Tacky is any of a number of sticky substances the athletes use on certain implements to assist with grip. I don't like it myself, so I use latex palmed garden and tool gloves, like you often see fish handlers wear. They give very good grip without leaving a residue over everything.

Tacky is commonly found on the hammer handles, caber ends, and the WFD handles. It's often a pine tar/rock tar sort of mxture, something like a super sticky tree sap. Imagine the freshly cut end of a Christmas tree but 10 times stickier.

WD-40 will take it right off your hands, but that doesn't work for clothes (it'll stain of course). Then plain dish soap will clear the WD-40.