Protect Yourself Against Ticks

There is nothing worse than sitting all day in the turkey woods, going home and jumping in the shower, and feeling something weird in my hair or attached somewhere else on my body. Yep...you know what I am talking about....TICKS. I get chills and feel like they are on me now as I write this blog. I have heard horror stories of people getting multiple ticks on them or in a worst-case scenario, ending up with Lyme Disease. Ticks are no joking matter and taking every precaution I possibly can is a part of my hunting routine.

I am not going to promote any one certain product because you need to do your research on the content of the product you are going to use. The product I use you is sprayed on your clothes and you let it dry before you put them on. Now if you do end up with a tick attached to yourself, don't freak out; just follow some simple rules set down from the CDC.

How to remove a tick

•Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.

•Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

•After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

•Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--not waiting for it to detach.

If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

Just a little preparation before heading into the turkey woods will make it a more memorable experience. Stay safe!