# Ticks



## R.J.M.

. Do any of you spray your clothing down with this product sayer permethrin any reviews. Thanks


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## Shoeman

They just dd that to my wife...

Must be true! Hipsters....

What will they think of next? Beard oil?


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## Oldgrandman

I brought 2 out of the woods yesterday. Almost ran off the road when one crawled down my arm on the way home. The second one crawled down my arm as I was sitting down after cooking up the 2 dozen morels I picked. I even checked myself when I got home, but it was a small one and was probably on my shirt or in my hair...lucky it didn't get into me yet! Burned em both.....

I will take female tick checker volunteers at my home though, PM me first so I can make sure my wife isn't home...


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## Oldgrandman

Went out yesterday with a buddy who had Permethrin treated clothes, but I did not. I used an Off brand repellent all over myself and clothing but ended up having 2 on me when I got home. He did not.have any. Same woods, 2 different results. I can do the math on that, so I just bought a can and will NOT leave home without it!

I'll report back if it does not work, BTW it is recommended by more than one person I know.....


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## ESOX

Ticks are no joke. Last year I contracted Lyme Disease from ticks I got behind the shop on 8 Mile in Southfield.


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## Oldgrandman

ESOX said:


> Ticks are no joke. Last year I contracted Lyme Disease from ticks I got behind the shop on 8 Mile in Southfield.


Wow, hope you can get treatment and overcome that! I never researched it much but know it isn't a picnic!

Those bastards have become a real problem in Michigan lately. I've been in the woods 50+ years now and only in the last 2-3 years have ticks been an issue with me, from being in the woods. There were supposedly a couple pockets in Michigan that they were a problem in the past, but now it is statewide...at least in the LP.....CRAZY!


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## Fabner1

OK, if youse guys get one that is burrowed in. Put a Q-tip in bleach and hold it over his haid!
Watch how fast he backs out! I really hate the little bastidges!

Same thing for a Warble fly larva in any animal. May have to use a cotton ball for the Warble.
They come out so fast it will scare you! (they call them "wolves" down in the Southern country)
They leave their little breathing port sticking out in the air. (Probably inhumane!) Forget I said it!

Old


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## ESOX

Oldgrandman said:


> Wow, hope you can get treatment and overcome that! I never researched it much but know it isn't a picnic!


Thanks, luckily for me my wife spotted the bullseye at the bite site and I was tested and on antibiotics before I had any symptoms. 
It is debilitating for this who have it untreated long enough to become symptomatic.


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## Anish

I use Flea Halt :lol:
It's a flea and tick spray for dogs. I only spray it on my clothes and holy moly does it work!! 
About 2 years ago, I took a friend out blueberry picking. Got to the patch and realized that I had forgotten the can of Off. So, I figured that I would give the dog spray a try. My friend on the other hand.. Lol! Total tick count for the day... Me - 0 Friend - 6!! :O
You can buy a 40oz bottle for about $10.
Active Ingredients: pyrethrins
Piperonyl butoxide
permethrin


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## MrJosePetes

Oldgrandman said:


> Went out yesterday with a buddy who had Permethrin treated clothes, but I did not. I used an Off brand repellent all over myself and clothing but ended up having 2 on me when I got home. He did not.have any. Same woods, 2 different results. I can do the math on that, so I just bought a can and will NOT leave home without it!
> 
> I'll report back if it does not work, BTW it is recommended by more than one person I know.....


I've been using it for a couple years and say it works but is not the end-alk solution. Did learn that the soak-style permethrin works better than the spray bottles.

Went to southwest Michigan today. Man you guys have the ticks. Buddy found 2 on him, both in nymph stage. One was a dog tick, the other was a deer tick. I had permethrin treated clothes, never saw one. Just did a check and didn't bring any home either. So I've become a pretty big believer in permethrin but I use it in conjunction with some other things too:

1. Like I said, use the soak treatment. More even distribution. 

2. Treat shoes, socks, pants, shirt, hat. Do it all for max effectiveness. 

3. I wear a product called rynoskin under my treated clothes. It feels kind of... Unmanly, for lack of a better word, putting this stuff on. Its skin tight, breathable clothing that puts a barrier between your skin and the pests. Makes me feel at ease because they really can't get in.

4. Use a deet spray or lotion on exposed skin. Ultramin is a good one. 

5. If you can, just avoid tick habitats in the first place. Today I learned in western Michigan that's almost impossible.

Really by being cautious, prepared, and checking yourself you can limit the issues. But I take these guys seriously and the day I've gotta yank one out, idk if I can keep hunting. For what its worth once buddy put on Off, he didn't get any more. Maybe sometimes that's all it takes. But those above precautions make me feel pretty safe. Limit exposed skin. Long sleeves and pants always. 

Oh btw, it was DRY out there. Picking was slow, but didn't get there til 4 and never been there before, so finding our first 15 blacks of the year in a few hours was considered a slight success. Hope they pop near me soon. Good luck this season and hope those ticks stay away


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## Sparky23

barry county yesterday, i pulled 7 off and the gf had 5, all very very small, more ticks than shrooms and the woods are getting mighty dry again


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## NorthWoodsHunter

ESOX said:


> Ticks are no joke. Last year I contracted Lyme Disease from ticks I got behind the shop on 8 Mile in Southfield.


That's not all you can contract on 8-mile...how close is your shop to Hot Tamales??


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## Downriver Tackle

First of the year crawling up the back of my neck earlier today.


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## Oldgrandman

I still am flabbergasted by the onset of these things in recent years. I've never had any on me until about 2 seasons back. Thats 50 years in the woods prior to that and never even 1 tick! Now it seems normal...


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## Petronius

NorthWoodsHunter said:


> That's not all you can contract on 8-mile...how close is your shop to Hot Tamales??


His shop is 3.1 miles due west from Hot Tamales. Driving time is about 5 - 10 minutes.


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## Downriver Tackle

Oldgrandman said:


> I still am flabbergasted by the onset of these things in recent years. I've never had any on me until about 2 seasons back. Thats 50 years in the woods prior to that and never even 1 tick! Now it seems normal...


 When I worked in the chemical factory, my wife used to tell me she could smell chemicals in my sweat. For all those years, I never had a tick on me, and mosquitoes wouldn't touch me. Not long after I got out of that line of work, the ticks and mosquitoes took a liking to me again.


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## tcfishes

So far this year, I have found 3 on my clothes and one on my butt-cheek. All dog ticks. I probably wouldn't be so annoyed by them if I was actually finding any mushrooms. Maybe last night's rain will help.


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## slowpaya

Oldgrandman said:


> I still am flabbergasted by the onset of these things in recent years. I've never had any on me until about 2 seasons back. Thats 50 years in the woods prior to that and never even 1 tick! Now it seems normal...


 im in the same boat as you OGM. 5o plus out there and the first I saw on me was 3 yrs ago.just horrible the last 2 years.1 survived thru the wash(not dryer).1 I found at least a month after id been in the woods in the back seat when I was vacuuming. crawling on me,my partners,roof of truck(inside),seats, in bars ... omg :yikes:


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## Oldgrandman

Downriver Tackle said:


> When I worked in the chemical factory, my wife used to tell me she could smell chemicals in my sweat. For all those years, I never had a tick on me, and mosquitoes wouldn't touch me. Not long after I got out of that line of work, the ticks and mosquitoes took a liking to me again.


I've been at the same job 31+ years, so that scenario has no bearing on me. I've been getting mosquito, bee, wasp, whatever ~ bit my entire life! Fact remains those little $#!+'$ are becoming a problem lately, and I'd like to know why! It just isn't right!!!


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## Downriver Tackle

Oldgrandman said:


> I've been at the same job 31+ years, so that scenario has no bearing on me. I've been getting mosquito, bee, wasp, whatever ~ bit my entire life! Fact remains those little $#!+'$ are becoming a problem lately, and I'd like to know why! It just isn't right!!!


 I'd say climate change with the lighter winters and ticks like warmer climates, but I'd probably get yelled at. lol It's a fact that warmer climate bugs and animals are moving further north and thriving better as temps are warmer and winters are lighter.


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## Anish

Went out ALL DAY yesterday took my son and his girlfriend with me. Girlfriend and I used the Flea Halt and my son "wasn't worried" about getting ticks. Well, guess who was picking ticks off his clothes by the end of the day? :lol: Lesson learned.. Fortunately, none of the ticks had gotten down to the skin, but one was on his sweatshirt and one was on his jeans. 
Also, no shrooms.. 
Saw lots of beefsteaks, but no morels..


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## Petronius

MrJosePetes said:


> That's basically what that rynoskin stuff is... Haha, like I said before, hard to feel manly putting that stuff on but its extra protection. But I haven't found a single one yet this year. Permethrin seems to do the trick.


Rynoskin looks interesting. It might be worth getting a set.


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## Oldgrandman

I had a tick crawl out from between my pinched fingers I found on me in the bathroom and was taking to get a lighter to burn it with. I wasn't pinching it too hard because I want to burn it. That's what I do, burn those little bastards!
Point is, they'll crawl into those with ease IMHO. But hey, if it gives you a reason to wear panty hoes.....LOL!
Just joking with ya!
BURN EM ALL!!!



petronius said:


> I had a crazy thought today, one of many. If a woman wore pantyhose under a pair of pants, would that stop ticks from attaching below the waist? Remember the pantyhose commercial Joe Namath did back in the 1970s?


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## Petronius

Oldgrandman said:


> I had a tick crawl out from between my pinched fingers I found on me in the bathroom and was taking to get a lighter to burn it with. I wasn't pinching it too hard because I want to burn it. That's what I do, burn those little bastards!
> Point is, they'll crawl into those with ease IMHO. But hey, if it gives you a reason to wear panty hoes.....LOL!
> Just joking with ya!
> BURN EM ALL!!!


That is why I think everything should be taped shut with duct tape. Socks, pant legs,waist, sleeves, everything. Then spray.

Another idea I had. Use a spray adhesive on an old shirt and pants dedicated for the woods. It would be like wearing a giant fly strip.


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## Oldgrandman

petronius said:


> That is why I think everything should be taped shut with duct tape. Socks, pant legs,waist, sleeves, everything. Then spray.
> 
> Another idea I had. Use a spray adhesive on an old shirt and pants dedicated for the woods. It would be like wearing a giant fly strip.


Or use Permethrin..... I'm impressed, just hope there are no side effects to be suffered!


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## Downriver Tackle

Oldgrandman said:


> Or use Permethrin..... I'm impressed, just hope there are no side effects to be suffered!


It's nasty stuff. If you spray it on your skin or get a good dose on it, it can cause permanent nervous system damage, including permanent tremors and twitches. It's highly poisonous to cats also. I won't even put it on my dogs.


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## DanSS26

Just ordered Rinoskin. Thanks for the tip MrJosePetes. I had never heard of it before.


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## Oldgrandman

Downriver Tackle said:


> It's nasty stuff. If you spray it on your skin or get a good dose on it, it can cause permanent nervous system damage, including permanent tremors and twitches. It's highly poisonous to cats also. I won't even put it on my dogs.


I already have all those issues and have for years now, LOL! But I am using it as directed for the first time. I never was much for pesticides but ticks are no joke either.

You do realize you're not supposed to put it on anything living, treat your materials and let it dry. I find it hard to believe anything so "nasty" would be allowed over the counter these days with all the bleeding heart liberal stuff going on.....but whatever.

It isn't helping me find anymore morels though, about the suckiest season I can ever remember by May 2nd!!!


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## Downriver Tackle

Oldgrandman said:


> I already have all those issues and have for years now, LOL! But I am using it as directed for the first time. I never was much for pesticides but ticks are no joke either.
> 
> You do realize you're not supposed to put it on anything living, treat your materials and let it dry. I find it hard to believe anything so "nasty" would be allowed over the counter these days with all the bleeding heart liberal stuff going on.....but whatever.
> 
> It isn't helping me find anymore morels though, about the suckiest season I can ever remember by May 2nd!!!


 That's the key. "Use as directed"!! Which many people don't. Hose yourself down and the kids, skin and all, and move on. lol And we wonder why cancer and other issues are so prevalent these days. Out for the manufacturer is to "use as directed". 

Definitely a late year and looking iffy. My goto spot just popped today, but small shrooms. Fingers crossed!


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## Richard Cranium

petronius said:


> I had a crazy thought today, one of many. If a woman wore pantyhose under a pair of pants, would that stop ticks from attaching below the waist? Remember the pantyhose commercial Joe Namath did back in the 1970s?


Petronius....when I was in combat training back in the mid 70's, the base exchange had probably 300 pair of panty hose in stock and there was only 1 female on that base (near San Antonio). They DO work on keeping them from the southern regions of the anatomy. Buying some with my wife next weekend up at Gaylord. Had a little issue with ticks last year up there!


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## Petronius

Richard Cranium said:


> Petronius....when I was in combat training back in the mid 70's, the base exchange had probably 300 pair of panty hose in stock and there was only 1 female on that base (near San Antonio). They DO work on keeping them from the southern regions of the anatomy. Buying some with my wife next weekend up at Gaylord. Had a little issue with ticks last year up there!


Cheaper than Rynoskin. I was thinking they might help to keep the bugs from getting inside your pant legs and attaching.


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## DEDGOOSE

I buy the 10% concentrate permethrin at TSC

Buy a cheap spray bottle with markings, 1 oz concentrate to 20oz water. Same as sawyers and you can make 20 bottles for the same price as sawyers.


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## Anish

I've never had an issue with permethrin and I've used it for years. That being said... I'm also very careful to only spray it on my clothes and not on my skin.


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## Anish

Richard Cranium said:


> Petronius....when I was in combat training back in the mid 70's, the base exchange had probably 300 pair of panty hose in stock and there was only 1 female on that base (near San Antonio). They DO work on keeping them from the southern regions of the anatomy. Buying some with my wife next weekend up at Gaylord. Had a little issue with ticks last year up there!


If the panty hose don't work out for you (lol! Sorry.. Just got a visual), this is what works REALLY well for me.
The night before I go out, I spray the heck out of my clothes with Flea Halt and let them dry overnight. When I get dressed, I pull my socks over my pant legs, and tuck the socks and pantlegs into my boots (I prefer combat boots. They are comfortable and come up high enough to be able to really tuck pants into). Then I tuck my T-shirt into my pants and wear a belt to minimize space for the little buggers to get in. After that, I made up some stuff that works great on bare skin (like your arms). I took coconut oil and added a some tea tree oil to it (you can get both at most Walgreen's, Walmart, riteaid, etc..). I put it all over my arms and around my neck and hairline. I also wear a baseball cap that has been heavily sprayed with permethrin.
I have never picked up a tick if I do this first. Problem is, if I head into the woods on an unplanned trip. 
Hope this helps!


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## Petronius

Anish said:


> If the panty hose don't work out for you (lol! Sorry.. Just got a visual), this is what works REALLY well for me.
> The night before I go out, I spray the heck out of my clothes with Flea Halt and let them dry overnight. When I get dressed, I pull my socks over my pant legs, and tuck the socks and pantlegs into my boots (I prefer combat boots. They are comfortable and come up high enough to be able to really tuck pants into). Then I tuck my T-shirt into my pants and wear a belt to minimize space for the little buggers to get in. After that, I made up some stuff that works great on bare skin (like your arms). I took coconut oil and added a some tea tree oil to it (you can get both at most Walgreen's, Walmart, riteaid, etc..). I put it all over my arms and around my neck and hairline. I also wear a baseball cap that has been heavily sprayed with permethrin.
> I have never picked up a tick if I do this first. Problem is, if I head into the woods on an unplanned trip.
> Hope this helps!


How does the coconut oil and tea tree oil help? Do the bugs hate it?


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## Anish

petronius said:


> How does the coconut oil and tea tree oil help? Do the bugs hate it?


The coconut oil works a a carrier oil for the tea tree oil acts as a carrier. Tea tree oil is pretty pungent stuff. A little bit goes a LONG way. Coconut oil just kinda makes it more like a lotion.
Bugs do NOT like tea tree oil! If you have young kids in school, you can put a few drops in their shampoo. Keeps the head lice away. Also makes their hair really soft.


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## jbing

sounds like some of you should read up on ticks, and how and how not to handle them. also some of
the chemicals you are looking to introduce to your family, pets and water system are worse than
Lyme disease. prevention is important but proper removal and handling of ticks is even more.
:tsk: YOU DONT SQUEESE THEM!!!!
hopefully as shroomers you all have a removal tool and antiseptic wipes? (tweezers are not good removal tools) increase your awareness and decrease the chemicals. keep those shrooms organic!
.there's my two cents on that.
as for their increased population? start killing varmints!!! any and all warm blooded creatures that are outside in the winter harbor the spring hatch. fur harvesting in lower mi is practically non existent. small game hunting is down. nobody's killing the varmints! now I'm broke.


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## The Eyes Have It

Gaylord area is pretty heavily invested, we sprayed down heavily with D.W. OFF. Did bring 1 home with me, didnt think that was to bad after 3 days in the woods. Keeps the Black Flies at bay too!


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## zig

A few years back I was trout fishing the northern lower with a buddy. He had leaky waders. At the end of the day when we met back a the truck he took his waders off, and then took his socks off because they were soaked. He had a tick burrowed underneath his big toenail. Obviously, the whole thing wasn't under there, but his head was dug in and he had been at it a while. It was really gross. I probably wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.


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## Quack Addict

Anish said:


> I prefer combat boots. They are comfortable and come up high enough to be able to really tuck pants into.


So what is your son's response when the teasers say "Your mama wears combat boots"?


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## Kennybks

You ought to experience a real tick infestation like Kansas, Missouri or Arkansas gets mid summer. Talk about the hee-bee-jee having 100 ticks on you trying to find bare skin is just creepy. I've got over 50 just stepping out of my truck in ankle high grass to take a wizard in eastern Missouri.

We used to use a hot match head or a cigarette to dislodge a buried tick, but only newly attached. Once they have a chance to sucks up some protein they look like a bean with little tiny legs.

Saw a new removal tool.
http://www.ticktwister.com/

Had this thread topic a few times before. A chiggar in my book are worse. I can always feel a tick, but chiggar just makes a whelp before you even know he's there.


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## high brass

I always wear 16" high rubber boots ( lacross burlys) when I shroom hunt, so I don't get poison ivy on my pant legs and shoe laces. But I've never found a tick on me either, maybe the boots help?


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## Downriver Tackle

Something got me good last time out. Not ticks, some little biting black gnats. Just itched the first day, itched worse yesterday and swelled a little, woke up today with my left eye swollen shut from 2 bites above it on my forehead. Guess it's Off on the face for today's trip.


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## craigrh13

Downriver Tackle said:


> Something got me good last time out. Not ticks, some little biting black gnats. Just itched the first day, itched worse yesterday and swelled a little, woke up today with my left eye swollen shut from 2 bites above it on my forehead. Guess it's Off on the face for today's trip.


The gnats were terrible in Vanderbilt. It sucked major ass and bug spray didn't deter them. The crazy part was the gnats were only bad where I found morels. I got out of the gnats and I got out of the morels. That was the only consistent part up there.


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## Downriver Tackle

craigrh13 said:


> The gnats were terrible in Vanderbilt. It sucked major ass and bug spray didn't deter them. The crazy part was the gnats were only bad where I found morels. I got out of the gnats and I got out of the morels. That was the only consistent part up there.


 Bugs were absurd today, but Off worked. Sprayed a piece of TP then wiped my entire face and neck down. First spot it worked good and they bounced off me. Second spot, I sprayed my hat down with Off also, and that did the trick. Just hovered and left. 

Tick count is pretty low this year for me. About 1 per trip.


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## craigrh13

Downriver Tackle said:


> Bugs were absurd today, but Off worked. Sprayed a piece of TP then wiped my entire face and neck down. First spot it worked good and they bounced off me. Second spot, I sprayed my hat down with Off also, and that did the trick. Just hovered and left.
> 
> Tick count is pretty low this year for me. About 1 per trip.


I drenched myself in off and it didn't seem to do anything. I've had that issue before up there. I had a Tick bury itself bad into my face under my 6 month old beard. I ended up shaving it down to get him. It still hurts where I pulled him out. He was in there good.


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## Oldgrandman

From the minute I treated my clothes and hat with Permethrin, I never saw another tick. Also never got into the gnat or black fly trouble. One spot we go if it is over 60 degrees and has rained, you'll get the crap kicked out of you by the gnats and flies. Just had a couple fly-by's and no landings or bites all season. 

I remember one year getting chased out of the woods, so I went to the truck. I left my buddy in there and about 15 minutes later he came storming out of the woods with a horrified look on his face and had welts like he'd met up with a pissed off Mike Tyson in there! I sat there with the truck running with the AC on and he said they were just swarming around it. Stephen King should have done a movie about those things!!!


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## R.J.M.

I keep a zip lock bag and wash cloth soaked with off with me high deet % will eat the zip lock


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## Anish

Quack Addict said:


> So what is your son's response when the teasers say "Your mama wears combat boots"?


Hahahaha! Not much!


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## R.J.M.

Seams to be a new tick making its way to Mi from out west sorry I can't copy and paste from the whitetail deer forum if someone can Thank you guess it was on the news wdiv 4


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## Downriver Tackle

They're really bad now. I'm even finding them crawling on my window screens outside. Up to 11 so far from yesterday's trip out in the woods.


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## The Eyes Have It

Downriver Tackle said:


> They're really bad now. I'm even finding them crawling on my window screens outside. Up to 11 so far from yesterday's trip out in the woods.


Holy crap, That's a bummer man. I guess were pretty lucky around Sheridan, hardly ever see one.(knock on wood) You don't have to go far thou, 15 miles south, around Ionia they're pretty bad.


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## Ray Adams

Ray Adams said:


> Gents,
> 
> Been hearing plenty of banter about ticks here lately. My experience is much the same as many of yours - a lifetime spent wandering the Michigan woods and no issues - until a few years ago.
> 
> Here's a heads-up:
> 
> _Pointing Dog Journal_ and _Retriever Journal _magazines will be running an article toward the end of summer that will address all of these tick questions and more. I think you'll be interested in what the entomologist and and veterinarian have to say about the rise in ticks in lower Michigan.
> 
> Ray


Hi Guys,

Here's an excerpt of the article that's scheduled for release in a few days...

http://www.pointingdogjournal.com/comingsoon/articlea/


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