ticks, Ticks, TICKS !!!!!!!!!!!!

[marc_54140]

korpl and I were out towards Wausau today, and try a multi called Quiet Waters. Apparently we ran into a nesting ground for ticks! After leaving the parking lot I braked in the middle of the road, and got out to brush dozens of ticks and biting ants off my pants.

For the rest of the day Justin and I kept finding ticks! And we had sprayed with Off!

[zuma]

Hi Marc,

In the past, tick encounters have not bothered me at all. But after getting the deer tick bite a few weeks ago, and several incidents like you describe with literally a hundred wood ticks crawling on me, I am getting a little more disturbed by the little beasties.

Interestingly, they were talking about this on the Larry Mueller show on WPR last week, and the naturalist (cant recall his name — but it is the guy who knows everything about WI wildlife who is on once a month), said that there is an extraordinary number of ticks in WI this year, and as of yet, no reason has been identified.

zuma

[Trekkin and Birdin]

I’m with you, zuma, they never used to bother me any more than any other bug, but this year has been NASTY! I’ve been crawling in the woods most of my adult life chasing birds or whatever, and I never found more than a tick or two at most. This year, it is NOTHING to find 10 or more of the woodies and at least 2 deer ticks.

Trekkin’ is still not up to par and feels pretty sure that the next lyme titer will be positive. We just can’t do any caches that have any challenge as far as terrain, because a little climb is making every joint scream in pain (Trekkin was a marathoner, so it’s not like he’s outta shape). I wanted to do the Plowline series in Winona but he’s not up to it.

[zuma]

@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

I’m with you, zuma, they never used to bother me any more than any other bug, but this year has been NASTY! I’ve been crawling in the woods most of my adult life chasing birds or whatever, and I never found more than a tick or two at most. This year, it is NOTHING to find 10 or more of the woodies and at least 2 deer ticks.

Trekkin’ is still not up to par and feels pretty sure that the next lyme titer will be positive. We just can’t do any caches that have any challenge as far as terrain, because a little climb is making every joint scream in pain (Trekkin was a marathoner, so it’s not like he’s outta shape). I wanted to do the Plowline series in Winona but he’s not up to it.

Well, when he gets feeling better, I highly reccomend the Plowline series. Very scenic area, and it feels remote, even though ya are quite close to Winona. It took me about 4 hours to find 8 of the 12, but the nice thing about it is ya can park once, and go for a very long caching walk.

Also,that was one of the few days that I didnt pick up any ticks. Maybe it was the weather that day, or maybe there are just few ticks there.

zuma

[Trekkin and Birdin]

We’re hoping to do the whole series, just make a day of it. Did you park somewhere on the Winona end or closer to Stockton? Wasn’t sure where to start this one.

Looks like tomorrow we’re heading down “Vestby” way. We are one short of 200 and there just isn’t much close to run and quick grab it. Too bad we whiffed on one in DePere yesterday or we’d have been there! Still lots of caches within 50 miles to find, but now we’re having to plan a bit better to maximze the gas costs.

[LightningBugs Mum]

@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

Trekkin’ is still not up to par and feels pretty sure that the next lyme titer will be positive. We just can’t do any caches that have any challenge as far as terrain, because a little climb is making every joint scream in pain (Trekkin was a marathoner, so it’s not like he’s outta shape).

He feels terrible like the flu and his joints scream in pain? I’m not a physician, but I am a veterinarian. When I see a dog that was perfectly healthy suddenly come down with those symptoms, I don’t have to run a titer – it’s Lymes.

I hope he gets what he needs soon so he can start feeling better again!

[knoffer]

I was out doing the P.I.T.C. series in Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern unit mostly today and a little yesterday. Not one tick. I was mainly in the woods and not in alot of tall grass.

When I was up in Woodruff and the surrounding area a few weeks ago doing the GNW caches I must have found well over 50 or 60 a day and about a 1/4 to 1/2 were Deer ticks. I did a very thorough check after every cache and at night and I did not get bitten. I did run across one area that was laden with the Nymphal stage ticks. Man are they small and quick.

[elfdoctors]

@zuma wrote:

Interestingly, they were talking about this on the Larry Mueller show on WPR last week, and the naturalist (cant recall his name — but it is the guy who knows everything about WI wildlife who is on once a month), said that there is an extraordinary number of ticks in WI this year, and as of yet, no reason has been identified.

I do agree that there are more ticks than usual this year. Some of it relates to the weather. If the weather is cold and rainy in May, people are just not out in the woods when there are lots of ticks every year. However, in my experience this year, I estimate that the number of deer ticks is about average but the number of wood ticks is definitely up.

The only scientific theory about tick numbers I am aware of predicts high tick populations, 1 1/2 years after a large acorn crop. The theory behind this is the large amount of acorns helps the mouse population to soar, which then provides lots of prey for the ticks.

[LDove]

Okay, but WHEN DO THEY DIE? Is it true that they die out when the temps go up around August? We did a smidge of caching up near Crivitz and I gave up because we came out of every one covered with the evil little buggers! 👿 Spray did not help us either…. 🙁

[jenhen1]

Pulled 10 off of georunt #1 and 7 off of runt #2 plus 10 off myself on saturday, one of which was a deer tick that was embedded for maybe 4 hours. Hadn’t begun to draw blood.

On Sunday I noticed a dark purple circle, almost black about 1cm in diameter surrounded by a red circle about 1mm where I got bit. Is this normal? I’ve been bit numerous times, but have never seen a black circle like this. Wondering if I should be concerned at all. No other symptoms of Lyme but it’s only been about 48 hours.

Anyone out there know if a black circle like that is normal? Today it’s a little itchy.

I agree, TONS of ticks this year. I thought they started to diminish by now but so far I havn’t seen much of a letup.

[JohnEEGeek]

What are you worrying about, they look pretty harmless….. see:

😯
But seriously, the Center for Disease Control has some good info on ticks and Lyme disease.

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/

.

[Team Deejay]

@jenhen1 wrote:

On Sunday I noticed a dark purple circle, almost black about 1cm in diameter surrounded by a red circle about 1mm where I got bit. Is this normal? I’ve been bit numerous times, but have never seen a black circle like this. Wondering if I should be concerned at all. No other symptoms of Lyme but it’s only been about 48 hours.

Circular “bullseye” rashes are the first symptom of Lyme Disease. Please get yourself checked ASAP.

[Sunshine34]

They usually die off around the week of the 4th of July. At least that has been true the last couple of years in the northeast part of the state.

[greyhounder]

I’m afraid to say it because I will probably jinx myself….but ticks seem to leave me alone. Perhaps I’m smelly (please tell me if I am) or maybe it’s because I douse myself in deet (which might make me smelly), but they don’t bite me. I’ve had them crawling on me (there’s nothing like the feeling of one of those little buggers crawling on you, huh?) but only once did one “bite” and I caught it in time, and it was almost 20 years ago.

So now the next time I go in the woods I will be covered in ticks.

Bec

[zuma]

@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

We’re hoping to do the whole series, just make a day of it. Did you park somewhere on the Winona end or closer to Stockton? Wasn’t sure where to start this one.

Looks like tomorrow we’re heading down “Vestby” way. We are one short of 200 and there just isn’t much close to run and quick grab it. Too bad we whiffed on one in DePere yesterday or we’d have been there! Still lots of caches within 50 miles to find, but now .we’re having to plan a bit better to maximze the gas costs.

For the Plowline series, there is a parking lot near Plowline Trail #1. that is the only reasonable place to park, as the bushwhack from 61 would be short, it would be straight up a steep hill and there is no safe parking on 61.

Also, each cache page has a link to a map of the trail, so you can plan your adventure in advance. I didnt see the link until after I went there,and the map would have made the walk a little less of an adventure.

zuma

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