Tick Warning - Indiana - Page 1

I was in Plymouth (Indiana) today and walked Axel around the Plymouth Country Club lake...was on the pavement almost the entire time although some of that has woods on both sides of the road...only left the paved road surface where the golf course skirts Indiana S.R. 17 to avoid walking in the highway.  Just took my shirt off and found a tick crawling on me.  Little bastards are dive bombing us from the trees.

I've already pulled a couple of ticks off of my pup that he picked up in the Zionsville area and it's been pretty chilly up north so far this year so if they're hitting us this hard already there, it only stands to reason that they'll be worse further south.  Moons, you might want to rethink your 'no Frontline' strategy; I was trying to avoid it as well but will be picking up some Frontline Plus (newer formulation...the pests have learned to adapt to the original Frontline) tomorrow.  In the meantime, I'm suddenly creeped out about the whole thing and am (psychosomatically, I'm sure) itching and am going to go get in the bath.

I have been using shoo!tags lately because we have ticks soo bad in MI.  They do seem to repel them, I stll find ticks but only one or two vs 5 or 6!  I don't use spot-ons, I do use a homemade essential oil spray(when not tracking) to keep mosquito's, fly's and ticks away.  I hate the smell of the spray, though.  I think the Shoo!tags may be worthy of the price...a couple more weeks testing and I'll be convinced.
http://www.shootag.com/

 I have had very good luck with the Preventic Collar in repelling ticks. Ehrlichia is endemic in my area.  This tickborne disease can be particularly devastating to German Shepherds and I have, sadly, seen its deadly effects.  I HATE ticks!!

http://www.amazon.com/Preventic-Collar-Dogs-Contains-Amitraz/dp/B0002XI7GY

I should add that I called the company when my long coat still was getting ticks after two weeks wearing the collar. 
" Frannie" told me to sew it into the nylon collar magnet facing the dog so it would be more effective.
  She also sent me a double magnet tag,  free of charge to test on Kacie.  I have found two engorged ticks since this new tag has been placed on her.  They are calling me back on June 3 to review how well it is working.
  My sable male is wearing one, and I found two ticks on him, but like I said before, not 5 or  6!
Damn things...nematodes are next on my list to erradicate them. We have chickens and haven't had a tick problem before this season, they use to freerange~ eat all the nasty bugs, but the dogs aren't to be trusted any more around them. If you are able to have chickens in your yard, you won't have ticks! Glad we don't have a flea problem....

I've read a little about these Shoo! tags, Onyxgirl, and am pretty skeptical.  What they are claiming for their product simply doesn't make sense.

Still no Frontline,
Picking off the gorged ticks has slowed down a bit, seeing more males looking for those females now.
First of the deer ticks starting to appear now.   I do not go in the woods anymore until next fall, at least not without some protection.  I use the mix from my chainsaw on a rag, timber cutters never get ticks, less toxic than chemicals.
The dogs go to the river now, very few ticks, different environment.
Yeah they are bad but it's been that way here for years.