We are camping up near Itasca State for the 4th & have read the wood ticks are out in full force. What's your ideas on how to keep them off our bodies & away from our campsite? Thanks for your tips!

[deryk]

I was in a forest in southern jersey last weekend and was spraying 40% deet OFF on myself at least 3x a day to keep the ticks off of me and the biting flies away. I looked in home depot for some kind of spray for ticks and the only thing I saw was the kind of sprayer you hook a garden hose up to.

[KevinPete]

Pyrethrin either sprayed or preferably washed into clothing, plus DEET on any exposed skin. Sometimes they're so numerous and hungry that almost nothing will stop them, which is when you should just avoid the area altogether. Staying out of weeds and brush helps too.

[Tonia]

We have ticks here. And this year there are LOTS!

DEET. Yes. Although there has been more and more info suggesting harmful side affects.

I know some who wrap dog flea/tick collars at their ankles when hiking in the long grass......not sure I would do this without looking into it more.

That said, I grew up in a rural wooded area and ticks were just a fact of life. We would just check thoroughly when coming in from outside at the end if the day. Using DEET everyday wasn't a good option. Ticks need to stick on a while to spread Lyme's Disease so that mitigated the risk for us.

The dogs get monthly Frontline or Advantix----it works well.

Oh yeah. Chickens eat ticks. Pet chicken? :-) lol

Good luck.

[deryk]

Originally Posted by Tonia

Oh yeah. Chickens eat ticks. Pet chicken? :-) lol

Good luck.

A friend suggested I build a bat house and hang it on the side of my ParkLiner for mosquito control...Im sure the bats would love driving down the highway LOL

[Gilda]

A related story...I promise...stay with me...
I was in Custer State Park campground in beautiful South Dakota one summer. There I got my first glimpse of buffalo in their native surroundings. Having grown up in San Francisco my only previous buffalo encounter was in Golden Gate Park. No, really, look it up on the Web. I digress. While on a sunny day drive through the park a freak (to us) hailstorm came up and we swerved on the narrow road over the rough shoulder. Our car tire got mangled but we managed to drive back to our campground. I approached the camp hosts' monster RV bus to ask for assistance. No one answered my knock nor the doorbell (gotta get one of those for the Scamp). I digress. Well, I noticed that the hosts were well prepared. I should not have been surprised as they also had a lovely 12'x12' polyester outdoor rug, spinning whirl-a-gigs, and various go-gaws as well as the American flag to show their patriotism. I digress. There was a small sign, notepad, pencil and vinyl weatherproof pocket with a top flap to the left of said door. The sign said "Leave a note if we are not home." I dutifully wrote my note imploring for assistance and lifted the flap. There was much wriggling and flapping and a blur. Much to my surprise I had disturbed the resident bat! Lesson learned: Look before "note-leaving!"

[Gilda]

On second thought, perhaps that WAS the camp hosts' bat house.

[honda03842]

Deet has been on the market for 45 years. Normal use in healthy people rarely shows any side effects.

[arlon]

Hiking, wear panty hose. Wish the made them in mens sizes and simply labeled them "tick protectors".. Look silly but I won't tell anyone and they will keep tick and chiggers off your legs and less accessible regions. Just don't tell your friends or you'll get some ribbing but you'll get the last laugh. You will also eliminate 90% of the rubbing your feet take, no more blisters. Only drawback is they are warmer in the summer. I keep a pair in camera bag. Good for 100 things other than wearing. Think of the possibilities. (-:}

[Bruce H]

For you guys who are considering Arlon's panty hose tip, you probably better tell your wife (if you have one) before you do it.

[papa-t]

Lol

[arlon]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

For you guys who are considering Arlon's panty hose tip, you probably better tell your wife (if you have one) before you do it.

Heck, it was her idea...

[honda03842]

Are there still women that wear panty hose?

[RRJR]

Panty Hose If they're good enought for Joe Namath (football star 1980'2 ?) they're good enought for other men, (not me) .

[George Nagel]

We live in tick country and have just learned to live with the dang things. Deet works 'ok' but there is a spray-on that you apply to your clothes (not skin) that works well i guess. I can't rember what it's called (limes affects the memory :-) . Out Vet said 80% of the local doge test positive and our beloved lab died of it last year, we used Front Line as directed.

[Cyndi B.]

I'll have to tell my husband about the panty hose. Anything to keep a tick and a chiggar off. They make those babies in jumbo.

[_Scamp87_]

I would burn up in hose, tights, or leggings, and now i'm picturing my dog in a pair.

[RRJR]

The product you spray on clothing and let dry is called Sawyers Permetnric.

Ron

[kirkman]

Here you go!
Sawyer® Products - Water Filtration, Insect Repellent, Sunscreens and More

[Hambone]

Ticks shouldnt be a problem around the campground, some of the hilking trails do go through some high grass/brush.(long pants tucked into socks, deet spray if U want, and check after venturing out) Never had trouble with ticks at Itasca, now Milacs Kathio SP was a different story