Wandering Aimlessly
Ticks / Permethrin
by Phil Burkhouse
The grandsons and I have been spending a lot of time wandering aimlessly through the Big Woods the past several months. I love spending time on our outdoor adventures, but one small item causes me alarm: ticks. We have been picking them up on our clothes and bodies since horn dropping season, and we are still plagued by them during our fishing outings this spring and summer. Lyme’s is nothing to mess with, and we have had four cases of it in our immediate family of 10 people.
Purists go roll their pants up in their socks and wear light colored clothing, and while I employ these tactics, I also take the more direct approach—kill the little buggers. I use several brands of insect repellents containing Deet, which may be applied directly to your skin and kills ticks and other insects on contact. This includes honey bees and aquatic life, so use your own judgment.