Mosquito Help Needed

[Blandry]

That bug shirt seems to be pretty awesome (and the pants/gaiters). I bookmarked that thing and will buy one for my next trip up north.

 

[Laelkhunter]

The Thermacell refills also come in "Earth" scent if you are worried about the chemical smell while hunting.

 

[Chad Erickson]

That's Alaska, for sure. We used the same techniques, don't know of any others.

As far as Deet goes, they are not all the same. The little white aerosol can provided by the Federal Government is something like 90% Deet. We had an assortment of sprays, Off, Cutter, etc that we tried knocking mosquitoes out of the air with. With Off and Cutter and several others the buggers just flew through the spray, but not the Fed stuff. Any caught in the Fed mist dropped like a rock and never quiverd. However, the Fed spray will remove just about any paint. It only took minutes for our pencils to be exposed down to the bare wood. Wonder what it did to our immune system, but at the time we didn't care, we thought we were on death's doorstep anyway.

 

[watersfam]

Thermacell with 98% DEET spray from Cabela's. Combination works well.

 

[Blandry]

As far as Deet goes, they are not all the same. The little white aerosol can provided by the Federal Government is something like 90% Deet. We had an assortment of sprays, Off, Cutter, etc that we tried knocking mosquitoes out of the air with. With Off and Cutter and several others the buggers just flew through the spray, but not the Fed stuff. Any caught in the Fed mist dropped like a rock and never quiverd. However, the Fed spray will remove just about any paint. It only took minutes for our pencils to be exposed down to the bare wood. Wonder what it did to our immune system, but at the time we didn't care, we thought we were on death's doorstep anyway.

Back in south Louisiana growing up, my parents would tell stories before there was central/air heat you would suffocate w/o the windows open so they would come into the kids bedrooms with a hand sprayer and spray 100% deet spray all over the bedroom so you could sleep at night.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

2 points regarding ThermaCells:

1. If you found that they completely protected you from biting bugs then you haven't hunted where I have. LOL

2. The smell from a ThermaCell doesn't seem to adversely affect bear hunting. I've shot plenty of bears while using them. However, you never know about any bears that you didn't see due to a bear's cautious nature.

As indicated above, I've always wondered about breathing the vapors of heated bug repellant. I usualy put the ThermaCell direcly beneath my seat so that the vapors rise all around me for the best protection. I wouldn't want repeated, long-term exposure to any type of insecticide or repellant.
FWIW - my vet told me to never put a flee collar around my Golden's neck. He said having insecticide that close to a dog's face (24/7) could cause serious issues, including cancer.

 

[xsn10s]

When stationed in GA and hunting in Alaska I used the net and deet. Heck I'd even sleep with a thick wool blanket covering me in the summer. That thermocell sounds pretty awesome!!!

 

[dan1953]

Thermocell all the way. I have modified mine in two ways. I buy the blue pads from overseas and I put a valve in the bottom of the propane canister for my own refilling. I live on Merritt Island where the Mosquitoe Indians lived and home of mosquitoe lagoon.

 

[WYO300RUM]

This will sound silly to most, but it worked for me. I eat a clove of garlic and a jalapeno in the morning and evening. Mosquitos land on me and don't bite. My hunting partner was bite all over on a spring bear hunt near Copper river in AK. Could be they just don't like me. I got two bite in three days.

I've heard vitamin B12 also. I'm a magnet. My mom used to take a lot of B12 for some medical reason. I'd be standing there going crazy swatting and slapping mosquitoes. She never got bit.

 

[widetrackjack]

I searched with little luck for previous threads. We need some tested and proven ideas and help dealing with insane amounts of mosquitoes. Found a great bear area last year, and the Mosquitoes are in clouds. Not just a lot...literally a cloud around you. We either deal with them or stop going to this area. The bears are pretty nice we saw just the mosquitoes drove us out after three days. The only way we could keep them from biting us was face mesh, two layers of clothes, and constant (until we ran out) of deet spray. One of the kids had a small gap in his face mask and shirt. Looked like he was branded with a running iron over his shoulder in one day. One layer of clothes and they could and would bite right through where it was against the skin like shoulders, upper arms, etc. They would even bite through the mesh if it touched your neck or face. I found Sitka has some anti bug clothing. Anyone have some ways they have had success keeping them at bay and not cooking in thick clothing? Last year it was 70 degrees (Mid August) and we are hiking in the back country so physical effort is a must.

Mosquito Dunks work well if placed in standing water 2 weeks before your hunt. As others have mentioned, a Thermacell would also help.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I've hunted bears in plenty of areas that were heavily infested with biting black flies, mosquitos and who-knows-what kinda bugs. I've encountered swams so think that when they land on your face mask that you can barely see out. And don't even think about taking a (well you know).
A full Bug Tamer suit is a MUST and the ThermoCell helps. The ThermoCell alone will not dissuade all biting bugs and I've seen some actually land on the unit. If the bug situation lessens you may be able to lift off your face mask for awhile and let the ThermoCell protect you, but if you're swatting a bug every other minute, you really are making yourself visible.

Biting bugs can be dangerous. I was hunting turkeys in the Adirondack mountains and black flies were emerging. Some got under my basic hanging face mask. It wasn't too long before I started to feel like a stroke victim. Lost the use of one side of my mouth, couldn't close one eye, and had taste sensation issues. It was a long ride to the nearest rural emergency room. Ultimately, they determined that I had enough fly bites over my eye to cause the onset of Bell's Palsy. That condition lasted a month before it resolved.

In infested areas, take EVERY precaution.

Adirondack's me and
Muddyboots have been in them hill also.

 

[tribb]

I searched with little luck for previous threads. We need some tested and proven ideas and help dealing with insane amounts of mosquitoes. Found a great bear area last year, and the Mosquitoes are in clouds. Not just a lot...literally a cloud around you. We either deal with them or stop going to this area. The bears are pretty nice we saw just the mosquitoes drove us out after three days. The only way we could keep them from biting us was face mesh, two layers of clothes, and constant (until we ran out) of deet spray. One of the kids had a small gap in his face mask and shirt. Looked like he was branded with a running iron over his shoulder in one day. One layer of clothes and they could and would bite right through where it was against the skin like shoulders, upper arms, etc. They would even bite through the mesh if it touched your neck or face. I found Sitka has some anti bug clothing. Anyone have some ways they have had success keeping them at bay and not cooking in thick clothing? Last year it was 70 degrees (Mid August) and we are hiking in the back country so physical effort is a must.

I searched with little luck for previous threads. We need some tested and proven ideas and help dealing with insane amounts of mosquitoes. Found a great bear area last year, and the Mosquitoes are in clouds. Not just a lot...literally a cloud around you. We either deal with them or stop going to this area. The bears are pretty nice we saw just the mosquitoes drove us out after three days. The only way we could keep them from biting us was face mesh, two layers of clothes, and constant (until we ran out) of deet spray. One of the kids had a small gap in his face mask and shirt. Looked like he was branded with a running iron over his shoulder in one day. One layer of clothes and they could and would bite right through where it was against the skin like shoulders, upper arms, etc. They would even bite through the mesh if it touched your neck or face. I found Sitka has some anti bug clothing. Anyone have some ways they have had success keeping them at bay and not cooking in thick clothing? Last year it was 70 degrees (Mid August) and we are hiking in the back country so physical effort is a must.

All good advice I use 2 thermacells with turkey hunting and it's extremely effective no matter how thick they are

 

[chav0_12]

I've heard vitamin B12 also. I'm a mosquito magnet. My mom used to take a lot of B12 for some medical reason. I'd be standing there going crazy swatting and slapping mosquitoes. She never got bit.

That's interesting. I've been in a mostly carnivore diet, mostly meat. I wonder how much affect that will have on my B12 levels and how the mosquitos might react. Red meat is a high source of B12, along with liver and the sort.

 

[Blandry]

Mosquitoes love type O.. go figure...