Deer butchers and hunters processing their own deer share that whitetail deer harvests are coming in with extremely high counts of deer ticks. One local butcher friend of mine counted more than 60 ticks dropping off from a recent doe he was processing. He said, “I was working at eye level with the deer suspended by the rear legs with the head of the deer down near the floor, and I could feel something crawling up the inside of my pant leg. I thought it was an ant until I looked down and saw all the deer ticks on the floor and on my boots. There were so many.”

One trick I learned from an old friend down south is simple, and it will quickly rid the deer of all deer ticks. He advised me to place a small piece of dry ice on a plastic tarp directly under the deer. Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2), and deer ticks are immediately attracted to carbon dioxide. That’s how they find hunters sitting 20 feet above the forest floor in their tree stands. Deer ticks are blind but have susceptible sensors for locating carbon dioxide emissions from air-breathing warm-blooded creatures like deer, mice, dogs, birds and people. The ticks have other sensors that detect body odor, body heat moisture and vibration. Ticks are arachnids, eight-legged critters related to spiders. They feed on the blood of their host to survive, and they swell up to 10 times their normal poppy seed size as they fill up with blood. That’s why it’s a good idea to check yourself and shower. You can see them that way. If you’re bit, visit a doctor for treatment.

Hunters in the fields and woods, as well as butchers in their shops in the absence of dry ice traps, can protect themselves by using odorless Sawyers Permethrin on their exterior clothing, socks, and boots, and Sawyers Picaridin on any exposed skin. Deer ticks avoid this highly effective topical clothing and skin treatment. For use on clothes, spray them until wet the night before and let them dry before wearing them the next day. This treatment is good for six weeks and six washings. These products are inexpensive, between 10-15 dollars, at local outdoor and retail stores (Walmart). There are other tick repellents, but I have used these two products for a decade now without a tick bite yet (knock on wood). Remember that tick bites are painless and are often found in a fold of our skin, behind ears, groin, knee crease and soft skin places like that to dig in. Inspect yourself after hunting and shower if possible.

The old guy also told me what biologists have confirmed. Even though harvested deer may carry deer ticks with Lyme Disease, venison (deer meat) is unaffected and does not carry the disease. This is interesting. Deer with embedded deer ticks feeding on them, many with Lyme bacteria, do not get Lyme disease. The same deer ticks feeding on humans and other warm-blooded creatures are susceptible to Lyme. Sounds like there is a cure for scientists to find. Let’s go, science! We may need to contact Elon Musk.

The deer are active in the nighttime backyards of people all over WNY. They are active crossing roads, too. Right now is an excellent time to drive carefully on our local roadways; deer seem everywhere after sunset. It is a significant time to be alert to their presence as deer are most active in November and December during the breeding season, when they are more likely to cross public roadways at dawn and dusk, and visibility may be reduced. Deer can be difficult to see at night because of their dark brown hide color. If you see deer’s glowing, bright eyes ahead, slow down and honk your horn. DEC advises drivers not to swerve to avoid deer collisions for fear of going off the highway or into oncoming traffic. If you hit a deer (or bear), stay with your vehicle and use your cell phone to call for help.

Gotta love the outdoors.

Outdoor Calendar:

Nov. 2-15: NYS Southern Zone Big Game CROSSBOW season OPEN.

Nov. 11: Veterans Day- Free Fishing Day in NYS for residents and non-residents. No license required.

Nov. 12: Niagara Musky Assoc. monthly meeting, 7 p.m., Eldredge Club, 17 Broad St., Tonawanda.

Nov. 12: Fly Fishing and Fly-Tying Class, FREE, 7-8:30 p.m., with Alberto Rey, Costello Room, Rockefeller Arts Center, SUNY Fredonia. Info: email reya@fredonia.edu.

Nov. 15: Last day NYS Southern Zone early big game archery and crossbow season.

Nov. 16-Dec. 8: NYS Southern Zone Regular (firearm) Big Game season

Dec. 9-Dec. 17 and Dec. 26-Jan. 1: NYS Southern Zone Late Bowhunting Season