Portland/SW WA hikers: I got a tick today!

[Steven Paris]

Well, I got my first embedded tick (in years!) today, in the Gorge. Not my gorge, the Columbia Gorge.

I realize this could just be an outlier and not an indication of an upswing or early appearance in the tick population because of the warm weather, but I thought I'd post so people would be reminded to check for the little %$&**ers.

[Ken Thompson]

I just treated some clothing over the weekend. Advantix on the dog. Warm and dry here. They'll be in force this year I think.

Get it out OK?

[Joe Lynch]

I found one crawling on my tarp at Point Reyes last weekend in NorCal. Nice opportunity to show my scouts one. The mosquitoes were out early too.

[Diane Pinkers]

We have been seeing more ticks on patients in the last few years in Grays Harbor County. The Dept of Health is doing a tick survey. We save the ticks that we pull off dogs and submit them. Also have seen more tick-borne disease, although so far no Lyme's disease.

[Morgan H]

I got a tick and the dogs got several in January & February in the Sierra NF at an average elevation of 3500 feet. I only lived there a couple of months, but got impressions from the locals that it was a pretty severe, early tick year.

Here in MO, it's same old same old. We're a couple warm rains from a nasty tick season beginning.

[Katherine .]

remind me, the name of/link to the special tweezers? been meaning to add to the FAK.

[Ed Biermann]

I've been using the Pro Tick Remedy device for almost 2 decades now. For on me and the dogs.

http://www.tickinfo.com/protickremedy.htm

I have found it to be lighter, less expensive and just as effective as the Tick Key that Pinkers DMV recommends below. Works on the same tapered slot principal.

[Diane Pinkers]

Look online for the Tick Key. Removes ticks cleanly without breaking off the head.

[Lance M]

If you don't have the tool, lasso the little bugger with a piece of dental floss. Make a loop in the center of a piece of floss and tighten it around the tick's 'neck', against your skin. Apply outward pressure till the tick backs out (may take a couple of minutes). Don't yank, let the tick back out on its own. Particularly good on animals because if they squirm you can let go of the string and not have to start completely over when they settle down.

Lance

[David Thomas]

Remember, ticks are right-handed screws ("righty-tighty, lefty-lousy") in the Northern Hemisphere, but they are reversed south of the Equator.

[Michael Gunderloy]

Same old in Indiana as well. Saw the first few last week when out hiking with my girls. Time to permethrin-treat the socks and pants again.

Pretty much any tool with a slot works for most of the ticks around here. Tick Key, Tick Off, Tick Twister…There's probably some multi-use opportunity for a cottage vendor here. TI tent stake with slot cut in the end? TI spoon with a tick slot in the handle end?

[Todd T]

I always carry a tick spoon but have never had the opportunity to use it. I've had dozens of ticks on me in my life, but I'm not sure one has ever attached where I could see to work a tick spoon on it (or dare let anyone else see). How do y'all get them to attach in nice places??

[Steven Paris]

Ken, I did remove it and it looks like the mouth piece(s) are still attached. It couldn't have been in my leg for more than 4 hours, so I'm not too worried. It's been a long time since I had a tick; I'm surprised the bite area was actually a little painful (no worse than a thorn or scratch on the skin) and looks a little bruised (very localized and small, right where the bite was). I've taken a few photos on my phone (right after removal and last night) and my new friend is currently in a ziplock in the freezer. I don't expect any of this to amount to anything, but these are easy steps to take should I notice anything down the road.

Even though I was wearing running shorts, I didn't notice the tick until I was sitting in the car. It was on my upper thigh. I was already on I-84 heading west so I waited until I got into Portland to pull over somewhere and remove it. I had my FAK with me, including a Tick Key and a small pair of tweezers.

I actually had some problems using the Tick Key. This could be because of user-error, not realizing the correct direction to "center" the tick into the slot. In theory, it shouldn't matter; the tick would forced into the narrowest point and pulled directly out away from the skin. However, for me, the tick was either small enough (or I was making some mistake) and it kept slipping out of the slot. I ended up using the tweezers, grasping it low and slowly applying force until it released.

Todd: I was very surprised that it attached to my upper thigh, instead of going just a bit farther north . . . .

[Ed Biermann]

nm

[Alexander S]

This summer will be a pain with bugs after the lackluster winter.

[Jerry Adams]

maybe there's a set cycle of bugs after snow melts, which will be earlier, but otherwise bugs will be the same?

[JC]

I also had a tick bite me in the gorge on monday when I was hiking the PCT/Eagle creek loop.

[Zakary Paronto]

I've only ever seen one tick since moving to the area It bit me but didn't embed itself. I was on ruckle creek trail

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