Six Easy Steps to Keep Ticks Away - 04/15/20
Such a serious topic with so much information out there. Sometimes it's hard to know what's effective and what might or might not work.
For instance, some people eat garlic or onions as a natural deterrent. If it works for them, GREAT! Keep doing what works. For me, all it does is earn me a night sleeping on the couch and some heartburn.
My wife swears by covering her entire body in baby oil or Skin So Soft prior to applying her Deet spray. She claims that the ticks do not like the oily surface when trying to attach. She has never had a tick attached to her, so I do not doubt it's effectiveness. Others claim tree tea oil does the same.
Personally, some things I do that I don't see mentioned often are as follows:
1. I start out by using a repellent-based body wash and shampoo called Top Secret BioShield.
Whether guys think it's effective or not is up to them. I surely wouldn't use it alone. I still apply deet after my shower, of course. Once again, just another line of defense that is worth it to me.
https://www.bioshield-rx.com/shop/bioshield-body-wash-and-shampoo-12oz/
2. Wear a tight fitting base layer. Yes, compression wear. You can find compression wear so breathable and lightweight that it can be worn in even the hottest conditions. The tighter fitting the better, but make sure it's comfortable. This provides a layer that ticks have a really hard time getting under, which is a great line of defense. So important. Yes, I personally look like a fat stuffed piece of polish sausage in the stuff, but my camo goes over top, so no other hunter's get to witness my manly physique.
3. I always wear rubber boots turkey hunting, but no matter what boots you wear I highly recommend not tucking your pants into your boots. Pulling your pant legs down over rubber boots surely isn't the best fashion statement, but who cares? Your open boot tops are are great access point for ticks. I have a friend who duct tapes his pant legs and sleeves shut. It works for him and it's effective.
4. I also started using Elimitick Clothing. Not only do I use it hunting, I wear it in the fields while food plotting, brush hogging, you name it. It does work and is effective.
https://gamehide.com/why-gamehide/elimitick/
Below, I've also added a list of other ways to protect yourself. Some are common and well-known, but it is good advice.
If this information helps one person with some new ideas, it was worth the time sharing it.
Stay safe out there guys!
Six Easy Steps to Keep Ticks Away
These simple steps can help you keep ticks away to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases.
1) Wear protective clothing to keep ticks away. Especially important are long pants, which should be tucked into high socks. Ticks generally latch on to a passing critter (you!) and crawl up, looking for a spot to burrow in and feed. Light colors will help you spot the ticks. A couple of years ago, in what wasn’t even a “bad” year for ticks, I took a short hike that passed through a brushy field and found nine brown dog ticks on my light gray socks when I got back to the car.
2) Use a DEET-based insect repellent to keep ticks away around your ankles, wrists (preferably with a light-colored, long-sleeve shirt) and on your neck. Put repellent on your clothing at the entry points (aerosol or pump sprays are best for this), not just on your skin. Caution: This may discolor some clothing, so if you care about looking chic, you may want to change clothes. Our favorite repellent after years of testing is 3M Ultrathon; it stays on longer when you’re hot and sweaty than anything else we’ve ever tried. Sad to say, none of the “natural” (non-Deet) products we’ve tried seem to actually work. If you choose not to use a DEET-based repellent, be extra careful with protective clothing. Find what works best for you.
3) Leave Ticks Outside. If you can do so without getting arrested, disrobe outside your house or your tent when returning from an outdoor adventure, to avoid bringing ticks in with you. Put your potentially-ticky clothing in a plastic bag (perhaps with a spritz of insecticide) and seal it until you can wash it. Some experts recommend putting your clothes in the drier on high heat for 30 minutes to desiccate and kill any hitchhiking ticks before washing–just be careful that no ticks drop off before you get the clothes in the dryer.
4) Tick Check! Check yourself carefully at the end of any outdoor adventure (even a stroll across your lawn). It takes awhile for an embedded tick to transmit disease and a tick check should be as much a part of your daily routine as brushing your teeth before bed. If you don’t have a companion to help, carry a mirror to examine spots you can’t see easily. Remember the “National Geographic” videos with [bleep] grooming each other? Yes, they’re removing ticks, lice, etc…feel free to make appropriate [bleep] noises while helping someone do their tick check. Tick checks with your partner can lead to some "other" fun activities! Use your imagination!
5) Carefully remove any ticks you find by pulling gently with tweezers or using any one of the myriad tick pullers on the market. We’ve had excellent results with the Ticked Off; it puts pressure on the skin and allows you to push the tick up and out. Killing ticks can be difficult; they’re remarkably well armored. Best bets are to flush them, or, if you are regularly in tick territory, to carry a little bottle with rubbing alcohol in it…just drop the ticks in, put the cover back on, you’re done.
6)Don’t panic!It takes 24 hours for any disease to be released into you. After you remove the tick, take a pen, draw a circle around the bite, and monitor it for changes. See your doctor immediately as a precaution, but especially if you develop any disease symptoms like swelling, fever, a rash, etc.
For instance, some people eat garlic or onions as a natural deterrent. If it works for them, GREAT! Keep doing what works. For me, all it does is earn me a night sleeping on the couch and some heartburn.
My wife swears by covering her entire body in baby oil or Skin So Soft prior to applying her Deet spray. She claims that the ticks do not like the oily surface when trying to attach. She has never had a tick attached to her, so I do not doubt it's effectiveness. Others claim tree tea oil does the same.
Personally, some things I do that I don't see mentioned often are as follows:
1. I start out by using a repellent-based body wash and shampoo called Top Secret BioShield.
Whether guys think it's effective or not is up to them. I surely wouldn't use it alone. I still apply deet after my shower, of course. Once again, just another line of defense that is worth it to me.
https:/
2. Wear a tight fitting base layer. Yes, compression wear. You can find compression wear so breathable and lightweight that it can be worn in even the hottest conditions. The tighter fitting the better, but make sure it's comfortable. This provides a layer that ticks have a really hard time getting under, which is a great line of defense. So important. Yes, I personally look like a fat stuffed piece of polish sausage in the stuff, but my camo goes over top, so no other hunter's get to witness my manly physique.
![eek eek](/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/default/eek.gif)
3. I always wear rubber boots turkey hunting, but no matter what boots you wear I highly recommend not tucking your pants into your boots. Pulling your pant legs down over rubber boots surely isn't the best fashion statement, but who cares? Your open boot tops are are great access point for ticks. I have a friend who duct tapes his pant legs and sleeves shut. It works for him and it's effective.
4. I also started using Elimitick Clothing. Not only do I use it hunting, I wear it in the fields while food plotting, brush hogging, you name it. It does work and is effective.
https:/
Below, I've also added a list of other ways to protect yourself. Some are common and well-known, but it is good advice.
If this information helps one person with some new ideas, it was worth the time sharing it.
Stay safe out there guys!
Six Easy Steps to Keep Ticks Away
These simple steps can help you keep ticks away to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases.
1) Wear protective clothing to keep ticks away. Especially important are long pants, which should be tucked into high socks. Ticks generally latch on to a passing critter (you!) and crawl up, looking for a spot to burrow in and feed. Light colors will help you spot the ticks. A couple of years ago, in what wasn’t even a “bad” year for ticks, I took a short hike that passed through a brushy field and found nine brown dog ticks on my light gray socks when I got back to the car.
2) Use a DEET-based insect repellent to keep ticks away around your ankles, wrists (preferably with a light-colored, long-sleeve shirt) and on your neck. Put repellent on your clothing at the entry points (aerosol or pump sprays are best for this), not just on your skin. Caution: This may discolor some clothing, so if you care about looking chic, you may want to change clothes. Our favorite repellent after years of testing is 3M Ultrathon; it stays on longer when you’re hot and sweaty than anything else we’ve ever tried. Sad to say, none of the “natural” (non-Deet) products we’ve tried seem to actually work. If you choose not to use a DEET-based repellent, be extra careful with protective clothing. Find what works best for you.
3) Leave Ticks Outside. If you can do so without getting arrested, disrobe outside your house or your tent when returning from an outdoor adventure, to avoid bringing ticks in with you. Put your potentially-ticky clothing in a plastic bag (perhaps with a spritz of insecticide) and seal it until you can wash it. Some experts recommend putting your clothes in the drier on high heat for 30 minutes to desiccate and kill any hitchhiking ticks before washing–just be careful that no ticks drop off before you get the clothes in the dryer.
4) Tick Check! Check yourself carefully at the end of any outdoor adventure (even a stroll across your lawn). It takes awhile for an embedded tick to transmit disease and a tick check should be as much a part of your daily routine as brushing your teeth before bed. If you don’t have a companion to help, carry a mirror to examine spots you can’t see easily. Remember the “National Geographic” videos with [bleep] grooming each other? Yes, they’re removing ticks, lice, etc…feel free to make appropriate [bleep] noises while helping someone do their tick check. Tick checks with your partner can lead to some "other" fun activities! Use your imagination!
5) Carefully remove any ticks you find by pulling gently with tweezers or using any one of the myriad tick pullers on the market. We’ve had excellent results with the Ticked Off; it puts pressure on the skin and allows you to push the tick up and out. Killing ticks can be difficult; they’re remarkably well armored. Best bets are to flush them, or, if you are regularly in tick territory, to carry a little bottle with rubbing alcohol in it…just drop the ticks in, put the cover back on, you’re done.
6)Don’t panic!It takes 24 hours for any disease to be released into you. After you remove the tick, take a pen, draw a circle around the bite, and monitor it for changes. See your doctor immediately as a precaution, but especially if you develop any disease symptoms like swelling, fever, a rash, etc.