I gotta question about tics. I've been starting on taxidermy and about a month ago I got 2 foxes and a coon. I brought them home and skinned them in the basement. They have been in the freezer since till I can tan them. Just tonight my mom found 2 tics on our dog. I was wondering if these itcs could come from my critters or if they won't even come off of an animal once they are on even if the animal dies. Now she is telling me I cant bring anymore dead animals into the house. I tried telling her the dog probably got the tics from outside since it had been warmer out the last 2 days. Thanks for any info.

Timberjack,

I grew up in Ticsville, Long Island, West Islip, and we would never get ticks this time of year from being outdoors, even if it warmed up a little. Now in PA, that's a little different. It is possible that the Tics fell off some deer or were on some other critters in your back yard but I would find that highly unlikely. I would say they probably came of the critters you brought into the house. They were probably dorment on them when you broght them in. Then with the warmer temps in the house they became active and found new hosts. They probably came off when you skinned them. Do you have a seperate garage or shed where you can do your work?

Sorry, that is my two cents.

T

My neighbors dog had a tick over last weekend, It must of come from the outdoors as we have had no dead animals since hunting season .. We live in PA ..My dogs have been clean ..Bill

My neighbor found a tick on herself a couple days ago after walking in the woods, also got one off her dog, didnt think they were out this early, but guess what, they are..

Timber Jack,

Since some others have seen Tics now, than it is possible they were not from your Taxadermy work.

Good luck convincing your Mom.

T

I have picked a couple from my dog too. Spring and Fall are Tick Season. It is that time of the year.

Me to, still here

I have had about 10 ticks on me in the last week from scouting[:'(]

They are on the move

I was talking to one guy who said he froze the head and cape to get mounted at a later date. He knew it was fulll of ticks and froze it any way figuring the long freeze would kill them (about one year) when it thawed they came back to life, evidently they were hibernating. Also I hang my deer in the garage covered with a cheese cloth bag ,http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.asp?m=566958&mpage=5. once the deer cools I find that some climb out the top of the bag and are found on the outside. I take it that their looking for a new host. I try to take them off before hanging and find the only way to kill them is by crushing them with needle nose pliers, I've had two ticks get me in spots where I could not get to them and had to go to get them removed by a doctor and gone through blood tests and medication. Be carefull lime disease is no fun, especially at the later stages.

Yup, Picked up a tick on febuary 29 while scouting. This is the earliest that I've ever got a tick on me. To top it off I was in New Hampshire when this occured. Tell mom to lighten up. Unless the dog has been hanging out in the freezer it is very unlikely that he picked them up of your pelts.

The best way to kill a tic is to burn them. If you have one on you, it is best not to grab them with a twisor and pull. When you do this, the tic will throw up into you if they have bitten you. We have used rubbing alcahol and place in a shot glass over the tick and eventually it will pull off. The other way is to try and use fire or a match near the tick and try and get it to release. Once off, burn it. If the head is burried under the skin and you pull off the body, it will grow another. Than seek medical attention.

I have heard that only the very small tic's carry Lyme, but you never know.

T