Beware of ticks!!!!!!

[bowhunter9841]

Out moose hunting yesterday in wmu 242, north of Miquelon lake, I walked through a nest of ticks!!! Grossest thing I've ever had to deal with. Just wanted to start a thread, to warn everyone that they are indeed out there. I had never encountered a tick in Alberta until yesterday. They were tiny little larvae stage ticks(from what I've been researching, they say 6 legs is a freshly hatched tick). Nymphs and Adults both have 8 legs.

There were hundreds of them on all my hunting clothes, back pack and whatever else. If anyone has any good ideas for what to do to the cab of my truck, I'd love to hear it. I threw all my clothes and stuff in the dryer (on high heat) to cook the little buggers off my clothes and stuff, as per what I read online. That's the thing to do I guess. So far, even with how many were on my clothes, we only found one latched onto my skin. They were so tiny, here's a couple pics. Still have the heebie jeebies! Did I mention, I HATE TICKS WITH A PASSION?

Hopefully this will help someone else. They were so small, they just looked like little seeds on my camo, until I noticed they were moving. They're out there boys and girls, be careful out there!! Ended my day prematurely, of course, the first day I got on to a couple bulls, and had to call it quits early because of them nasty ticks!!

[wildwoods]

Thats beyond nasty man!

[kujoseto]

Been there three times. I've crawled through them, walked through them, and it enrages me every time :)
I pack a lint roller; the kind with the sticky tape on it. That picks them up off the clothing fairly well.

[bowhunter9841]

Been there three times. I've crawled through them, walked through them, and it enrages me every time :)
I pack a lint roller; the kind with the sticky tape on it. That picks them up off the clothing fairly well.

That's what I was thinking about once I had realized they were on me! Definitely getting one for next time out! Not going out till November now though. Hopefully it'll be frozen by then. Can't stand those things!!

[Lefty-Canuck]

Yuck! I didn't know you got your draw this year? Usually a good zone for moose.

LC

[Masterchief]

I'm not sure about the dryer thing... my first encounter with a tick was after I wshed and dryed my clothes in the dryer... put my shirt on and a tick crawled out of the pocket... heebie jeebies instantly!

[bowhunter9841]

I'm not sure about the dryer thing... my first encounter with a tick was after I wshed and dryed my clothes in the dryer... put my shirt on and a tick crawled out of the pocket... heebie jeebies instantly!

I read a thing about throwing them in the dryer before washing them. Putting it on high heat. I guess the dry heat kills them. I looked over my clothes pretty thoroughly now, and have not spotted any on my clothes. My truck is what worries me most now. I have to clean them off the seats and stuff somehow!

[bowhunter9841]

Yuck! I didn't know you got your draw this year? Usually a good zone for moose.

LC

I haven't had a lot of time to talk about it with you. I've found a decent spot. I've seen some decent bulls on the property. Had one at 70 yards in the middle of a field one day, unfortunately I was hunting with a buddy who doesn't hunt with a bow, so we were just trying to pass shoot ducks and geese, and chasing grouse with the shotguns that day. Yesterday I was on two decent bulls, in the thick stuff. And never got a shot off. But, they are there, and hopefully I'll get a shot with the rifle!! No more bowhunting this year for me, heading back to work soon, and got stuff to do beforehand!!

[Wiz]

Naaaaasty

[bonedogg]

That's nasty, we plucked a fully engorged one on an elk's soft spot between his scrotum and back leg a few weeks ago in 108. Freakin thing was the size of a quarter and 1 cm thick . Me no likely them things either!!!!

[thumper]

Hope the elk stood still for you!

[Z7Extreme]

Im pretty sure those are chiggars not tics. I get eaten alive by them every year, it sucks. The bites are the itchiest out of any bug bite Ive ever had and last for 2-3 weeks. They live in the swamp grass.

[Bigwoodsman]

I wonder if an insecticide spray in your truck would help? Or maybe call the Orkin man for some advice!

BW

[wildwoods]

Im pretty sure those are chiggars not tics. I get eaten alive by them every year, it sucks. The bites are the itchiest out of any bug bite Ive ever had and last for 2-3 weeks. They live in the swamp grass.

Ha good observation. I had no idea these exsisted

[sillyak]

I think those are larval ticks, not chiggers.


I had it happen to me moose hunting this year as well.

On the positive side, larval ticks do not carry Lyme. Ticks get Lyme from their first or second host (they need a blood meal to go from larva to nymph and another one for nymph to adult and females take a final one to lay eggs.) Rodents are the natural resivour for Lyme.

[7mmremmag]

I got covered in them this year aswell. Not cool!
I was in 358 elk hunting.
All the clothes I was wearing are still to do this day in a garbage bag waiting to be washed/sanitized.
Crazy how itchy the bites are.

[powerbob]

Fyi if you start to feel your going mental in a few months get checked for Lyme disease . Docs here regularly mis diagnose it

[bowhunter9841]

Im pretty sure those are chiggars not tics. I get eaten alive by them every year, it sucks. The bites are the itchiest out of any bug bite Ive ever had and last for 2-3 weeks. They live in the swamp grass.

No itch what-so-ever from the only bite I had yesterday. They do look very similar, and you might be right, however, I still think it was ticks. Either way, it was a disgusting experience, that I hope to never repeat.

That said, I might deal with it again, if it meant I got to drop the Bull I was on yesterday just before I noticed them! He was the biggest one I've ever seen in person!

[bowhunter9841]

Fyi if you start to feel your going mental in a few months get checked for Lyme disease . Docs here regularly mis diagnose it

May have already contracted it, when you put it that way. I already feel pretty mental. But that could just be from working up in Fort Mac for the past 5 years??

[play.soccer]

Kill it with fire! Gross

[powerbob]

May have already contracted it, when you put it that way. I already feel pretty mental. But that could just be from working up in Fort Mac for the past 5 years??

:scared:

[husky7mm]

Those are winter ticks, Do they even bite people? Ive had them on me a few times. Do think they bite anything but moose? They doent carry lyme. Dont worry so much!

[TrapperMike]

Get a can of KONK 418 from hardware store spray in truck. Leave over nite should be dead by morning. I have a dispenser in my shop kills all the fleas that come in on my coyotes.

[Wrong side of the hill]

JEEZ..... i just had a fly land on my arm and Ialmost jumped out of bed while reading this......lmao

[220 Swift]

Not to derail but do you get ticks in the spring now in Alberta ? I know in 2005 in southern Ab anyways the guys at the medicine hat safety meeting were squirming in their seats when talking about the ones in se sask. Rattle snakes and bw spiders didnt seem to bother them.

[pikeman06]

X2 on the KONK. I use it for trapping too and I don't think it is quite as toxic as raid if you breathe it in or get on your skin. Dad used to spray it right into a rag and wipe the horses down with it when the bugs were driving them crazy. It would keep the bugs off a horse for a couple days at least.

[thumper]

I think those are larval ticks, not chiggers.


I had it happen to me moose hunting this year as well.

On the positive side, larval ticks do not carry Lyme. Ticks get Lyme from their first or second host (they need a blood meal to go from larva to nymph and another one for nymph to adult and females take a final one to lay eggs.) Rodents are the natural resivour for Lyme.

I've had clumps of larval ticks on me, in the spring when hiking along the base of avalanche slopes & talus slides - areas that a lot of bighorn sheep and mountain goats hang out. They're a sort of reddish/brown colour and seem to hang out in clumps on the end of shrubs and grass. When they get on you - they spread out in a sort of slow-motion death march. They're so small that it's tough to make out the details, so I've never noticed if they had 6 legs or 8.

[bowhunter9841]

Get a can of KONK 418 from hardware store spray in truck. Leave over nite should be dead by morning. I have a dispenser in my shop kills all the fleas that come in on my coyotes.

Would it be better to spray it in the air, or directly onto the seats and carpet??

[Bonescreek]

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B01M4KFZME

Permethrin for ticks and chiggars, exterior clothing, boots etc only.
1 application lasts appox. 45 days or longer including 3 washings of
close.

Won't do anything for moskeetoes but works great for ticks
and chiggars.

[bowhunter9841]

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B01M4KFZME

Permethrin for ticks and chiggars, exterior clothing, boots etc only.
1 application lasts appox. 45 days or longer including 3 washings of
close.

Won't do anything for moskeetoes but works great for ticks
and chiggars.

Looks like good stuff, you know if it's available anywhere in Canada? This add on amazon says that it doesn't ship to Canada. I'll start looking for it here. Thanks.

[skain11]

A few months ago we found what we thought was a skin tag on our retriever...except for the eight legs...we were able to remove and delivered it to the provincial gov office for analysis as per their Tick/Lyme program. Two weeks later I got the call indicating that while it was the species that carries Lyme, this particular tick did not. Not sure where the dog picked it up, we live near Edmonton.

[Sooner]

What did the tick "nest" look like. Could you have seen it and avoided it? Just curious on what to look for.

[bowhunter9841]

What did the tick "nest" look like. Could you have seen it and avoided it? Just curious on what to look for.

I was not looking for anything, I was focused on the bull moose I was after. Never had any idea that I walked through it. Sorry, I know that's not any help. Might be able to look up photos of it online.

[bowhunter9841]

Found some Konk crawling insect killer. The co-op hardware store in leduc had it. Gonna spray down the truck and see what happens. Thanks for all the info so far guys. Also going to look into buying some of that sawyer spray for my camo. Looks like pretty wicked stuff!!

[Daka]

At least they have lime disease like southern Ontario ones...

[Bonescreek]

I pickup 2 bottles permitherin each year from my local Walmart (in the sporting/camping area) OR they don't always have it in stock, then I order it online at Walmart.com and it's delivered to my local store.

I'm not sure if it's sold in CA, it's pretty potent stuff.
If you do find it, be sure to follow the instructions.. Only spray in outside
open air with no breeze, allow 4 hours to dry, do not apply to under garments
tee shirts or other close that make direct contact with your skin.

The bottle inst. do say it can be applied to socks, but I don't because the
hunting/snake boots I wear come up to just under my knee and I put my
camo pants legs inside my boots.

I usually get 2 pair of pants, 3 pair of shirts, 1 pair of boots done with a
a little left over in the bottle.

[kujoseto]

What did the tick "nest" look like. Could you have seen it and avoided it? Just curious on what to look for.

I haven't taken a picture but they'll congregate up neat the top of a small shrub or tall grass. Just a blob of those fuc#ers all clinging to one another reaching for the sky. ...latching on to the nearest sucker passing by.
Google search seed ticks and you might find something

[Mr. Dynamite]

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22549037_1842708362705979_6447434821082980934_o.jp g?oh=83edfe23d80505848001df59862a3cbf&oe=5A751A5D

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22550425_1842708366039312_5530157413738206763_o.jp g?oh=9b5318ba06ac0fddc012fd5d878d2fa5&oe=5A794BA6

From 2 or 3 weeks ago

[bowhunter9841]

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22549037_1842708362705979_6447434821082980934_o.jp g?oh=83edfe23d80505848001df59862a3cbf&oe=5A751A5D

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22550425_1842708366039312_5530157413738206763_o.jp g?oh=9b5318ba06ac0fddc012fd5d878d2fa5&oe=5A794BA6

From 2 or 3 weeks ago

What did you do to get rid of them?

[Ticdoc]

bowhunter9841, those ticks are almost certainly the seed tick stage (=larval ticks) of winter ticks, a common and important pest of moose. At this time of year this stage occurs in small clumps on shrubs, often along trails used by moose in later winter-spring, when the adult female ticks drop from moose and lay eggs in the duff layer. Those eggs hatch into larvae over summer and then in late September-through October climb to mid-body height of deer, elk and mostly moose. Picture of larval clump on vegetation. When moose, etc (or in your case, when you passed by) they are able to sense CO2 and they will get very excited and attach to whatever touches them (including your clothes).

They seldom bite and attach to humans, most simply figure out that they are on the wrong host and jump off. However, if you passed a large clump of larvae or several clumps you can get a lot of larvae which might hang around a long time on your clothes.

By the way winter ticks do NOT transmit Lyme disease.

ticdoc

[Bonescreek]

Holy Cow!
I live in the land of ticks and never seen it that bad.

No kidding when my wife I first move down here we were at farm sale
where the auctioneer held up a kitchen plate with a piece broke out
like a slice of pezzia.

He said "This here plate is a fine piece of historical
memoriabealiea only flaw is one small chiggar bite."

Only suggestion about the above posts is to break out the napamble.

[Bonescreek]

When ever a doublt about spelling in the english lang.
Simply add in an extra B or E somewhere in the mix and it'll
most likely be right.

B and E arn't pronounced anywhey so it don't really matter
just makes the spell checker and the english teacher happy.

"When ever a doublt"

There ya go.

[graybeard]

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/search.php?searchid=16193577

[bowhunter9841]

Reviving an old thread. Anyone else dealing with seed ticks this year?? I have been out on 2 evening hunts so far this year, and both have resulted in these little buggers getting on me again. First day out was about 150 of them on me. And today was only about 15-20, but one of the little bastards bit me. Seems like these things are getting more common. The property I’m hunting has lots of them at least. I had never seen a tick in Alberta until 2017. Hunting in 242

[kujoseto]

This time of year I always walk through tons of the seed ticks. They really tick me off.
I pack tape with me or sticky tape lint roller to get them off. Tall marsh grass and small shrubs tend to have the most where I walk

[wildwoods]

Not me yet and hoping to avoid any encounters!!

[bullgetter]

Winter ticks. You will live. They love it up on the willows in the Creek bottoms looking to hitch a ride