For outdoorsmen who are about to spend an increasing amount of time in the out of doors in the upcoming months, it is only a matter of time until you come in contact with ticks.

Whether you are fishing at your favorite mountain stream, camping at a nearby state park, or working on food plots as part of your wildlife management plan, you need to be vigilant about ticks.

So what is the big hype about ticks? What’s the latest on Lyme disease, and how can we avoid all of this anyway?

The tick of greatest concern in our area is the black-legged tick — often referred to as the “deer tick.” They do not feed exclusively on deer; instead, they attach to just about all mammals, including dogs and humans. They have even been known to attach to birds and reptiles.

People who spend any time in the outdoors are at risk of exposure to ticks and contracting tick-borne illnesses.

Hunters, hikers, and those folks who work outdoors are more likely to be bitten by ticks since they spend more time in forest edges, wooded areas, tall grasses, and other areas preferred by ticks. Pets that spend time outdoors are especially susceptible to becoming hosts to ticks and can carry these unwanted parasites into a home.

Ticks cannot jump or fly, but instead will crawl to the top of tall grasses where they await a passing host, then crawl onto clothing or fur. They then find a preferred spot and begin feeding, a process that may last several days. They may attach just about anywhere on a human, but prefer moist, dark areas, such as under the arms, the groin, or under the waistband.

If you locate a tick, remove it immediately. The longer it remains attached, the greater the risk of tick-borne disease transmission, such as Lyme disease. Be careful. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with sterile tweezers or a tick removal tool (check with your local drug store for this) and slowly pull upward with a steady, even tug.

After removal, wash and disinfect the area where the tick was attached.

Dispose of the tick by submerging it in rubbing alcohol for at least a day, wrapping it tightly in tape, and then throwing it in the trash or flushing it down the toilet. This may seem a bit extreme, but ask anyone who has been stricken by Lyme disease, and they would totally agree with these careful and proper disposal methods.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help avoid tick encounters to begin with. Wearing light-colored long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and closed-toed shoes will help. Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck the pants leg into your socks or boots. Use insect repellent containing more than 20 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing. A very effective preventative is to treat your clothing with a product containing 0.5 percent permethrin. Walk in the center of logging roads or trails to avoid tall grasses, and always wear protective gloves when handling dead animals.

What is Lyme disease, and how can it be detected and treated?

Typical symptoms can occur within days or, sometimes, last weeks, and may include fever, headache, chills, stiff neck, fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, and depression. A telltale sign of Lyme disease is a red rash in the form of a “bull’s eye” anywhere on the body. If detected early, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, and recovery can be quick. If untreated immediately, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, producing lifelong illnesses or even death.

Today, another culprit has now extended its range throughout all of Pennsylvania. It is the Lone Star Tick, and it can cause the alpha-gal meat allergy, and its bite can result in other serious medical conditions, including death. If bitten by an infected Lone Star tick, symptoms may not occur right away, but can include mild fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, joint pain, confusion, rash, and cough. If you have been infected, these symptoms may also occur after eating red meat.

Remember to take preventative steps to avoid encounters with ticks, do a full body check when returning from outdoors, and contact your Doctor whenever Lone Star tick or Lyme disease symptoms are noted or a telltale red “bull’s eye” is identified anywhere on your body!