Permethrin Use
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: APauls
29-May-18
Up in Canada you can’t buy permethrin (don’t ask me why) but I finally found out about the stuff and sprayed a couple pairs of pants. Went for a super quick walk (maybe 45 mins max) and counted approx 12 ticks on my pants. Picked them all off. Is this usual while using permethrin? I treated boots and pants a few days before the incident. Did I maybe not soak enough on? Using Sawyers spray. Curious on how much you guys spray on. My clothing wasn’t “wet” per say but pants also have a DWR finish. Curious on uses / results.
From: Buffalo1
29-May-18
Adam.
I apply a" very heavy application" to my clothing and let the item(s) totally dry. I never had any problems with any kind of bugs thereafter. Remember to always spray downwind to avoid skin contact and breathing the stuff. The stuff can be bad news if not properly handled.
From: stick n string
29-May-18
This was the first year i used permethrin, mostly due to the high recommendation from some of the missouri guys when i inquired about what to expect on my mizzou turkey trip out there this spring. I bought and heavily sprayed with the suggested ratio of water and the 10% concentrate you can buy at tractor supply. I hunted a TON in mizzou, maryland and PA and i did not find a single tick on me at any point thru the season. I dont get many ticks for some reason anyways, but to not see at least one on me or my clothing after the amount of hours i put in was crazy. Had to work. Not sure why it didnt work for you Adam. Were the ticks fully alive, or did they seem dazed? Maybe they got on you somehow from something above the top of your spray line? Not sure, but that definitely stinks. You want that stuff to work!
From: kota-man
29-May-18
I RARELY have a tick while wearing treated clothes. On a recent Canada bear hunt everyone was struggling with ticks except me. I never had one all week while most guys were picking off multiple ticks daily. I religiously treat my clothing at home and rarely have a tick while wearing treated clothing. If I wear something untreated, they’re all over me. I swear by it in tick country. Apply liberally, (wet) let dry to the touch and you’re good to go.
From: bad karma
29-May-18
My first few trips to Shiloh Ranch, I would average about 12-15 tick bites. After discovering permethin, zero. Zero for years. That stuff is great.
From: Paul@thefort
29-May-18
Sprayed from waist down this season. Two wet applications. Hunted Nebraska 5 times for up to 4 days each from the end of March, April and early May. Never found one tick on me which is very un usual for where I was hunting.
From: elk yinzer
29-May-18
Nope, it should kill them on contact. Takes about 5 seconds for a tick to die on properly treated clothing and it is highly entertaining to watch the shittiest creature on earth go in such a manner.
From: Cocoon Man
29-May-18
Sawyer recommends a min of 3 oz on each garment. Insect Shield a US company located in Greensboro NC treats garments for the US military, Game hide and other manufactures, and is EPA registered to last up to 70 washings the effective life of the garment. They will not treat waterproof or water resistant clothing. The permethrin needs to bond with the fabric and I would suspect the DWR finish would lessen the effectiveness or at least the effective longevity of the treatment. Sprays if done properly usually are thought to last through 6 washings or 42 days of continuous exposure to the elements.
I have placed ticks on my pants and they quickly drop off. I have been using permethrin treated clothing for quite a few years and have not found an attached tick on myself since I started using it.
From: Hawkeye
29-May-18
There had to be something wrong with your spray. I haven't seen many ticks since I started using permethrin. Let's not forget chiggers....a close second on my hate list. Keeps them off as well. I'd get some new spray. Liberal application...let dry and your gold.
From: eddie c
30-May-18
I noticed, at least with my clothes, the spray works better with the cotton/cotton blend clothes than the fast drying nylon type stuff. the spray seems to bead up and run off the nylon. I've watched ticks climb my snake boots and die when they get on my pants but I've watched one climb all the way up my leafy suit until I squeezed it with my leatherman pliers. one day I wore the fishing pants(thin fast drying material) that have the zip off legs. I had sprayed those down. I had one tick on my leg right where the sipper stops. I've been using the stuff from the tractor supply. I wonder if the aerosol spray would stick better. I also use the stuff around the house and camp. I spray the campsite down before I set up with the stuff from tractor supply and we don't have any problems with ants, spiders , etc during our stay.
From: BC173
30-May-18
Did not use it correctly. You must use it to the point that your clothes are saturated. Then hang to dry. Good for 6 weeks then
From: elkstabber
30-May-18
The best way that I've found is to wash the clothes and then spray them while they are still damp. This way the spray gets into the fabric. This won't work on a DWR finish or any kind of waterproof fabric. Let them dry completely before wearing.
Then pull your socks up over the pantlegs so there is no chance of them going up your legs. The ticks will try to climb up the socks. Sometimes as they are dying they will grab a hold of the socks and you might have to pick them off later. They're dead but don't brush off easily.
Man, I HATE ticks !!!
From: OkieJ
30-May-18
I spray the outside bottom edge of the tent and have zero bugs inside.
From: elk yinzer
30-May-18
This jogged my memory something I forgot last night. About 5 years ago I left a batch out in the garage all winter and had the same problem, wasn't working. I was telling guys the stuff doesn't work, and someone told me that cold can affect it. I swore it off, thought it was junk. Decided to give it another try. I have kept it inside since and haven't had a problem. The basis for my statement above was that when I did get a new bottle, I treated a towel with it and would pick ticks off my dog, put them on the towel, and watch them literally shrivel up and die in about 5 seconds. I was sold after that. I now spray it directly on my dog as per the Sawyer website directions. I still don't treat a lot of my own clothes, just don't find it all that necessary to keep up with it for me, but it is a godsend for my dog. I got lackadaisical with it this spring and she almost died of anaplasmosis over the weekend. My tick control for her will be on point going forward.
From: Bob H in NH
30-May-18
I discovered Sawyers spray this year and got a bottle at Walmart. I am, what my wife calls, a "tic magnet" (she prefers that over chick-magnet I guess).
we will turkey or deer hunt and I get multiple tics, she gets none. My average for turkey hunting is about 5, with a high of 12. I have NEVER gone on a turkey hunt and been tic free. I then sprayed my hat, shirt and pants and boots with the Sawyers spray, let them dry over night and went hunting. For 3 weeks, not a single tic, none, nada zilch. Last Monday, I found 1, he was not looking good on my pants, pretty much struggling to walk, flicked him off easily. the stuff works.
From: Elkhorn
30-May-18
I just guided a bear hunter that had treated camo, he did not see a single tick. I was very impressed.
From: Kick'em up
30-May-18
I have been treating my clothes for 5 years now and no ticks! I live in KS and we have a nasty tick problem and a 6 week season so the cover get thick. It flat out works if you do as everyone else has stated as far as soaking the fabric. I also spray my truck seat cover!
From: Bake
30-May-18
I've been using Permethrin for multiple years with zero tick bites. This year, on my Kuiu attack pants, I did notice a tick when I sat down once during turkey season. I quickly just flicked it off, and didn't see whether it was dead or dying. I still got zero bites this spring in turkey season.
I heavily apply it. Before turkey season or early fall deer hunts, I will treat EVERYTHING I wear on the outside. Gloves, facemask, hat, boots, a couple pairs of pants, and my main camo shirt. I will use almost a whole bottle on these items. I saturate it all, where it is noticeably damp. Then let it all dry. One application will last me all turkey season, or all early fall bow season.
I haven't had a tick bite while hunting in years while doing this. And we're in a pretty heavy tick area, and my main farm is heavily grazed by cattle, so there are a lot of ticks around
From: Lost Arra
30-May-18
I'm guessing the DWR finish on APaul's pants would reduce the effectiveness. May need to saturate the material.
From: moosenelson
30-May-18
Apauls: You can get permethrin at your feed/farm store anywhere in Canada. I buy aerosol cans and spray my clothes. Works great.
From: Kick'em up
30-May-18
The farm store stuff is not water based. This is what I buy off Amazon and mix myself. It makes about 2.5 gallons for forty buck. Well worth the $$$! https://www.amazon.com/DurationTM-Permethrin-10-Concentrate/dp/B001MA7KPU
Duration™
Duration™ Permethrin 10% Concentrate
From: eddie c
30-May-18
just a FYI: for you guys that may trouble finding the stuff or have to wear FR clothing (flame resistant), CRC FR Clothing insect repellent uses Permethrin. CRC markets a lot of sprays toward industrial/commercial electrical supply stores. this may help someone locate the stuff if your regular stores don't have any.
From: dizzydctr
30-May-18
Works great for me on ticks, but also chiggers/red bugs.
From: Cocoon Man
30-May-18
Technical data states do not store permethrin where temps can drop to 32 degrees or below.
From: stick n string
30-May-18
Sounds like you definitely were a little light on application. Try mixing a bucket and soaking. I would think that would be best for garments that the spray wants to just bead up on versus soak in.
From: APauls
30-May-18
Thanks guys - I was DEFINITELY light on the application. Will be redoing that!!! I was so excited to watch them die...and they just kept keepin on keepin on. I can’t wait to use it again and watch em die.
From: Smtn10PT
30-May-18
I treat my clothes heavily with permethrin and have always had what I consider good luck with it, until I hunted Maine this past week. The ticks up there seemed much bigger than the ticks I typically see here in PA and I was picking them off my clothing every day. Didn't have any attached but I was keeping a close eye on them.
From: jjs
30-May-18
Do not leave w/o it, been using it since the late 80s. Apply it to my cammo about q 10 days ,I bag my camps right after coming in and depends if I'm in a lot of moister, lived in a hot spot for 20 yrs and didn't mess around w/ ticks.
From: lewis
30-May-18
Been using it probably close to 20 years we make our own mix with concentrate permethrin,water and generally spray our clothes down with a gallon pump up sprayer.Let dry and we are good for the year.My wife will get a rash if she has it on her socks.Our cdc just completed a study showing permethrin to be effective in preventing ticks wonder what that cost.Good luck Lewis
From: Genesis
30-May-18
Yep,buy the concentrate.Works on roaches,fire ants,chigggers,and ticks. Spray my mounts with it as well....
From: Genesis
30-May-18
double post
From: MF
31-May-18
You guys that mix your own, do you use the livestock concentrate? I have used the Sawyer spray but wanted to try soaking.
From: Rut Nut
31-May-18
I use the Sawyer Spray and I hate those little creepy bastards(ticks), so I usually apply a fresh application every season. This year was the first year I didn't, but had no problems. Was skeptical that it would work after washing, but apparently it does. Had no issues.
From: lewis
31-May-18
I generally use the bonide 13% but have friends that use martins 10% the higher % will have more odor good luck Lewis
From: Candor
31-May-18
Elk Yinzer...rarely has someone captured my thoughts more accurately than: "... Takes about 5 seconds for a tick to die on properly treated clothing and it is highly entertaining to watch the shittiest creature on earth go in such a manner."
I hate the little bastards.
I ended up with over 200 little seed ticks on me one afternoon. My wife picked them off me for an hour with tweezers. Reminds me of a country song. Hate...hate, hate, hate.
From: Genesis
31-May-18
I use the Befrin XTS it’s a pyrethroid like permethrin but is MARKETED as having a longer duration (residual) of activity. Permethrin concentrate can also be bought at the local feed and seed.Pick up a couple of spray bottle for mixing and wet your clothes the night before or earlier
From: Bob
31-May-18
I spray the seat in my truck spring and fall.
From: APauls
01-Jun-18
I have to question the 5 second thing. Yesterday I found a swollen tick in my daughters hair - most likely received from riding in my truck. Anyways, I removed it, and for experimental only and non-sadistic reasons ;) I took the spray wand out of the sawyer permethrin bottle and dropped a dab on the tick, and proceeded to video it. Well, it took 8 minutes for the thing to croak with a full drop of liquid hitting it. Only thing is I forgot to shake the bottle. Could that have made it so impotent?
From: SaddleReaper
01-Jun-18
Hmm thats an interesting observation that it took 8 minutes APauls. In my experience they don't crawl more than an inch or two on my treated pants before detaching. Not entirely sure if they're dead when they fall off, but its working!
From: NoWiser
01-Jun-18
I'm going on 12 years without a single tick while wearing treated clothing. I'd have had hundreds in that same time without.
From: lewis
01-Jun-18
The study recently done on permethrin by the CDC shows one of the first reaction from the tick is losing control of its legs. I have noticed them just dropping off of my treated clothes while waiting on a gobbler to appear.Good luck Lewis
From: Lost Arra
01-Jun-18
What lewis said. They may be walking but they ain't biting.
From: Genesis
01-Jun-18
Shirttails in and a good belt really help also
From: APauls
02-Jun-18
Update: the tick that I directly dropped a full drop of permethrin on is still alive. I had bagged it. It’s like 4 days later? What’s up with that?!
From: lewis
02-Jun-18
Super tick smash that sob you don’t want him passing on those genes Lewis
