Tick prevention while Camping is already a source of amusement among seasoned campers, hikers, farmers, and locals. We will have much more comfortable Camping time if we know how to protect ourselves against ticks. It would be harder to see angels than it would be to see ticks.
Ticks are notoriously difficult to remove. Many different types of Native American mythology include them, from trickster myths to those with monsters who can never satisfy their hunger.
Alternately, they are creatures transformed after being killed by the story’s hero. Moreover, they are always portrayed negatively. So, let’s find out How to keep Ticks off humans when Camping!
11 Tips to Keep Ticks Off Humans When Camping
Some Facts About Ticks:
Ticks are widespread throughout the United States, Canada and other Countries although they are more numerous in moist environments. Tick populations are very dense in certain states, such as Missouri and Illinois. The best way to describe ticks is as little spiders. They have eight legs like spiders and mites but no antennas. They can’t leap, but they wait for passing humans from atop bushes or tall grasses.
Common ticks that feed on animals include the dog tick, black-legged or deer tick, Lonestar tick, and rocky mountain wood tick. Tick larvae, regardless of species, they may be hard to see and kill. Widespread throughout the spring and early summer, they are also known as seed ticks.
Tick bites are pretty uncomfortable. These terrible eight-legged parasites release some poison into their victims during a bite. The females’ venom is more potent, sometimes making even little victims paralyzed. Causes irritation, redness, and perhaps an allergic response or infection.
Avoiding ticks when Camping is essential since they may carry dangerous diseases. They may spread 18 diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, etc
How To Avoid Ticks While Camping?
Ticks adore humid environments with high grass, dead leaves, and dense undergrowth. Ticks are more likely present if your campground contains any of these. While ticks can’t hop, they may attach themselves to you as you walk by. Clean, tidy campsites are less likely to contain ticks. Ticks may be a problem on the campgrounds, and they are also easy to pick while walking on trails or while trekking.
However, just because ticks are a fact of life while camping in many places doesn’t mean you can’t take precautions to limit your exposure to them. To avoid having ticks infect your camping trip, use these preventive measures:
1- Try Insect-Repellent Clothing:
Ticks may be found on people even when they take precautions like wearing long pants and footwear. Therefore, clothing designed to repel insects is a safe option.
Nowadays, insect repellent is a standard feature on hiking apparel, and several brands provide such products. Gear is treated with various technologies to repel mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects so campers may enjoy their time in bug-infested areas like Hot Springs National Park and many other places.
The insect repellent in most treated clothes also remains effective even after hundreds of washes in the washing machine, making it an excellent option for regular explorers.
2- Avoid Grassy Areas:
When the wind blows, the tall, feathery grasses are stunning but also a tick hub. Pitch your tent far from the campground’s perimeter and use portable camp chairs to prevent sitting on the ground when camping.
Be wary of less used climbing pathways that may stretch over or above the main road and are obscure by overgrown bush and grass. Long grass and leaf litter are ideal habitats for ticks because of their high humidity and relative warmth. Stay on the cleared trails, preferably in the center, to reduce tick bush.
3- Treat Your Gear with Permethrin:
You may not want to acquire new insect-repellent gear if you already have an extensive collection of hiking clothes. Fortunately, you can still protect yourself against ticks without spending money on new hiking gear due to a remedy called permethrin spray.
Permethrin spray may transform even the most basic backpacking essentials into a bug-proof solution for your next camping trip.
You should check the label if you want specific directions on applying permethrin to your garment. Most types, however, are designed to be sprayed straight into your clothing, making tick prevention simple.
However, you should know that permethrin is poisonous to cats. Be careful to spray your clothes outdoors or in a well-ventilated place if you have cats. If you spray your garments with permethrin and plan to bring them inside, where your cat may come into contact with them, you should wait until they are dry.
4- Use the Right Tick Repellent:
Essential oils for ticks and other natural therapies are ineffective in repelling ticks. Topical tick repellents such as DEET and picaridin are effective. Still, they are unsuitable for small children as they fade away rapidly. Permethrin is the most effective tick repellent for Camping because of these factors.
In contrast to topical tick repellents, permethrin is not applied directly to the skin, and you should wear it with the rest of your outfit and shoes. Many campers use permethrin to treat their tents and sleeping bags to keep bugs at bay. Permethrin kills ticks on contact, so you won’t bring any back to camp with you even if you go through tick-infested regions.
5- Consider Using Gaiters:
Anyone Camping in an area with ticks should wear long trousers and maybe a gaiter. It is because gaiters provide an extra barrier to the legs of your climbing trousers, making it impossible for ticks to get in.
Suppose you want to prevent ticks from creeping onto your feet while climbing. In that case, you can tuck your pant legs into your climbing socks, but this is neither fashionable nor functional. Gaiters, however, are separate pieces of high-quality equipment.
Suppose you plan on hiking through the muddy trails of Great Smoky Mountains National Park or any other risky places, If so, you may want to buy some gaiters to wear over your pants to keep them clean and free of ticks. They will help to keep your hiking shoes clean and debris-free.
For this reason, gaiters are an excellent all-around outdoor accessory that will keep you safe from ticks.
6- Wear Long Pants:
Campers should always wear long pants while venturing off the beaten path to protect themselves against ticks.
Although many of us prefer shorts over long pants when exploring the great outdoors, visitors to National Parks, campsites and trails should avoid wearing shorts during the tick season.
In particular, wearing long pants while camping or strolling through the bush is highly significant. Walking through damp, forested areas increases your risk of being bitten by a tick, whereas lounging on a sunny campsite reduces it.
7- Do A Tick Check Every Day:
While daily tick inspections aren’t necessary to avoid tick bites, they are essential if you want to avoid becoming sick from a tick.
Early tick removal is essential for preventing many tick-borne infections, including Lyme disease, common in Northeastern United States parks like Acadia National Park. Because of this, you must do a tick inspection of your camping tent at the end of each day of Camping.
8- Carry A Tick Removal Tool:
One method of protecting yourself against ticks is to do frequent tick inspections. Routine tick checks are necessary, but so is having a strategy for what to do if you detect a tick stuck to your skin.
A tick-removing gadget is the easy solution. There are several unreliable traditional remedies for getting rid of ticks, such as setting fires or painting them with nail polish. Many will make the tick more restless and more likely to spread infection.
When removing a tick, a specially designed tool or a pair of fine-tipped tweezers is recommended. If you go on any trip, you should bring one of these along in your first aid kit, just in case.
9- Avoid Off-Trail Hiking:
Off-trail hiking isn’t the best idea if you’re worried about ticks, but we campers love it. When hiking in National Parks off the beaten path or off any other trails, you may find yourself in a patch of thick grass or other undergrowth.
Off-trail hiking increases your chance of being bitten by a tick since ticks like to gather in such areas. So, despite the allure, it’s best to stick to the trails during the tick season.
10- Take A Camp Shower:
You would not think of a camp shower as your first line of protection against ticks. Still, it can be pretty effective at removing ticks that have climbed onto you throughout the day.
Using camp showers after a hike may do double duty in keeping you clean and preventing tick bites. In addition, taking a shower is an ideal opportunity to do a thorough tick check since it allows you to look for ticks all over your body quickly.
11- Go for Camping in the Winter:
Finally, if ticks are a problem for you while you’re outdoors, try going winter camping. Ticks are less likely to bite when the highest temperature is below freezing.
The tick season is over, so grab your winter sleeping bag and go outside to experience the beauty of winter camping. Then you’ll be able to do anything you want during your time off. In other words, following these steps means you no longer have to worry about ticks when camping.
Additional Resources
If you are looking for more tutorials, walkthroughs and troubleshooting about camping and enjoying the outdoors, here are some additional posts to check out:
Conclusion:
Long grassy routes are prime tick habitats, particularly those frequented by deer. Ticks are a significant problem for people and their pets because some species transmit Lyme disease. Plan your camping, hiking, or even just taking a stroll in the woods.
You may prevent ticks by taking precautions before, during, and after a camping trip. I believe that taking precautions will help to prevent tick bites and, as a result, Lyme disease or any other diseases. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you think I forgot something or if you simply want to share a story or some advice, please feel free to let me know in the comment section below. But for now… Be Safe And Have Fun.!