tick repellent

[uglyjake]

What is the best tick repellent?

[Dusty Nethery]

I now use Permanone (I'm pretty sure this what it is called), based upon positive reviews on this site. I buy it at Wal-Mart in the camping section. If you keep a close eye out, you can sometimes find it on sale.

Dusty

[bofish-IL]

I have always heard the ones with Deet in the ingredients are the best for ticks. I know it keeps them off me. Some sprays have different strengths of the deet added.

I always spray my clothes down then put them on. Try not to spray on my skin if at all possible. I have been told if you have it on your palms it can remove or damage the bow finish. So it must be some nasty stuff.

[uglyjake]

Thank you, the ticks are really bad here in Arkansas this Spring.

[R. Fletcher]

I buy the permethrin used to spray dog kennels from the feed store and mix it up in a garden sprayer.  Spray clothes to include socks and underwear with it and let dry before wearing.  Permethrin is the active ingrediant in Permanone and is a whole lot cheaper.  Just like the aerosol Permanone it will last through several washings.  The ticks and chiggers here feed on deet.  Permethrin kills them.

[tarponnut]

I spray my clothes with permanone(outside) and let them airdry. When I hunt I use Sawyers Deet.
This combo really works in Florida on the ticks.For skeeters, I use a thermacell!

[Pat B]

Permanome is not a repellent but a pestacide. It kills any insect that touches it. It is meant to spray on your cloths(not while on you) , let them dry and ticks will die when they get on your cloths. Kills skeeters and chiggers too
 Walmart around here doesn't carry it anymore. I've used it for years and I no longer worry about getting ticks. Haven't had one on my person as long as I use permanone.

[stagetek]

Pats right. Spray Permanome on clothes, boots and hats. Not on skin.

[screamin]

One of the old time tricks was to consume dietary sulfer, MSM. It takes a couple weeks before you smell bad to a tick and they won't touch you. You do have to keep taking it for it to work all summer, 1 capsule a day does the trick.

[AkDan]

I also use the permanone.

Last spring I sat on a tick insfested pile while calling birds.

Odd thing, my right leg had dead ticks..but my right thye were getting in somehow.

I also tuck my pants in, I dont spray my panties and tshirts....honestly I dont like the idea of having to use it....but it sure is nice on the ticks!

[Swamp Yankee]

Sawyer permethrin here.  It's widely available.  I don't know what permanone is.  DEET is like A-1 steak sauce to a tick.

[uglyjake]

Thanks again for all the inputs.  I will check the the coop to see if they have permethrin.

[R. Fletcher]

Permanone is permethrin based in an aerosol can marketed to outdoorsman.  It is very expensive compared with mixing your own in a garden sprayer.  Like stated earlier it doesn't go on your skin and must be allowed to dry thoroughly on your clothing before wearing.  Once it is totally dry on your clothes it will be there several weeks.  The paperwork on the bottle show different mix ratios for kennels, dogs, gardens, etc.  I mix to weakest that it lists.  I used to buy permanon.  When I was in the Marine Corps we used to line up outside of the BAS with our utilities and a Corpsman would spray them.  One day I asked him what he was spraying them with and he showed me the bottle of permethrin.  I haven't paid for a can of permanone since.

[straitera]

Much obliged folks for the info. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Ticks everywhere here. HATE TICKS! Wallywhirrled here I come.

[Pat B]

The father of a friend on mine is a(retired now) entomologist(sp[bug scientist])that did work on the development of permanone for human use. He told me it is an excellent insecticide but getting the proper dosage for safe human use was the difficult problem. The permanone we buy in the stores has a very small amount of Permethium in it and the can should be shaken well before spraying your cloths and occasionally while you are spraying.

[lpcjon2]

Sawyers is the best I found

[Mitch-In-NJ]

Just FYI - I tend to play on the side of caution when it comes to things that say "DO NOT SPRAY DIRECTLY ON SKIN".  So I don't mind paying a bit more for pre-mixed permethrin.

You can get a 24oz bottle for $11   here .

I was going thru about 1.5 - 2 of the 9 oz bottles a year so this should last me about 2 years.

***EDIT*** - just checked and the shipping from that site is more than the product.  But it is sold locally at a lot of places.  Near me it's $16 from one of the local outdoor stores.

[CEW]

I'm with the guys that mix their own. I get Permitherin from the local tractor supply store. 6 bucks worth will last me 2 years.

[CEW]

According to Sawyer the reason you do not spray it on your skin is that it renders it ineffective. Here's the link.
http://www.sawyer.com/faqpermethrin.htm#002

Last year I enough permitherin left to do my shirt and just the top of my pants, so I sprayed my legs with OFF a couple of times while was out hunting.  I noticed a tick making his way up my leg.  His progress was varied, but when he got to where the permanone was he got real slow and then just sat there.  Eventually he was not holding with all of his legs and then he was dangling by his pinchers.  Finally the poor little feller could not hold on any more and he fell to the ground and he lay there on his back and he died.  Funeral and burial services were held on the spot.  He or she was survived by the dozen or so siblings that were snagged up in my wool socks, who also died, one at a time because of run away cigar fire.  Please don't tell the PETT folks about this,  people for the ethical treatment of ticks.