OMG. The ticks are taking over the world..

[Taylormike]

The tick explosion is due to warmer climates, acorns and mice.  Mice are what cause the ticks to explode in population.  The more acorns, the more the mice survive and the ticks benefit from it.  My house in Niagara County, in the country, has lots of oaks and walnut trees, it leads to a lot of ticks.  My property in southertier is comprised of mostly white pine, I don't see a lot of ticks.  They're there but not taking over.  I would bet that most of the cases when there are tons of ticks it is in high acorn/mice area.  Thoughts?

[Spook]

1 hour ago, ApexerER said:

Ticks are strange, it doesn't seem like they are everywhere. I have not found a tick on me while hunting and the deer I have shot I haven't noticed any ticks in them (although I haven't looked hard). I haven't felt the need to spray my gear or anything. I walk my dog very frequently at a Nature preserve around the corner from my house. In all the years I have been going there I noticed 1 tick on my dog. My neighbor and I decided we would try a nature preserve a little farther away (by Saratoga Lake) last weekend. We walked basically the whole preserve. A lot of brush and tall grass. Got in the truck to leave and felt something on my arm....flicked a tick off out the window, felt something on my leg not long after and it was another tick. When I got home I noticed one on my dogs head...brought him in the bathroom where there was good light and pulled off at least 25 and flushed them and decided to take the dog outside and brush him where I pulled off at least 25 more. His Seresta collar is suppose to kill them but I don't want those buggers in the house. I took a shower after because I felt like they were all over me....

Apexer... be careful in Saratoga county. That's where all the cases of powesian are showing up. 

[Rebel Darling]

NYS DOH just sent out this press release:

 

New York State Department of Health Reminds New Yorkers to Take Precautions Against Ticks During Fall Outdoor Activities

Reminder Follows Confirmed Case of Powassan virus in Dutchess County

ALBANY, N.Y. (October 20, 2017) – The New York State Department of Health today reminded New Yorkers of the importance of protecting themselves against ticks and tick-borne illnesses as they participate in fall outdoor activities. Ticks remain active until the temperature drops below 40 or 45 degrees, so it’s important to take precautions and check yourself for ticks even as the weather cools down.

This reminder comes as the Department has confirmed a case of Powassan virus, a tick-borne illness, in Dutchess County. This recently-confirmed case and three cases in Saratoga County from this past summer are the only confirmed cases of Powassan in New York State this year. Powassan virus is a rare viral disease that can cause symptoms ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to life-threatening encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The disease remains extremely rare in New York State, with only 27 confirmed cases since 2000.

“This should not deter you from partaking in all the outdoor activities that our beautiful state has to offer this fall, as long as you remain vigilant,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “While you are outside taking advantage of hiking, hunting and leaf-peeping, or even raking leaves, it is important to take the time to protect yourself and your family against ticks and tick-borne illnesses.”

“In Dutchess County, we have learned through decades of experience that several preventive measures can work together to offer the greatest protection against tick-borne diseases,” said Dr. Anil K. Vaidian, Commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health. “It is important for residents to plan ahead before outdoor activities, be mindful of exposure while outdoors, and to remain vigilant in checking for ticks afterward for the best chance of prevention against tick-borne diseases.”

Best practices to protect yourself from ticks and tick-borne illness include:

Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily, as well as enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
 
Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
 
Consider using insect repellent. More information on repellent products is available here.
 
Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
 
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
 
Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.
 
The Department of Health and its partners routinely collect and analyze ticks from across the state in order to better understand the tick population, tick behavior and regional trends in diseases carried by ticks. Current and retrospective tick collection and testing results will also be posted on the Department’s Health Data NY site by the start of tick season in 2018.

The Department is also collaborating with the Department of Environmental Conservation to include tick-borne disease informational materials in hunter education and licensure programs; working with the State Education Department to implement new legislation requiring instructional materials for school districts and libraries to provide information about tick-borne disease; and planning to release a tick-borne disease surveillance and response plan, similar to the plan in place for mosquito-borne diseases, in 2018.

For more information about Powassan virus, Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, visit:  https://www.health.ny.gov/tickfree.

                                                 -###-

[growalot]

Quote

I would bet that most of the cases when there are tons of ticks it is in high acorn/mice area.  Thoughts?

Being highly superstitious..Oh yes I admit it ..having 200 oaks on our place ,I refuse to speculate at the moment

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, Spook said:

Apexer... be careful in Saratoga county. That's where all the cases of powesian are showing up. 

Yea, I have heard that on the news but I really haven't had an issue with them until we went to that one place last weekend. I won't be going back....lol.....Thank you for the heads up...

[ApexerER]

2 hours ago, Taylormike said:

The tick explosion is due to warmer climates, acorns and mice.  Mice are what cause the ticks to explode in population.  The more acorns, the more the mice survive and the ticks benefit from it.  My house in Niagara County, in the country, has lots of oaks and walnut trees, it leads to a lot of ticks.  My property in southertier is comprised of mostly white pine, I don't see a lot of ticks.  They're there but not taking over.  I would bet that most of the cases when there are tons of ticks it is in high acorn/mice area.  Thoughts?

From my experience....which is little to none.....The ticks seem like they like more brushy/high grass area's. That seems to be the only time I run into them. Maybe it just makes it easier for them to get on me though because generally if I am walking through a forest I am not brushing up against tons of trees/branches etc.

[turkeyfeathers]

Brother just called. His wife had one embedded from today. They got "most " of it out. I said immediacare and antibiotics for sure   Am I correct? They give me the willies. If I ever get one I might pass out and not much gets to me like that

[Spook]

Yahhhh that's good advice. If he wants to take a very slight gamble, have him run to a drug store to buy the "tick twister" took. Safest way to remove. 

Its hard with the powesian. Normally I'd say call it a day after but there's a HUGE "what if."

[philoshop]

It's kinda like being a 'self molester', but when you come in after a day in the woods ya gotta check yourself thoroughly.

[Spook]

55 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Brother just called. His wife had one embedded from today. They got "most " of it out. I said immediacare and antibiotics for sure   Am I correct? They give me the willies. If I ever get one I might pass out and not much gets to me like that

I didn't see the "most of it" part. Definitely have them go to urgent care if the head is still imbedded. 

[The_Field_Ager]

Had one climbing up my arm in bed the other night. Pulled one of the cat last night. I dont like to use chemicals but the thoughts of Lyme's had me rethink. I sprayed my boots today

[turkeyfeathers]

16 minutes ago, Papist said:

Had one climbing up my arm in bed the other night. Pulled one of the cat last night. I dont like to use chemicals but the thoughts of Lyme's had me rethink. I sprayed my boots today

Permithrin? Spray pant leg bottoms and sleeve ends particularly too. Around collar as well. Watch that spray while its drying though with your cat. Very toxic to cats. 

[Just Lucky]

I get ticks every time I go out. Nasty. I find best way to remove is dawn dish soap on a cotton ball. Saturate cotton ball and put on tick . After a minute or 2 they back out. 

[growalot]

Quote

Very toxic to cats. 

•  

yes that's a problem for me...I keep all gear out side under the porch roof...I find the cat curled up in my hunting clothes and not in her comfy insulated house with the fancy memory foam bed...If nothing else she's a good cover scent..lol

[wolc123]

I did not see any last weekend up in my hot spot up in WMU 6C, unlike the previous weekend, when I brushed a few off from my jacket.  Several frosts thru mid-week must have slowed them down a bit.   The best defense against them is cold weather.   I also treat my bibs and boots with Sawyers for these early hunts, prior to the onset of steady cold weather.  Hopefully that will not be necessary for our next trip up there over Thanksgiving. 

My advice to folks wanting to hunt before the onset of cold weather would be to spend more time out on the lakes fishing instead.  Ticks do not do well in the water and the fishing is great in the fall.   The deer do not move a lot in the warm conditions anyhow, so you are not missing much (besides ticks).   

[Rebel Darling]

26 minutes ago, Just Lucky said:

I get ticks every time I go out. Nasty. I find best way to remove is dawn dish soap on a cotton ball. Saturate cotton ball and put on tick . After a minute or 2 they back out. 

There's the potential for an unintended consequence with this and methods similar to this.  Be careful here.  The issue is that when you apply that type of treatment, the tick may disgorge its stomach contents into you before it releases.  So... You get the tick to back off, but you also run the risk of getting infected anyway.

Here's what the CDC recommends:

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html

[MPHunter]

Where I hunt in Rennselaer County the ticks are pretty bad. I find myself picking them off my clothes after every trip into the woods and not only on the outer layers. It amazes me how they find their way through multiple layers of clothes and get to the skin. I have found several on my body after undressing but only one has actually been embedded. I take all my hunting clothes off on the deck down to my underwear and they stay outside in a plastic bin for the duration of the hunting season. This year I am going to try the Sawyer's for sure.