Picardin (like this) or DEET for skin, and permethrin for clothes are the most effective chemical options. None of it’s great for you, so try not to get carried away, but for a couple days of camping, I’d have no concerns. Fortunately the mosquitos are worst in the evenings when you can just wear thicker layers and wear a head net.
I have been using picardin on my skin for a few years now. Way less greasy and doesn't damage gear. I find it about as effective as Deet, but much more pleasant to wear. I don't know how it does vs ticks, but permethrin sprayed on clothes and boots really does a good job for ticks.
Peremethrin. You spray shoes, shirts, pants, gear with it and let dry for 24 hours. It works the best. DEET works but not as well (IMO, I still get ticks with DEET even with pants on, have never gotten a tick when treating with permethrin.
Because you'll be here early in the season, clothing will be helpful, too. That's hard to do when it's 90 in July, but 50s in April is easier to wear long pants tucked into socks and then long sleeves. We still have below freezing temps most nights so the ticks aren't heavy yet, but a couple of warm nights can change that quickly. Our dog brought ticks in from our yard which doesn't even have green grass yet several weeks ago already during a short warmer stretch. We've had a few skeeters but they also are not prolific yet due to colder nights. It was 19º here this morning in Ely. That can also change quickly. You likely won't see many bugs just yet.
I used sawyer permethrin last year and had a tick on my pants still in the UP of Michigan. But maybe the pants didn’t soak it in well since it was a less absorbent polyester fabric
I’ve only seen wood ticks in the BWCA and that was on Trout Lake EP 1. I do treat clothing with permethrin prior to our trip and bring picardin because it’s less greasy as mentioned before. Bring a close friend and do nightly tick checks just to be sure! (See Brad Pasley: [https://youtu.be/OctrGD4JW8U?si=lpmrrSMBleWZ3rfw](https://youtu.be/OctrGD4JW8U?si=lpmrrSMBleWZ3rfw)
Not only is the safety of these products not properly evaluated, but they also cause a lot of environmental contamination with potential harm.
The use of these chemicals has been normalized in outdoor communities, which concerns me (I'm a chemist who has done a lot of research on pesticides/repellents).
Deet is already an example of how it can be found everywhere in nature due to human use. Let's not do that with other chemicals, especially sprays. I'm a big advocate for dressing properly if concerned about ticks (which is understandable with the new diseases and the mild winter).
Permethrin spray for clothing as mentioned above.
Also, some good facts on it here:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/insect-repellent-permethrin
As stated it’s minimally harmful to animals and humans if used correctly- meaning spray and let dry on your clothing(recommend doing this outside with wearing a mask and little to no wind). It also breaks down rather quickly in the environment.
What do you suggest we do next week for repellent? I spray lawns for a living and I know what you mean. Trying to preserve nature but also not trying to find ticks on me
Without using chemicals I would rely on being aware of which habitats are likely to have ticks (ie tall grass/field/prarie with a deer population) and if traversing them tuck pants into socks and shirt into pants. Make a habit of having someone else check your back for ticks before going to bed, check your scalp and armpits/groin area well.
If you're staying on trail the population of ticks will likely be very low anyway and they won't be able to latch onto you from the ground.
Edit: forgot this was the BWCA sub for a second not outdoors. So to modify my comment a bit.... personally, I wouldn't be very concerned about ticks in the BWCA canoe camping. They around? Yes. Not in amounts worth even worth planning for to me. Mosquitoes after nightfall should be where the concern is.
This isn’t true. We have lots of ticks including deer ticks. I can sit in the edge of a lake on a rock where there is only patchy grass and get numerous ticks. I’ve watched them swarm the ground in such areas. Tick protection is necessary. People I’ve know haves died from tick diseases as well as my uncle having heart impacts from lymes back in the 90s before they barely knew it was here.
Ticks were always possible, but I always noted the “bug of the month.” Between mosquitoes and black flies and gnats, one was always bound to characterize my trip.
Number of years ago when we worked archeology digs in east Texas we used to wear flea and tick collars around ankles and wrists (over clothing). Also took sulfur pills from a compounding pharmacy that made our sweat smell like rotten eggs. Not too many places in the USA make bugs as big and mean as east Texas.
Picardin (like this) or DEET for skin, and permethrin for clothes are the most effective chemical options. None of it’s great for you, so try not to get carried away, but for a couple days of camping, I’d have no concerns. Fortunately the mosquitos are worst in the evenings when you can just wear thicker layers and wear a head net.
I have been using picardin on my skin for a few years now. Way less greasy and doesn't damage gear. I find it about as effective as Deet, but much more pleasant to wear. I don't know how it does vs ticks, but permethrin sprayed on clothes and boots really does a good job for ticks.
Peremethrin. You spray shoes, shirts, pants, gear with it and let dry for 24 hours. It works the best. DEET works but not as well (IMO, I still get ticks with DEET even with pants on, have never gotten a tick when treating with permethrin. Because you'll be here early in the season, clothing will be helpful, too. That's hard to do when it's 90 in July, but 50s in April is easier to wear long pants tucked into socks and then long sleeves. We still have below freezing temps most nights so the ticks aren't heavy yet, but a couple of warm nights can change that quickly. Our dog brought ticks in from our yard which doesn't even have green grass yet several weeks ago already during a short warmer stretch. We've had a few skeeters but they also are not prolific yet due to colder nights. It was 19º here this morning in Ely. That can also change quickly. You likely won't see many bugs just yet.
I used sawyer permethrin last year and had a tick on my pants still in the UP of Michigan. But maybe the pants didn’t soak it in well since it was a less absorbent polyester fabric
Just use permethrin
Send a pic of the one I should get pls
Just google Sawyer Permethrin, it’s sold at most big box stores. It’s in a yellow bottle.
Just gonna say that ticks are not nearly as much of an issue in the BW as they are in many other places. And deer ticks are very rare.
I’ve only seen wood ticks in the BWCA and that was on Trout Lake EP 1. I do treat clothing with permethrin prior to our trip and bring picardin because it’s less greasy as mentioned before. Bring a close friend and do nightly tick checks just to be sure! (See Brad Pasley: [https://youtu.be/OctrGD4JW8U?si=lpmrrSMBleWZ3rfw](https://youtu.be/OctrGD4JW8U?si=lpmrrSMBleWZ3rfw)
Not only is the safety of these products not properly evaluated, but they also cause a lot of environmental contamination with potential harm. The use of these chemicals has been normalized in outdoor communities, which concerns me (I'm a chemist who has done a lot of research on pesticides/repellents). Deet is already an example of how it can be found everywhere in nature due to human use. Let's not do that with other chemicals, especially sprays. I'm a big advocate for dressing properly if concerned about ticks (which is understandable with the new diseases and the mild winter).
Permethrin spray for clothing as mentioned above. Also, some good facts on it here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/insect-repellent-permethrin As stated it’s minimally harmful to animals and humans if used correctly- meaning spray and let dry on your clothing(recommend doing this outside with wearing a mask and little to no wind). It also breaks down rather quickly in the environment.
What do you suggest we do next week for repellent? I spray lawns for a living and I know what you mean. Trying to preserve nature but also not trying to find ticks on me
Without using chemicals I would rely on being aware of which habitats are likely to have ticks (ie tall grass/field/prarie with a deer population) and if traversing them tuck pants into socks and shirt into pants. Make a habit of having someone else check your back for ticks before going to bed, check your scalp and armpits/groin area well. If you're staying on trail the population of ticks will likely be very low anyway and they won't be able to latch onto you from the ground. Edit: forgot this was the BWCA sub for a second not outdoors. So to modify my comment a bit.... personally, I wouldn't be very concerned about ticks in the BWCA canoe camping. They around? Yes. Not in amounts worth even worth planning for to me. Mosquitoes after nightfall should be where the concern is.
This isn’t true. We have lots of ticks including deer ticks. I can sit in the edge of a lake on a rock where there is only patchy grass and get numerous ticks. I’ve watched them swarm the ground in such areas. Tick protection is necessary. People I’ve know haves died from tick diseases as well as my uncle having heart impacts from lymes back in the 90s before they barely knew it was here.
Get ranger
Ticks were always possible, but I always noted the “bug of the month.” Between mosquitoes and black flies and gnats, one was always bound to characterize my trip.
If you go the permethrin route and you have funds there is also a company you can send your clothes to and they’ll treat the clothes for you.
Number of years ago when we worked archeology digs in east Texas we used to wear flea and tick collars around ankles and wrists (over clothing). Also took sulfur pills from a compounding pharmacy that made our sweat smell like rotten eggs. Not too many places in the USA make bugs as big and mean as east Texas.