Must be Summer Vacation

Back in the early '80's I was doing my Master's field research at Land Between the Lakes in KY and TN. One of my "duties" was to pick up road killed deer (ungodly huge population of them, including fallow deer) to use as feed in an eagle hacking program. Those poor critters! Their ears and crowns of the their heads were always covered with engorged ticks. They were everywhere (ticks AND deer). I once woke up to 11 in my shoulder.

The USDA was there evaluating tick repellents, specifically one with permethrin (called Permanone). I got to field test it. It worked (and still works) phenomenally well. Time after time, particularly when I was doing a lot of turkey hunting around the country, I'd invite guides/guests to try it. Rarely did. End of day, they were often covered, I was not.
Highly recommend permethrin based repellents.
Gary
 
Gary Tanner said:
Highly recommend permethrin based repellents.
Gary
Click to expand...

I too have used permethrin. I NEVER apply it directly to my skin. I treat my clothing and the clothing allowed to completely dry, (usually a few days before intended use) before wearing said clothing.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Gary Tanner said:
Highly recommend permethrin based repellents.
Gary
Click to expand...

I too have used permethrin. I NEVER apply it directly to my skin. I treat my clothing and the clothing allowed to completely dry, (usually a few days before intended use) before wearing said clothing.
Click to expand...

Spray the clothes, outside, let them dry. Wear gloves and long sleeves and a mask and eye protection when spraying. Wet permethrin is said to be nasty stuff.

I had been buying the Sawyer or Duration brands at local sporting goods outlets or Wallyworld in 20-32 ounce spray bottles. A couple of years ago I realized that was really expensive if you wanted to treat more than a few pieces of clothing, so I sprang for a one gallon jug online. The gallon was $70 or $80, but got my wife and me from early gardening and spring trout fishing through the deer season.

This spring I found permethrin by the gallon for about $35 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TULAH6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$35/gallon vs. $16 for 24 oz. on the Cabela's website for Sawyer. No big deal if you are doing a single outfit, but we do a pretty big bunch and keep them in a separate closet.

Be careful to get the formulations for treating fabrics for human use. There are also formulations for use as an outdoor insecticide--like treating a lawn for ticks--and for use on horses and other livestock. These should not be used on clothes!
 
How I have been spending my summer vacation. Think I can meet all of Carl's original categories.

Been busy training a new pup. He titled as a Junior Hunter on his first birthday.

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Been trying to entice band-tailed pigeons in with a corn baited mineral spring.
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Baiting hooks for the grandkids and spoiling them like only a grandpa can.

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Whittling spoons from some alder that I cut and dried.

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No ticks, venomous snakes or poison ivy/sumac/oak in my part of western Washington.
 
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Keep stirrin' the pot. Cuz the conversation, and thread are gettin' tick...


Now that is pretty funny right there!

 
Does the permethrin work against red bugs (chiggers) as well? I normally don't have too much issue with ticks but this time of year until it cools back down I will get red bug bites all on my legs just from checking cameras or keeping a path clear.
 
Don't know about chiggers. Highly effective on ticks and black flies. Pretty effective on mosquitoes. Not very effective on no-see-ums/minges which in my opinion are the worst of the bugs we have in Maine. Haven't seen or heard of chiggers since Dad left the Army and we moved from Fort Rucker, AL to Connecticut in 1974.
 
Permethrin kills ticks on contact. When I used to contract for the power company walking transmission lines I'd put it on my snake gaiters and get 0 ticks. Without it, loaded. Like 60 in an hour.

I have noticed it really never helps me with the other bugs. Keeps the deer flies from landing on you but they continue their normal circling around my head droning on and on. Mosquitos it may but I never seem to get chewed. The other bugs, eh. Mostly I'm concerned about ticks nowadays. Someone just caught Powassan in CT.
 
Regarding ticks and chiggers: I found this video from Wiggy's Wilderness helpful. His videos have a lot of down to earth, earth sense about them. Pay attention to the simple but effective way he creates a barrier so that ticks cannot enter your exposed skin.

Larry


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1rf93Exx-Y
 
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