As someone who's had Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can tell you once the tick attaches, you can start feeling sick. Well then the next day you feel awful. They fall out of trees on you which is good if you were a boonie hat and put repellent around the rim. Favorite method is to crawl up your legs and go for your crotch. Old Vietnam veteran told me that he cupped his pants legs up and poured kerosene around them. When he wore short pants, he would wear long socks and put kerosene around the top of them. The last few years I knew him he also used repellent on his body as well. Around your house keep your yard cut short; in tall grass they climb to the top and it's easier for them to get on you and up your legs. Ticks and fleas were ao bad near home few yeara ago, went to Coop got Tempo and spray misted the yard. If you don't have a set of tweezers you can heat up the tip of your knife blade and edge it up to their head and push him out. If you're indoors and you discover one attached, one of the best tricks that someone showed me was, you take a q-tip and dip it in alcohol. Run the q-tip up in front of the tick to its head and firmly push down and turn the q-tip in a backwards motion. The tick will let go and actually grab hold of the q-tip where you can walk to the toilet shaking him in and flush him down. If you have been bitten and you keep feeling sick or worse or start getting red spots or dots, seek medical help immediately. Usually they give you course of doxycycline. This is a great video Dave and I appreciate you putting it up here. A sign of a true instructor and leader is someone that cares about the other people that follow. Thank you ❤
Dave, I just want to say I am so glad to see you’ve kept going after the fire. My heart broke for you brother. I’m about to embark on an adventure, in Alaska. I purchased 5 acres and I’m going to build my life in the way Dick Proenneke did. Your channel, videos and books have helped my skills over the years. Thank you for always making relevant content for us self-reliance warriors.
Pre-trip regime. Spray permethrin onto: Inside surfaces of ALL clothing Outside surfaces of clothing at entry points (lower 8” of pant legs and shirt tails, waist & groin, bottom half of sleeves, collar area Hat & socks inside & out Sleeping bag inside & out Tent screens, inside perimeter,& ceiling Anything else I can think of. Be generous on drying time, open air, and sunshine As a result, I don’t have any ticks for “pick and show” like the other kids do. 🙂 Courtesy of Half Vast
My Grandpa always swore the reason he very seldom had a problem with tick's was because he wore a union suit year round. I guess a lot of the Older generation wore union suit's even after they went out of fashion. Goes along with them always having their top button of their shirt always done up and long sleeves always rolled down. All of that in combo with a wide brimmed hat kept them from skin cancer. Something we don't often think about these day's until it's too late. Probably could learn a ton more from their way's.
My grandpa showed me a trick with ticks I swear to God this works no mouth parts left behind. You do the same thing with tweezers you get them as close to the head as you can and you apply steady pressure gently but firm until you feel him let go, you will fill it release without tearing his mouth parts off if your careful. It's fast an works amazing. Then wash there area I use alcohol swab to make sure. Also if you have chickens they are amazing at eating up ticks hahaha
I never really thought about a mirror and the importance of carrying one (even on my little day hikes…) until I got a rose thorn in my eye and needed to get it out, had to hike a half mile holding my eye open to stop from blinking to get to help. I despise ticks, there are very few things that creep me out. Ticks, flystrike, and botflies being the top of the list.
I got Lyme disease at a Bsa camp. If you have camped in a place that has been known to have ticks and get flue like symptoms a month later. You might have Lyme disease. I live in an urban area and my doctor didn’t believe think l had Lyme disease until I told him were I had camped and my blood test came in. It took we 3 week before I could return to work and 2 years before the fatigue went away. I was lucky to caught it early. Lyme disease is no joke.
Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! When I took care of cows I would get "Ivomec pour on" on my skin while treating the cows and calves. Consequently, Ticks weren't a problem. Now since I'm an old fart and don't work cows anymore. Ticks are a problem. I Like to use a bug spray with permethrin in it. I'm gonna have to try this stuff. Thanks for the Good information! God Bless!
Thanks Dave, a definite epidemic now days. I have Lyme disease (Bartonella) in remission. Ivermectin is the cure and having it in your blood stream is important.
I have heard if you must sleep on the ground.. make sure you have a ground sheet.. even if you have a tent . Have the ground sheet slightly larger than the footprint of the tent and treat the ground sheet with permethrin...
I use tee tree oil inside my home... my cats keep bringing their friends inside whenever they come in. I have a small dish that is just for ticks. I put one or two drops of tee tree oil in it, then drop the tick in it. For good measure i drop another drop of tee tree oil on it. One drop on them will kill them instantly. I also spray my clothing with deed as well as my cap, before wearing them, and going into my woods.
I don’t like sleeping on the ground in the winter. The cold ground is like sleeping on ice cube. If I got sleep on the ground I use my army shelter half tent and i dig out the ground put hot rocks from fire about 6 inches under dirt the put bed roll on top. Then it’s toasty
Im a land surveyor in the field everyday weekday for 20 years. Mainly coastal wetlands. I probably get 50 bites a month despite using permethrin tucking and taping cuffs etc. All my bites disappear within 2 days because apply a pharmaceutical grade essential oil of lavendar to them 2 or 3 times a day. Lime disease sucks. Stay safe
I literally just came back from treating my hiking gear for ticks. One thing that's another plus for natural insect repellent is that they don't eat up your gear (especially nylon) like DEET does. A few weeks ago I was hiking on a local trail and bent down after I bumped a flock of turkeys and bent down to observe them. I came back with over 26 ticks on me. Insane. Good thing I knew what to do; I came back to my site trailer, found the first one, went into the bathroom and took off my 1/4 zip pullover jacket and I looked like a chocolate chip cookie. They were all over me. That same night, I went to my truck and treated the seats and floor with Permethrin. Didn't have any ticks after that (not one). Good stuff Dave. This is a subject that should be revisited every late winter/early spring. In New York, we've been having an epidemic of tick infestations. They woke up early because of that 90's degree week we had back in March.
This is great information. Ticks are nasty and dealing with them outdoors is a constant problem. Another nasty bug is a chigger. Dave's comment about high grass reminded of the time I got into a mess of chiggers (also known as "No-see-ums") I was covered with them. I wonder, how effective is Dave's bug chasers on chiggers? I now of only one cure for chiggers, told to me by a doctor. Strip down, put your cloths in the wash on the longest possible cycle, get in the shower and wet down. Step out of the spray and soap down, starting with your head then work your way down to your feet. stand away from the spray for about 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse down starting with your head. repeat the process 2 more times. You're looking at an hour long process. I got 99% of the nasty buggers off. '-)
I’m southern Illinois and like your area of Ohio, this is tick country. Born and raised around them. Taking care just becomes second nature. Can barely walk across a yard without getting one. I use natural sprays and they help. I’ll give the soap a try.
Way to go dave it's 10:00 pm my wife and I sitting on the couch watching you itching and scratchin like your digging for bugs got both of us off the couch huntin and fetch like we was possessed. ant bin out in the woods for days. way to go boss man. Do so love your vids..👍👍
Thanks for the video Dave! Last year I moved my family from suburban Pennsylvania out to central Missouri. The ticks out this way are astounding! The last time I saw this many ticks was when my family went hiking through the marshland in south Jersey and my little sister had about 30 of them on her when we got back. I have plans to get some fowl around my property to deal with them but simply don’t have the infrastructure to keep them yet. Right now I use a commercial lawn granule right around May and it lowers the population for the rest of the year to a tolerable level where we don’t really need to put anything on ourselves. We just finished purchasing 16 acres around our property that are very run down. Lots of brush, trash, and three dilapidated mobile homes that need to be torn down. I’m going to try to do most of the work myself and have been thinking about ways to minimize my exposure to ticks. Rocky Mountain Spotted fever is supposedly a big thing around my parts and I did end up getting a bullseye rash after a lone star tick got me. Luckily I never felt sick and didn’t need to go to a doctor but I’d rather not press my luck a second time (no health insurance). Thanks for the ideas to help with my creepy crawly problems! Now I just have to figure out how to deal with the terrifying mass of poison ivy I have! 😂 God Bless!
T Y again, Dave! I have had a fair amount of tick experience, including what doctors will do, or not. Your video is a must-see, including the many great Comments. I will read and study every one included with this video. I most often wear tan or khaki long cargo pants in tick country. Not hard to see most ticks if you are looking. Borrelia burgdorferi is the most common tick that transmits Lyme. Ticks tend to carry several other kinds of problems, so you don't want to take them for granted. If a tick gets into me again, I will make sure to keep it in a jar to show a doctor, just in case. Deer, bear, dogs, cats, horses, rodents, and many other animals are tick hosts. Anything more that I need to say is likely found in other Comments here.
In my experience where I live you can predict and avoid tick rich areas. They seem to really like transitions area on the edges of tree lines and banks of water bodies. Also sometimes they prefer certain evergreen plants like red cedar, pine, and mountain laurel thickets. They also love to hang around deer trails
Hiked a 6km trail last weekend. Pulled and killed over 80 ticks off, 4 on my skin, one trying to dig in. Not a single deer tick, was all brown ticks (wood ticks), i am in Northwestern Ontario. Wore light coloured clothing and majority were on my socks and boots. I also feel them on me.
If you have a large lot of land, is it practical or legal to raise and release turkeys native to your area? I know those and guinea hens were the most effective way I dealt with the tick issue i was having on my prooerty. The guinea hens were very noisy. Increasing the wild Turkey population seems like they might help the tick issue at the school.
In 1979 my dad gave me a Swiss army SD mini keychain knife... So handy I have had one on all my keychains ever since! Main blade .. nail file with screwdriver tip.. screwdriver works on standard and Phillips head in a pinch.. nail file can be used to file more than just nails.... A fantastic scissors.. a toothpick and a wonderful tweezer... My Swiss army SD mini keychain knife is something I never want to be without!
Great video! Dave I hope you read this comment but I'll tell you one thing number one product for removing a tick is called The "tick twister". I don't twist when I remove a tick I go under the body and pull it out. I get it at Walmart and it comes in two sizes and I carry both of them on a daily basis because I get lots of ticks. I've had Lyme disease twice but I caught it early stages with the ring around the bite and went directly to the doctor and got on anti biotics. I didn't suffer the effects from Lyme disease. Their other products out there called The tick key not very good. The tick twister works very well. I keep one on the outside of my backpack and on my keychain. The one on the keychain gets smashed little bit cuz it's only made of plastic you just have to spread it out a little bit before you pick the tic but it works awesome.
Id like to add that you need to check the inside of your clothes when you take them off at night. Those buggers will attach themselves to your clothes, just waiting for the opportunity to get ya!
Thank you for the lesson . This year is going to be hiking and camping year. So, this ? Is really great to learn . Much Respect and Blessings to you and your family Sir . 🤠🖖 ♨️
Recently I was camping and was in my tent when I noticed a tick above me but like five feet off to the side so I decided to watch it. I was really tired though and decided to take a nap after watching it move about two feet in about half an hour so I decided to take a nap. I woke up about an hour later looked around for the tick then looked straight up and as I did it fell right next to me head. This was definitely a very natural observation. They will hunt you down stealth like or latch on if you make contact with them. Dynamic little creature.
Great video and good information. One thing I noticed decades ago is I do not use deodorant, after shave, or cologne and other similar things in tick infested areas. When I quit using those things, I noticed an obvious reduction with the tick problem immediately. One day I was using that stuff and the next day I wasn't, and the outcome was obvious. I have been with people who use deodorant, and they get more ticks in a day than I often get in a season. The use of odorized detergent in the wash also attracts them in my opinion. In my opinion the use of chemicals is definitely out. What do you do, die from ticks or die from the chemicals? it is that plain. I have lived in the tick capitol of the world (the Ozarks) for most of my life. We used to strip and look for ticks on our kids every evening when they wear young (now in their 40's.) This an age old problem and is not going away any time soon. Thanks for what you do. I have enjoyed you and your information for years. In my opinion, you are the best, and when I have a question, I go to you. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
I use 100% DEET spray for my boots and socks, and my pants leg. This usually keeps ticks, flying insets, and no see ems at bay. For my exposed skin, I use a deet combination spray and whipes. That helps. If I find a tick on me I use a tweezer to remove them, then use an alcohol pad to clean the area, then I use AfterBite to relieve the itch. When I set up my camp for the night I will use " smoke bombs" ( the little round ones) a light them spacing them out every ten feet or so. This really helps to get rid of bugs around your camp. If I really want to keep the bugs at bay, I will bring a can of spray like YardGuard and spray after I use the smoke bombs. Using those smoke bombs with also run out any snakes in your area
My uncle somehow found a tick that had crawled inside hus urethra and latched on. I don't know if he was walking through the woods naked or what, but he sure doesn't like ticks now 😂
Great one Dave ! Some more input: I made plenty of videos where you can see my leech-socks that also work against ticks. T-shirt in pants, pants in socks, if you only go in the bush for a few hours, they will not have time to reach your skin, they'll still be on your clothes. Some bug repellents like DEET can dissolve plastics, and thus melt your hammock, resulting in an epic fail. I EDC the UncleBill Tweezers for splinters /first aid and a tick remover. It's kinda mini crowbar for ticks.
Florida is a challenging environment. If possible I like to rake the entire layer of loam on the campsite down to the bare dirt into the fire pit and burn it. Then i spray everything with the biggest jug of the cheapest stuff i can get. I only use fully enclosed shelter. If i see them I crush them with a lighter or remove them with a needle I tape to the lighter, tape the tick up and into the fire.
As a Civil War Re-enactor, I can't use a modern tent, or a hammock. But I have a good camp cot that keeps me about two feet off the ground and it works. The one event where I worried about it was Natural Bridge. As soon as I got back to my commanders house, his wife checked both of us really well, and neither of us had them.
I love the Uncle Bill tweezers. Carried a set in my wallet for years. Another option out there is the Civivi retractable tweezers. Much finer point, so better for splinters/cactus needles, but I like the form factor much better....
I always heard you should keep the ticks you pull out... similar to any venomous bug or creature if you can safely catch it/kill it if necessary, so if you do find yourself on the way to the doctor you have something for the lab to identify, analyze, and use to dial in treatment. If you use the VA, call it in after you pull it out. Atleast for the location i use, it creates a walk in situation for my provider rather than a visit months out if i choose to use the VA.
Tucking pants into socks/boots and tucking in my shirt into my pants has worked for me. I also try to wear a light colored, breathable long sleeve shirt when possible. When possible always take a shower after being outside, not only can you search yourself but also helps wash away ones that haven't latched. Also watch out for ticks on your dog even after they've been tick treated. They'll still pick ticks up on occasion and leave them on you.
The smaller the tick the harder they are to see. A "normal" size tick i can feel crawling on me. A number of years ago i was doing a military land nav course, sat down for a break as it was quite warm out and i was nearly done and had plenty of time remaining. As i went to stand up, due to uneven terrain, i used one hand and arm to push myself up. Once up and while double checking to ensure i had all my equipment, i looked at my hand and it was literally covered half way up to my elbow in tiny 'seed ticks'. I began immediately getting them off, but i was finding quite a few on me and my clothes and boots over the next twelve hours. Thankfully that situation hasn't happened again but im definitely mkre vigilant about checking and especially even if i remotely feel like something is crawling on me. So now I generally spray my self and clothes down pretty good if I know I'm going to be in the woods off trail for any reason.
When you were here for dual survivor in Nova Scotia there probably weren't too many people talking about ticks. I was 42 before I ever had one get me. they sure are plentiful now. I have to look in to this permethrin stuff see if you can get it here. No dam ticks keeping me out of the woods though. I use flydope and stay vigilant, avoid heavy bushwhacking when possible. Thanks Dave great video!
Sir, just wanted to say that you made a great video . I have a question to ask you. Would you do a video about Permethrin and give advice to the viewers that watch your channel?
At the gathering this year I heard a lot of people saying they were getting lots of ticks. I had brought a homemade spray containing a couple of the things you mentioned plus yarrow, and sprayed myself, my clothes, and all around my tent. Never saw a single tick all weekend. While there I got the Dirty Woodsman soap and spray to try.
Great informational video as always, I've already got some of the Dirty Woodsman's products and am planning on getting the rest when they are back in stock.
All good advice here folks! I will say though, that I've found rubbing alcohol to be extremely effective at getting ticks to release......my girlfriend woke me up one night when we were in Guatemala with a tick dug in between her toes. I took her to a medical shack and soaked some cotton wool with the rubbing alcohol......within about 10 seconds the tick had released and was trying to get away. I've since used the same technique on myself in the woods......it can be a simple method of tick removal when you're having trouble reaching the tick on your own body. And using surgical alcohol is handy, as you're cleaning the bite at the same time!
Pulling them SLOWLY and STEADILY is the key. Panic and pull quickly, they will puke (empty their stomachs) inside the bite before you extract them. Then you're screwed. Also, in addition to burn gel and anti-diarrheals, tweezers belong in every woodsman's IFAK.
On maintained grasses and pasture I have had lots of luck in Texas by broadcasting nematodes after the last freeze in early spring. My main target is the enemies of mankaind: fire ants.
I must be the only person who doesn't worry about ticks. And I have never had one on me in my life. I have seen a tick one time in my life. I walk through fields, randomly through the woods, everywhere, and never had to deal with ticks. Neither have I ever had an itch from poison ivy despite that it supposedly grows everywhere in Nova Scotia. Some places have signs warning of poison ivy, and looking around I have never seen any. Things people told me were poison ivy, were harmless plants.
Recently while working on my farm I was getting 4 or 5 ticks on me every day I got some ant, roach, and spider spray, and sprayed it on some strips of cloth I put these in a plastic zip bag and when I got to the farm I tied them just above my knees I also sprayed some around the bottom of my pant legs and on my boots I have had 0 ticks since this. Don’t use something that makes the bugs think your a bush or shrub they will just crawl to a place where you missed use something that makes them die a horrible death immediately.
Personally, I prefer bare legs to long pants tucked in socks and all that. I can feel a tick (most times) on my skin eventually. They can be hard to feel but extra time on me helps notice it. They crawl up to dark, moist spots. With long clothes they can go up a back and into the hair or neck and you wont notice or be able to see them there. I get fewer in me now.
I use a little selfmade tool to remove ticksandit works wonders in extracting thewhole critter without leaving any parts in your skin. It is made in the following way: Take a small metal or plastic tube with about 1mm internal diameter and about 5cm in length. Take piece of twine of about 20cm in length that is strong but not thicker than you can fit two times through your little tube. Fold that twine in half, thus formin an open loop (like a U shape) and thread it carefully through that tube untill the loop comes out at the other end. That's it! your tool is nowready for use. What you do is you enlarge that loop that comes outof the tube to the size that you can easilly "lasso" the tick that has set itself into the skin, you carefully slid the loop down untill it lays flat on the skin. Now you carefully pull the two ends of your twine that come out the other end of your tube untill the loop tightly grips the tick right at the point where the biting/sucking parts go into the skin. Hold that loop tight on that sucker and carefully pull the whole critter out. This method never failed me, its advantage compared to using tweezers should be obvious to anyone who ever had to deal with ticks on their person or on their dog. The tool can be improved by inserting a toothpick or something similiar into that tube, thin enough to allow the two ends of your twine to run allongside the left and right of it through the tube. This helps with avoiding the loop to slide out of the tube, it helps with resetting the little gadget after using it and holds everything into its proper place, facilitating easy operation of your tick remover. I hope this was a clear enough description, the whole thing is like a miniature version of the tool some blacksmiths or veterinarians use on horses, to control them by catching a part of the animals upper lip with the loop and then tightening it for a few moments to distract the horse from some other procedure you are performing on its body. In German this instrument is called "Nasenbremse" and it is not considered overly cruel when used properly and not for an extended amount of time.
This time last year in April i got tick fever broke out with a rash the took over mist of my body beside palm's of hands and bottom of feet also my face didnt breakout other than that i was covered in the rash had to go to the ER and the medications they gave me helped also took a vinegar bath two days in a row
Before going out in nature eat some raw garlic. Also garlic essential oil on your clothes works. Than catnip and neem oil are good as a repellant. A friend ofme uses nicotine extract from tobacco and the ticks hate it😊
I'm outside sitting in the grass or gathering suplies in the 'woods', here in Holland almost every day and haven't seen any anywhere this year. And it is about 90 degrees. Still I'm wary, and happy to be out. 😄
While permethrin is a “chemical” it is applied only to clothing then allowed to dry. I put it on all my gear and I simply don’t have tick issues.
How about in tents and sleeping? th efirst 48 hrs of a tick bite (latch) is the MOST important.
Permethrin is also derived from a chrysanthemum flower
As someone who's had Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can tell you once the tick attaches, you can start feeling sick. Well then the next day you feel awful. They fall out of trees on you which is good if you were a boonie hat and put repellent around the rim. Favorite method is to crawl up your legs and go for your crotch. Old Vietnam veteran told me that he cupped his pants legs up and poured kerosene around them. When he wore short pants, he would wear long socks and put kerosene around the top of them. The last few years I knew him he also used repellent on his body as well. Around your house keep your yard cut short; in tall grass they climb to the top and it's easier for them to get on you and up your legs. Ticks and fleas were ao bad near home few yeara ago, went to Coop got Tempo and spray misted the yard. If you don't have a set of tweezers you can heat up the tip of your knife blade and edge it up to their head and push him out. If you're indoors and you discover one attached, one of the best tricks that someone showed me was, you take a q-tip and dip it in alcohol. Run the q-tip up in front of the tick to its head and firmly push down and turn the q-tip in a backwards motion. The tick will let go and actually grab hold of the q-tip where you can walk to the toilet shaking him in and flush him down. If you have been bitten and you keep feeling sick or worse or start getting red spots or dots, seek medical help immediately. Usually they give you course of doxycycline. This is a great video Dave and I appreciate you putting it up here. A sign of a true instructor and leader is someone that cares about the other people that follow. Thank you ❤
Dave needs an army of *Guineafowl,* start turning those ticks into delicious eggs.
It doesn’t help if they’re on you, but a few chickens will help reduce tick numbers if allowed to roam.
Dave, I just want to say I am so glad to see you’ve kept going after the fire. My heart broke for you brother. I’m about to embark on an adventure, in Alaska. I purchased 5 acres and I’m going to build my life in the way Dick Proenneke did. Your channel, videos and books have helped my skills over the years. Thank you for always making relevant content for us self-reliance warriors.
Pre-trip regime. Spray permethrin onto:
Inside surfaces of ALL clothing
Outside surfaces of clothing at entry points (lower 8” of pant legs and shirt tails, waist & groin, bottom half of sleeves, collar area
Hat & socks inside & out
Sleeping bag inside & out
Tent screens, inside perimeter,& ceiling
Anything else I can think of.
Be generous on drying time, open air, and sunshine
As a result, I don’t have any ticks for “pick and show” like the other kids do. 🙂
Courtesy of Half Vast
My Grandpa always swore the reason he very seldom had a problem with tick's was because he wore a union suit year round. I guess a lot of the Older generation wore union suit's even after they went out of fashion. Goes along with them always having their top button of their shirt always done up and long sleeves always rolled down. All of that in combo with a wide brimmed hat kept them from skin cancer. Something we don't often think about these day's until it's too late. Probably could learn a ton more from their way's.
My grandpa showed me a trick with ticks I swear to God this works no mouth parts left behind. You do the same thing with tweezers you get them as close to the head as you can and you apply steady pressure gently but firm until you feel him let go, you will fill it release without tearing his mouth parts off if your careful. It's fast an works amazing. Then wash there area I use alcohol swab to make sure.
Also if you have chickens they are amazing at eating up ticks hahaha
I never really thought about a mirror and the importance of carrying one (even on my little day hikes…) until I got a rose thorn in my eye and needed to get it out, had to hike a half mile holding my eye open to stop from blinking to get to help. I despise ticks, there are very few things that creep me out. Ticks, flystrike, and botflies being the top of the list.
I got Lyme disease at a Bsa camp. If you have camped in a place that has been known to have ticks and get flue like symptoms a month later. You might have Lyme disease. I live in an urban area and my doctor didn’t believe think l had Lyme disease until I told him were I had camped and my blood test came in. It took we 3 week before I could return to work and 2 years before the fatigue went away. I was lucky to caught it early. Lyme disease is no joke.
Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! When I took care of cows I would get "Ivomec pour on" on my skin while treating the cows and calves. Consequently, Ticks weren't a problem. Now since I'm an old fart and don't work cows anymore. Ticks are a problem. I Like to use a bug spray with permethrin in it. I'm gonna have to try this stuff. Thanks for the Good information! God Bless!
Thanks Dave, a definite epidemic now days. I have Lyme disease (Bartonella) in remission. Ivermectin is the cure and having it in your blood stream is important.
I have heard if you must sleep on the ground.. make sure you have a ground sheet.. even if you have a tent . Have the ground sheet slightly larger than the footprint of the tent and treat the ground sheet with permethrin...
Very good instructions I have had lyme disease and it aint no joke
I put them in what we call the tick motel. I use an old pill bottle filled with rubbing alcohol. It works very well for disposing of them.
Our best summer was letting our chickens free range, not a tick in sight. Sadly we lost a lot of chickens to various predators too!
I use tee tree oil inside my home...
my cats keep bringing their friends inside whenever they come in.
I have a small dish that is just for ticks. I put one or two drops of tee tree oil in it, then drop the tick in it.
For good measure i drop another drop of tee tree oil on it.
One drop on them will kill them instantly.
I also spray my clothing with deed as well as my cap, before wearing them, and going into my woods.
I don’t have a tick problem where I live but I do like learning from the best. Hence why I’m here
I don’t like sleeping on the ground in the winter. The cold ground is like sleeping on ice cube. If I got sleep on the ground I use my army shelter half tent and i dig out the ground put hot rocks from fire about 6 inches under dirt the put bed roll on top. Then it’s toasty
Im a land surveyor in the field everyday weekday for 20 years. Mainly coastal wetlands. I probably get 50 bites a month despite using permethrin tucking and taping cuffs etc. All my bites disappear within 2 days because apply a pharmaceutical grade essential oil of lavendar to them 2 or 3 times a day. Lime disease sucks. Stay safe
I literally just came back from treating my hiking gear for ticks. One thing that's another plus for natural insect repellent is that they don't eat up your gear (especially nylon) like DEET does. A few weeks ago I was hiking on a local trail and bent down after I bumped a flock of turkeys and bent down to observe them. I came back with over 26 ticks on me. Insane. Good thing I knew what to do; I came back to my site trailer, found the first one, went into the bathroom and took off my 1/4 zip pullover jacket and I looked like a chocolate chip cookie. They were all over me.
That same night, I went to my truck and treated the seats and floor with Permethrin. Didn't have any ticks after that (not one).
Good stuff Dave. This is a subject that should be revisited every late winter/early spring. In New York, we've been having an epidemic of tick infestations. They woke up early because of that 90's degree week we had back in March.
This is great information. Ticks are nasty and dealing with them outdoors is a constant problem.
Another nasty bug is a chigger. Dave's comment about high grass reminded of the time I got into a mess of chiggers (also known as "No-see-ums") I was covered with them. I wonder, how effective is Dave's bug chasers on chiggers?
I now of only one cure for chiggers, told to me by a doctor.
Strip down, put your cloths in the wash on the longest possible cycle, get in the shower and wet down. Step out of the spray and soap down, starting with your head then work your way down to your feet. stand away from the spray for about 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse down starting with your head. repeat the process 2 more times. You're looking at an hour long process. I got 99% of the nasty buggers off. '-)
I’m southern Illinois and like your area of Ohio, this is tick country. Born and raised around them. Taking care just becomes second nature. Can barely walk across a yard without getting one. I use natural sprays and they help. I’ll give the soap a try.
Way to go dave it's 10:00 pm my wife and I sitting on the couch watching you itching and scratchin like your digging for bugs got both of us
off the couch huntin and fetch like we was possessed. ant bin out in the woods for days. way to go boss man. Do so love your vids..👍👍
Thanks for the video Dave! Last year I moved my family from suburban Pennsylvania out to central Missouri. The ticks out this way are astounding! The last time I saw this many ticks was when my family went hiking through the marshland in south Jersey and my little sister had about 30 of them on her when we got back. I have plans to get some fowl around my property to deal with them but simply don’t have the infrastructure to keep them yet. Right now I use a commercial lawn granule right around May and it lowers the population for the rest of the year to a tolerable level where we don’t really need to put anything on ourselves.
We just finished purchasing 16 acres around our property that are very run down. Lots of brush, trash, and three dilapidated mobile homes that need to be torn down. I’m going to try to do most of the work myself and have been thinking about ways to minimize my exposure to ticks. Rocky Mountain Spotted fever is supposedly a big thing around my parts and I did end up getting a bullseye rash after a lone star tick got me. Luckily I never felt sick and didn’t need to go to a doctor but I’d rather not press my luck a second time (no health insurance).
Thanks for the ideas to help with my creepy crawly problems! Now I just have to figure out how to deal with the terrifying mass of poison ivy I have! 😂
God Bless!
We have the paralysis tick in Australia. Do they exist elsewhere?
Of course...everything in Australia wants to kill 😂
Very well said and very much needed. Thank you for reminding us all and making us more aware.
Very thankful for all the info. Literally could save lives.
T Y again, Dave! I have had a fair amount of tick experience, including what doctors will do, or not. Your video is a must-see, including the many great Comments. I will read and study every one included with this video. I most often wear tan or khaki long cargo pants in tick country. Not hard to see most ticks if you are looking. Borrelia burgdorferi is the most common tick that transmits Lyme. Ticks tend to carry several other kinds of problems, so you don't want to take them for granted. If a tick gets into me again, I will make sure to keep it in a jar to show a doctor, just in case. Deer, bear, dogs, cats, horses, rodents, and many other animals are tick hosts. Anything more that I need to say is likely found in other Comments here.
In my experience where I live you can predict and avoid tick rich areas. They seem to really like transitions area on the edges of tree lines and banks of water bodies. Also sometimes they prefer certain evergreen plants like red cedar, pine, and mountain laurel thickets. They also love to hang around deer trails
i heard that you can get tick traps from the cdc. i knew the maine cdc is offering tick traps to anyone who asks for them
Hiked a 6km trail last weekend. Pulled and killed over 80 ticks off, 4 on my skin, one trying to dig in. Not a single deer tick, was all brown ticks (wood ticks), i am in Northwestern Ontario. Wore light coloured clothing and majority were on my socks and boots. I also feel them on me.
If you have a large lot of land, is it practical or legal to raise and release turkeys native to your area? I know those and guinea hens were the most effective way I dealt with the tick issue i was having on my prooerty. The guinea hens were very noisy. Increasing the wild Turkey population seems like they might help the tick issue at the school.
In 1979 my dad gave me a Swiss army SD mini keychain knife... So handy I have had one on all my keychains ever since! Main blade .. nail file with screwdriver tip.. screwdriver works on standard and Phillips head in a pinch.. nail file can be used to file more than just nails.... A fantastic scissors.. a toothpick and a wonderful tweezer... My Swiss army SD mini keychain knife is something I never want to be without!
Great video! Dave I hope you read this comment but I'll tell you one thing number one product for removing a tick is called The "tick twister". I don't twist when I remove a tick I go under the body and pull it out. I get it at Walmart and it comes in two sizes and I carry both of them on a daily basis because I get lots of ticks. I've had Lyme disease twice but I caught it early stages with the ring around the bite and went directly to the doctor and got on anti biotics. I didn't suffer the effects from Lyme disease. Their other products out there called The tick key not very good. The tick twister works very well. I keep one on the outside of my backpack and on my keychain. The one on the keychain gets smashed little bit cuz it's only made of plastic you just have to spread it out a little bit before you pick the tic but it works awesome.
Id like to add that you need to check the inside of your clothes when you take them off at night. Those buggers will attach themselves to your clothes, just waiting for the opportunity to get ya!
Thanks Dave. Very practical from real life perspective.
Wild turkeys eat two thousand ticks per day And make a pretty good lunch
Thank you for the lesson . This year is going to be hiking and camping year. So, this ? Is really great to learn . Much Respect and Blessings to you and your family Sir . 🤠🖖 ♨️
Recently I was camping and was in my tent when I noticed a tick above me but like five feet off to the side so I decided to watch it. I was really tired though and decided to take a nap after watching it move about two feet in about half an hour so I decided to take a nap. I woke up about an hour later looked around for the tick then looked straight up and as I did it fell right next to me head. This was definitely a very natural observation. They will hunt you down stealth like or latch on if you make contact with them. Dynamic little creature.
Great information, thanks again for your information and wisdom.
Great video and good information. One thing I noticed decades ago is I do not use deodorant, after shave, or cologne and other similar things in tick infested areas. When I quit using those things, I noticed an obvious reduction with the tick problem immediately. One day I was using that stuff and the next day I wasn't, and the outcome was obvious. I have been with people who use deodorant, and they get more ticks in a day than I often get in a season. The use of odorized detergent in the wash also attracts them in my opinion. In my opinion the use of chemicals is definitely out. What do you do, die from ticks or die from the chemicals? it is that plain. I have lived in the tick capitol of the world (the Ozarks) for most of my life. We used to strip and look for ticks on our kids every evening when they wear young (now in their 40's.) This an age old problem and is not going away any time soon. Thanks for what you do. I have enjoyed you and your information for years. In my opinion, you are the best, and when I have a question, I go to you. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
I use 100% DEET spray for my boots and socks, and my pants leg. This usually keeps ticks, flying insets, and no see ems at bay. For my exposed skin, I use a deet combination spray and whipes. That helps.
If I find a tick on me I use a tweezer to remove them, then use an alcohol pad to clean the area, then I use AfterBite to relieve the itch.
When I set up my camp for the night I will use " smoke bombs" ( the little round ones) a light them spacing them out every ten feet or so. This really helps to get rid of bugs around your camp. If I really want to keep the bugs at bay, I will bring a can of spray like YardGuard and spray after I use the smoke bombs. Using those smoke bombs with also run out any snakes in your area
Another really great video Mr Canterbury...
Thank You.
My uncle somehow found a tick that had crawled inside hus urethra and latched on. I don't know if he was walking through the woods naked or what, but he sure doesn't like ticks now 😂
I'll take "a dry heat" over ticks and humidity. I ain't Lyme'n.
Great one Dave ! Some more input:
I made plenty of videos where you can see my leech-socks that also work against ticks. T-shirt in pants, pants in socks, if you only go in the bush for a few hours, they will not have time to reach your skin, they'll still be on your clothes.
Some bug repellents like DEET can dissolve plastics, and thus melt your hammock, resulting in an epic fail.
I EDC the UncleBill Tweezers for splinters /first aid and a tick remover. It's kinda mini crowbar for ticks.
Florida is a challenging environment. If possible I like to rake the entire layer of loam on the campsite down to the bare dirt into the fire pit and burn it. Then i spray everything with the biggest jug of the cheapest stuff i can get. I only use fully enclosed shelter. If i see them I crush them with a lighter or remove them with a needle I tape to the lighter, tape the tick up and into the fire.
I found that tree tea oil works pretty decently. The odor is not a great smell but seems to repel ticks in my experience.
As a Civil War Re-enactor, I can't use a modern tent, or a hammock. But I have a good camp cot that keeps me about two feet off the ground and it works. The one event where I worried about it was Natural Bridge. As soon as I got back to my commanders house, his wife checked both of us really well, and neither of us had them.
I love the Uncle Bill tweezers. Carried a set in my wallet for years. Another option out there is the Civivi retractable tweezers. Much finer point, so better for splinters/cactus needles, but I like the form factor much better....
Here in Arkansas they drop out of the trees on your head and shoulders...... Like little Paratrooper's....😂😂😂😂😂😂
Just came back from Arkansas, and I can attest to that. Beutifull State though, roads are just paved wildlife trails, but absolutely amazing woods.
I blame the Russians
I agree, over here in Mississippi they do the same thing while riding the back of a cottonmouth 😅
Boonie hat... With repellant on the rim
They do it here Maine too!
I always heard you should keep the ticks you pull out... similar to any venomous bug or creature if you can safely catch it/kill it if necessary, so if you do find yourself on the way to the doctor you have something for the lab to identify, analyze, and use to dial in treatment. If you use the VA, call it in after you pull it out. Atleast for the location i use, it creates a walk in situation for my provider rather than a visit months out if i choose to use the VA.
Tucking pants into socks/boots and tucking in my shirt into my pants has worked for me. I also try to wear a light colored, breathable long sleeve shirt when possible.
When possible always take a shower after being outside, not only can you search yourself but also helps wash away ones that haven't latched.
Also watch out for ticks on your dog even after they've been tick treated. They'll still pick ticks up on occasion and leave them on you.
The smaller the tick the harder they are to see. A "normal" size tick i can feel crawling on me. A number of years ago i was doing a military land nav course, sat down for a break as it was quite warm out and i was nearly done and had plenty of time remaining. As i went to stand up, due to uneven terrain, i used one hand and arm to push myself up. Once up and while double checking to ensure i had all my equipment, i looked at my hand and it was literally covered half way up to my elbow in tiny 'seed ticks'. I began immediately getting them off, but i was finding quite a few on me and my clothes and boots over the next twelve hours. Thankfully that situation hasn't happened again but im definitely mkre vigilant about checking and especially even if i remotely feel like something is crawling on me.
So now I generally spray my self and clothes down pretty good if I know I'm going to be in the woods off trail for any reason.
More great information! Been waiting for someone to talk about this subject! Thanks for sharing my friend 🤠
Nothing less erotic than asking your wife to assist with the tick check! 😂😂😂
I'm gonna grab some of your new products next time I make an order! Worth a shot!
Thanks Dave see you on the next one
When you were here for dual survivor in Nova Scotia there probably weren't too many people talking about ticks. I was 42 before I ever had one get me. they sure are plentiful now. I have to look in to this permethrin stuff see if you can get it here. No dam ticks keeping me out of the woods though. I use flydope and stay vigilant, avoid heavy bushwhacking when possible. Thanks Dave great video!
Sir, just wanted to say that you made a great video .
I have a question to ask you.
Would you do a video about Permethrin and give advice to the viewers that watch your channel?
A few years ago in SW PA ticks were horrible. I got bit and my daughter also. This year it hasn't been so bad. But it's still chilly yet.
At the gathering this year I heard a lot of people saying they were getting lots of ticks. I had brought a homemade spray containing a couple of the things you mentioned plus yarrow, and sprayed myself, my clothes, and all around my tent. Never saw a single tick all weekend. While there I got the Dirty Woodsman soap and spray to try.
WE GOT EM BAD THIS YEAR. I ALREADY KNEW THIS STUFF DAVE. THANKS ANYWAY. 👍❤🙏
Great informational video as always, I've already got some of the Dirty Woodsman's products and am planning on getting the rest when they are back in stock.
All good advice here folks! I will say though, that I've found rubbing alcohol to be extremely effective at getting ticks to release......my girlfriend woke me up one night when we were in Guatemala with a tick dug in between her toes. I took her to a medical shack and soaked some cotton wool with the rubbing alcohol......within about 10 seconds the tick had released and was trying to get away.
I've since used the same technique on myself in the woods......it can be a simple method of tick removal when you're having trouble reaching the tick on your own body. And using surgical alcohol is handy, as you're cleaning the bite at the same time!
Great timing, just saw my first one of the season today.
Hmmmp, I just spray my clothing with horse fly spray containg permethrin and pyrithrin. It works. Let it dry before putting on your clothes
I know a guy who swears by that he now has Lyme 🤷🏼
Pulling them SLOWLY and STEADILY is the key. Panic and pull quickly, they will puke (empty their stomachs) inside the bite before you extract them. Then you're screwed. Also, in addition to burn gel and anti-diarrheals, tweezers belong in every woodsman's IFAK.
I have pulled many ticks from places I'd rather not say lol thank god i caught them ahead of time thank you for the advice Dave👍
On maintained grasses and pasture I have had lots of luck in Texas by broadcasting nematodes after the last freeze in early spring. My main target is the enemies of mankaind: fire ants.
I can't see why anyone wouldn't be using permetherin as part of their setup.
Not a fan of any chemical I have to let dry before it Afghanistan my skin I know a guy who swears by it the now has lyme
I must be the only person who doesn't worry about ticks. And I have never had one on me in my life. I have seen a tick one time in my life. I walk through fields, randomly through the woods, everywhere, and never had to deal with ticks. Neither have I ever had an itch from poison ivy despite that it supposedly grows everywhere in Nova Scotia. Some places have signs warning of poison ivy, and looking around I have never seen any. Things people told me were poison ivy, were harmless plants.
Great vid man!
Just left the woods and I agree a million%. Situational awareness is #1. I also comb my beard like Marsha Brady. 😁
Good info Dave, I'll pass it on to a friend who's going camping soon.
Great info thanks Dave 👍 Gearing up for a festival & I'm in the woods often as well. Been real lucky this far. I use a spray, when I remember to.
Ive found vinegar is the the best repellant 50/50 mix with water then you can add essential oils but i dont find the need to works great on its own.
Permethrin ticks carry Lyme here in New England
Had a bunch of them on me a couple weeks ago…
Tis the season
Recently while working on my farm I was getting 4 or 5 ticks on me every day I got some ant, roach, and spider spray, and sprayed it on some strips of cloth I put these in a plastic zip bag and when I got to the farm I tied them just above my knees I also sprayed some around the bottom of my pant legs and on my boots I have had 0 ticks since this. Don’t use something that makes the bugs think your a bush or shrub they will just crawl to a place where you missed use something that makes them die a horrible death immediately.
They make a tool that has a small two prong folk .The instructions say never pull a Tick straight out you twist it out like in a corkscrew motion.
Barberry is a harbingers of ticks. I ware light colors because I can see them.
Another great video thanks Dave !
Personally, I prefer bare legs to long pants tucked in socks and all that. I can feel a tick (most times) on my skin eventually. They can be hard to feel but extra time on me helps notice it. They crawl up to dark, moist spots. With long clothes they can go up a back and into the hair or neck and you wont notice or be able to see them there. I get fewer in me now.
What do you think of those tick twisting removal tools, to remove them if they're dug in? Asking from England.
Cheers for the updates mate.
I use a little selfmade tool to remove ticksandit works wonders in extracting thewhole critter without leaving any parts in your skin. It is made in the following way: Take a small metal or plastic tube with about 1mm internal diameter and about 5cm in length. Take piece of twine of about 20cm in length that is strong but not thicker than you can fit two times through your little tube. Fold that twine in half, thus formin an open loop (like a U shape) and thread it carefully through that tube untill the loop comes out at the other end.
That's it! your tool is nowready for use. What you do is you enlarge that loop that comes outof the tube to the size that you can easilly "lasso" the tick that has set itself into the skin, you carefully slid the loop down untill it lays flat on the skin. Now you carefully pull the two ends of your twine that come out the other end of your tube untill the loop tightly grips the tick right at the point where the biting/sucking parts go into the skin. Hold that loop tight on that sucker and carefully pull the whole critter out.
This method never failed me, its advantage compared to using tweezers should be obvious to anyone who ever had to deal with ticks on their person or on their dog.
The tool can be improved by inserting a toothpick or something similiar into that tube, thin enough to allow the two ends of your twine to run allongside the left and right of it through the tube. This helps with avoiding the loop to slide out of the tube, it helps with resetting the little gadget after using it and holds everything into its proper place, facilitating easy operation of your tick remover.
I hope this was a clear enough description, the whole thing is like a miniature version of the tool some blacksmiths or veterinarians use on horses, to control them by catching a part of the animals upper lip with the loop and then tightening it for a few moments to distract the horse from some other procedure you are performing on its body. In German this instrument is called "Nasenbremse" and it is not considered overly cruel when used properly and not for an extended amount of time.
I got a tick bite that turned nasty a few days ago and have to take antibiotics for 14 days now 💀
Thanks Dave!
Wondering if Ohio has Fire Ants ? Here in Texas , it seems when the ants moved in our ticks disappeared .
Thanks for this. !!!IT'S SUPERB!!!
This time last year in April i got tick fever broke out with a rash the took over mist of my body beside palm's of hands and bottom of feet also my face didnt breakout other than that i was covered in the rash had to go to the ER and the medications they gave me helped also took a vinegar bath two days in a row
thank you you told me things i did not know chief terry
Before going out in nature eat some raw garlic.
Also garlic essential oil on your clothes works.
Than catnip and neem oil are good as a repellant.
A friend ofme uses nicotine extract from tobacco and the ticks hate it😊
Does smoke repel those bugs, I always smell like smoke when cooking over a wood fire?
Found 2 on my dog,and 1 under my chin...First time back to Mich, in decades..no welcome party,no bbq,..just 3 ticks😂😂
Great info! Thanks Dave.
What we do as mountain men rendezvous is say.. ya got 1 on your pack, back or shirt and hit it off. That shows your a friend.
I'm outside sitting in the grass or gathering suplies in the 'woods', here in Holland almost every day and haven't seen any anywhere this year.
And it is about 90 degrees.
Still I'm wary,
and happy to be out. 😄
Good video. I've not encountered ticks much but I know they are in my area.