Can I safely camp in deer tick country, and if so, how?

Question

Most of my camping has been above timberline and ticks have never been a problem. However, a day in the garden at home in northern Virginia often results in a deer tick or two, despite long pants and long sleeves and DEET.

There's been a suggestion of a short camping trip close to home, but it is a banner year for deer ticks here, and the mere thought of sleeping on the ground here makes me feel itchy.

Am I overreacting? Is there a way to enjoy a couple of nights outdoors without becoming a host to hordes of these tiny thirsty critters? A complication is that I prefer not to sleep in a tent if the weather is good. Is a tent necessary to avoid deer ticks?

Answer 1

Ah, the ticks of the Virginia woods. I don't think some of the posters here realize one can walk in those woods for an hour and accumulate 100+ ticks. I spent some time in the woods of Quantico (oohrah), and found how to beat the ticks.

Treat your clothes and packs with permethrin. Here are two references: a hiker blog and Indiana University Health Center information.

As others have suggested DEET is great for the skin. Use both in combination.

Answer 2

I've done nearly all of my camping and hunting in deer tick country. You're on the right track with the basics: DEET, long sleeves, long pants, and high socks.

At night use mesh as suggested in comments. I have seen some camping buddies spray the tent edges with DEET, I am skeptical that this works and may be harmful to the tent in the long term.

Check yourself and your buddies for ticks regularly. Before you go, brush up on how to remove ticks and pack the first aid to do so.

As you hike and move do your best to avoid brushing on flora. Ticks can't jump, fly, or run, so that's how deer ticks get on their hosts. Corroboration for this advice can be found here, here, and other reputable sources.

Answer 3

You could use a hammock to keep yourself off of the ground, or even better try searching the web for "Tree tent" there are all manner of interesting designs that could suit.

Obviously not great above the timberline!

Answer 4

I trout fish all the time in tick country, oftentimes hiking through forest to get to my desired location. I tend to camp when I fish too.

Awareness is my #1 protection. A tick on your clothes doesn't matter, so if you're diligent, you should be fine. I also like wearing tighter fitting base layers and tucking them into each other (long underwear into socks, undershirt into long underwear). I find they can't access your skin nearly as easy, which makes them easier to find prior to them attaching.

Finally, check yourself thoroughly before going to bed, sleep in a tent and you'll be fine. When they're really bad, and I'm alone, I'll sometimes bring a mirror to check for ticks in spots I couldn't otherwise see.

This information is corroborated at National Health Service, in the UK, as well as other reputable sites.

Answer 5

For peace of mind, the tried and true method is to do a check at the end of the day. According to the Maine Department of Infectious Disease (Response to Question #20):

Ticks need to be attached for at least 24 hours before they can transmit Lyme disease.

~ LINK.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) points to this as a very conservative figure. They say:

In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted.

~ LINK

If you do regular nightly checks while camping, you should be protected from any dangerous exposure. Just remember to check difficult to see places like behind your ears, in your hair, groin, and armpits. Feeling those areas is often a good first sweep. If you feel anything like a scab or a skin tag that is new, take the time to visually inspect it.

Other helpful tips are to wear light colored clothing, which will create contrast and help find any ticks that may have grabbed onto you. Also bear in mind that you are more likely to pick up a tick from long grass, rather than them crawling onto you.

Again, the risk for lyme exposure is small, if you do regular checks, so if you need to go through the grass to have fun, go for it, it's worth it! Don't let the thought of ticks get in the way of you enjoying the outdoors.

Answer 6

TL;DR:

• Inspect your camping spot for ticks first.
• Nymphs are really, really tiny.
• A touch-check is not enough, get a visual check if you can.
• Get the ticks off your clothes before you enter the tent.
• Know when you are the most vulnerable.
• A no-see-hum mesh will help, but may not be enough.
• A blood test may reduce the risk of unnoticed Lyme disease.

It is more risky than doing day hikes, but here is what I've learnt the hard way:

First, on camping spots: If possible, avoid any kind of vegetation on the ground (for example: dense pine forests are ideal). Otherwise, roll up a sleeve and carefully go with your hand through the grass that would receive your groundsheet, plus a 1-2m safety perimeter. Check that arm often: if you picked up any tick, nymph or larva in the process, go somewhere else. It doesn't have to be far away: I've found a clean spot just four meters away from an infested place. You may speed up the process by using some kind of clear cloth instead of your hand, but I'm not sure it is as effective.

Then, be aware that until mid-August you'll also meet nymphs (1.5 mm unfed), not just adults (3mm unfed and bulkier). They're just as dangerous. In fact, some researchers believe that nymphs are responsible for a large majority of cases.

Nymphal ticks cause most cases of Lyme disease. Because nymphs are as small as poppy seeds and their bite is painless, people often don’t realize they have been bitten. Adult ticks can also infect humans, but are easier to spot and remove.
Source

You probably won't feel any bump when touch-checking yourself if it hasn't fed on your blood yet. I suppose you can feel an engorged nymph, but I didn't test that myself. Also, while you may feel the itch of an adult deer tick crawling on your skin, the nymph goes undetected between your hair. So it is better if you and your hiking companions can check each other visually, instead of solely relying on your own touch sense. Otherwise, bring a small mirror as suggested by @Kyle.

Also, think of how you'll go from fully clothed outside of your tent to checked inside your sleeping bag with all ticks out. I have some sort of groundsheet extension where I undress and check myself outside of the tent without being in contact with the ground. I also check my clothes inside out: I once had several nymphs wandering between my clothing layers, probably picked up while pitching the tent.

Speaking of which, I found that I was much more vulnerable while camping than just hiking. Pitching, digging the latrine, tending my feet and knees are all activities where I am close to the ground and where ticks may climb onto unprotected body parts (wrists, legs after undressing etc.). Conversely, when hiking I can wear light gaiters to protect my ankles and I can check my pant legs often if I have to go through high grass areas. YMMV, just be aware of when you are taking the most risks and learn to develop a healthy paranoia of all moving or unusual black spots in your close proximity.

On tents and nets: I wouldn't consider sleeping in tick territory without one. However, I've seen (harmless) larvae go right through my no-see-hum mesh, so I'm not positively sure that it will keep all nymphs out. It will block the adult ticks, though.

I did not try Permethrin, because I'm not too thrilled about handling a likely carcinogen without a mean to shower it off at the end of the day.

Lastly, once back home you may do a blood test for Lyme disease. Just be aware that these tests are not 100% accurate and may produce false negatives.

Conclusion: there is no such thing as perfect safety, but I now feel "safe enough" when applying the above tips.

Answer 7

Sticky lint roller and rub it over your clothes will get those crawling along looking for a spot. Also check out this article: http://mentalfloss.com/article/501394/15-useful-facts-about-lyme-disease