Author Topic: Ticks, Ticks, & More Ticks… (Read 1576 times)

BCB · « **on:** October 29, 2012, 11:31:03 AM »

I posted this in 2 locations, here and in Pennsylvania…

Ticks, Ticks, & More Ticks…

I have been doing some hunting and I am literally getting overrun with ticks. Western PA is the place…

I use a repellent that has 50% Deet and I had one that had 75% Deet. Those critters I think like the smell of it and are attracted to it!!!...

Regardless, it doesn’t work at all…

Are there any other repellents on the market that ACTUALLY DO WORK?...

I hear of one that is sprayed on the clothing and it lasts through several washings—is this true and is it available, and DOES IT WORK?...
(Or should I just get tested for Lyme’s 2 times per year?!!!!!)

Thanks…BCB

billythekid55 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2012, 10:20:04 AM »

We have had good luck with permethrin. Only put on clothing. Do not put on skin. Here are a few links.
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=66011
Also, check out REI if you have one near you.
thanks, billy

BCB · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2012, 11:58:50 AM »

Quote from: billythekid55 on October 30, 2012, 10:20:04 AM

We have had good luck with permethrin. Only put on clothing. Do not put on skin. Here are a few links.
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=66011
Also, check out REI if you have one near you.
thanks, billy

Good information--Thanks...

I have heard of the permethrin, but never sought to find it...

The feed store source is interesting. We have several of them in the area and will be worth a check to see if it might be available...

Does one just spray the clothing, say a day before it is to worn, and then wear it?...

That would seem a good thing to do as one could get a better coverage...

It seems it even lasts through washings?...

I am going to try it--nothing to loose as DEET does not work as is verified in the link you included in your post...

Thanks...BCB

spruce · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2012, 01:02:42 PM »

Permethrin spray works very good for ticks. It only works on clothing - do not spray on your skin.
Spray on your clothes until they're wet - not dripping wet, but just well covered. Let them dry before wearing. I've even put mine in the dryer for a few minutes when I was in a hurry.

The spray cans are a really expensive way to buy it. Far better is to go to the lawn and garden section (I buy mine at Tractor Supply) and find a quart of liquid that has permethrin listed as it's active ingredient. Dilute with water to get the same percentage as the expensive spray cans. The one I buy I mix 4 quarts of water with the quart of "bug killer" to get the proper percentage. Mix it up and put it in a spray bottle and you're good to go.

By the way, Land_Owner was the original poster of this idea. Somewhere on these boards are his posts with the formula.

charles p · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2012, 10:52:13 PM »

A few years back three of us were scouting a new farm and we walked down a logging road to its end, then returned to the field edge. We stayed together. When we got to the truck, I noticed many ticks on my khaiki pants. The other men had on darker pants and had no ticks on them. We checked each other thoroughly.
Could the color of my pants have influenced the ticks to jump on me, or was it a scent issue?

mechanic · « **Reply #5 on:** November 14, 2012, 12:46:40 AM »

Go with the permethrin. It works.

Tickless in Ga.

BCB · « **Reply #6 on:** November 14, 2012, 01:26:11 AM »

Quote from: charles p on November 13, 2012, 10:52:13 PM

A few years back three of us were scouting a new farm and we walked down a logging road to its end, then returned to the field edge. We stayed together. When we got to the truck, I noticed many ticks on my khaiki pants. The other men had on darker pants and had no ticks on them. We checked each other thoroughly.
Could the color of my pants have influenced the ticks to jump on me, or was it a scent issue?

I have heard the are attracted to dark-colored clothing--don't know...

I get the dang things on me regardless of the color...

They are so bad in this area, that when I let the dog out of the house, if he goes more than a dozen or so feet from the porch, he gets attacked. Gotta brush him everytime to remove the ticks...
________________________________________________________

I have used the permethrin and it might work better than deet, but I still brush them off of my pants after a bit of hunting at certain locations. I have saturated the pants and let them dry before wearing. Still not 100% successful...

I am uncertain there is a way to completely repel them...

They are really a dang nuisance in this area...

spruce · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2012, 03:02:07 AM »

Permethrin doesn't repel ticks, it works by killing them when they get on treated clothes. I've never timed the process, but would guess it takes a minute or three.

For dogs there are a couple of treatments available from the vet (that you can also purchase elsewhere) for ticks. We use Frontline on our dog.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 17, 2012, 11:07:50 AM »

They run in cycles here; a few years ago they were horrible. I dont like chemicals all that much, so we took to wearing light colored trousers with socks over and can see them climbing up easier. When hot I wore shorts a lot and could feel them climbing too. It wasnt as easy with the dog.......she gets the monthly treatment for ticks and fleas.
BTW, my wife just had another Lyme test and it was neg, so what we have done is working, and we are in a 'hot spot' for Lyme.

charles p · « **Reply #9 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:12:08 PM »

Nothing worse than going to bed at night and just before you go to sleep, you feel a tick crawling up your neck. Same goes for all insects. In a doctors office last week and found an ant crawling on my upper arm.

1911crazy · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2012, 01:22:30 PM »

When i was loggin i would wash my hands and arms with the two stroke when gass'n up the saws. It saved me from poison ivy too.
The ticks have made it to Vermont too I heard, recently. There about 3/4 + way up the state.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2012, 03:03:46 PM »

i use the duranon spray for clothing.
works really good.
very widely available.
i think cabelas has it too.

FPH · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2012, 05:24:17 PM »

I use a 98% Deet product that I bought at Wal- Mart.

BCB · « **Reply #13 on:** November 18, 2012, 03:38:57 AM »

I just returned from our local Tractor Supply Company and they do have Permethrin for use with livestock...

It is fairly concentrated at 10% and up to 40%...

I do believe the stuff used for humans is 0.5%...

I know a person could dilute the 10% to 0.5% with no problem...

But, the problem is the fact that the livestock stuff contains petroleum distillates...

I don't think this would be good to spray on clothes or even have incidental contact with skin...

Probably would stain cloth materials etc...

Any further thoughts?...

Thanks...BCB

gcrank1 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 18, 2012, 04:24:31 AM »

Good info, that......especially since I have dermititus from an overload of diesel fuel some 30yrs ago. IIRC its kind of an accumulative effect, you are OK for years, then BAM, gotcha. Im much more careful around petroleum products, but diesel was the worst for me; its got lots of bad stuff in it.
Most of the insect repellants that Ive read the bottle on say apply to clothes, not skin. I had some Vietnam era Mil-Surp bug dope years ago that was great. but it etched plastic that I handled after hand rubbed application. That gave me pause for thought..........
FWIW, we use handmade soaps and laundry det. here (made by a local gal) and dont seem to attract near the skeeters or troublesome bugs that we used to. I think there are bug 'attractants' in commercial stuff.

james · « **Reply #15 on:** November 18, 2012, 05:00:46 PM »

After getting a tick borne illness, I have become much more careful of the critters. I get the most crawlers when turkey hunting in the spring. I pull off my camos when I come in and put them in a trash bag with permethrin. After a couple of days treating the clothes they are pretty tick proof. I like to use a white trash bag so I can see the dead ticks in it. It makes me feel like I am getting even.
I shot a buck earlier this week and he was covered up with ticks. In four days of deer hunting I only found one crawling on my hand and I used no repellent.

mechanic · « **Reply #16 on:** November 19, 2012, 01:55:02 PM »

I bought the permethrin at Academy Sports in a large bottle with a sprayer.

Ben

hillbill · « **Reply #17 on:** November 19, 2012, 02:19:20 PM »

i used to just ignore ticks and pull them off. but after a buddy of mine told me his horror story of tick fever i dont take them so lightly.i spray down everyday, legs and midsection.i do not want to go thru what he did.his deal reduced a huge man into a shadow of himself.he still has problems with it. over one tick. think about it guys

blind ear · « **Reply #18 on:** November 19, 2012, 03:36:26 PM »

Have a friend that had/has tick fever. He has relapses according to his Dr.. Tough stuff.

hillbill · « **Reply #19 on:** November 20, 2012, 01:37:02 PM »

Quote from: blind ear on November 19, 2012, 03:36:26 PM

Have a friend that had/has tick fever. He has relapses according to his Dr.. Tough stuff.

it is a horrible disease, i was horrified when my buddy told me all the symptoms.he was so sick he told his wife to get all the guns out of the house becuz he was a inch away from putting himself out of his misery.this was a big healthy man that would take on a buffalo with his bare hands!it was a sad deal and made me take a hard look at how i conduct my life.i keep a can of tick spray in my truk and by my backdoor.i spray down every morning dureing tick season. we have had several haaaard frosts and i picked a tick off my hunting clothes yesterday.