Ticks!

[nygfaninva]

I have picked up a few unwanted guests on two of my last DG outings. Of course chasing after a friends disc in the deep woods (OB) probably helped, but what can be done about ticks? Best way to keep them off you and do they climb in your bag or am I being paranoid?

 

[Doktor John]

I deal with ticks all the time when I travel...especially in heavily wooded courses...I put coconut oil on my legs and arms and it seems to help keep them off but they get on my clothes and bag alot...I had one fall off my bag at my hotel and saw him crawling on my sheets.
I do a thorough search of my body after each round.

 

[sfeather]

If a tick attaches itself, do NOT just rip it out. Doing so will leave being its giant long vacuum cleaner of an probosces (nose) which may take a month to be forced out by your body in an annoying, and often painful process.

It is possible to forcibly remove a tick with tweezers, but may result in the above.

Place soft liquid hand soap on a cotton ball. Place the cotton ball over the tick. The tick will feel like it is going to suffocate and will pull out on its own and turn on the cotton ball. Throw away cotton ball, or, if you feel angry at the unwanted violation, torch said cotton ball and feel satisfaction when the tick goes POP!

 

[ryandr]

You may have also heard of using Skin-So-Soft by Avon. That has worked and it doesn't smell as bad as bug repellant but it does leave you a little oily, but after a good game of DG one is tipically a little oily and dirty anyway (at least that is how it is here in the muggy and wet parts of the county). Also have heard of taking garlic supplements/pills. And then my grandfather used to use coil oil on his boots, but if your game gets too hot you may combust. Good luck.

 

[JConnell]

This stuff works great: http://www.offprotects.com/sportsmen.aspx

 

[Russell Gore]

DEET DOES NOT WORK!!!!!!!!! It is only about 20% effective against ticks. DEET is a mosquito repellent. Also that is all it does to ticks, repel. Look up PERMETHRIN it actually kills the little boogers when they get on your clothes. This stuff is a spray applied to clothes and last up to 6 weeks even through washing. It is also kinda of expensive, but it works. I have watched about 4 or 5 ticks just fall off and die. It also seems to work on all kinds of other pests. Even the Cicadas seem to stay away now, and if they do make it my clothes they bounce off and keep going. They don't like this stuff at all!!!!!!!!!

The stuff I bought is Sawyer Premium Clothing insect repellent.

 

[Amorybulldog]

Ticks

Met a guy who puts flea/tick collars for dogs around his ankles. Swears it works on ticks and chiggers. I personally don't have a problem with chiggers but the ticks in our woods are awful. Thanks for the cotton ball tip, I generally rip them off and bite can itch for a month. Will try the cotton ball thing.

 

[JConnell]

DEET DOES NOT WORK!!!!!!!!! It is only about 20% effective against ticks. DEET is a mosquito repellent. Also that is all it does to ticks, repel. Look up PERMETHRIN it actually kills the little boogers when they get on your clothes.

Permethrin is indeed the best for killing ticks before they do their damage, but your statement that "DEET does not work" is not accurate. They each have their advantages and disadvantages, but most people will tell you that the best possible solution is to use both.

Also, I'm not speaking for all products with DEET, just the OFF Deep Sport Woodsmen. I have been using it for years while camping, hiking, playing DG, etc. and have yet to get a tick bite (or mosquito bite) while doing so. The stuff works wonders, at least for me it does.

 

[Russell Gore]

I should have clarified what I was saying. It does nothing for me except make my skin BURN. I can't use the stuff, it's like spraying liquid fire on my skin. Anyhow the permethrin is the only stuff I have been able to use, and it works. The little boogers just die within seconds of getting on my clothes.

 

[ERicJ]

This stuff works great: http://www.offprotects.com/sportsmen.aspx

FYI: I found Off Deep Woods Sportsman small pump spray for sale in person at Bass Pro Shops.

I should have clarified what I was saying. It does nothing for me except make my skin BURN. I can't use the stuff, it's like spraying liquid fire on my skin. Anyhow the permethrin is the only stuff I have been able to use, and it works. The little boogers just die within seconds of getting on my clothes.

I found Sawyer Permethrin products for sale in person at REI.

ERic

 

[MooTaters]

Not to necrobump, but thanks for the tips. Just found 2 on me, luckily they hadn't locked their teeth in me yet...even though it's been around 3 hours since I finished playing. They suck to kill though, pretty much need a knife to do any damage.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Typically, I deal with ticks by attempting to find another primate (preferably of the opposite sex) and pick off each other's ticks in a social grooming ritual. To top it off, ticks make good eating, too!

Just watch out for the bloody ones!

 

[MooTaters]

Do you cook them first? Maybe put them in the smoker for some extra flavor.

 

[FredVegasDGC]

I spray off on my arms & legs, even thought it's not a tick repellent it does help keep ticks off.

One thing that really works for me are Dr School's Diabetic socks. The reason they work so well for ticks is the top part of the sock that goes around the ankle is made of very soft cotton in a relaxed weave pattern. For some reason ticks get caught up in this and cannot crawl through.

I have been able to catch many ticks after a round caught in the socks.

The best thing for ticks is rubbing alcohol. Especially seed ticks that are really small. After a round I take a bottle of rubbing alcohol and wipe down my legs if I think I might have a tick on me.

When you shower after a round you need to check your scalp, behind your ears and any place that your skin creates a fold. (armpits, behind your knee, around your waist and other obvious areas)

 

[kerq6c]

The best way I keep ticks off me is to eat garlic everyday. They and mosquitoes don't like to bite me much after that. Although when you sweat it does not have a very pleasing odor.

 

[kerq6c]

Also I don't remember where but it is possible to buy 100% deet or it was. I will ask my brother where he got his

 

[elevated plastic]

I hate ticks with a passion. Luckily I live at a high enough elevation where there is none. My poor dog gets raped by them when we go down the hill in the winter. Whenever I play where ticks are an issue I check myself for them every few holes. I've only had a few on me and only once did one get me. @!:" ticks!

 

[BionicRib]

Around my area......."chicago area"....The majority of ticks I see are the dog ticks, which can give you Rocky Mountain spotted fever I guess. They are usually found in dense grassy fields.......The deer ticks is what you need to really keep an eye out for (very tiny) red backs.......The sad part is that most of diseases from ticks (and bare in mind I am not a doctor, but have one in the family) come from the little baby ticks (and most likey you wont even see these little bastards). The best thing you can do when you get a tick is get a pair of tweezers and pull them out as close to the head as possible. DO NOT BURN THEM!!! If you try to burn them out they will excrete more of their potentially diseased saliva into your bloodstream.
If after you pull them out you suspect any of the head or mouth parts still imbedded in the skin...go to a doctor to have them removed.

I have heard that the permetherin (or however you spell it) does help, but I have also heard that any repellent you apply to keep ticks away you need to reapply more frequently than you would when you are trying to repel mosquitos.

Tuck your pants in your socks when you play and where very light colored clothing so you can see them if they get on you........I haven't tried wearing white pants, but if you are really worried about it they could help (and yes people will laugh at you). Also ticks do not jump they just latch on and crawl. Some guy was freaking out on a local course by me and he swore that ticks can jump really far........they don't jump, but if anyone has a video of a jumping tick I would love to see it.

 

[Disc Fiend]

Ticks are the reason I wont play the course around the corner from me all summer!! You are guaranteed to have like 4-5 of them on you after a round and it isn't even worth the hassle. I hate ticks sooo much

 

[Goatman]

Tick are really bad here. I use a mix of vinegar and water. It will deter ticks fairly well. Repel with 40% deet works pretty good too.