Hunter Safety Tips - Regarding Ticks

 by Jeanne Siviski  

Firearm season on deer is open. Okay, Nimrod, you got lucky and bagged a deer. What precautions do you take to protect yourself and others now that the hunt is over?

     The fact is that hunters are at a high risk for exposure to ticks.  What might not be immediately obvious is that, once you have your deer, you may accidentally start a new colony of ticks as they leave the cooling deer and fall to the ground.  Charles Lubelczyk, a vector ecologist from vector-borne disease laboratory at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute, recommends that you put a 5 gallon bucket or tub filled with water directly below the animal once it is hung to catch ticks that might be clambering off.  If it is hung inside, it is advisable to also bleach the floor to kill those that might have fallen outside the container.

    Wary of tipping game off to their presence with the scent of repellants, some hunters are gun-shy about using them in the first place.  One way to circumvent this issue is to stay downwind, but there are some scentless permethrin products on the market.  Permethrin is used on clothing and can be purchased as pre-treated clothing or as a spray.  Whatever product you choose, follow the instructions on the label.  For more information on repellants, click here.

   Finally, at the end of the hunt, the best way to protect yourself and others is to check yourself for any ticks before you come in from the field.