Ticks

[uplander01]

I had a bout 200 pepper tick bites a few years ago in Zimbabwe. Had clothes treated but pretty sure they got me when I got in the ground behind my kudu for pics. It took weeks for them to go away after applying antiseptic and dermoplast daily. Didn’t have any ill effects other than feeling weak and flu like for about a week or so, but wasn’t bad. Moral of the story, treat and retest with permethrin and stay off the ground, especially near the dead animals

 

[JimP]

On my first trip to South Africa we went to a coastal area to hunt impala, we were on the ground during the stalk and pictures afterwards, not to mention crawling through the brush. The impala in my avatar was the results. Myself and another hunter didn't have a single pepper tick on us. All of our clothing was treated with Permithin.

Another hunter the next day went to the same location. He came back covered in the little buggers. He hadn't treated his clothes and was depending on bug spray with DEET.

 

[fourfive8]

Those pesky pepper ticks can show up anywhere in those countries commonly hunted in Africa. Like most ticks, they sit on vegetation waiting for chance to hitch ride and get a drink while injecting victim with all sorts of nasties. As most recommend, use permethrin on clothes and DEET on skin

 

[Doug3006]

I’m sure they occur throughout Southern Africa, I’ve only encountered them in Limpopo SA. Not in Zim, Zam or Namibia.

 

[pilar]

I’m going to Kimberly SA in June. You guys have me worried now! Anything I need to prepare for?

I seem to be a tick & fly magnet and would definitely recommend treating your clothing and applying repellent daily! Treated gaiters too
Tick fever is a real B , but I would hate getting Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF ) from a tick , going in their winter helps

https://www.nicd.ac.za/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-case-confirmed/

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Please treat your clothes well!! Get Dr to give you a precription of Doxy to take along with you. I found a Bonte tick attached to me the day after I shot my buffalo in 2018. Started feeling bad on flight home. Bite spot abscessed and was on Doxy for 3 weeks and missed 2 weeks work laid up off leg for it to heal.

 

[AZDAVE]

Had a run in with pepper ticks in 2015. Nasty little devils. Treating clothes is a must.

 

[Surgeon1]

Whats been your experience in Uganda???

 

[btheis13]

My ph is telling me that the ticks aren't present in May because "it's winter". Who's been to Limpopo in May and what's your experience?

 

[Hunt anything]

My ph is telling me that the ticks aren't present in May because "it's winter". Who's been to Limpopo in May and what's your experience?

I was in Limpopo in late May 2021, it was cold but the bushbuck I killed had a lot of ticks on it. Neither my wife nor I picked any up on our person. We didn’t walk through any tall grass where I have picked them up before.

 

[Piet-Vis]

You Americans must be super tasty and soft for the ticks to love you like that. The last time somebody sprayed something on my clothing was when I was a pre-Teen.

I now understand why Trump wants to give us refugee status. He feels he needs to toughen up your genetic pool!

There are few ticks in winter, and if one bites you it's really not the end of the world. The worst place I had to pull one off was from the head of my pecker!

 

[shootist~]

My ph is telling me that the ticks aren't present in May because "it's winter". Who's been to Limpopo in May and what's your experience?

He's full of it. Read posts somewhere above, including one from @Doug3006
- was there just before me in June 2023 (dead of winter). And mine reporting PHs picking off ticks...

 

[Brian]

I treated my pants and shirts with Permethrin , according to instructions. Took a tick removal tool with me and wore underarmor boxers to keep the little devils off my undercarraige. never had any on myself, saw pepper ticks on my PH, this was in Limpopo last August. left my tick tools and other first aid items with my PH.

I am pre soaking my clothing this year with Permethrin. In the past I used tick spray each morning. Sometimes the outfitter supples tick spray, ask him before you go. It works.

 

[Doug3006]

He's full of it. Read posts somewhere above, including one from @Doug3006
- was there just before me in June 2023 (dead of winter). And mine reporting PHs picking off ticks...

I can attest that the ticks are numerous in June! If they are more plentiful in the warm season, then God help them! My PH shared a theory about the increase in ticks over the decades. The area used to be burned off annually, just like most wilderness areas iin Africa. With settlement, annual burning ceased. According to him, that has allowed the ticks to take over. Makes sense to me but I’ll bet the increase of game numbers has had something to do with it too.

I really don’t want to scare anyone off of hunting in Limpopo. Just keep your clothes treated with permethrin and you’ll be fine.

 

[crackerman]

I know the permethrin spray stuff you can get online works well but it does not last through many washings. If you are getting things washed every day and have a decently longer trip, this could be an issue. I hate advertising for companies especially ones that I have dealt very little with but I have used a company called Insect Shield to send my pants, socks and shirts to. They treat the items with a different process that lasts much longer than several washes. It would be a similar process to any clothing item you buy in a store that has an insect repellant label. I have never had a problem sending my stuff to them before and I typically send my stuff every 2 years or so. Just depends on how much I wear the clothing. Take that for what it's worth as being another option than just using the spray stuff you can buy online. For me, the slight additional cost for the extra peace of mind that the commercially applied permethrin will last the entire hunt is enough justification for me.

I know this post is nearly a year old but great information Mike B. I did not even know you could send your own stuff in. My dog and myself are tick magnets and I have not done well with them in the past. I have used the insect shield stuff before for clothes that you can buy but am willing to try my safari clothes now.

I am sending 4 pieces to trey and see how much shrinkage they warn you about really is but if it works the rest of my clothes will be going.

Will be nice fly fishing in NH and ME later this year too. Mosquitoes big enough to mount on the wall, I tell ya.