Eric Davis
Sun Outdoor Columnist

I might be getting ahead of myself and jinxing all of us but there is a prediction for warmer weather towards the end of the 10-day forecast. Hopefully it comes true because I’m tired of the snow.

I’m waiting for a break in the weather so that I can use my pellet grill/smoker without going through a ton of pellets keeping the chamber warm. I also have plans to work on a ground blind that fell victim to heavy snow accumulation during deer season that resulted in fiberglass rods snapping on two of the sides. Hopefully that works out and will be a great article topic. The warm-up will finally allow some of us to wander in the woods and fields without any snow on the ground so hopefully shed antlers can be found as a sign of what deer made it through the hunting seasons.

However, with the increase in outdoor activity there will be an increase in tick contact with humans and pets. Ticks are a common carrier of diseases that affect hundreds of thousands of people each year in the United States.

There are a few ways to aid in avoiding ticks making it to your skin, where they can bite you and end up spreading diseases. The first is to use a preventative chemical treatment on your clothes. A spray that contains Permethrin is my go-to for treatment.

Spray your clothes while they are hanging outside and it isn’t windy. Focus on the access points to your skin, such as sleeve cuffs, neck openings, and the bottom of pant legs. Socks should get treated as well. Let the clothes dry for 24 hours before wearing them. One treatment can last through multiple washings in the laundry. There are now a couple companies selling clothing that has been impregnated with tick repellent. Another option is a chemical treatment applied directly to your skin.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends treatments that contain DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, along with a few others. To prevent ticks from getting on your pets, use a quality treatment. The Soresto collar is good for 6-8 months and prevents fleas and ticks. Make sure to inspect your pet after every outing. Look in any “pockets” such as the armpit, behind and inside the ear, and the groin area. Ticks want to get to someplace warm and protected before starting to feed.

If you do find a tick embedded on your or your pet there are only certain ways to remove them. You hear multiple remedies but many of them can make things worse. Using either small needle nose pliers, tweezers, or a specialized tick-removal tool (i.e. Tick Key, Tick Nippers, etc.) grab the tick as far forward as possible, trying to keep the tick’s mouthparts from breaking off, and pull using steady pressure.

Once you remove the tick, either cut the head off and throw it away or put the tick in an airtight container. That way if you feel sick later, you can give the doctor(s) the tick and it can be tested for the bacteria that cause the various diseases (like Lyme disease). DO NOT put anything on the tick such as petroleum jelly or peppermint oil. These coat the tick and cause it to start suffocating. The tick will then let go of the skin and move around to get to where they can breathe.

The problem is when they do this, they will regurgitate some of their stomach contents increasing the odds of the bacteria being transmitted. Some people try to burn the tick with a lighter. All this does is make you likely to burn yourself or the person with the tick embedded. After removing the tick, monitor the bite site. If a circular mark appears, see a doctor immediately. It may be worth seeing a doctor no matter what. When it comes to treating Lyme disease, the faster you get the antibacterial medication the better.

So, when you start spending more time outside this spring, be diligent and careful. There is nothing more important than your health.