Going up to Sylvania next week for 3 days with a new tripping partner who is concerned about too many bugs. Anyone aware of the current situation there?

Define "too many bugs". What happens if the report is more than "too many"? Sylvania is a great place to paddle, camp and fish. Hope you have a great time.

quote Jackfish: "Define "too many bugs". What happens if the report is more than "too many"? Sylvania is a great place to paddle, camp and fish. Hope you have a great time."

My buddy would be concerned about biting flies, mosquitoes, etc that were present and bothering him to the point where he would have swat them more than say, every minute or so. I guess I shouldn't have told him about the trip about 6-7 years right after the Fourth of July when the deerfly population was "epic" according to the locals. It seemed they worked us over during the day and as soon as they punched out in the early evening the mosquitoes punched in.

I was wondering this myself, from the standpoint of: do I really need to put permethrin on my clothes???

quote nojobro: "I was wondering this myself, from the standpoint of: do I really need to put permethrin on my clothes???"

I would spray them with Permethrin as I had read somewhere that this was a bumper year for Ticks especially in WI.

End of May this year, as bad a mosquito problem as I've ever seen there. Later in the season as ground pools dry it lessens substantially. Last 2 Sept. I've been had little mosquito trouble.
The Sylvania forest is old growth with little ground brush, compared to BWCA.
Have a GREAT time up there Nola!

butthead

Was there with my daughter 3 weeks ago. Some flies. The mosquitoes on the other hand were the worst I've ever had to deal with. The campsites sit back from the water so there is no "wind swept point" where you can take refuge from the hordes.

Because the spare batteries for our water purifier turned out to be dead batteries we had to make a run back into Eagle River. When we did we bought a screen tent. Way more weight than I would take on a BWCA trip but we were base camping so it was OK. Screen tent was BEST IDEA OF THE TRIP! We could cook and eat in peace. Can do crafts in there when it rains.

Head nets, long sleeves, and pants are a must. My daughter figured out that a couple squirts of Deep Woods Off in "the right places" was a great idea for the latrine. Head nets are a good idea on the throne.

Out on the water and at the beach the mosquitoes were better...but that is where we ran into the flies.

Thanks. Already planning on the screen tent. Packed the bug nets and a small net that we can put over the latrine, I hope. (Younger daughter is in a bug-phobic stage). Will spray the clothes now, too. :)

Wondering how to transport the screen tent. It's heavy. Tie it to canoe in case of flipping, or leave it and let it sink? Because I'm pretty sure it won't float.

Our screen tent packed up well enough and was just light enough for my 10 yo daughter to carry. She used the handles like straps on a backpack.

We've tried the Net-over-the-privy thing in the BWCA but had it backfire. It did much better trapping bugs in than it did keeping bugs out. I took it down not too long after putting it up. Maybe you'll have better luck...but it backfired for me. Head nets and a bottle of bug stuff near the John worked much better.

As for protecting things from a catastrophic capsize...your call. Bungee cords or BDBs are light, easy, and cheap. Fact of the matter is...if you capsize you'll have bigger issues than a screen tent. In Sylvania, the paddle out is short so the most likely response to a disaster is heading back to the car.

Note...one fun thing to do at one of the beaches is to have the kids swamp an empty canoe. That way it is less scary if it happens for real. You can also show them why it is easier to swim with the canoe back to shore than it is to get back into it in deep water.

A few more things I've had success with camping with daughters. I made up Tshirts with merit badges like "the Pack Mule" and Chef Boy That's On Fire. Actually had the girls begging to make a meal so they could earn a badge. Next...always plan a craft or two. Note: we teach cub scouts to use a pocket knife at age 9. With proper training there is no reason a daughter can't learn to whittle. Both my daughter and a friend's daughter really like wood carving...they also like catching the dads making safety mistakes.

My daughter loves canoe camping now. She tells people who use a camper that they really aren't camping. My friend's older daughter, who loves the outdoors, really helped my daughter learn to love it too.

Have fun!

Bugs in Sylvania are entirely dependent upon the amount of rain. If it's a rainy spring/summer, it will be buggy. As others have said, campsites are in the woods away from friendly breezes. I've been up there pretty much every year for the last twenty or so years and you just never can tell from one year to the next.

Interesting side note is that I just returned home (N. Illinois) from a week in the BWCA and the bugs are worse here at home by far then they are along the Gunflint.

Typically in Sylvania, I have found over the years

May= no skeeters
June= God awful
July= much more tolerable
August= Ahhhh. Peace
September= every biting bug gone

quote nojobro: "Thanks. Already planning on the screen tent. Packed the bug nets and a small net that we can put over the latrine, I hope. (Younger daughter is in a bug-phobic stage). Will spray the clothes now, too. :)

Wondering how to transport the screen tent. It's heavy. Tie it to canoe in case of flipping, or leave it and let it sink? Because I'm pretty sure it won't float."

Instead of a heavy screen tent - and I'm assuming you mean one with poles - try a net meant to go over a cot. No poles involved. It has tie loops on the corners so you can hang it, maybe under your tarp, and it is big enough for 2 to sit in.

We got one at fleet farm a few years ago and also saw them on Amazon. Cheap, lightweight and packs small.

Just back from 3 days in Sylvania. No flies, Some mosquitoes but not bad. I did not need to set-up my bug tarp and only used an occasional bit of Off.

I've been known to bring a propane powered skeeter fogger along on base camp trips....

I remember those from scout camp. Now I just use a smokey fire and/or my bug tarp.