10 Common Myths about Ticks

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Crusak
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by Crusak » May 19th, 2013, 7:56 am

While doing a thru-hike of the Wilson River Trail yesterday I got my second tick bite in a month. :(

This time I discovered the critter burrowed into my flesh. My wife got the honor of removing it (since it was on my side close to my back and out of reach). Now I've got another angry purple sore... My wife told me I'm grounded - no more hiking (she thinks anyone who goes out in the woods on purpose is nuts). :) I just finished the antibiotics from the first bite on Friday. Well now. I'll have to watch and see what happens with this bite. I saved the tick in a baggie, in case I need to go to the doctor.

Here's a shot of the tick:
tick1.jpg
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retired jerry
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by retired jerry » May 19th, 2013, 8:05 am

I got one of those tick removal tools

I thought the way it works is, if you have the tool then you won't get a tick bite.

Sort of like if you have an umbrella it won't rain

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gaby
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by gaby » May 29th, 2013, 1:17 pm

Crusak, sorry n kuddos for ur wife! Where u wearing pants in socks n long shirt tucked in?

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Crusak
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by Crusak » May 29th, 2013, 2:54 pm

gaby wrote:Crusak, sorry n kuddos for ur wife! Where u wearing pants in socks n long shirt tucked in?
I had long pants & long sleeve shirt on. But the shirt wasn't tucked in. Not sure when or how the tick got where it ended up biting me (on my upper right side just behind my armpit). Still taking antibiotics as a precaution...

My wife was super creeped out by the thing. She made my vacuum out my truck really good. She also wanted me to quit hiking! No way haha. :lol:
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gaby
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by gaby » May 30th, 2013, 5:17 am

Oh... ok so next time, shirt tucked in! Is there any tick reports to consider b4 choosing a hike? Or hikes that are well known as with ticks?
I dont blame ur wife on the freaking out! I would too!!!
Now, not quit hiking thats a no brainer!

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Crusak
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by Crusak » May 30th, 2013, 5:26 am

gaby wrote:Oh... ok so next time, shirt tucked in! Is there any tick reports to consider b4 choosing a hike? Or hikes that are well known as with ticks?
I dont blame ur wife on the freaking out! I would too!!!
Now, not quit hiking thats a no brainer!
I think that the hikes in the central/eastern part of Oregon and Washington are known for having more ticks, but I'm pretty sure I picked up both tick bites on hikes in the Oregon Coast Range. So they're everywhere. Crazy though, because I've done about 900 miles of hiking all over Oregon and Washington in the past three years and didn't get any tick bites until now. Just in the wrong spot at the wrong time, haha. :)

I've treated my hiking clothing with permethrin, and I plan to use picaridin spray when it gets warmer out and I have more exposed skin (to ward off the bugs).
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gaby
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by gaby » May 30th, 2013, 1:29 pm

What about permethrin and DEET?

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Crusak
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by Crusak » May 30th, 2013, 6:39 pm

gaby wrote:What about permethrin and DEET?
Permethrin to treat the clothing and gear is supposed to work great, and it's good for a few washings (two to six wash cycles, depending on the manufacturer's instructions). DEET is super good at repelling bugs but can damage synthetic clothing and plastic surfaces. I ruined a few Nalgene bottles, a pair of binoculars and a few other gear items by allowing them to come in contact with DEET. But it's great if you just apply it to cotton clothing or to bare skin. ;)

Picaridin is supposed to be nearly as effective as DEET but it doesn't melt your gear. I guess I'll be finding out just how effective it is this season.
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gaby
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by gaby » May 30th, 2013, 7:00 pm

yeah, i kind of spotted my Suunto's strap with DEET :/ But i dont want to risk it since i have read that there is nothing better than DEET...
Btw, since we are here talking what kind of hikes do u enjoy? Maybe we could hike together sometime?

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: 10 Common Myths about Ticks

Post by Waffle Stomper » October 16th, 2014, 5:15 pm

Here we are, October, a season to be thinking of golden leaves and new coats of snow on the mountain. So what am I writing about? Ticks, that's right, ticks!

I look at my Ellie and see a gray chunk of something on her muzzle. Oh Ellie, I ask, have you been in the kitty litter again, nibbling on those little kitty rocas that you love so much. I give it a flick and it's still there. I look closer, hmmmmmm, what could it be? I put my glasses on. Kinda looks like a tick. I say to myself, nope can't be a tick. We haven't been in the mountains lately, it has been at least over a month ago. We've since only been on walks in our neighborhood and in Tryon Creek State park. But it looks like a tick, don't see any legs, looks like a skin tag, but the color told me otherwise. Well, I broke out the handy dandy Tick Key (http://www.tickkey.com/). With a helping hand from a friend getting a grip on a squirming dog I successfully extricated the little bugger. At first it must have been in shock and had its legs tucked in, I thought I cut is evil head off. But soon it was wondering around on my paper towel, or should I say waddling. I soon drowned his sorrows in a bath of alcohol to preserve him for a bit in case there are signs of infection.

So beware, the ticks are still here and they are in town.

And I'll vouch for the Tick Key and the Tick Remedy, I've used both.
Tick key.jpg
Tick key.jpg (6.29 KiB) Viewed 4096 times
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

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