A Kilted Hike Leads to a Question

[Birddog]

Hey all. Had a nice hike this morning with Mack, Ceilidh, and Finnegan. Blue skies after 5 straight days of rain, around 70F, and a light breeze. All that rain filled a dry stock pond, so the dogs had a bit of a swim as well. Was walking through some high grass which lead me to a question: What do those in the south do when they hike kilted? Last time I was in Ark., I walked through one tiny patch of high grass, and had half a dozen ticks in my leg hair. Good thing I have hairy legs! Do ya'll use insect spray, risk it, what? Thankfully, in twelve years of living in Colorado, I have only seen one tick on myself or the dogs; just don't seem to have them here. And thank God, no fleas, either!

[Nighthawk]

We do have deer ticks. They tend to be a pain if you're unlucky, but there really aren't many of them.

So in answer to your question (sorta!) my dad and I did a Civil War battle field tour last summer. I went kilted of course. Wondering around Gettysburg, we got attacked by a whole army of lone star ticks. (Under the direction of the ghost of General Hood maybe?) So I learned the hard way that repellent is probably a good idea...

[Riverkilt]

Think maybe I've seen pics of folks in kilts with gators...

Ron

[Livingston]

Get up into the mountains and you'll find plenty of ticks, Kevin. Just use a good insect spray and check after your hike.

[george7]

As a Floridian, I usually risk it. Sometimes I wear insect spray or bring a thermocell (really great device that uses butane and a repellent to keep mosquitoes away) if I plan in advance. I doubt deet has much of an effect on ticks anyways. Just check yourself really well after you a day out. Sunscreen is the most important thing if you're coming down south.

[Larry124]

I’ve had (have) Lyme Disease.

First Step (mine was early diagnosis): Sixty-day antibiotic course.
Second Step: A decade or two from now -- my sporran may fall off. :crap:

[Birddog]

Yea, I know their supposed to be thick in the mountains, but as often as I've been out with the dogs, at my 7200ft or even in the mountains, just one tick on one dog. Must be the Irish luck working for me! I hate ticks!

Larry, I had a friend in the AF contract Lyme Disease in Germany. Sorry to hear you got it. Hopefully, your sporran will stay in place!

[Galician]

I'm sorry, but this is the first time I've heard of Lyme disease outside the Northeast. In Germany??? Any chance he picked it up in the States, but it didn't manifest itself till later, when he was already in Europe?

[wscottmac]

i only backpack/hike kilted. I have some good, hippie/earthy bug spray with a lot of citronella, geranium oil, cedarwood oil, etc. It's called Buzz Away.
I just spray it all up under there.... does the trick. I'm sure your Wal-Mart variety OFF would work, too, but .... it's the BOYS down there! I don't want to douse them w/ DEET....
Last tick I got tho' was in Oban... and, it was on my arm...

[Kilt TN]

Deep Woods Off! Keep every bug away.