After the major weather events across the country this winter, many of us are more than ready for spring turkey season. Sunrises in the woods, the sound of gobbles echoing through the hills, and long mornings outdoors are probably already on your mind.
What’s probably not on your mind is tick-borne illness.
But for many hunters across the Midwest and eastern United States, preventing tick bites has become just as important as packing calls or checking shotgun shells. If you’ve never dealt with a tick-borne illness yourself, chances are you know someone who has. The list of diseases these tiny pests can carry seems to grow every year — Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more.
As a born-and-raised Midwesterner who has had plenty of run-ins with ticks over the years, I’ve learned a few simple habits that help reduce how many of those little hitchhikers I bring home after a hunt.
Cover Up
Your clothing is your first line of defense. Wearing long sleeves and long pants creates a barrier between your skin and ticks waiting in grass or brush.
Tucking your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants may not win any fashion awards, but it can make a big difference. It prevents ticks from easily crawling up underneath your clothing where they’re harder to find.
Use Natural Repellents
One of the advantages of turkey season is that you don’t have to worry as much about scent control like you would during deer season. That gives you more flexibility to use repellents that help keep ticks away.
Products like Cedarcide or Wondercide can be sprayed on clothing and gear to help repel ticks and other insects while you’re in the woods.
Treat Clothing with Permethrin
Permethrin is one of the most effective tools available for tick prevention. Unlike most repellents, it not only repels ticks but can also kill them on contact.
Permethrin should only be applied to clothing and gear, never directly to your skin. Once applied and dried, the treatment can last through multiple hunts and even several washes depending on the product.
For many hunters, treating their clothing with permethrin before the season starts has become a standard part of their preseason preparation.
Do Frequent Tick Checks
Even with precautions, ticks can still find their way onto your clothing. That’s why regular checks are important.
Check yourself and your clothing when you leave the woods and before getting into your vehicle. Check again once you get home, and take another look while showering. Catching a tick early is the best way to remove it before it has time to attach.
Final Thoughts
Ticks are an unfortunate part of spring in much of the country, but a few simple precautions can go a long way in reducing your risk.
With the right clothing, repellents, and a habit of regular tick checks, you can spend less time worrying about ticks and more time focusing on what really matters — hearing that first gobble at daylight.
Good luck this turkey season, and stay safe out there.
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