A colleague who's a Reservist and will be going up to Grayling for training just got off the phone and reported he was told the ticks are particularly bad already this season.

Apparently his dad was up in that area last weekend and picked up a couple, and he'd used repellant.

We were supposed to go up this weekend with friends, out into some serious, non-nonsense back-woods in the vicinity of Houghton Lake. We're talkin' several miles of two-tracks to get there. Usually it's not a problem, this time of year, but, we had an unusually mild winter.

ETA: I was thinking maybe rain suppressed them. Just the opposite: Moisture increases the risk. We've had a wet spring, and my buddy says it may rain up there this weekend... *sigh*

To make matters more concerning: Powassan virus is now being spread by deer ticks, and it makes Lyme Disease look tame, by comparison

So what say you, Sigforum Oracle? Am I being needlessly concerned?

(I suspect, once I relay this to my wife, she's going to nix the plans, anyway.)

Just got back from a week living in the woods of the UP. Didn't find any ticks on our bodies but did find one on some dirty clothes in our laundry container. I guess we did pick up at least one hitch hiker. We are a bit freaked out about the Powassan virus so we wore long pants when hiking and did regular body inspections. What else can you do but stay out of the woods. Not an option for us.

Sawyer repellent is good stuff for deep backwoods protection. Use on clothing ONLY.

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-...g+mosquito+repellent

I make sure my arms and legs are covered with a lightweight material when hiking MI. Use tick spray on my clothing.

Sawyer spray on clothes, shoes, with deet repellant everywhere else, tick checks.

There are plenty in the Northern U.P. already, so I'm sure Grayling too. Spring is high time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sourdough44,

Little late to order from Amazon, but, according to Sawyer's web site, three or four retailers in the area carry it, so we should be GTG there. Thanks for the recommendation!

Recommendation for DEET (I assume) to apply to skin?

Turns out May is peak tick month in Michigan. Lived here all my life, and we've done this with our friends every May for several years, and I did not know that! WTF?!?!

So I'm thinking just take extra precautions, this time, and go.

Permethrin. Walmart sells it, spray on boots and clothes. I just "check for ticks" when we get home, nothing you can do about them and I just go on with life as normal.

I picked one up about a month ago while mowing the lawn. First one I've had in Michigan, only other time I picked one up while in New Mexico while working with the forestry division at a wildfire and that was in the mid 1980's.

I have been out in the woods several times recently. Nothing out of the ordinary. No ticks yet. And I use the Sawyer spray treatment on my clothing.

Belt and suspenders, DEET on skin, Permethrin on clothing. I have a sleeping bag liner factory treated with Permethrin, will be testing it this summer. Tick checks. And forget the fancy gadgets use small forceps/medical tweezers to remove any ticks promptly. The shorter exposure time means less chance that the vermin spread an infection.

Thanks, guys! I've Permethrin for the clothes below the waist, Deep Woods Off for above, and Off wipes for the skin. That should do it, I think?

Be glad it's not those black flies. Nothing stops them.

I just picked one off my face here, 50 miles north of Detroit, in Genesee county. First time seeing one here...

Stay out of long tall grass

Peppermint oil is good way to remove ticks without leaving any parts embedded in your skin.

When I was in the service we got these little 2oz bottles of insect juice....they never had any readable ingredients or instructions on them....then ONCE I got a brand new can..turns out it was 90% DEET and we were supposed to treat out outer uniform garments....and not to apply it directly to our skin...

That was the best shit ever.

my buddy took a tick, and put a line of the DEET stuff on his finger and drew a line on the table and forced the tick across it...the tick was dead before he got about 1/8 of an inch......

now I use Sportsman bug repellent...it's got 30% DEET in it and doesn't smell bad (like fresh dirt)...it will keep the bugs off you...I get it at Walmart [shudders}

I am a couple states south but the ticks are out of control this year compare to usual.
I burnt two fields prepping food plots yesterday and my pants were covered. Come shower time I had quite a few on me.

What can I do to protect my dawgs when I let them out in the yard/grass?

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Stay out of long tall grass

It's good to carry a waking stick and you can beat a path in front of you. It helps.

quote:

Originally posted by tanner:

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Stay out of long tall grass

It's good to carry a waking stick and you can beat a path in front of you. It helps.

Thanks for the reminder!

I have three of 'em, and manage to forget bringing one just about every time we travel.

Maybe I should just put one in the truck and leave it there?