Method for avoiding ticks in survival shelter?

I've heard, and keep in mind that I have no clue if it's true or not, that Avon SkinSoSoft will either repel or kill on contact ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. Supposed to be good for bathing your pets in, for flea and tick treatment.
 
I grouse hunt in the hart of deer tick country, and all my camping is done in the north woods. I use the Sawyer clothing spray on all my outer layers, boots, socks, hat, and gloves included and haven't had a tick on me since I started using it.

Great stuff
Helle
 
I swear by the Sawyers Permethrin clothing treatment and the Sawyer time released DEET lotion. I have taken multiple trips to the jungles of central America and as long as I treat my clothing before I go and use the DEET lotion on exposed skin, I have yet to have tick problems or much in the way of mosquitoes either. There is a tiny little biting fly, of which the name escapes me at the moment, that doesn't seem to mind the taste of DEET and permethrin though. Sawyer has a biting fly product as well that I think I will try out the next time I go down there.

In summary, as many have already said, USE permethrin clothing treatments and some sort of DEET based lotion/spray on exposed skin. Never tried the garlic trick, but I have been told by people who's opinion I trust that it works.
 
Jarlaxle,

When I was young, I remember my Grandfather using tick-repellent dog collars wound around in the laces of his boots. He worked construction and cleared a lot of land with heavy equipment, and when he and his co-workers knew they would be walking in the brush a lot, they swore by the collars-in-the-boots trick.

I don't know how well it actually worked, as I've always used chemical repellents. I think most of their walking was done in ankle- to knee-high brush, so it may have worked well enough for that.
 
3 pages so far and no-one has bothered to mention the number one product I use to eliminate chiggers and ticks from ones body, clothes or sleeping quarters.

Two old surveyor tricks here that work, which I have used for decades.

Powdered sulfur, (pick it up at your local feed store - pour some into an old sock, tie a knot in it to keep the powder from falling out, place it in a zip-lock bag. Next time ya get outta the truck or prior to entering an area of known chigger habitat, remove sock from the zip-lock and simply dust your shoes, socks and jeans with the powdered sulfur. I usually dust up to about my knees, unless your walking in high brush where ya migh want to get it up to waist high - and yes after a few hours ya won't be winning any best body odor contests, but you'll have a chigger free day).

For mosquitos and knats, pure extract of vanilla, (simply place a dab or two or three behind each ear, around one's neck or on the face if their bad - and this will cut down on the mosquitos and knats significantly - and unlike the smelly powdered sulphur above the women will think ya smell like chocolate chip cookies.....mmmmm good). We usually carry a small tube in our hunting bag as nothing is more disconcerting when your hunting and trying to be silent and still than a shit-load of knats or skeeters buzzing around your face, nose, ears and eyes as they'll drive ya nuts.

Give both of these products a try and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how well both work.
 
Just to add an update. I was out in the bush last week and found one of the largest ticks we have here. Bigger than the big ones on the East Coast US. I put him on my sleeve, treated with Sawyers military premethrine dip. He was walking around having a grand time trying to bite through the shirt. Then he started to slow down, his front feelers/legs started to curl up. He quit walking around, stopped moving altogether... and...then....he...DIED. He DIED I tell you, he is no longer, he is a former tick, an ex-creature.

Permethrine makes you a walking WMD for ticks. Just knowing that gives me a great sense of satisfaction. Mac
 
Here is an article by Dr. Ryan Jordan. This guy spends more time outdoors then probably all of us combined:

"Gnarly Mosquitoes and Combat Gear
I actually know hikers that refuse to go certain places at certain times because the mosquitoes are "bad". I know, crazy, isn't it?

The worst I've experienced was on the Thorofare River south of Yellowstone Lake, in late July. But the fishing was good. Not going there because of mosquitoes would have been unthinkable.

So why do folks avoid bugs?

Because they will drive you absolutely insane if you don't know how - or simply don't want - to deal with them. I can't help you too much with the latter, other than to say that whatever brings you out into the wilderness needs to be more important than some petty little nuance like dealing with biting insects. But there are some gear bits you can hang on to to help you "how".

Use permithrin. Spray it on every bit of external clothing you have. Hiking pants, socks, shoes, shirt, cap, bandana, gloves, hat, the netting on your tent door, the inside of your tent/tarp/bivy sack, and for goodness sakes, yes, your headnet: anything a mosquito can jam its probiscus through or land on in your proximity. Worried about toxicity: you better stay home then, because there is no substitute.

Use DEET, high roller style: 95% is your only option for serious bugs, but 35% long release is OK for tourist season. Worried about toxicity: you better stay home then, because there is no substitute. Save the Avon and so-called 'natural' products for your back porch. They won't work in Yellowstone or Alaska as the snow is melting.

Long pants. Long sleeve shirt. Neck protection. Maybe gaiters. A good wide brimmed hat covered with a headnet (make your own out of Tulle mesh, you can't see out of or breathe through anything that costs more than six bucks at an outdoor specialty retailer). Worried about being too hot, because it's summer? Slather yourself in DEET, then repeat immediately. Frequently.
Do these things, and use an ultralight bivy sack with a tarp and wear earplugs. Camping in Yellowstone's worst bogs all of a sudden becomes a reality, any time of year. And your pack stays light without losing your sanity.

It also seems like everyone from California, Montana, Michigan, or Alberta thinks they have the worst populations of mosquitoes in any backcountry found anywhere. See the photos (right) from Peter Vacco from a bushwalk way up north.

We don't know what bad mosquitoes are down here.

November 06, 2005 in How" [1]

[1] http://www.ryanjordan.com/weblog/2005/11/gnarly_mosquito.html
 
Greg45 said:
Jarlaxle,

When I was young, I remember my Grandfather using tick-repellent dog collars wound around in the laces of his boots. He worked construction and cleared a lot of land with heavy equipment, and when he and his co-workers knew they would be walking in the brush a lot, they swore by the collars-in-the-boots trick.

I don't know how well it actually worked, as I've always used chemical repellents. I think most of their walking was done in ankle- to knee-high brush, so it may have worked well enough for that.
Click to expand...

Dog collars use Permithrin, which is why they are effective. I've heard of Marines using dog collars around their boots too....I cant remember where I've read this.
 
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