Tick SOP's

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SHARIF

SHARIF

Member
Hi All,

I've been on a few guided stalks in which all the venison handling/processing post-gralloch gets done by other people. But I'm about to do my DSC1 and should in the near future be bringing my carcasses back home in my own vehicle and doing the whole thing myself.

I'm very wary of ticks and would love to hear people's complete set of SOP's from pre-stalk, mid-stalk, to post-stalk for preventing them getting on you and into your home and thereby putting others at risk.

The idea of them hanging out my car isn't a pleasant one for me either!

I have an SUV as opposed to a truck so the back and the passenger areas are all connected.

I'd like to implement a set of SOP's I follow every time I go out in the name of tick prevention. Obviously one can't be 100% tick-proof but I'd rather do a bit more work up-front than perhaps have to deal with Lyme down the road!

Some initial thoughts I'm having are...

Before going out:

- Treating clothes and boots with permethrin (though perhaps not every time as I believe the stuff lasts a while)

While out:

- Skinning out in the field and only bringing back skinned carcasses
- Giving the whole body a quick brush down any time before getting back in the vehicle
- Maybe even having an air-tight container for the carcass I'm bringing home... but I know there are issues there with breathability etc

Once home:

- Having an air-tight sealable box that my permethrin-treated stalking clothes permanently live in (making it a death trap for the things!)
- Getting straight in the shower and giving the whole body a visual inspection every time

What can/should I add to my list of SOP's? Obviously I don't mind exercising a bit of paranoia here! I believe it's worth it.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and experience

Sharif
 
Whatever you do you will get bitten at some point. Best not to dwell get some spray for your clothes and tick removal tool. It’s inevitable.

As for your car good luck getting an airtight container big enough unless you’re cutting it to bits.
 
I try to stalk 3 or 4 times a week. I have some Rovince shirts and also use Permethrin spray. I've twice reacted to ticks and come up in a bullseye rash and been prescribed antibiotics. Showering helps, but I have found on several occasions that I've picked up ticks on an afternoon stalk, showered and gone to bed. My suspicion is that the ticks have sought out a suitable spot to attach themselves while I'm sleeping and it's only been while showering the following morning that I've found a tick.
I'm not picking the ticks up from the deer as most summer stalks are not resulting in any deer. It's from the chest high grass and bracken that the ticks are getting to me. I would only remove the skin from the deer when you are ready to butcher it.
Regards
JCS
 
I dont think its a good idea skinning in the field i use a large poly pallet bag and just lift it out when i remove the deer at home i wear rovince and use smidge but i learned the hard way not to change until after skinning also if you remove the head for boiling do it strait away as the little nymphs will get you
 
SHARIF said:
Hi All,

I've been on a few guided stalks in which all the venison handling/processing post-gralloch gets done by other people. But I'm about to do my DSC1 and should in the near future be bringing my carcasses back home in my own vehicle and doing the whole thing myself.

I'm very wary of ticks and would love to hear people's complete set of SOP's from pre-stalk, mid-stalk, to post-stalk for preventing them getting on you and into your home and thereby putting others at risk.

The idea of them hanging out my car isn't a pleasant one for me either!

I have an SUV as opposed to a truck so the back and the passenger areas are all connected.

I'd like to implement a set of SOP's I follow every time I go out in the name of tick prevention. Obviously one can't be 100% tick-proof but I'd rather do a bit more work up-front than perhaps have to deal with Lyme down the road!

Some initial thoughts I'm having are...

Before going out:

- Treating clothes and boots with permethrin (though perhaps not every time as I believe the stuff lasts a while)

While out:

- Skinning out in the field and only bringing back skinned carcasses
- Giving the whole body a quick brush down any time before getting back in the vehicle
- Maybe even having an air-tight container for the carcass I'm bringing home... but I know there are issues there with breathability etc

Once home:

- Having an air-tight sealable box that my permethrin-treated stalking clothes permanently live in (making it a death trap for the things!)
- Getting straight in the shower and giving the whole body a visual inspection every time

What can/should I add to my list of SOP's? Obviously I don't mind exercising a bit of paranoia here! I believe it's worth it.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and experience

Sharif
Click to expand...
If I had to do all that I'd only get out about 3 times a year - use some repellant, check yourself carefully afterwards and carry a tom 'o' tick in your pocket.

I've had the occassional tick and kept a close eye on myself afterwards and so far no issues.

Skinning in the field is a very good way of getting very contaminated meat which has a better chance of making you ill than a tick IMO
 
if you going to put the carcasses in your car you will need some kind of tray either plastic or metal, to stop blood seeping into your boot, if its smooth surfaced then it should stop ticks from climbing out.. much like a spider in a sink. if your really paranoid you could always put the carcass into a carcass bag that zips up for added protection but probably a waste of time due to the extra handling it would cause at both ends. you could always spray your boot area with permethrin as a bit of a barrier?
 
SHARIF said:
Hi All,

I've been on a few guided stalks in which all the venison handling/processing post-gralloch gets done by other people. But I'm about to do my DSC1 and should in the near future be bringing my carcasses back home in my own vehicle and doing the whole thing myself.

I'm very wary of ticks and would love to hear people's complete set of SOP's from pre-stalk, mid-stalk, to post-stalk for preventing them getting on you and into your home and thereby putting others at risk.

The idea of them hanging out my car isn't a pleasant one for me either!

I have an SUV as opposed to a truck so the back and the passenger areas are all connected.

I'd like to implement a set of SOP's I follow every time I go out in the name of tick prevention. Obviously one can't be 100% tick-proof but I'd rather do a bit more work up-front than perhaps have to deal with Lyme down the road!

Some initial thoughts I'm having are...

Before going out:

- Treating clothes and boots with permethrin (though perhaps not every time as I believe the stuff lasts a while)

While out:

- Skinning out in the field and only bringing back skinned carcasses
- Giving the whole body a quick brush down any time before getting back in the vehicle
- Maybe even having an air-tight container for the carcass I'm bringing home... but I know there are issues there with breathability etc

Once home:

- Having an air-tight sealable box that my permethrin-treated stalking clothes permanently live in (making it a death trap for the things!)
- Getting straight in the shower and giving the whole body a visual inspection every time

What can/should I add to my list of SOP's? Obviously I don't mind exercising a bit of paranoia here! I believe it's worth it.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and experience

Sharif
Click to expand...
You sound a bit paranoid.
How many ticks did you find on your body after the guided stalks you went on? Probably none. Certainly I doubt it was enough to justify going to such extremes.
You pick up ticks from vegetation, when they are "questing" in search of a host. As another poster has said, you're just as likely to pick them up while waking the dog as you are when stalking.
Some people seem to attract ticks, and some don't. What type are you?
I've worked all my life in a tick environment, every day. And handled a lot of infested cattle, sheep, deer and goats. So far, I've had just one tick on my body. Yes, you read that correctly, just one, in a lifetime. And I don't take any precautions to prevent them. In fact, I don't even think about it.

I would say, be aware of the risks, see how it goes, take proportional precautions depending on how attractive you are, and don't over think it.
 
Any ticks I've had have come from either dropping off trees or picked up from vegetation, rather than from the deer carcass itself.

We often have deer that have ticks, but if you carry the carcase back to the car in a roe sack or Decathlon game bag, and then transport it in a plasterer's bath or other similar container, you will have contained the problem.

I hang carcasses in the chiller, with a tray underneath to catch any blood and ticks, and dispose of accordingly.

I wouldn't recommend skinning in the field, as it exposes the carcase to dirt and contamination - have a read of the Best Practice Guidance on "Extraction and Transport".

As has been mentioned by @T.eddie, it is a good idea to have an O'tom Tick Twister either with you or in the car.
 
If you aren't shooting a lot then you are probably more likely to pick up ticks from the long grass than the deer. Just check yourself after and be particularly aware of any itches that might develop 12 to 24hrs after being out. The ticks are likely to be tiny, only looking like a thorn or something. The tick removers aren't much use for the very small ones. I find a tweezers better for these but take care to get the head out as well.
 
Depending on the number of ticks on the carcass post inspection, I find skinning is when I can get the most on me (and I’ve had more than 40 in one sitting once…(reds in Devon)). I have resorted to arm length vet gloves when skinning and this helps a great deal. Less of an issue on roe up North, or so it seems…
 
Tim.243 said:
Do that in the summer Tom and your Roe or Muntjac will cook :eek: (or not start the cooling process)
on the way back. Not all people have a short trip back...
Click to expand...
I've had the roe and muntjac in them in the summer, they will still be cooling as they have been gralloched, there is also the added benefit of keeping the flies off them. Once in the car/truck, if in a tray it can always been unzipped to allow more air flow
 
T.eddie said:
I've had the roe and muntjac in them in the summer, they will still be cooling as they have been gralloched, there is also the added benefit of keeping the flies off them. Once in the car/truck, if in a tray it can always been unzipped to allow more air flow
Click to expand...
No mention of ticks Tom as that is what the op asked for also your truck has a separate buck (like mine) not as the OP stated.
Open up the bag ticks crawl out! :doh:
 
VSS said:
You sound a bit paranoid.
How many ticks did you find on your body after the guided stalks you went on? Probably none. Certainly I doubt it was enough to justify going to such extremes.
You pick up ticks from vegetation, when they are "questing" in search of a host. As another poster has said, you're just as likely to pick them up while waking the dog as you are when stalking.
Some people seem to attract ticks, and some don't. What type are you?
I've worked all my life in a tick environment, every day. And handled a lot of infested cattle, sheep, deer and goats. So far, I've had just one tick on my body. Yes, you read that correctly, just one, in a lifetime. And I don't take any precautions to prevent them. In fact, I don't even think about it.

I would say, be aware of the risks, see how it goes, take proportional precautions depending on how attractive you are, and don't over think it.
Click to expand...
Similar to me, the one tick I've had was due tome lying down in the grass to reach down a pipe to clear cobwebs from a water meter, at the opposite end of the scale, I had a young lady working for me, who could walk through an inner city car park and pick up two or three
 
Having had Lyme disease, you absolutely should be concerned about ticks.

Its a multi pronged attack.

1) treat your stalking clothing with Permethrin Spray. Life systems does a good one and since I attract very few ticks.

Buy several tick hooks, cards etc. have them in the bathroom and in your kit

2) use a good insect repellent- I use Smidge - on my skin - particularly hands, arms and around your ankles, waist and neck.

3) have a good anti nitts, hair lice and insecticidal shampoo. Failing that good old fashioned coal type soap.

4) when stalking try and avoid the deep long grass and bracken. Often sitting is a more productive option any how. If you do sit, sit on a log, seat etc. or the game bag inside a roe sack.

5) choose your shots wisely and don’t be in a rush. Let the deer come into the open and shot to drop them on the spot. This makes things very much easier. Trying to extract out of deep timber, bracken etc is bloody hard work. Sitting and waiting is not. I would far rather sit and wait an extra 20 minutes than spend 2 hours in the dark in deep woods and bracken trying to find a deer.

6) on an initial inspection look at the deer carefully. In my experience deer with a heavy parasite load are often in very poor condition - skinny, showing signs of mange etc etc - question whether you actually want to put it into the food chain or just dispose of it.

7) I see no issues in skinning in field. In UK you will get many nay sayers, but it is common practice elsewhere. Do have some good breathable game bags - old pillow cases to protect the meat from getting grubby. And get the meat cooled sooner rather than later. Skinned quarters will cool quicker than a whole carcass in skin. If you want to sell carcass it has to remain whole and in skin.

8) have a couple of bin bags in your pack - use these to remove skin and remaining bones etc if needs be.

9) wash your hands, arms etc as soon as practical after gralloching etc

10) a plasterers bath, trugg or old fishbox all work well in back of a car or SUV transport a carcass.

11) once finished shower and use the insect repelling shampoo all over, especially in the parts where sun doesn’t shine. And do this again a few hours later. And check for ticks. If you find any remove them with a tick card, tick hooks etc.

Ticks need to be sttached for a while to pass across the Lyme Boreallis bacteria. If you remove quickly you will few effects. Worst is to leave them and then try and tug or burn them off. They will vomit into your blood passing all the bacteria.

12) be very aware of Lyme disease symptoms - more details

 
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