Long Island Bowhunting

[RichZ7]

Only 137 more days boys!!!!!! God I can't wait!!!!! Gonna have my son out this year with me for the first time.

[Karpteach]

Should be a banner year....for ticks and chiggers due to the rains.

[Sogaard]

Last year, I went out to the Sarnoff Pine Barrons a couple of times. I saw a ton of sign, but not a single deer. I did encounter more ticks than I ever have in the woods before though. I'll give it a shot again this year, hopefully with better luck, though I may try someplace a little closer to the city.

[ANTLERS]

The ticks are getting worse every year,I don't even hunt Suffolk until November,when the temps start to drop.I live in Huntington and after 14 years here,my dogs are coming into the house with ticks on them.

[First-light]

I live in that area also, haven't had any yet but I know they are out there.

[mbucks27]

You know whats funny. While out shed hunting from Jan to mid April walking through some of this thickest stuff i could find out there i only had one tick on me. I know this is not optimal tick season but i was expecting to have a lot more on my clothes like i didn in other years.  At the same time while shed hutning upstate i was loaded with them. Its usually the other way around not too bad upstate but real bad down here on the island.

John

[Karpteach]

My wife, daughter and I walked up and down Sarnoff and got nothing in the cold. When I went to scout on the state parks and  Barcelona Neck it was 26 degrees came back with 6 ticks. Don't they die or hibernate in the winter?????

[Sogaard]

Ticks usually die when exposed to temps less than 35 degrees. Ticks that are already on animals can survive the winter from the body heat of their hosts. All other were eggs during the winter and hatched as the weather warmed.  They do not hibernate.

If it really was 26 degrees out and you picked up ticks, I have no explaination for that.  It shouldn't be possible unless you actually picked them up somewhere else that was warmer, or they were already on hunting cloths that were in storage?

[Geno C]

i use that spray from Sawyer and stay tick free...

cant wait till this fall! im pumped for thiscoming bow season. going to get some trail cams out soon.

[steve863]

Is there any spray made that will keep all of them off you?? I can't imagine there is.  There are places on Long Island (Fire Island being one) where you will pick several ticks every time you brush up against any sort of foliage.  It's hard to imagine that there could be that many out there, but there are!  Even in subfreezing temperatures one is in jeopardy.  I would have a hard time believing there is any spray made that will keep the swarms of ticks like you have on Long Island away completely.  All it takes is one to give you a bite where you might not see it and you can be screwed for a good long while.  That is one major reason I have never been interested in hunting Long Island eventhough it would be most convenient in distance for me.  Just don't like having ticks all over me.

[Doewhacker]

i use that spray from Sawyer and stay tick free...

cant wait till this fall! im pumped for thiscoming bow season. going to get some trail cams out soon.

I got that Sawyer stuff last year because of you Geno and it works great! I spray down and have yet to have any ticks on me when I use it. Steve863 buy some if you go any where with ticks like hiking...it flat works.

[steve863]

Sounds good.  Not once did I ever have a tick on me in my usual hunting spot in Delaware county, but I have a couple of times while hiking in other places, so I will try to get some.  I wish I had a dollar for every tick I've seen on Long Island.  You need some industrial strength repellent out there, that's for darn sure!

[Doewhacker]

Thats how it is by my house too for some reason? We have been pulling them off of the kids and dog from the yard even, what a pain it is to deal with ticks!

[steve863]

It's really weird.  I think when you have substantial human habitation in close proximity to wild animals and some natural surroundings you get these areas that are swarmed with ticks.  It's not like there isn't any wildlife or foliage in the area I hunt in Delaware county, but it is quite rural with homes spread a good distance apart.  As I said in 20 years of hunting there I have NEVER had a tick on my clothes or myself.  In areas like Long Island it takes about one brush up against any foliage and you've got company!!

[Geno C]

that spray works amazing for me... i picked up chiggers and ticks and either they die almost right away and stay on your clothes or they die and drop off. eitherway whatever particle of clothing you have on that you sprayed you can guarentee the ticks or chiggers will not stay on your clothes, alive atleast...

trust me steve it works. cant spray it on your skin... ive used it for years not and i dont have any tick problems during the summer of fall. its great for skeeters also

[Sogaard]

I spray Deep Woods Off on during Spring turkey and it seems to work pretty well, but I can't see using it for deer.  Wouldn't the smell of the stuff alert deer from a half mile away?

[sssurfertim]

Coulstons duration tick formula and sawyer are the best there is Period!  I have been using it in the pine barrans for 6 years and never got a tick on me.  Only way I get ticks is when im gutting a deer with my sleeves rolled up.  Also spray a kiddie pool with it and hang yur deer over it, as the tick fall off they will fall into the kiddie pool and not go allover your yard or garage. 

[NYDeer]

Knee High Rubber boots & pants ticked in & Coulstens..

[cbx46]

I agree I almost cashed in my LI hunting career then I remembered I've used that spray when I hunted Westchester also very bad so I used some for LI and I was back in buisness.

[JimmyDaSavage]

Sawyer keeps me tick free. Love that product.

[Doc]

So, will there be any residual effect on your Long Island hunting due to this hurricane? Things like trapped high water where deer trails used to be, or maybe some access roads still being a bit soupy or flooded bedding areas and such? Or do you think all effects will be gone by then? I know there is a lot of time left for things to drain, but I was wondering how something like this might effect deer patterns, and whatever past experiences that you have accumulated over the years.

[Geno C]

i think to a certain degree there will be some terain change and what not. i am going this weekend to check some cams and stand and do any re pruning that i have to. i am expecting some trees down and a bunch of limbs. not sure about flooding tho...

[Karpteach]

Doc, it all depends where people bunt. Most of my spots that were close to water like bull rush and swampy area has definitely changed. I lost 2 spits near water 1 was wiped away and the other is a huge pond. My spot on solid ground has provided me with a lot of ground blinds, now I have to see how the deer are going to move . I wish all who have felt Irenes wrath good luck!