I’ll never forget my first encounter. As a young boy in Wisconsin, laying in bed one night, I felt something crawling across my hand as I was trying to sleep. Opening my eyes I saw this small creature crawl over the top of my finger. I did what any mature young man would do of course… screamed at the top of my lungs and ran down the hall crying for mom. Mom of course ran to meet me and I jumped in her arms, clinging like a young possum with a death grip. We searched and found the hideous monster making it’s way over the carpet heading down the hallway. “What is it???”, I exclaimed... and so began my existence with ticks.

Thankfully, today I am not afraid of ticks like I was that night as a five year old, but I am very mindful of them. As hunters, fishermen, hikers and folks who generally enjoy the outdoors, we may all be very aware of the presence of ticks. From the west coast to the east coast, Texas to Minnesota, ticks can be found in abundant supply. Many northern states, that several years ago may not have had ticks, may even be seeing ticks begin to thrive in their regions. Today, what was an annoyance has become more identified as a threat to your health. Tick-borne diseases are being uncovered more and more it seems as the medical community identifies and tracks down their sources. Perhaps the most popular is Lyme, but ticks can carry many different diseases, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Relapsing Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, Tick Paralysis, and many others I could never pronounce properly. Each is mostly determined by the type of tick and region you are in.

Here in the northeast, we mainly have to be concerned about Lyme Disease, which is carried by the Deer Tick. Lyme can be very debilitating if not treated immediately. Unfortunately, the early symptoms are close to that of the common flu, and many people do not seek medical help until it reaches its later stages. Even then, blood tests have been known to come back negative but later reveal Lyme in its more advanced stages. One of our TalkHunting forum members from New Jersey shared with me his experience with Lyme Disease. He’d gotten bitten by a tick while walking his dog back in 1985. With flu-like symptoms, the doctor prescribed an antibiotic, which he took only until he felt better, as many of us do. For some time after he experienced issues with his knees, weakness and arthritis, until three years later when the symptoms grew more steady. The doctor only then concluded it was Lyme and put him on three weeks of IV antibiotics. Even now there are residual effects of arthritis in his hips, knees, and ankles, though thankfully nothing as severe as he did back in ’88.

Like Lyme, the most prominent symptoms of many tick-borne diseases include fever, headache, and fatigue. All of which are common Flu-like symptoms that would not immediately concern most of us. A good dose of your favorite cold medicine, plenty of fluids, get as much rest as possible and should be gone by the end of the week, right? Symptoms can be much more severe as another forum member, Jason “Jaybirdd” Tafs from Minnesota relayed to me in his experience with Anaplasmosis. Just last year in the spring of 2009 Jason lost his appetite, felt just generally sick, and “had a bit of a fever”. His skin began to turn yellow as it progressed, and he developed a rash as well that itched to the point where he would scratch until he made himself bleed. This was accompanied by the more common joint aches as well. Over the course of several weeks, Jason had made many trips to his doctor, urgent care, and to the local emergency room. With blood taken each time, it took two more weeks for a resulting diagnosis to come back. Even with treatment he was sick for over a month and to date isn’t sure if the joint & back pain he still deals with is a residual effect or not.

These accounts are just representative of the thousands and thousands of cases that could be told. Ticks are something we have to deal with. As we head to the woods and fields, even our own back yards, ticks flourish. Especially in the warmer months, but even into late fall/early winter, tick activity can be high. In these months ticks can be more active as nymphs (or young) turn into adult ticks and feed before the cold months arrive. Ticks do not hibernate but simply become dormant due to cold teperatures, usually below freezing, so many southern states can see tick activity well into winter months, and even in the winter months ticks can become active in warm spells if temperatures rise consistantly above freezing.

The question is how do we cope? What can we do to ward against bites and protect ourselves while we continue to invest our time and efforts in our love for the outdoors?

There are many products on the market today that claim to repel and/or kill ticks. Some of the most popular ingredients of those being Deet  and Permethrin. Without getting into a product review of each, the important thing for us as hunters is scent control, so look carefully at ingredients and reviews and choose a product that is truly odorless if you want to use it in the deer woods.

There are also many things we can do to be proactive outside of sprays and chemicals. Wearing long sleeves, as well as tucking your shirt into your pants and tucking your pant legs into your boots can help reduce entrance areas into your clothing. When not hunting, wearing lighter colored clothes can help you better see ticks before they get under your clothes. Ticks do not jump or fly, but transfer from contact with the brush, grass, twigs, or animals that you come in contact with. Avoiding contact with them as much as possible can help, such as going around those low-lying branches of a bush instead of through them. Contact with your legs is inevitable while walking of course, but trying to confine it to just your legs as much as possible can help.

Now as hunters, we know that not all of these can be done all of the time, especially in some of the dense areas we hunt, and while sitting with our bodies against a tree or laying in wait behind that hedgerow. When it all comes down to it, there is no 100% fool-proof tick-preventing method. Ticks happen. The best thing you can do, regardless of your prevention methods, is what I call the “tick check”, which is a simple two stage process: Check & Change.

1. CHECK: When leaving the woods & fields, before you climb into or onto your mode of transportation, or if you walk out, before reaching the house or cabin, do a spot check around your entire body. If you hunt with a partner, have them help. Get the obvious ticks off your clothing and out of your hair right then, especially if you have long or thick hair where it's harder to feel them. I also keep an old windshield snow brush in my truck to brush down my clothes with just in case.
2. CHANGE: When you get home, or back to the cabin, tent, or lean-to, systematically undress, checking each article of clothing you remove inside and out. Do this through every layer of clothing you have on. Yes, right down to nothing. Ticks have been known to find the most private of places! If you dress or undress partially or fully in the field, do it then, but check each layer before you put it in your gear bag, so you’re sure you’re not saving a tick for later.  Remember, young ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, so look for those unusual freckles!

Ticks of any variety are nothing to be taken lightly. Take the time to contact your state’s Environmental Management Department, and they should have any information on the types of ticks and reported diseases in your state readily available. Get familiar with them. Be proactive... be smart... and remember, "Check and Change". Have a safe and successful hunting season!

*Stories used by permission.

By Duane Taylor

TalkHunting Pro Staffer Duane "Duane72" Taylor was born in western NY. As the son of a pastor, he spent several childhood years in Wisconsin, then West Virginia where he graduated high school before landing in Rhode Island. Moving out on his own, Duane spent a few years in Texas before enlisting in the US Air Force where he served for four years, stationed in Germany and South Carolina, and took part in Operation Desert Shield. After, he returned to RI where he served an additional year in the Air National Guard and married his fiancé Desiree. He now works full-time as the Facility Manager of his church, as well as volunteer serves on the board of Deacons. Duane cherishes his life with Desiree and is the proud father of two boys.

Growing up in a family that, even though they were not opposed to it, had minimal interest in hunting, Duane had few, if no, opportunities to experience the world of hunting for himself. He has always had an enjoyment of fishing and holds fond memories of fishing the ponds and lakes of Wisconsin with his dad and siblings. Always having a deep interest in hunting though, he took it upon himself to get started the year after settling home in Rhode Island. Armed with nothing more than an ancient recurve given to him by an old man in his church when he was in his teens, and decked out in his Air Force BDUs, he plunged into what would soon become a passion, hobby, and lifestyle.

It was several years before Duane would arrow his first deer with a used compound bow he had "upgraded" to. But those first years brought with them many valuable lessons, mentors, and friends and were the foundations of the successful years that followed. Hunting also the shotgun and muzzleloader seasons, spring & fall turkey, as well as some small game and coyote, Duane spends a great deal of time in the woods or preparing to be there. His other passions are most importantly God, his family, and his off-season fix of motorcycles.

Comments(1):

1. Pets Too

   I found this informative. but i want to add that Lyme Didease could occur in dogs and cats, so i stress the importance of using tick repellent on your pets. Save your pets from pain or death. many repellents are on the market, it will be worth it.

   Sunday, September 19, 2010 Savannah