 This
is the time of year that we need to be cautious about protecting our bodies
from deer ticks, Ixodes. These are the ticks that carry Lyme Disease. The
diagnoses of Lyme disease is very difficult for the trained Professional
so your best defense against the disease is to take precautions and know
the facts. Early detection is the key to this treatable disease. This article
is going to focus on precautions we need to take and why we are more susceptible
to contract the disease as deer hunters. I am also including a link to
a site that has valuable information and should be viewed by anyone not
familiar with deer ticks or signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.
The deer tick spends part of its life feeding on and mating on deer. For the deer hunter that can mean big trouble. Personally I do 90% of my scouting in the summer, spotting fields were the buck bachelor groups are coming out to feed. Although the use of the Treesuit (www.treesuit.com ) is my first choice however, many times there are no trees and I'm forced to stay on the ground. By the time I make my exit I have laid for several hours in bean, corn or alfalfa fields. These deer hotspots are loaded with deer ticks because they have the same idea that I do (they are waiting for deer). Keep in mind as deer populations increase so do deer ticks. Besides field edges, concentrations of deer ticks will be high in deer bedding areas and feeding areas. The use of insect repellant is an effective tool in deterring deer ticks and this poses another problem for deer hunters. Personally if I had to wear insect repellant while scouting I would choose not to scout at all. It's hard enough trying to keep from being detected smelling like a human. Throw some DEET in the picture and it's a sure thing that after a couple sessions of laying in the field every good deer in the area will be on to you. I wear thin coveralls and tuck them tight into my high rubber boots. On my head I wear a mosquito net and pull my cotton gloves over the cuffs of my coveralls so there is no skin exposed. After getting back to the truck I shake all my clothing and place them in a bag. After scouting it's very important to strip down and check your entire body for ticks. As a safeguard I take a hot shower and rub my entire body with a coarse washcloth. Remember that often times a deer tick can resemble a speck of dirt or a small freckle however they are easy to identify up close. In closing as deer hunters we are forced to do exactly what the experts recommend not to do when it comes to Lyme Disease prevention. Because of this I urge you to learn all you can by viewing the site on Lyme Disease by hitting on the enclosed link. Lyme Disease is treatable and the best defense is an informed patient. To find out more about Lymes Disease please go to lymediseaseinformation.com. Jason Nolz is the creator and president of the TreeSuit - the Treestand alternative.
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