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I went out after work and revisited a DNF and finally found it. Then I went to GC11KG9 and after 30 minutes of tromping through the woods I found that one too. It was warm so I had a short sleeved shirt on, and my arms are now covered in scratches. When I got back to the truck I had to re-tie my shoe. That's when I saw "IT". A tick not much bigger than a pin head on my shoe. As you all know, once you see one you start getting those "phantom" feelings of movement on various parts of your body. Be advised, they're backkkk.

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This past Sunday I was caching on a part of the Palmetto Pass when I saw one on my shirt then another. After a check and shower I found another. Didn't fine the two attached for another 24 hrs. I'm still watching the spots they were removed from.

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I didn't mean to give everyone the creepy crawlers syndrome or to cause a sudden drop in water pressure by everyone jumping in the shower. I just wanted to alert everyone to check for ticks after being in the great outdoors. I think I will take another shower, I feel something crawling. :)

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PERMETHRIN

 

eeeeeew that stuff is nasty

 

there's safer ways to protect yourself from ticks and any other insects

I've been using it for several years with great results. If you know of something more effective, please share.

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As you all know, once you see one you start getting those "phantom" feelings of movement on various parts of your body.

 

Once I get that feeling, I have to take 3 showers before that feeling even begins to diminish! :)

Edited by ConRed
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I was at a cache today and at one point I saw what seemed like 100 of them crawling around. Got the creepy crawlies and even after a tick check and shower have not been able to shake the feeling.

you've actually seen ticks in the wild? weird, i've had several ticks on myself already, but i've never seen one before i could feel it. the itch after the bite that is, not the tick crawling around on me.

Edited by dfx
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We're seeing them this year for the first time. They come in on the dog. We call him the Tick Bus. They don't bite him, just hitch a ride. I found one on a box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese the other day. Of all the odd places! Must of crawled in the bag when it was sitting on the floor before I put the groceries up, or it was in the truck.

 

They need to make Frontline for people lol.

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I was out doing a cache in state game lands. Came home and didn't even realize a tick was munching on my leg until about 5 hours later. Needless to say, the willies have not yet gone away, and I'm still watching the area (but have not seen the "bulls eye").

 

yuck, and why, oh why, did you have to post a picture to make me feel all itchy again!

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I was at a cache today and at one point I saw what seemed like 100 of them crawling around. Got the creepy crawlies and even after a tick check and shower have not been able to shake the feeling.

you've actually seen ticks in the wild? weird, i've had several ticks on myself already, but i've never seen one before i could feel it. the itch after the bite that is, not the tick crawling around on me.

 

When a place is infested with them I see them in the wild (wood ticks mostly here). I won't notice one or two on a bush but what I saw grossed me out for days to come.

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PERMETHRIN

 

eeeeeew that stuff is nasty

 

there's safer ways to protect yourself from ticks and any other insects,

I've been using it for several years with great results. If you know of something more effective, please share.

 

i have no doubt is effective on insects but its highly toxic to other cold blooded wildlife, on top of other negative effects on humans too

 

permethrin is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life in general so extreme care must be taken when using products containing permethrin near water sources

 

this is what we use

 

Deep Woods

Edited by t4e
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It's the ones that make it home that can get me in trouble. My wife tends to blame them on me if she finds any around the house. After caching yesterday I thought I had gotten rid of them at the time but still managed to pull off five of them when I caught them crawling around at home.

 

But at least in my area we have the western fence lizard to help us out should they do something beyond crawling.

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i have no doubt is effective on insects but its highly toxic to other cold blooded wildlife, on top of other negative effects on humans too

 

permethrin is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life in general so extreme care must be taken when using products containing permethrin near water sources

 

this is what we use

 

Deep Woods

I understand concerns about Permethrin. If you read the label it can sound quite nasty as you said. However, I believe the same thing could be said about DEET as well which is in the Deep Woods Off you mentioned, yet people have no problem coating their skin with that. Permethrin is not used on the skin, only the clothing is treated with it. Permethrin is also the main ingredient in several flea and tick treatments for dogs. As for bad effects on aquatic life, I recommend people don't go swimming in their permethrin treated clothes :) .

 

And by the way, not sure about the ticks in Canada, but around this part of North America, ticks don't seem to be bothered by Deep Woods Off much at all.

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I attended a lecture on ticks and tick borne illness sponsored by a civic organization in my hometown, north of Boston, where we have a large population of Lyme Disease infected Deer Ticks, due to, according to the professor, the abundance of second growth forest, white footed mice, deer, and get this, stone walls! He said that these quaint stone walls we find in the woods are virtual "rodent condos" and incubators of lime disease. Anyone ever find an ammo can in a stone wall in New England? :)

 

Dr. Thomas Mather, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and a nationally recognized expert on ticks, tick borne illness and public health was a superb speaker.

 

Since his talk, I have been very itchy. :P

 

But, despite the bad news that, in our area, almost any deer tick attached to you for 24 hours or more will almost certainly infect you with Lyme Disease, he offered illumination and hope.

 

CLOTHING TREATMENT

 

He says their tests show that almost 100% of ticks exposed to permethrin treated clothing die within 15 minutes of exposure. He recommends Sawyer brand clothing treatment. It's available through Amazon and REI for sure. He said that this method of treating clothing has been used and researched by the military for years and that he is convinced that, used properly, it presents no hazard to humans and canines. He did warn about feline and fish exposure. (Quick Internet research says that any 2.5% Permethrin product with no other active ingredients is safe and effective. I don't know that to be a fact, just passing it along.) One treatment is good for 6 weeks of washing and wearing. The guys at REI told me that ironing the clothing after the application has dried will make it effective for 10 or 12 weeks. (I don't know if that's true.)

 

Although he prefers the DIY treatment - and does it for his family every 6 weeks - Mather is also a fan of pre-treated commercially available clothing. My research at REI revealed $90 shirts and $85 pants, none of which were particularly my style even if I felt like forking over the dough.

 

DEET INEFFECTIVE

 

Mather explained that because of how DEET works (it gives bugs a "hot foot!") that it is pretty ineffective against ticks, so don't fool yourself. His research shows that ticks will usually mange to hang on, at least one leg at a time, until they get to untreated fabric or skin, and continue their climb.

 

THOROUGH TICK CHECKS/PROPER REMOVAL

 

He also encourages careful tick checks after every outdoor activity, stressing that one must bend over an inspect the genitals and buttocks, pointing out that ticks climb until they reach a restriction, and are most likely to attach in that area.

 

He firmly discourages the use of anything other than pointy tweezers to remove ticks.

 

He pointed out that only Deer Ticks carry Lyme Disease, so that recognition of the various forms of ticks will help you feel better about the likelihood of infection if you do have one atached, but the bad news is that Deer Ticks are very common, and about the size of a poppy seed.

 

The takeaway, in a sentence, is: Go get some permethrin and treat your clothing. Now.

 

MORE INFO & EXCELLENT DOCUMENTARY

 

And visit his website: tickencounter.org. Absolutely the best information I've found on the web for information, detection, prevention and mitigation, as well as diagnosing and treating Lyme Disease.

 

Finally, here is a link to part one of the excellent documentary that he shared with us at the meeting:

 

Hope this all helps.

Safe and happy caching to all

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I was going to mention the same thing about DEET bug sprays here too. That they repel ticks from the areas that are treated and realistically you're not going to treat all your areas with bug spray. So really they can be pretty ineffective. I still treat to repel flying insects but I always do a tick check when I get home just in case.

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Ok, so all the hikes I usually do are long trails that are pretty open....This weekend, I am planning on doing my 100th cache to a long hike to the lost bridges in Estacada. There is A LOT of weedwacking involved for this cache. I have never dealt with ticks. but am probably going to pick one up given what the people have said on this cache (12 ticks on one trip) I picked up 100% DEET spray.....Now you are saying it wont help? Since I have never dealt with them before....I could use some tips....anyone?

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Ok, so all the hikes I usually do are long trails that are pretty open....This weekend, I am planning on doing my 100th cache to a long hike to the lost bridges in Estacada. There is A LOT of weedwacking involved for this cache. I have never dealt with ticks. but am probably going to pick one up given what the people have said on this cache (12 ticks on one trip) I picked up 100% DEET spray.....Now you are saying it wont help? Since I have never dealt with them before....I could use some tips....anyone?

You've already got good tips; Permethrin. You can buy it at major outdoor retailers (REI, Cabelas, Bass Pro) under the Sawyer brand name. Treat a full set of clothes a few days before. A set includes pants (not shorts), shirt, socks, and spraying your hiking shoes doesn't hurt either. After treating the clothes, let them dry completely. You'll still want to treat skin with DEET. It may not be as effective against ticks but it'll still make em think twice.

Edited by Pax42
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I agree. Treat your clothes if you're able to (I don't have the spray to do so and too many animals hovering around to safely do it). And then when you go out use your DEET bug spray on skin. Tuck your pants into your socks and shirt into your pants as well.

 

I know in the past when I was in the woods more often I would stop in clearings and do mini-tick checks as well on skin easily accessible and get the ones that made it past the stuff off of me. This year I've done a lot of bush whacking and have been pretty lucky in the tick department.

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i have no doubt is effective on insects but its highly toxic to other cold blooded wildlife, on top of other negative effects on humans too

 

permethrin is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life in general so extreme care must be taken when using products containing permethrin near water sources

 

this is what we use

 

Deep Woods

I understand concerns about Permethrin. If you read the label it can sound quite nasty as you said. However, I believe the same thing could be said about DEET as well which is in the Deep Woods Off you mentioned, yet people have no problem coating their skin with that. Permethrin is not used on the skin, only the clothing is treated with it. Permethrin is also the main ingredient in several flea and tick treatments for dogs. As for bad effects on aquatic life, I recommend people don't go swimming in their permethrin treated clothes :blink: .

 

And by the way, not sure about the ticks in Canada, but around this part of North America, ticks don't seem to be bothered by Deep Woods Off much at all.

 

luckily in the part of Ontario i am in there are no ticks, just zillions of mosquitoes in the summer, as well as other weird and nasty bugs/flies :)

 

however we're heading off on tuesday to Algonquin Park and there's plenty there

i was in Austria couple of years ago, and they have plenty of tick, all i did was wear long sleeves, tuck my pants into my socks...etc..all that stuff they recommend you do and i managed not to collect any

 

i have to admit, those things are really freaking me out, i have only seen one attached to my husband, and the image when he tried to remove it and the darn thing hanging on for dear life, its still etched in my brain lol

 

at the end of the day anything that contains chemicals sounds nasty, but as long as people are responsible and follow the warnings all will be good

 

i don't know how many are aware about the effects of regular sunscreen/sunblock lotions on the coral reefs and nearby aquatic life, i had no idea either until i booked a snorkeling trip in Mexico and they asked everyone either to use organic sunscreen or none at all

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I live in the worst area for lyme diease. The rate of lyme diease is through the roof here! Even some of my family members have it, and they are rarely if ever in the woods! I can't believe I don't have it yet, I can't tell you how many deer ticks I find everyday...

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I attended a lecture on ticks and tick borne illness sponsored by a civic organization in my hometown, north of Boston, where we have a large population of Lyme Disease infected Deer Ticks, due to, according to the professor, the abundance of second growth forest, white footed mice, deer, and get this, stone walls! He said that these quaint stone walls we find in the woods are virtual "rodent condos" and incubators of lime disease. Anyone ever find an ammo can in a stone wall in New England? :)

 

Dr. Thomas Mather, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and a nationally recognized expert on ticks, tick borne illness and public health was a superb speaker.

 

Since his talk, I have been very itchy. :blink:

 

But, despite the bad news that, in our area, almost any deer tick attached to you for 24 hours or more will almost certainly infect you with Lyme Disease, he offered illumination and hope.

 

CLOTHING TREATMENT

 

He says their tests show that almost 100% of ticks exposed to permethrin treated clothing die within 15 minutes of exposure. He recommends Sawyer brand clothing treatment. It's available through Amazon and REI for sure. He said that this method of treating clothing has been used and researched by the military for years and that he is convinced that, used properly, it presents no hazard to humans and canines. He did warn about feline and fish exposure. (Quick Internet research says that any 2.5% Permethrin product with no other active ingredients is safe and effective. I don't know that to be a fact, just passing it along.) One treatment is good for 6 weeks of washing and wearing. The guys at REI told me that ironing the clothing after the application has dried will make it effective for 10 or 12 weeks. (I don't know if that's true.)

 

Although he prefers the DIY treatment - and does it for his family every 6 weeks - Mather is also a fan of pre-treated commercially available clothing. My research at REI revealed $90 shirts and $85 pants, none of which were particularly my style even if I felt like forking over the dough.

 

DEET INEFFECTIVE

 

Mather explained that because of how DEET works (it gives bugs a "hot foot!") that it is pretty ineffective against ticks, so don't fool yourself. His research shows that ticks will usually mange to hang on, at least one leg at a time, until they get to untreated fabric or skin, and continue their climb.

 

THOROUGH TICK CHECKS/PROPER REMOVAL

 

He also encourages careful tick checks after every outdoor activity, stressing that one must bend over an inspect the genitals and buttocks, pointing out that ticks climb until they reach a restriction, and are most likely to attach in that area.

 

He firmly discourages the use of anything other than pointy tweezers to remove ticks.

 

He pointed out that only Deer Ticks carry Lyme Disease, so that recognition of the various forms of ticks will help you feel better about the likelihood of infection if you do have one atached, but the bad news is that Deer Ticks are very common, and about the size of a poppy seed.

 

The takeaway, in a sentence, is: Go get some permethrin and treat your clothing. Now.

 

MORE INFO & EXCELLENT DOCUMENTARY

 

And visit his website: tickencounter.org. Absolutely the best information I've found on the web for information, detection, prevention and mitigation, as well as diagnosing and treating Lyme Disease.

 

Finally, here is a link to part one of the excellent documentary that he shared with us at the meeting:

 

Hope this all helps.

Safe and happy caching to all

Adding to my already lengthy note (sorry) because of some of the replies I've seen and because I'm still so itchy and freaked out since the talk...

 

Pay attention to the Tick life cycle! Larvae, Nymphs, Adults...

 

At the beginning of the season, in New England - May/June, you are dealing primarily with Nymphs. They will be on the ground and under leaves and are looking for mice. They will get onto your shoes and crawl up.

 

Dr. Mather stressed that it is critically important to treat your shoes and socks. The nymphs will be crawling up from down low. If your shoes, socks and lower pant legs are permethrin treated you will have very effective protection against nymphs. Mather seemed to think that nymphs - because they are sooooo tiny - are the most dangerous for humans. You are literally looking for a poppy seed sized critter!

 

Later in the season, after the nymphs have fed on and fallen off the mice, they become adults who want to feed on deer. They will be up on tall grass, weeds and shrubs about mid thigh high where they could catch on to a deer underbelly.

 

Dr. Mather reminded us all that ticks start low and climb up, and will not jump or drop on to you from above.

Edited by Juan Durrer
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For those who think the preventatives sound nasty, you may want to reconsider them, especially if you are in a high-tick area. I have never been too concerned about preventing ticks on myself, and happily plucked off any riders that decided to feast on me. Last summer I got lyme disease. That was enough to change my mind. I was sick for months, even with treatment, and the body aches lasted for SO long it was just awful! We prevent now, despite the fast that I despise nasty chemicals. I do not want to go through that again, and I REALLY don't want my kids to experience that, if possible.

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Ok, so all the hikes I usually do are long trails that are pretty open....This weekend, I am planning on doing my 100th cache to a long hike to the lost bridges in Estacada. There is A LOT of weedwacking involved for this cache. I have never dealt with ticks. but am probably going to pick one up given what the people have said on this cache (12 ticks on one trip) I picked up 100% DEET spray.....Now you are saying it wont help? Since I have never dealt with them before....I could use some tips....anyone?

You've already got good tips; Permethrin. You can buy it at major outdoor retailers (REI, Cabelas, Bass Pro) under the Sawyer brand name. Treat a full set of clothes a few days before. A set includes pants (not shorts), shirt, socks, and spraying your hiking shoes doesn't hurt either. After treating the clothes, let them dry completely. You'll still want to treat skin with DEET. It may not be as effective against ticks but it'll still make em think twice.

 

Note that Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. There is no way that I would ever use such a product, as my cat would eventually get exposed to it.

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I got my first tick of the year yesterday. I hate them. Quite meaningless to do so, but I hate them anyway ;)

 

I got lyme disease a few years ago. Got really sick, but because I was on a tight deadline I had to work anyway. Cycling between crying, working and sleeping for a month isn´t to nice...

 

But I got out of it well with the help of loads of medication. In about 60 days I was back on track.

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Permethrin is pretty harmless, it's just a synthetic pyrethroid not an organophosphate nasty. Still keep it away from fish and in high concentrations can harm cats although dogs have no problems and Advantix (fleas and ticks) has permethrin in it - only for doggies though, NOT to be used on cats.

 

I don't like the horrible things (ticks not dogs) as they are hard to get off. Leeches are worse for sneaking in a sucking gallons of blood though! Always carry salt. Do you get leeches in North America? Lots in Australia and SE Asia.

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Do you get leeches in North America? Lots in Australia and SE Asia.

 

We do, though they are not as common in some areas as they are in others and most are not parasitic on humans. Typically they are more pervasive in the northern and western parts of the country, especially in warm lakes in Michigan and Minnesota. When I was growing up in the suburbs of Minneapolis I had some friends whose house backed up to a large lake that was so full of leeches that you wouldn't even think of swimming in it. I later moved to a southern state where they are almost unheard of... we only have five species reported in our area, of which I've only seen one. It was only about 3 mm long and it took me a while to figure out what it was. I've never heard of anybody here finding one attached.

 

Several years ago I visited the Rocky Mountains (Wyoming/Montana) and was walking alongside a shallow swampy pond. At one point I looked down into the water and noticed that several fairly large leeches (10 cm) were actually stalking me from the water as I walked, just waiting for me to step in. I gave them a wide berth and only swam in the largest lakes after that, and never saw one again.

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Note that Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. There is no way that I would ever use such a product, as my cat would eventually get exposed to it.

 

I've been doing some researching on this myself as we have a cat. But thus far the only thing that I have found has been either related to people using dog flea treatments (which typically contain permethrin) on their cat, or if a cat rubs against a dog that has been treated. What I've tried to find and couldn't find was any reference of toxic problems simply because you have it on your clothes or such. I mean common sense would suggest to then not let your cat rub on your clothes, but I'm not finding anything about it be transferred at toxic levels simply because you had your clothes on and walked through the house etc. (which would seem to indicate that you could change and put those geoclothes away). If you have any other references to point to that indicate more of a concern I know that I'd greatly appreciate your sharing those.

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after merely brushing them off my clothes the past two years of caching, I got my first bite on Thursday afternoon. I was hiking the Long Pa th along the Palisades Parkway in NJ. I didn't notice it till Friday lunch. I pointed it out to my wife and she goes to grab it out with her fingers! I'm like "wait! wait! there is a procedure!" So we look it up on the blackberry and get the lo-down. I had tweezers and wipes in my car trunks first aid kit. After reading a bit, she did a great job of pulling it out with the tweezers from the back of my calf. We saved it in a small zip-lock baggie.

It appears that nothing was left in my leg and all parts of the tick made it into the bag, including the mouth I hope.

 

It was smaller than most ticks. It hadn't started to fill up yet. It looked pretty black with thorny legs.

 

There was a very small amount of redness after removing it and even that has mostly dissipated the last few days. No other symptoms yet.

 

I'll keep an eye on it. Don't like this at all and will take more precautions in the future, such as those recommended here.

Edited by majormajor42
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once you get your first tick encounter, they are fairly easy to feel, you will notice them in the hairs of your body.

 

an argument that maybe women shouldnt shave their legs in the spring, summer

 

when i worked at summer camp in Duluth Minnesota, we were supposed to inform the kids of ticks, so my buddy and i trekked out in the bush with a small clear soda bottle all day long, "collecting" them on our bodies, and every two or three minutes we checked each others clothes for them, pulled half a 12oz bottle of them off us. so I had the perfect squirmy creepy crawly example to show the kids all through tick season, threatened to dump it on everyone, never did, the ticks lived for a very long time in that bottle, who knows.

 

we also took the two most popular kinds, the wood tick, larger bout the size of a pencil eraser, and it has a marking on its back, see the picture...

 

64909527.ZnGmPvfX.WoodTick.jpg

 

and the deer tick is about half the size of the wood tick, its the red one on the right in this picture comparing the two to a penny.

Deer%20tick%20on%20right.JPG

 

we took them and caught them in pieces of scotch tape and taped them to the "dangerous insects" board.

 

showing people the bottle helped big time, everyone had the willies after seeing them and felt the ticks on them, showing them the different ones helped them identify the two much better than telling them.

 

you should start your own tick collection, it was actually a lot of fun, i prefer ticks to mosquitos as well, it takes ticks several hours to burrow in your skin, before they start feasting, you can just most of the time flick them right off of you if you catch them crawling, once they have established themselves, you have to use tweezers, whereas mosquitos fly in, bite and leave in seconds, and they get in your eye, and they buzz in your ear, they are just annoying, and out in ridiculous numbers, and several will bite you at once, its like fighting off a fleet, vs one opponent

 

we would all keep a lighter on us at camp so when someone found one on them we could burn it, because if we didnt, it would crawl right back, the only problem we had with ticks was when we were sleeping in the woods, they would be all over you when you got up in the morning, and since you sleep for at least a few hours straight, they would be established.

Edited by ashnikes
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Note that Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. There is no way that I would ever use such a product, as my cat would eventually get exposed to it.

 

I've been doing some researching on this myself as we have a cat. But thus far the only thing that I have found has been either related to people using dog flea treatments (which typically contain permethrin) on their cat, or if a cat rubs against a dog that has been treated. What I've tried to find and couldn't find was any reference of toxic problems simply because you have it on your clothes or such. I mean common sense would suggest to then not let your cat rub on your clothes, but I'm not finding anything about it be transferred at toxic levels simply because you had your clothes on and walked through the house etc. (which would seem to indicate that you could change and put those geoclothes away). If you have any other references to point to that indicate more of a concern I know that I'd greatly appreciate your sharing those.

 

I've pretty much read the same information. I just don't want to take any chances. As far as keeping my cat from rubbing against me and my clothes, I'd have to strip naked in the driveway, because he is all over me as soon as I walk in the door.

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Nothing beats a good tick check now and then.

 

Out for a cache which was a ways off trail and came back with a few, plus three in my shoe. Checking after coming into contact with brush, fox tails or other tall grasses is preferable to all these chemical things and deterrents.

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I guess I am the official tick remover in this family. :laughing:

 

Taken one of my son, wife and daughter-in-law each within the last two weeks. Close to 35 off of me in the same time-frame -- I am out and about more than the house-lovers are. :laughing:

 

All of the others the ticks were attached, but of all those I had, only two attached. They were all wood ticks, BTW (the bigger brown one with the light "collar" posted on the 1¢ above).

 

Finally told the others the best way to notice a tick crawling is to think, "Sweat never runs uphill!" B)

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