Country Ecology: Ticks and prevention

The midwinter issue of Outdoor Life was targeted toward turkey hunters because they have to hunker down and await gobblers they have successfully deceived in coming closer to them. That means having brush and other weedy vegetation enclosing them, which then means they are susceptible to deer ticks getting on their reclining bodies, which is a cause for alarm.

The rest of us are advised to stick to woodland trails and logging roads, and avoid such contact as deep grass to prevent Lyme disease. As things warm up with climate change, there is becoming an increasing problem with tick infestations, as they move north. It is important to note that they don’t hibernate and can be active in all seasons, if the weather is above freezing.