Locator's dadgum turkey ticks
I've been a Brown County woodsman all my life, but this was a new one to me. I read with curiosity Locator's post on Turkey lice after a recent squirrel hunt with his son. I had never heard the term. Of course , I read the responses and had to do my own reserch on the internet. Not lice at all of course, but the larvae stage of the lonestar tick...or as some people call them turkey ticks, turkey mites, turkey lice, seed ticks. My research uncovered the fact there are 3 stages of the tick and all three can bite you and the resulting itch can drive you insane and last for weeks. Larvae state, nymph, and adult tick. Larvae stage hits both spring and fall.
Finally it dawned on me, that weird rash and tiny blistering on my ankles a few weeks back that itched like poison ivy but was bigger and I thought I was getting hives or something and was nothing like I'd ever had before...well 2 + 2. Then those larger , seemingly like late season chigger bites around my waist that seem to leave results for a couple weeks....hmmm. Yep, got a second batch last week. Got my reading glasses on, and closer inspection, and with my finest fly tying tweezers pulled off what looked to be a speck of pepper. So tiny, I could not make out any features...need a microscope to view. 2 + 2. You can't feel these things crawling...you just know they are there if you are lucky enough to spot them, or most usually it is after the bite and you are itching, and most are long since fallen off.
Finally, looks like these pests have arrived here in Brown County. I get to talking to the neighbors, and yes...they got into them as well while out squirrel hunting behind their house. After being out squirrel hunting, one kid sees tons of the little critters crawling up his leg, and so goes and sprays Off, and with the resourcefullness of a kid, he gets a lint roller and rolls down his leg to pick up the carcasses , LOL. Running to a quick , hot shower in time may save you as another kid said.
Research showed me that you need to spray your clothes, even boots with a spray containing permethrin. I haul off to wallmart to see what I can find, and sure enough, right there on the sports counter is a new display of bug repellants with one being permethrin that you spray on your clothes and let dry for 2 hrs. Supposed to last thru 6 washings. Enough to treat 2 sets of clothes, eg socks, pants, shirt. That's the one I want....but sets me back $10 bucks. I find out later from another Indiana hunting post that you can buy some concentrate at like Tractor supply that you mix up yourself and put in a spray bottle and a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the expensive bottles I bought.
And this brings me back to why people call them turkey ticks? Here's the other thing....we typically see an odd turkey or 2 on the place, however this year my woods have been litterally scratched all over with an entire flock or 2. Almost everywhere you walk, you see where they have been digging the leaves. Is that why I am suddenly infested for the first time ever? Or...did the deer bring these in? You guys tell me.
With this year's drought , I have lost several oaks and so yesterday in the cool air, I spent all day out there cutting wood. I came thru the whole day with narry a tick....thanks be to the permethrin spray. Also dosed myself with some deet spray too.
Thankfully, there are no ticks out there on the water when you are crappie fishing. Locator, I wish you had kept your ticks down south.
HHD
