Avoiding Ticks While Hunting

Avoiding ticks while hunting can help you stay clear of tick-borne diseases and illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Colorado Tick Fever. 

A tick bite seems like such a little thing; and it is. But that miniature parasite can pack a bunch, bringing the strongest man to his knees. A single tick bite can cause such diseases and illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Colorado Tick Fever.

In fact, I just recovered from Colorado Tick Fever (CTF), which I received from a tick bite I received while fishing in southwest Colorado. While we’re starting to see more awareness information around tick-borne illnesses, I thought it paramount to try and do my part after having the wind knocked out of my sail for nearly a week.

It started on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. My father and I had broke for lunch in a shaded pine grove along the Piedra River west of Pagosa Springs. I ate my sandwich propped back against the trunk of a ponderosa without giving a second’s consideration to the insect life around me (I noticed the flowers, birds, and mammals like most of us, and since it was a fishing day, I kept an eye on the back of an eddie, hoping to see trout rising to the various hatches).

We fished for several more hours after lunch before heading back to town. My dad left for home in Alabama early the next morning and I proceeded to go about my day by getting ready for work. I began dressing after a quick shower when I noticed an odd “freckle” on my chest. It only took about a second to realize it was a tick, which had done a good job of burrowing its ugly little head into my skin. 

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I was able to get the tick, head and body intact, out with a quick pull, flushed it down the toilet and didn’t give it another moment’s thought. Until a few days later…

I found the tick in my chest on Monday morning. By Thursday at noon I thought I was coming down with the flu. The symptoms got worse that afternoon and throughout the night. By the wee hours of Friday morning even getting out of bed was a struggle.

I waited six days before consulting a doctor where blood tests came back positive for Colorado Tick Fever. My white blood cell count was incredibly low and rendered me physically useless for nearly another week. I ate ibuprofen like candy to ward off the back pains and headaches. Needless to say, CTF really knocked me on my rear end. I’m going to do my dangdest to never allow a tick to bite me again.

Avoiding Ticks While Hunting

I couldn’t imagine getting sick in the backcountry rather than in the comfort of my own home. That’s why I think we need to be, as a hunting and outdoor community, more aware of the dangers this tiny parasitic arachnid can cause. Avoiding ticks while hunting can help you stay clear of tick-borne diseases and illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS), which causes the host to develop an allergy to red meat; the latter a huge detriment in itself though especially to a big game hunter.

Treat Your Clothes & Gear

Right after the doctor called with my diagnosis, I ordered a bottle of insect repellent, containing permethrin, from Sawyer Products. This is a treatment to be applied before wearing clothes or using gear. You’ll want to lay out all garments and gear in an outdoor area, treat them according to directions, and let them sit for a couple hours. This is some serious stuff that you don’t want to ingest or even touch. 

But it works. In fact, it also repels mosquitos and the various diseases they carry. Perhaps the best part is that since the spray is a molecule-based application, it will hold onto your clothes and gear for a minimum of 42 days. That way you’re not having to re-treat every time you go outside. 

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Unlike topical insect repellents applied to the skin, Permethrin is applied to clothing and outdoor gear material, bonding to the fabric fibers for up to 6 weeks or 6 washings.

Avoid Tick-Heavy Areas

According to the CDC, we can avoid ticks by staying away from woody and brushy areas where populations thrive. Stay on trails, they say. While this is a good tip for a simple day hike, it’s not something the backcountry hunter will adhere to. So, instead, think about where you break for lunch or even set up. Contact with ticks is inevitable, but if you’ve treated your clothing and check yourself regularly, there shouldn’t be an issue.

Check Yourself Regularly

Make regular stops throughout the day to check yourself. Like in my case, ticks may look like a freckle, so scrutinize each one closely. Not to sound overly gross - inspect every crevice of your body. 

If you have a dog, check it regularly as well. And most importantly, watch out for ticks when cleaning a big game animal. While we treat our pets for ticks and fleas, elk and deer are tick magnets. 

Having CTF was a rough experience. The only cure is time. And often it comes in two waves though I luckily avoided the second. However, I couldn’t imagine Alpha-gal Syndrome and the daunting result that I’d never be able to eat red meat again. That in itself is enough to raise my awareness before, during, and after my time in the woods.

So this summer as you’re scouting and in the fall when it’s go time, make sure you properly treat your clothes and check yourselves for ticks. We want you to have an enjoyable backcountry experience void of some illness caused by these nasty little critters.