Let's talk bug spray

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catman529

catman529

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Franklin TN
OK I don't know what to use to keep off ticks, chiggers, skeeters etc during turkey season. I usually stay away from bug spray but I don't want to get the summer off to a miserable start...

I want something to put mainly on my clothes that won't put me at risk for cancer or some weird health problem... you know what I mean, some of the warnings that come with certain bug sprays.

I also want something to put on my face mask to keep those friggin mosquitoes from making that high pitched buzz in my ear when I can't swat them because a turkey might see. but being on my face mask I wouldn't want some kind of chemical that you dont want to breathe in... Has anyone used an all natural insect repellent that actually works decently and reliably?

What do you all prefer for bug spray? I've heard good about permethrin/permanone but I haven't looked much into it.
 
I'd rather live a shorter life without ticks than a longer one with them. If you haven't already had them, a good dose of seed ticks or chiggers will change anyones tune. Or a regular tick in a less than ideal place. Id also be more worried about lyme disease from bugs than cancer from the spray.

Permethrin on your clothes in heavy doeses, and a thermacell in your vest. I carry a little spray bottle heavy in deet for if I am on the move.
 
Sawyers is what I use and I apply it every few days just incase. I use some deet around my neck and hat for skeeters. I soak the ankle, neck and waist areas with the Sawyers

I don't like therms cells just due to weight and bulk.
 
i bought a pint of the 10% permethrin at TSC and cut it(with water) down to .625%. for the cost of 1 can of commercial spray, i have enough to last for years. thermocell for the skeeters.
 
We used this stuff is Boy Scouts that we put a finger tips worth behind both ears. Did that for 9 years. Never had a problem with bugs. You could see them fly by and drop out of the air dead.

Few years back I had a spot come up on my neck where I use to put that stuff. Turned out to be skin cancer because that stuff was 98% DEET.

Still dont have a problem with bugs!

:D

(Thermacel and Deep Woods Off now by the way)
 
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JandSCattleCo said:
We used this stuff is Boy Scouts that we put a finger tips worth behind both ears. Did that for 9 years. Never had a problem with bugs. You could see them fly by and drop out of the air dead.

Few years back I had a spot come up on my neck where I use to put that stuff. Turned out to be skin cancer because that stuff was 98% DEET.

Still dont have a problem with bugs!

:D

(Thermacel and Deep Woods Off now by the way)
Click to expand...

i believe the DW Off is an attractant.
 
BowGuy84 said:
I'd rather live a shorter life without ticks than a longer one with them. If you haven't already had them, a good dose of seed ticks or chiggers will change anyones tune. Or a regular tick in a less than ideal place. Id also be more worried about lyme disease from bugs than cancer from the spray.
Click to expand...

x2 I would rather rub battery acid on my junk than have a dose of seed ticks :eek:
 
Any spray with permethrin is the way to go for ticks. I used those bracelets they sold last year at walmart for mosquitoes they worked ok opposed to carrying a thermacell. Thermacell is still the best for mosquitoes.
 
Looks like sawyers ranks highest, I will have to buy some.

piehole said:
x2 I would rather rub battery acid on my junk than have a dose of seed ticks :eek:
Click to expand...
as miserable as seed ticks are (trust me I very well know), i don't think I could find any reason to rub battery acid on my junk. :sick: We're talking temporary bug bites vs. permanent damage to a very important area....
 
You can find Sawyers at REI in Brentwood. Also, ultrathon deet for mosquitoes. It's a lotion you rub directly on the skin, but it works great.
 
catman529 said:
Looks like sawyers ranks highest, I will have to buy some.

piehole said:
x2 I would rather rub battery acid on my junk than have a dose of seed ticks :eek:
Click to expand...
as miserable as seed ticks are (trust me I very well know), i don't think I could find any reason to rub battery acid on my junk. :sick: We're talking temporary bug bites vs. permanent damage to a very important area....
Click to expand...
:D
 
Another vote for Sawyers. I got 2 ticks on me opening weekend last year, then sprayed my clothes with Sawyers... no more the rest of the year.

I checked Winchester Walmart but didn't see any. I'm out and need some more.
 
Swamphunter said:
Treat your clothes with Sawyer Permethrin every 6 washes and carry a thermacell. I have tried other brands and have not been impressed. Sawyer's is all I will use now. I hunt some tick infested places without worry.
Click to expand...

x2...my prescription of choice
 
I order this permethrin 10%

http://pestcontroloutlet.com/shop-by-pr ... fleas-16oz

I mix it with 1.5 gallons of water (5.5oz per gallon). I mix this up in a 5 gallon bucket, put on kitchen gloves, dip all my hunting clothes, base layers, under armour, hats, gloves, leafy suits and then wring them back into the bucket. I hang them in the garage to dry and then I pour all that's left in the bucket into spray bottles.

This year I dipped 4 pairs of hunting pants, 4 hunting shirts, 1 leafy suit, a set of base layers, 3 hats, 3 pairs of thin gloves. I had enough left over to fill THREE 16 ounce spray bottles which I used on my vests. I also respray after washing, even through it says you don't have too. I figure for 13.00 dollars a year, I get tick free hunting.

My daughter found a tick on her white sock today when she pulled her hunting gear off. It was stone cold dead from crawling across her pants and leafy suit. I did this last year and got ZERO tick bites. They are bad in TN already, so please use something better than OFF.
 
Sawyers is EPA approved for human applications. The others are not, one should be careful if using them. Here is something I'm going to do in addition to using Sawyers on clothes. Take a 4x 4 or 5 x 5 camo cloth, soak in in a 1% permethrin solution and let it dry. Roll it up and stuff in hunting vest and use it as a cover to sit on. When you need to move just roll up and carry with you. It also works to prevent the dreaded contact with poison ivy. Yes, it too is up and growing. Good luck to all and be safe.
 
orion43 said:
Sawyers is EPA approved for human applications. The others are not, one should be careful if using them. Here is something I'm going to do in addition to using Sawyers on clothes. Take a 4x 4 or 5 x 5 camo cloth, soak in in a 1% permethrin solution and let it dry. Roll it up and stuff in hunting vest and use it as a cover to sit on. When you need to move just roll up and carry with you. It also works to prevent the dreaded contact with poison ivy. Yes, it too is up and growing. Good luck to all and be safe.
Click to expand...

Very true. Use Sawyers if you have any doubts. I have researched it quite a bit and there are a couple other alternatives to Sawyers that, while not EPA approved for humans, don't contain petroleum products.

There is another EPA approved 10% concentrate: DurationTM Permethrin 10% Concentrate claims to be EPA approved.
http://www.amazon.com/DurationTM-Permet ... B001MA7KPU

My reading and communication with a couple of the brands' customer service reps, I believe that what I am using, in the application, is as safe as Sawyers and other human-marketed products. Twitch, twitch...
 
Gravey said:
REN said:
i actually saw Sawyers at walmart in Lebanon today, surprised me for sure.
Click to expand...
Is it back in the camping section? I stopped in the Smyrna Walmart this morning and they had a bunch of stuff but I didn't see Sawyers.
Click to expand...
Nevermind. I ran to Lebanon at lunch and found it. They had bug spray in hunting, camping, and the outdoor area but only the camping section had the Sawyers. Bought 2 bottles of it.
 
I usually just crush up a plant that has natural insecticidal properties and rub it on my clothes and maybe stick some in my pocket. Chrysanthemums if I happen to have some at the house but usually a weed in the woods that my great grandma taught me about, I dont even remember what it is just how to find it, maybe Joe Pyeweed.
 
I did not have to turn my thermacell on once during 5 days of hunting last week because of the Sawyer Permethrin I sprayed on my hat, shirt, pants and socks. Zero ticks and zero mosquito bites so far. Sawyer's might be one of the greatest products ever invented. If only it could stop poison ivy...
 
I don't know if its permethrin or my handy dandy "off" clip on but I haven't seen any bugs flying around me or crawling on me. Except once we sat under a cedar in what seemed to be a tick heaven but they didn't like my permethrin once they climbed on for a ride! And it helped me with poison ivy cause I'm not swatting at bugs and get to hunt and see things lol
 
yeah man that one patch of ticks was terrible. When I hunted sunday afternoon/evening and monday morning with you I did not see a single tick on me. Glad I got some of that permethrin and loaded up my gear. Forgot to cover my hat though - bottle went empty though.
 

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