Concerns About Wildlife

[dlodoski]

and teeny tiny deer ticks will give you Lyme disease...

teeny tiny deer ticks may give you Lyme disease

And it seems to be a pretty slim chance.

I've seen Duncan pull dozens of ticks off of him (he's tall, so...) and he doesn't seem any more diseased now than when I first met him.

[Fred588]

and teeny tiny deer ticks will give you Lyme disease...

teeny tiny deer ticks may give you Lyme disease

And it seems to be a pretty slim chance.

I've seen Duncan pull dozens of ticks off of him (he's tall, so...) and he doesn't seem any more diseased now than when I first met him.

There are a number of illnesses spread by ticks, but all of them are pretty rare. Transmission is also not so easy. I believe it is estimated that something like 10 hours of having a tick biting you is the average to contract a case of Rocky Mountain Fever and there is no reason for it to be much different with the others. Most of these illnesses are also spread only by a specific species of tick: the common tick for Rocky Mountain Fever, the deer tick for Lyme, and so on.

[Duncan Edwards]

and teeny tiny deer ticks will give you Lyme disease...

teeny tiny deer ticks may give you Lyme disease

And it seems to be a pretty slim chance.

I've seen Duncan pull dozens of ticks off of him (he's tall, so...) and he doesn't seem any more diseased now than when I first met him.

and teeny tiny deer ticks will give you Lyme disease...

teeny tiny deer ticks may give you Lyme disease

And it seems to be a pretty slim chance.

I've seen Duncan pull dozens of ticks off of him (he's tall, so...) and he doesn't seem any more diseased now than when I first met him.

There are a number of illnesses spread by ticks, but all of them are pretty rare. Transmission is also not so easy. I believe it is estimated that something like 10 hours of having a tick biting you is the average to contract a case of Rocky Mountain Fever and there is no reason for it to be much different with the others. Most of these illnesses are also spread only by a specific species of tick: the common tick for Rocky Mountain Fever, the deer tick for Lyme, and so on.

In general I've always been pretty cavalier about it but both Dave and Fred can attest to my skill at attracting nasty insects. Apparently it's a gift brought on by either the way I smell or the disregard with which I crash through the undergrowth. I wanted Dave to know what he was getting into so I've actually got video I sent him of a tick crawling on my hand while driving back from the first scouting mission to locate Camp MPV in very early spring. I have collected ticks running through the park and getting too close to the bushes and branches which universally seem to be trimmed at the level of my hairline. My personal record for pulling ticks alone is 32 at one time. I think the real trick is that I do generally locate them before they have a chance to become one with my hide. Several times however I have noticed a new mole which turned out to be a tick that avoided detection. After yanking them off I'll apply whatever disinfectant is handy to the affected area and go on my way. Deer ticks are difficult to spot but generally a short haircut (another problem) and good shower at the end of the day will deal with them as well. Most of the diseases they carry are dependent on the condition of the infected immune system and being a healthy person buys additional protection. In the last three years I have also finally bought into the idea of using insect repellent regularly and properly. A good DEET based repellent can be highly effective if you use it as you should. I also now wear a hat that I spray with insect repellent as well before putting it on.

Not everyone should expect to be as fortunate. Just yesterday I was approached to contribute to a fund for the young daughter of some friends who has become extremely ill with Lyme disease. This is one illness that is not well understood and can be very difficult to diagnose and treat. This young lady has been battling it for a year and been through some horrible stuff. Her parents want to try a course of treatment that runs $4000.00 a month and while I have my doubts I also understand that there is little you won't try to do for your child in such a situation. I hope I never find myself in similar circumstances.

Lyme disease isn't the only concern since West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, various manifestations of encephalitis, and a lengthy list of other really nasty things with strange names occur in this area. It's something to watch out for but it hasn't kept me from getting outside as far south as Honduras or as far north as British Columbia and everywhere in between both east and west. Don't lose sleep over it but use appropriate caution.

[Fred588]

This is a reply to Duncan, entered as a simple reply to avoid creating too many quote layers: You are right about attracting bugs but in the main case I remember you got stung several times by trying to walk around the peat pit and approach through the rocks and background behind it. I don't recall for sure if you were warned or not but bees do like rock piles near sources of moisture.

Back in those days that same area had a good cover of poison ivy as well. That has gradually been poisoned out but the bees still come for the water in August. So far no one else has been stung in that location.

[Duncan Edwards]

This is a reply to Duncan, entered as a simple reply to avoid creating too many quote layers: You are right about attracting bugs but in the main case I remember you got stung several times by trying to walk around the peat pit and approach through the rocks and background behind it. I don't recall for sure if you were warned or not but bees do like rock piles near sources of moisture.

Back in those days that same area had a good cover of poison ivy as well. That has gradually been poisoned out but the bees still come for the water in August. So far no one else has been stung in that location.

No, you warned me a couple of times to be aware of the yellow jackets back there. Being determined to get a particular photo I unwisely ignored you and got tagged on the back of my leg four times.

You also suggested many times that I pay attention to proper use of insect repellent which I frequently neglected because we never used the stuff when I was a kid. Of course you're supposed to get smarter as you age and not the other way around.

[dlodoski]

Hi: where I'm at, people do see or hear mountain lions occasionally, but I have not heard of any attacks on people. The only snake that is bad here is the Western Diamondback, and they have specific habitats that they like. There are definitely bear in this area, but they leave people alone (but not their garbage cans). So, I guess, I would have only to worry about the big cats. And, it seems, I need a plan to deal with them. What sort of plan should that be? Make noise? Throw stuff? Unfortunately, firecrackers are illegal here...

Pocket air horn, dynamite, whistle, large caliber pistol, Molitoff cocktail, large dog, or a tuba.

A tuba? I will bring it. Thank you!

Make it a Sousaphone. That will leave your hands free to use your heat as well.

[quikmoose]

Dear Jumpoff Joe and Fans of Mountain Lions:

It is extremely rare to encounter a mountain lion in the wild; you should consider it a privilege.

If the lion is aggressive or just stares at you, you should (1) look as big as you can (e.g. stand up, wave your arms around, pull your jacket up high on your arms above you or raise your backpack/day pack over your head to look bigger), (2) make noise (yell, an airhorn is easy to carry, blow a whistle, throw rocks or branches, etc.), and (3) back up slowly.

Don't ever run (several joggers have been killed by lions over the years).

If you have small kids with you, always keep them under control in the country (this is not so much to protect them from lions, although attacks do seem to favor small children in lion habitat, but far more likely is your child will run over a cliff or jump into the poison oak). If you again see a lion, pick up your child in your arms.

Having said all that, unfortunately about 60% of the people attacked by mountain lions never saw the lion coming...

Again, lion attacks on people are, fortunately, still extremely rare, like maybe one or two per year in the Western states and Canada at most, and often no attacks. There are more people now in lion habitat, building homes and recreating in the backwoods. I've been camping and hiking for years in very good mountain lion habitat and never seen one (I've seen their tracks a few times). Researchers who spend their lives trying to study mountain lions also never see them -- they have to use dogs to tree them so they can be tranquilized or special traps that don't hurt them.

And thanks for mentioning poison oak, Waterbug. That I HAVE had attack me, too often in fact!

-- Quikmoose, I have a Bachelor's Degree in Science....but still turn into a giant blister when I get poison oak....