Ticks, I hate 'em

[Refugee]

I'm a new property owner near Purcell, and last spring and summer we would be covered in ticks if we stepped foot on the property. We are in the process of building a home and I've read all the advice for keeping ticks away from the house which sounds relatively easy.

My hope is that some of you have ideas on lowering the tick population "in the woods". We learned quickly to wear muck boots and douse our legs with permethrin to keep the ticks off, but am hoping to reduce the overall number if possible. I saw something called a "4 Poster Deer Feeder" but can't find one for sale. Research shows it being very effective over a few years, reducing ticks up to 90 percent.

Any help is appreciated!!

 

[HoLeChit]

Last year when I was swarmed by ticks while hunting I was told by someone on here to take garlic pills next time. I can’t say for sure that it’s effective, but I bet it is. I haven’t seen another tick on me since, but it has cooled off a lot since then.

I would suggest burning, that would help reduce the number of ticks immensely, while improving the quality of your property in general. Here’s a pdf that talks about tick control, Your four poster deal is included in this PDF as well.

https://www.lymedisease.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/image48-Managing-Property.pdf

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

It's a real pain in the butt to control ticks. We're moving to an 18.5 acre place near Ada next week and I suspect we'll be in the same boat as you re: ticks.

We plan to get some guinea fowl and other tick eaters along with some goats to keep some of the vegetation in the wooded areas under control. I don't like using chemicals because so many of them harm other beneficial insects (like bees and other pollinators).

I put my dogs on Simparica last year and that completely solved the tick problem for them.

 

[HoLeChit]

From https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/docs/Effectiveness4PosterDevices_508.pdf

Maybe a DIY solution is in order? It kinda seems like it’s a .gov item that is used in high Lyme disease areas.
I found these drawings. Just gotta put food to where a deer will rub it’s face on a peremethrin impregnated paint roller.

 

[HoLeChit]

For a easier, cheaper start on things, there’s also products for the rodents that carry ticks on your property:

http://www.tickboxtcs.com/phone/index.html
https://ticktubes.com/

 

[Snattlerake]

In the army my squad used dog tick collars around our ankles when we were snoopin and poopin in the woods. I never had one on me and I didn't shower for over a week. I don't know how effective these might be now if they have been reduced in strength.

 

[turkeyrun]

Guineas, chickens and goats

Ticks are a problem and require constant vigilance.

 

[Refugee]

Is it true guineas will also go after rattlesnakes?

 

[ICanFixIt]

I had a couple of ticks on me last summer, but they did not burrow into the skin. Could it be that ivermectin discourages them?

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Those "tick tubes" are easy to make. Toilet paper rolls stuffed with cotton balls that have been sprayed with permethrin. Made a bunch in Idaho. Hard to say how effective they were. The snakes and raptors kept the rodent population to a minimum.