Be careful out there. I managed to get out today, and when I got home, I had 3 ticks on me. Those little b-------s give me the creeps, and I don't want to get Lyme Disease either. I am washing all my clothes in the hottest setting on the washer, including my vest. After that, I plan to spray my vest tomorrow with Sawyer's tick spray. I know several guys who got Lyme Disease, and it isn't nice. Anyhow, if you aren't aware of them, the ticks are out there, so watch out. Better check yourself and have your wife check the parts of yourself you can't see when you come home from fishing.
From everything I've been reading and hearing, this is supposed to be going to be a bad year for them.

rrt,

What area of the state or county were you in. Western PA historically hasn't had as bad a tick problem as South Eastern. Just wandering if I should be upping my alertness around here.

Thanks,

I was out at Letort and the YB on Sunday, found 3 crawling on my clothes when I got home. It's still only March and they don't typically come out in force until May around here...

Blair County, central PA. But, 2 falls ago, my son and I got them on us up in northcentral PA in Clinton Co. while turkey hunting. I know a couple guys who don't hunt any longer b/c of them. One of the "young lions" around here wears chest waders even when fishing trickles b/c of them. I don't like them. Even after having gotten cleaned up, it still feels like they're on me. Sawyer's tick spray is going to get a workout tomorrow.

I found 2 on my clothes one day but missed another one and it buried itself into my belly. I've been a little sick ever since though the symptoms aren't really consistent with a tick bite. Finally after a week I think the symptoms are over. At least it wasn't a deer tick.

They are infinitley more prevelant in southeast PA than in other areas. I used to go hiking every weekend in north central and north east PA and never once got a tick. However, I can hike in the woods behind neshaminy highschool in langhorne pa and pull off dozens. I never even saw a deer tick before I moved here. Sure enough, I went exploring a small limestone spring in my area and unknowingly took a deer tick home with me. About 10 days later I was driving home from the LL and I suffered unbearable leg and back pain w/ general malaise. I later developed a fever of 101. Fever wouldnt go away and went to my Dr. who gave me a full exam and said it was viral, nothing to worry about. 4 days later I still had a fever and was having serious issues driving and thinking properly. Serious neck pain and stiffness set in and I thought it was meningitis. I went back to the Dr. and got bloodwork done. I was to call the next morning for preliminary results. When I woke up, I felt something on the back of my thigh and found a large bulls eye and migrating smaller ones all over my torso. It took about 2 wks from the bite to develop. Lyme's disease is terrible. Im glad it wasnt something worse though. I missed a ton of work and did not feel normal for over a month with treatment. I always thought I was being careful checking for ticks after coming home. I never even found the tick so be extra, extra careful...

Permethrin guys! Spray each layer your going to wear and keep them in a garbage bag or sealed tub until your next adventure. Dick's sells it by the gallon. Wal Mart no more.

It is not a tick deterrent it kills em dead.

Fwiw... You won't see the deer tick that will give you Lyme. Now through late spring is the worst time as the nymphal version of tick is a more prolific carrier than the adults.

Cover all exposed skin, use your permanone and shower as soon as you get home.

A large proportion of cases don't develop the bullseye rash, many have no rash at all. It takes a few weeks to develop the antibodies to flag positive on a test.

The big ticks are dog ticks. They give you rocky mountain fever, not Lyme.

Quote:

I like anything that kills ticks and doesn't burn a hole through my skin or clothing, but beware that permethrin is also toxic to fish

http://www.pesticide.org/get-the-fact ... ets/factsheets/permethrin

I just read an editorial in the latest PA outdoor news on ticks. According to 2 scientists that are tick experts, the warm winter would not cause an overall increase in tick numbers, but it will make ticks much more active. Bad news either way I guess. Those little buggers scare me more than snakes.

I use the Sawyer Permethrin for my hat and clothes. I use Sawyer Repellent, 98.1% deet, for exposed skin.

Quote:

I have a dislike for snakes, but I know that is an irrational fear. However, I know a number of posters on this thread, and more on the site in general, have been afflicted with Lyme disease. From a statistical perspective:

Estimated number of venomous snakebites in US, annually - 7000-8000
Deaths from venomous snakebits in US, annually - 5

Snake bite stats

Confirmed cases of Lyme disease in US, 2010 - 22,561
Lyme disease stats
Deaths from Lyme disease (as recorded on death certificate) - 114 from 1999 - 2003 (avg. almost 23/year)
Lyme disease fatalities research

Note, however, that while the decedents may have had Lyme disease, the article points out that it may have been coincidental with other natural causes of death.

Statistics aside, I'm not sure if I've seen more snakes or ticks in my life, but I'm confident that the mite of a tick that bites me has the potential to do far more damage than the snake that I irrationally fear.

My nephew live along Clarks Creek and last week got bit. Red welt w/ bullseye. Center of the welt was moving around. Rushed to doc's office where he put some crap on and it made the tick back out. Deer tick, completely burried. They said the meds would stop the lyme disease since they caught it so quickly. I hope. Don't want to see a 9 year old w/ that stuff.

+1 on LL tip.

havent encountered any while fishing, but i've never seen so many while mountain biking in rothrock state forest, many of the ones that are visible appear to be deer ticks unfortunately, makes we kinda worry about the ones that cant be seen

Why can't we just put the crap on us like we do our dogs...or better yet...find a pill that is toxic to the little blood suckers...