Just want everyone to know to be mindful of the Deer ticks. I shot a nice Tom with my bow opening day in Minnesota. Found a Deer tick embedded in my back yesterday. My wife had to cut and dig to get it all out. Found one crawling on my daughter today. I may see if I can get a prescription for Doxycycline. Just giving everyone a heads up that will be venturing into the woods.

They are pretty thick down here in N. Illinois right now. I had one dug out by a doctor and my dog tested positive for Lyme last week. We were both on antibiotics at the same time.

A friend and I were working at the local nature center in SE Wisconsin on Sunday and he picked one up.

I’ve been baptized this year, as well.

Yes in the Mille lacs area they have been out for close to three weeks, Now the warmer weather abundance will increase.
Numbers last year in much of northern and north central Minnesota numbers were the lowest in 25 years. Just hope they keep decreasing. The trouble is when numbers get low, we get careless and forget to check or don't wear protective gear.
Over the years almost all my outdoor friends have had lymne disease or one of the related dreaded diseases.

I was out in my back lot for a minute and picked up a regular tick. I hate ticks.

Thanks for the reminder - time to Permethrine a set of "tick" camping clothes. Should have known they were around - Ice out = ticks out.

Already... damn I hate these things

I’m thinking about going up to Itasca Saturday for a hike. It’ll be long sleeves and pants for me!

They have been out for a month already

I'm in IA, we've had ticks out for at least a month. Yesterday I went for a quick walk looking for mushrooms. I found 3....and I also had 3 ticks on me that I found throughout the evening.

Not a good ratio

SaganagaJoe: "I’m thinking about going up to Itasca Saturday for a hike. It’ll be long sleeves and pants for me!"

They were out, by golly. Thankfully I didn't get bit, but I had to dust them off frequently.

Yep, wife and I both picked one up a week or so ago in Northern Illinois.

Canoe42: "Yep, wife and I both picked one up a week or so ago in Northern Illinois."

Deer ticks are down like 99% over recent years in north and central Minnesota. This years crop-will wait and see. For a few years north of Brainerd in some spots I could walk a 100 yards and have a 100 deer ticks on my pants. You pretty much quit activities in the woods.
I think like Ely area deer ticks are just getting into that area the last few years. I am not sure if many are present up the Gunflint. I did have one by Brule lake.

I’ve seen them as early as mid February. I swear they just dig in wherever they end up on you. Haven’t seen them now for a couple weeks. I think this dry weather has something to do with it.

nctry: "I’ve seen them as early as mid February. I swear they just dig in wherever they end up on you. Haven’t seen them now for a couple weeks. I think this dry weather has something to do with it."

Yes deer ticks are one tough bugger compared to the weakling the wood tick. Yes I remember in November climbing up my deer stand and snow on the ground,here I have a tick crawling on my hand. I think if the sun hits them right and warms them up a little they come out. Seen them some cold mornings around 32 degrees they just barely move-but they were there..
For a few years I hated to hang my deer in a garage,it warmed up and ticks falling off and going to skin the deer, ticks would crawl on you. last year none.
I think the ticks got their own Virus or disease and crashed in population. The future-wait and see.

Pinetree: "

Canoe42: "Yep, wife and I both picked one up a week or so ago in Northern Illinois."

I think like Ely area deer ticks are just getting into that area the last few years. I am not sure if many are present up the Gunflint. I did have one by Brule lake."

I live outside of Grand Marais and spend a lot of time in the woods maintaining a sugarbush, hiking, fishing and hunting. I've only found one deer tick on me - 5 years ago. Pinpointed the location, which was up the Sawbill Trail about 9 miles, within 1 mile of the road while bushwhacking. Otherwise, only the garden variety wood tick so far.

Just pulled a deer tick out of me yesterday evening. Doctor said I am in the 72 hour window to take Doxycycline so picked that up and took the single dose of just an hour ago.

JackStraw: "Just pulled a deer tick out of me yesterday evening. Doctor said I am in the 72 hour window to take Doxycycline so picked that up and took the single dose of just an hour ago. "

I think that is wise to get the medicine. New to me is the 72 hour window? Change of medicine if over 72 hours. I got medicine last year also and it was immediately and I think it was like you a quick dose of 1-3 pills -than go from there. Maybe I was a 72 hour window also? Nobody said?

Pinetree: "

nctry: "I’ve seen them as early as mid February. I swear they just dig in wherever they end up on you. Haven’t seen them now for a couple weeks. I think this dry weather has something to do with it."

Yes deer ticks are one tough bugger compared to the weakling the wood tick. Yes I remember in November climbing up my deer stand and snow on the ground,here I have a tick crawling on my hand. I think if the sun hits them right and warms them up a little they come out. Seen them some cold mornings around 32 degrees they just barely move-but they were there..
For a few years I hated to hang my deer in a garage,it warmed up and ticks falling off and going to skin the deer, ticks would crawl on you. last year none.
I think the ticks got their own Virus or disease and crashed in population. The future-wait and see."

I noticed that too... there was a few years I was thankful my one cousin did all the skinning and butchering. The deer ticks would just be crawling on him. Then like a switch I haven’t noticed hardly a tick on them. Maybe, just maybe some extra cold winters knocked them back? They make the regular wood tick seem like a friendly fly.