doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ticks and tick prevention

Be aware that while mowing your lawn along side and under trees and bushes, they can drop down the neck of your shirt and attach to your body. I suspect I got one this way earlier this spring and a friend of mine got one that way about 3 weeks ago.

Good to hear that you licked Lyme disease Lloyd, but I understand your concern about going through it again. I think some people just attract ticks more than others, but have no explanation for it. Like Bobby, I spend a great deal of time in woods and weeds, and I live in the country where every walk to the mailbox puts me at risk, but only found ticks on myself a few times. However, I did find two on my chest one day during this past deer season when I was sitting on a log cooling off after removing clothing to shed a thermax undershirt on an unusually warm day. And who could even spot the little bastards when they are in the nymph stage?

I hear about more and more people getting infected, and it seems there are a lot of undiagnosed cases. Worse yet is the fact that it seems to take a special doctor who is adept at even diagnosing Lyme. One lady I know went undiagnosed for over a year after suffering a range of symptoms. But she also told me that she had gone to the doctor when she developed a large bullseye rash on her back shortly after clearing some weeds in her yard. Her doctor told her the rash was nothing to worry about, so the Lyme disease became more severe and more difficult to treat as a result of ignorance of one of the classic symptoms. What then, are our chances if we happen to be asymptomatic? There was a human Lyme disease vaccine called LYMErix that was over 90% effective, but it was discontinued. You can get your dog vaccinated, but not yourself.

Lloyd, glad to hear you are feeling better. Sure hope you get to have a few more anniversaries.

I got Lymes last year. Working around a horse barn and noticed I�d been bit by something I�d scratched off before I knew what it was. Developed the classic bulls eye. Saw my doctor five days later and she didn�t wait for the test results. Full bore antibiotics for three weeks. All gone. Fast action helps a lot.

Really glad to see you posting again, Lloyd. Best of luck with your struggles and your health.
I'm hoping for the very best for you.


Your LOTWs buddy,
Ted

Lloyd, wishing you best of luck with staying on track healthwise and as Ted put it, struggles. I recently read a quote by George Santayana that "life is not a spectacle or feast, it is a predicament." Best, Gil

Though I knew Lyme disease could be life threatening I never knew of the psychosis that can come with a long battle with it. Thanks for updating us on yourself, and for the education on the horrible symptoms. Working outside everyday, in and around brush and crops, I am constantly exposed. I will be more careful. A field of corn can host millions of ticks. I have walked into one at tasseling stage, for just a few yards, exited, and had them crawling all over me. Brushing against the corn leaves is a perfect chance for them to grab ahold of you.

Best wishes for a complete recovery, and a marriage stronger than ever. Prayers are being, and will be offered.

SRH

Gamehide makes a product called "Elimitick". This clothing line uses a Permethrin impregnated fabric and seems to work quite well. They make hats, socks, shirts, coats, gloves and pants out of the Elimitick fabric. Last I checked, it comes in tan/brown or in camo patterns. I use this in turkey season, archery season and early goose season without any Deet applications and it seems to work quite well. I can't say I've ever had a tick on me while wearing it. This technology is very helpful when archery hunting in thick deer (and tick) laden brush and when you do not want to apply insecticides, which may cause a wary buck to catch your scent. Anyways, this fabric is soft and not exceedingly tough wearing, so it will certainly not hold up to the rigors of hunting birds in thorny brush. However, it could be worn as a base layer under protective clothing. I do believe they offer tight fitting base layer garments out of the fabric as well. It's not exceedingly cheap, but medical treatments aren't either. The Permethrin is supposed to last something like over 100 washings. Sadly, if you're hunting on a hot October day, I think you'll be in trouble...stick with double Deet and a t-shirt.

Best of luck Lloyd...

https://gamehide.com/product-category/elimitick-hunting-clothing/

There is a service available that will treat your clothes with permerthrin. The military uses it for their BDUs/field uniforms. The test data says after treatment it is effective for 70 washings.

Where I live in northern WI, it's more or less Tick Central--and my GP makes the same recommendation if I find a tick that's attached.

In my high school days, I worked Summers for International Paper Co. injecting hardwoods with 2,4-D in pine forests. They provided us with flowers of sulfur to dust around our boot tops and britches legs and waist to prevent ticks from getting on us. As I recall, we never had a single tick on any of us.
JR