RE: Ticks and biting bugs
I have seen spring seasons when the ticks and mosquitoes and gnats were bothersome but for the most part they are usually not too bad. Two years ago was the worst I can remember. The mosquitoes and gnats were so bad, I carried a can of Deep Woods Off in my pack. That was the only year I ever carried bug repellent though. It was a wet spring and there was a lot of standing water in the low places. That makes the use of a headnet and gloves double up as bug protection instead of just camoflauge. The amount of insects just depends on how warm it is and how much rainfall we have gotten that spring.
MTT