Hunters, Deer Ticks & Lyme disease

I've known two people who've had lime disease and had a pretty lengthy conversation with one of them several months ago about it. She was about 40 years old but walked with a cane, and went through hell until they finally figured out what she had.

I've been told that there's a good number of them in the grass at the gun club I usually shoot at (Silverdale) and plan on getting some BDU type pants that I could blouse, since I'm often out there all day. In the meantime, I've been checking myself over when wearing shorts and will probably just tuck my regular pants in into my socks.

I don't like using deet, but might just pick up a spray bottle. Otherwise, it's cover my legs and/or check a couple times throughout the day, remove ticks as already advised (saving it for the doctors) and booking an appt ASAP upon my return to the city. It's good to hear about the test kit from the US, which I'm pretty sure I could convince my physician to sign for if I ever got bit.
 
Silverdale is were we go as well. Great place to shoot! Hadn't heard about ticks in the grass there. On the line it's all paved, a plus that I'm guessing should help to reduce the chances of tick exposure. I just don't know if the ticks would be also found in the covered line area. Had not considered the possibility that ticks were in the grass at Silverdale range. I know for sure I wouldn't be thinking we would need to have our guard up against ticks at Silverdale or most places we go for that matter. I've been mainly thinking about the risk in areas we hunt doing sets for coyote sitting in grassy brush areas etc. It does look as though ticks are found pretty much everywhere.
 
Longwalker said:
No lyme disease in ticks West of the MAnitoba / Sask border. Saskatchewan has only had three cases so far, all have been from contact with ticks East or South of us.
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I know of a girl who was bitten on the west coast of Vancouver Island years ago. She is now a chronic Lyme sufferer enduring long term, heavy dosage anti-biotics that hardly even control the progression of the disease. I've been bitten a couple of times and had the "bulls eye rash". Tested negative, they say. But the CDC won't give you or even your doctor the actual test results, because their measure of "positive" and "negative" is different from some others and they apparently don't want you confusing yourself with the facts.:rolleyes:

So, don't kid yourselves that it's only east of Sask, is my advice.

You can learn a lot about Lyme from a documentary called "Under Our Skins". Given the enormous implications, it's not surprising that there is a lot of "politics" around Lyme.

The spirochete that causes Lyme has the ability to burrow into cell walls and "hide" inside cells from treatments like anti-biotics.

I've read that it is the fastest growing infectious disease in North America.
 
Lyme's disease was unheard of here in MB until a few years ago. We generally have an abundance of wood ticks, especially mid May to mid-end June in the southern half, then they seem to disappear. It's bad in dry years.

I found the first deer tick on my dog about 8 years ago, and now it seems there are more every year and while not as abundant as wood ticks, they appear throughout the summer.
I don't put more thought into it than I do into West Nile virus. Lathering up on a daily basis witrh repellant is probably worse than getting either of those diseases, though both can cause severe complications in certain situations, from what I've read.
 
ps. as well. East of the rockies,,,,, very rare the tick has actually carrys lyme desease

This should say west of the rockies. Lyme is a eastern thing. I lived in the woods my whole life and have never seen a tick except on my sheep.

Spending the first 50 years of my life in Alberta we were allways on the look out for them due to spotted fever.
 
Tikka6xc said:
Things you should know.


Now about lyme desease. It is easy to cure and regardless no need to worry about it killing you. littetly just a hang nail is more dangerous than a tick bite.
Lyme desease will pretty much give you arthritous ... i think thats how you spell it... you know when you get older and your joints hurt..

The way you know you have it there will be a red ring around the bite. It will look like a bulls eye. bite, than a inch or so of skin, than a red ring.

anyway, like said, takes 18-24 hours of them sucking on you. Enjoy your time in the woods and no need to be worried about ticks. just check ur self over at the end of the day.

B][/U]
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Yes Lyme can be fatal!!! It isn't often but it can happen. A fellow who owned a winery here in Ontario died from it and there is now an annual fund raising event in his name.
It takes massive dodes of antibiotics over months to cure it. I needed it for 7 months but after years of having it it left permanent damage and there are times I wonder if it is gone.
If Lyme only gives you artheritis why am I loosing my ability to see and have many other non arthritis problems?
Most folks DO NOT get the bullseye rash. I have seen the bullesye rash at the specialists office on a childs leg. The specialist said himself that was rare to see. There is a red dot from the bite, a pink area around it then the red ring. It was up to 3" long.
Tikka6xc, you don't know your ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to Lyme so stop spreading misinformation!!
 
Seems to be a lot of confusion on here about ticks.
Lyme disease is caused by the very tiny deer tick and I don't think it is at all common in western Canada.
The disease geven by the common wood tick, the kind all the talk is about here, of finding so many on people, is Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. It too, can be very serious, if not caught in time.
All the above is from what I have read about ticks.
Here is a great sight about ticks.

http://www.healingwell.com/library/lymedisease/info2.asp
 
RVG_Don said:
Hate to bring up a subject that can only take part of the fun away and cause worry but like a farmer recently warmed us, "those darn ticks are everywhere!"
So far we have only seen one, found it in my car's trunk, not good. No indication we have been bitten thankfully. Good set locations can often be in the same locations where deer move.
"Use insect repellents that contain DEET to repel ticks. Repellents can be applied to clothing as well as exposed skin."

As we all know this will always happen now and then, I know coyote has busted us a few times lately winding us. I figure the heavy odor of repellent makes little difference because if your busted, your busted either way. Two evenings ago we set up for coyote and saw four deer. During that same set in an effort to avoid the cool and damp areas popular with ticks we were out in the open on a hillside facing a big bush and a hydro tower right of way. We were good from that direction however after 30 min my son spots coyote sitting 50 yds to our right looking right at us sitting out in the open as we try to avoid the threat of ticks and potential exposure to Lyme disease. If we were back in the shade and trees where we would normally be coyote would have pasted across in front instead of the staring contest we all had with the farm and the cattle behind him. We are gonna keep looking for spots for sets that minimize the deer tick risk and it's going to mean some more dogs get away.

- Along with the preventative measures mentioned in the cbc news story linked to below what sort of steps are other hunters taking to try to reduce the chance of getting Lyme disease?
- Heard of anyone getting infected?
We know of one confirmed, a guy from Dunnville.
- Anyone else concerned about getting Lyme disease?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2009/06/04/f-lyme-disease-ticks.html

On this page there is a Lyme Disease distribution map. Click the pdf link and scroll down to page 6 for expanded map from Saskatoon east
http://www.canlyme.com/ontario.html
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I know a guy who is a biologist with the BCFS who got Lyme disease from a tick bite. Its been really debilitating for him. The risk my be small but the potential injury is severe.
 
Jnyiri said:
The question is if you find yourself bitten can you start the treatment right away or you have to wait for the test result?

Jozsef
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I went to the hospital ER with an embeded tick a few years ago. Once removed they put me on a course of antibiotics.
 
If you find ticks stuck in you or your dog take them to the local health unit. They are required to test them and inform you in they contain the Lyme disease.
 
I am not blowing smoke here at all, just want to help all that have a chance of getting involved with Ticks.

I hunt the USA and in PA they are very very bad. I have seen hunting partners with 8-12 on them at a time.

I found a spray Coulston's Duranon Tick Repellent with Permethrin and this stuff WORKS

I spray all my clothing from top to bottom and do all open areas well and I do not get Ticks on me at all. This stuff lasts for a long period too, 6 weeks. Worth every dime.

Coulston Products
Box 188, Safety Harbour
Florida 34695
 
Out on my property, there are so many ticks it is unreal. 100% impossible to go out for a walk without being covered in the pricks.

Anyways,
Sawyer Clothing Repellent, it's basically just a permethrin spray, you can also just go to any livestock supply store and get horse spray with permethrin in it as well.

Spray it on all of your clothes that you wear in the bush, including your boots and let it hang dry for a day.

Your clothing will be treated for 6 weeks+6 washes and you won't ever get any ticks on you.
 
Cheap repellant you can make yourself, that is not a carcinogen. You'll have to apply it every 6-8 hours but, I think I'd rather do that than bath in chemicals.


http://www.ehow.com/how_5374472_make-own-natural-tick-repellent.html

Also, get a tick removing tool and check yourself every time you come back from the outdoors. If you catch them that day and remove them (even if they have attached themselves to you), you are very unlikely to get contaminated and that's if you actually have a deer tick on you and not a wood tick.

And don't fall pray to the hysteria. They are gross but nowhere near as dangerous and lethal as they are made out to be. The sever cases are incredibly rare.

Here is what I use for a tick removal tool:

http://www.tickinfo.com/protickremedy.htm
 
Tikka6xc said:
I live in southern alberta and have had two stuck to me so far this year.

Best defense agent Lyme... Just check ur self over at the end of the day for ticks.

Things you should know.

They need to be sucking on you for a min of 18-24 hours to transfer the lyme desease on to you. By the time they get to this they will no longer look like a small tick. there back end gets friggen huge like a grape. If you find one on you do not crush it at that moment. get its head out of you first. tweesers work best but you will probally freak out and rip. make sure its head does not rip off and stay insde. Your not crushing because like said, you dont wana squeese the ticks internals in2 you.

Now about lyme desease. It is easy to cure and regardless no need to worry about it killing you. littetly just a hang nail is more dangerous than a tick bite.
Lyme desease will pretty much give you arthritous ... i think thats how you spell it... you know when you get older and your joints hurt..

The way you know you have it there will be a red ring around the bite. It will look like a bulls eye. bite, than a inch or so of skin, than a red ring.

anyway, like said, takes 18-24 hours of them sucking on you. Enjoy your time in the woods and no need to be worried about ticks. just check ur self over at the end of the day.

ps. as well. East of the rockies,,,,, very rare the tick has actually carrys lyme desease.
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some BAD info right here^^^^

I was bit, got the Lyme rash there was no way a tick was on me for 24 h although the nymph stage of a ticks life they can spread it and when they are that size you will NOT see them, your right on not crushing it though.

if you lucky to get the rash and get a doctor who will proscribe the 30day antibiotic the you MAY have it beat. the problem is that there is NO way to know if you beat it or not there is NO TEST that will tell you. now if you are bit and not caught in the early stage it will be bad and possibly fatal

through my reading on the subject , the vector that transmits is “apparently” only the deer tick but like everything to do with Lyme , this too is a disputed issue as there are others who believe that there are more than just this one vector that can transmit just have not definitively proven it.
 
Ticks

I don't know anything about this product except to say a co - worker was telling me about it ....in a cream they use this to treat scabies and head lice but the military has been using it for years to treat clothes to keep the bugs away ....check the link out and see if it will work for you ....I have the same concerns as season is approaching


http://npic.orst.edu/pest/mosquito/ptc.html
 
My Aunt got lyme desease years ago, and she was sick for a long time. It took years for here to get better at one point she couldn't work because she was too sick. She's a nurse and couldn't do her job. So yes this can be a big problem, If I remember it took over 2 years before she was 100% well.
 
One fellow hunter contracted Lyme disease and he was never bitten by a tick. He happened to be gutting a deer that he killed and in doing so cut his hand with his own knife. The cut was minor and didn't need stitches but did get quite sore afterwards. Didn't think much of it until he got really sick.....
 
thebaron said:
Out on my property,Anyways,
Sawyer Clothing Repellent, it's basically just a permethrin spray, Spray it on all of your clothes that you wear in the bush, including your boots and let it hang dry for a day.

Your clothing will be treated for 6 weeks+6 washes and you won't ever get any ticks on you.
Click to expand...


Can you apply this to headgear as well ...ie face masks
 
Gymbo said:
Can you apply this to headgear as well ...ie face masks
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This is what the MSDS says:

"Keep out of Reach of Children. Avoid contact with face,
eyes, or skin. Harmful if swallowed. Wash thoroughly after handling and before
eating or smoking. Do not use on humans. Do not retreat clothing within 6 weeks
unless clothing has been laundered between treatments."


This is what the FAQ on their website says about permethrin.
"Q. Is Permethrin dangerous to my skin?
A. The warning labels on the cans or bottles are often misunderstood. Your skin metabolizes, or breaks down Permethrin within fifteen minutes of contact with skin. Therefore, it is of no value to you as a personal protection insect repellent when applied to the skin. In addition, the EPA precautionary statement, "Do Not Apply to Skin" indicates that Permethrin is ineffective when applied to skin; therefore, do not apply to skin."
 
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