Use (Sawyer recommended brand at Dick's, etc, etc...) PERMITHERIN spray on your clothes and really saturate and let dry. This includes pants, shirts, shoes, socks, hats and just the clothes you will dedicate to hunting. KEEP THESE SEPARATE FROM YOUR REGULAR CLOTHES!!!! Reason coming....
Also spray the carpeting INSIDE YOUR CAR with this!!!! The ticks that fall off in your car, recover overnight and are waiting to go at you again first thing in the morning on your drive to work. TRUST ME!!! I have had Lyme twice (nearly fatal) and had to put 5 dogs down because of it. As soon as you get home, take the hottest shower your skin can handle and just hang there while turning around to prevent scalding. Ticks die instantly when their body temperature gets over 130 Degrees Fahrenheit. They will detach and fall off in the shower and you will see them go down the drain. Even after your shower, if you are lucky enough to have a partner, have that person inspect your scalp and any place you cannot see, especially soft tissue, ie, behind your, knees , armpits, ankles, crotch etc...., BE VIGILANT HERE!!!!! If you are on your own, BUY A MIRROR at CVS and examine yourself carefully.
The next defense should include "ON YOUR BODY" defense. This is about what to actually apply to "YOU" and your "SKIN". The most recommended here is "DEEP WOODS OFF" and "SAWYER 100% DEET" or similar. Both have the maximum amount of DEET, typically 100%, and this is what will stop ticks, horseflies, fleas, mosquitoes and any other pest from thinking about messing with you. Cover your calves, arms, neck and face with this. All you will get are annoying "HOVER" insects but they will never land on you. THEY HATE DEET!!!! I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!
Back to,"WHY KEEP CLOTHES SEPARATE", When you treat clothes with PERMITHERIN, they can go up to 6 washings between treatments. I just figure that, I'm going to get dirty anyway that, I save my freshly treated pants and shirts for the next hunt. Just my IHO...
Cheers
Ed
