[ScottieK]

The types of ticks in Illinois and other midwestern states have increased. We used to have the deer tick and the dog tick, not that those weren’t nasty enough. They carry Lyme Disease which can be deadly. Now we have new or newer species of ticks such as the lone star tick, black legged tick, the gulf coast tick, and now, the Asian longhorned tick is headed our way from the east coast. The Asian longhorned tick can reproduce without a mate. The black legged tick is associated with Powassan virus which can cause encephalitis and meningitis. Half of those who survived Lyme Disease, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the spine) suffer from lifelong disabilities. A couple of tick species are hunters. Any of the ticks we have had in the past would wait on grass, brush, or drop out of low tree branches to get to you. Gulf Coast ticks and lone star ticks will actually hunt you. The lone star tick will give you a lifelong allergy to red meat, known as alpha-gal syndrome. Dog ticks belong to the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever group of ticks and carry all kinds of nasty diseases. While ticks are a problem, they can be avoided by always using insect repellent with lots of DEET. Remember, your pets can get ticks also and bring them home to you. Make sure they are protected. Ticks are becoming more common in people’s yards, so remember that. Ticks will be at your next cook out. If you find a tick, get it off you right away. Keep the tick for identification purposes so the doctors have an idea of what they are dealing with. Go to a prompt care if your own doctor can’t see you right away. Always keep insect repellent with you in your vehicle and in your shooting bag.

 

[Troutbum60]

Definitely an increase in these nasty little creatures. A few years ago my wife contracted both Lyme's and Rocky Mountain spotted fever at the same time. Luckily our family doctor recognized both and administered antibiotics immediately. It took her a couple of months but she made a full recovery. We never found an attached tick anywhere on her.

 

[GamesGuy]

How would you make the diagnosis then?

 

[Chief 701]

How would you make the diagnosis then?

My doctor considered my symptoms, where I had been and a thorough exam.

 

[murphranch]

I have dealt with ticks on my cattle, horses and dogs for as long as I can remember. Baby calves ears will get thick and eventually rot, horses will get ear and mane ticks causing all kinds of problems. In the past 5-10 years ticks have become more numerous and are developing resistance to certain pesticides. At one time they were only a spring and summer time problem but now I notice them on cattle throughout the winter too. Several years ago the chemically treated ear tag was developed for use on cattle. When the first came out the tags worked great but as more research and tests were done it was proven that certain pesticides and chemicals that were used were harmful to both humans and animals. The next phase of tags worked but the ticks grew resistant to them in a short time. There's been new work done with permethrins and the oil from mum flowers that seems to work but not as well as the old school tags. Back in the old days cattle were run through dipping vats for treatment. I still gather my cattle once a month and use products called Ravap and Deltox mixed with water and physically spray and soak them. As with the ticks the flies are also building up resistance to the products used to control them. I'm trying a new approach now with garlic. Garlic is being mixed in with the feed and mineral I feed my cattle. This will be the second summer I will use it. Last year I saw a huge difference.

Sent from my LG-H700 using Tapatalk

 

[flashmax]

@murphranch my son’s Elk in 2016 from Piñon canyon had so many ticks in both ear canals that I would think it couldn’t hear. I’ve never seen so many ticks on an animal. But that area is where the Army trained troops for deployment to the Middle East. They bivouacked out there amongst those ticks. Made my skin crawl thinking about it. Tarantula spiders by the thousands and ticks that choke off hearing in BIG animals. Shudder.

 

[DuckNut]

permethrins and the oil from mum flowers

I use this and pyrethrin to spray my yard - I mean commit genocide to all insects.

The natural is an instant kill (you can actually watch moths fall to the ground when you spray them). The synthetic has about a 14 day residual even with the rain, longer if no rain (but a light rain helps to kill off the little guys growing iin the grass).

 

[Savage99Stan]

Biden ticks. Blood sucking trolls.
Sorry, I couldn't resist. My farm is in west central IL and we breed ticks better than rabbits. Spray and pray doesn't refer to ammo. Serious schidt.

 

[Chief 701]

I’m about 3 hours south of Murph. When I had my dogs, the ticks were so bad in the dog pen, I had to treat them weekly or the ticks would bleed them out. Been that way here for many years.

 

[big kahuna]

I did a lot of turkey hunting this spring and used Sawyer's brand spray containing permethrin on me and the ground I sat on. Never got a tick at all on me.

 

[sandcountyalmanac]

I did a lot of turkey hunting this spring and used Sawyer's brand spray containing permethrin on me and the ground I sat on. Never got a tick at all on me.

A guy I know who does a lot of turkey hunting and sets a sporting clays course says the same thing. He sprays his clothes with permethrin, let's them dry before wearing them and never has a tick problem. He swears by the stuff.

 

[Chinook3]

I live in Mich and ticks seem to be getting worse here. My son lives in Wis and they are worse there. He lives in the woods and its sandy. I live in the woods and not as sandy. I think the type of ground your on has something to do with it as well sandy areas are definitely worse.

Chinook

 

[Merlyn]

Back in the olden days... When I was a kid, a deer sighting was big tavern-talk.....very few ticks.
Now deer are thicker than rabbits....as are ticks!!! Some correlations?? Yep...
If you aren't going to a place populated by nose sensitivities...a bit of diesel sprayed on the pants leg so t kill you as quick as most poisons.......m

 

[Hoytshooter]

I have lived on the same road in northeast Ohio for 47 years. As a child and in into my late 20's I maybe saw the occasional tick on a groundhog and I averaged shooting 200+ a year. This past week looking while looking for morels I pulled 12 off of me in two hours and six off my dog. Yes my clothes were previously treated with Sawyers now I keep the same pants and shirt and continue to retreat with Sawyers. None the last two times out.

 

[big kahuna]

Back in the olden days... When I was a kid, a deer sighting was big tavern-talk.....very few ticks.
Now deer are thicker than rabbits....as are ticks!!! Some correlations?? Yep...
If you aren't going to a place populated by nose sensitivities...a bit of diesel sprayed on the pants leg so t kill you as quick as most poisons.......m

You might be on to something Merlyn. I've lived in Northern Indiana my whole life and in the early 70's I spent all the time I could in the woods and fields hunting squirrels, rabbits, whatever was in season, and I never even saw a deer until the late 70's. Now, we have a good population and ticks are everywhere. I shot a nice buck in a swampy area about 5 years ago and he had so many ticks on him that the taxidermist called and said he'd do the best he could with the cape due to hairs being cut off because the deer was scratching himself so much.

 

[GamesGuy]

I have used the pure garlic extract around my house for mosquitoes….forget the name of the product.
You cut it with some water and like a teaspoon of dish soap. Works great.
Dont get any on you lest youll smell like an Italian restaurant 3 blocks away.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Last fall a friend of mine pointed me towards a patch of land not more than 4 miles from where I live as a good ruffed grouse spot. I took the pup there and and worked the area for less than two hours. I'd call the dog back in every 10 minutes or so to get some water and each time I'd find 6 to 10 ticks crawling on the top of his head. Setters like to work in the brush so it's pretty natural for him to pick up a few ticks, but this was a large number that I was finding on him. As we kept working the number of ticks I found on him each time I called him in didn't diminish. When we got back to the truck I cleared the obvious ones off his coat before heading home. At home I got out the comb and took 23 ticks off him that were deep in his fur. Fortunately only two had gotten a purchase on him, and one of those was already dead from his anti-tick medicine. I've encountered ticks around here before, but never in those numbers.

 

[flashmax]

Once again, in the old days farmers used fire to control bugs and weeds and to keep the undergrowth down in wood lots. Various pests were kept at very low levels. Then along came the environmentalists. Smokey the bear. Stop all fires. Have to get a burn permit to burn off a fence line. So now fires get loose and burn down a whole county. But before they do the ticks breed out of any reasonable numbers.

 

[58perazzi]

Another disease from ticks to consider is Ehrlichia. It can also cause meningitis. Most docs don’t test for it, and the symptoms mimic a number of other diseases. High liver enzymes and rigors are also symptomatic of ehrlichiosis meningitis. It can also affect dogs. Heavy antibiotics will kill it, but time is of the essence. Of the big three is second to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

 

[LaPlata]

As stated already Permethrin on clothes and Bravecto for your dogs. Since using Bravecto years ago I do not find ticks on my dog.