Howdy folks. I'm lying in bed, recovering from foot surgery which was Monday. The laptop is keeping me distracted from the pain.

I'm wondering what you find works best in the woods, treking or rendezvou for bug repellent. I hate mosquitos and swell up with each bite, to at least the size of a dime. With the west nile virus, bug repellent is really important now. The Deet products are most recommended but not sure if you can get them without the smell. They also are bad about taking bluing off of guns and not sure about the old finishes on our muzzle loaders like browning or char coal bluing.

Interested in your thoughts of what to use on ones person, and maybe around the camp to keep the skeeters at bay.

Thank You

When I'm in the mosquito woods, I just use DEET products. But I share your concern about gun finishes, etc. Layers of clothing help, of course, but when it's hot, that can be murder.
I've not had much luck with the "natural" products. I'm curious about what others will say.

Dick

the best stuff I've found(and it's not "historically correct" )is "Repel", you can find in most sporting goods...it's a spray for your clothes, NOT your skin-I've sprayed down all my gear, let it air out and it works!! watched a deer tick crawl up my leggings,he started shaking and fell off dead...I've seen no harm to clothing or braintan with this product...in camp, just keeping a smudge fire going is always a good idea for bugs.

Brian E.
Sounds like you are looking for an "every day" solution to mosquitoes. I like DEET, but only use it when I absolutely have to and my tolerance of mosquitoes is really high. I only swell for the first bite or two of the season. DEET is not recommended for day in and day out use.

Thank goodness there is a VERY effective substitute. The product is called Buzz Off and it is a fabric. I bought a hat at REI for it's looks and later found out it was a 'buzz off' product. I don't like using toxic chemicals on me, because a lot of the critter poisons rely on nerve poisons. So I did some serious research and found a number of pleasant surprises. In short, garments made with "Buzz Off" have filaments in the weave which are essentially monofilament line impregnated with a chemical that KILLS mosquitoes and ticks and is NOT absorbed through the skin of people. The hat I got said it is good for 70 times through the wash...a lifetime for me as often as I wash a hat. You won't know the filaments are in the material as they are thin...un-noticeable except to ticks and mosquitoes.

I had the hat in the car with me last summer and was driving around with the windows up and the air conditioner on when a mosquito buzzed by my ear and landed upside down (legs up) on the dash! I figgered it was the hat at work.

Other Buzz Off products include shirts and pants. No ad...just bringing up a product that works. The product has been used for years in malaria infested places as bed curtains.

Sparks

I work indoors, machinist, so it's when I'm out shooting and in the woods when it is a major problem. Live in Dallas so it is super hot in the summer. Was really wondering what is going to be acceptable treking to use. I agree that Deet is something you don't want to use very much. I have also used sprays on my clothing. The spray mentioned sounds great.

I was wondering if smoking yourself, like the natives did with sweet grass, or sage, will help keep the mosquitoes off. Maybe smearing mud on the skin would work in a pinch.

Thanks for the ideas, and keep them coming.

I have seen people tuck dryer sheets (anti-static cling) in their hats and collars. Heard of people using "Skin so Soft" to rappel the critters. Also heard of people eating themselves 'bad tasting' for the critters w/ garlic. Don't know if any of it works.
Sparks

I've heard of others swallowing about a tablespoon or two of apple cider viniger everyday. My guess is like the garlic sparks mentioned it may do something to change the ph in your blood and moderately discourage bugs.

I've had good luck with "Jungle Juice" from REI. Ticks and bugs stay away! But; be really careful what you put it on! I smeard my wrists down before turkey hunting one morning and about an hour later my watch was ruined. The face and the nylon band melted. West nile might be bad, but not near as statistically likely as the nerve damage your sure to suffer from mulitple uses of stuff that kills ticks and melts plastics!

I have read but haven't tried yet rubbing exposed skin with Bounce fabric softener
and carry one in your shirt pocket for insect
repellent.

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When I was a kid living in Orange Park, Florida
something we ate kept mosquitoes off. they would buzz around but not land. anyone remember
that food product? I ate alot of grits and fish
could that be it?
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old indian saying:"fighting for territory is like two fleas fighting over who owns the dog the live on".
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Old chief telling his son a philosophy to live by: "son there are two wolves living inside us all, one evil, one good. Thay battle contantly for conrol of us. SON: father which one wins?
Chief: which ever one we feed".

I was given a Buzz Off scarf as a gift. The thing works. Color me surprised. Onliest prollem widdit is that it's a seriously industrial orange plaid. I'm suspicious that it's that nauseating color driving the skeeters away.

Most of my life, the method that worked the best for me was to smoke myself over my campfire as soon as I had one going and a few times a day as the opportunity offered itself. Not only does it drive off skeeters and other bitey nasties it works at least as well on the missus.

Three Hawks

One alternative might be to crush up some cloves of garlic and then rub it all over you. Of course, be prepared to not have any other humans get near you, which would be alright on a lone trek.
volatpluvia

Whilst working outside in the mountains I used deet and stood in the campfire smoke. I only had a fire in the evening long enough to cook dinner and stand in the smoke before putting the fire out and going to bed--inside the mosquito netting. But after one particularly bad trip when I forgot my repellent, I decided that I would much rather leave my canteen and knife at home then to be without my repellent and netted tent.

If eating grits and fish worked I'd have never discovered DEET.

After the bitten fact, I prefer to rub a little soap on the bites from a wet soap bar. I found it makes them not itch.

Sparks

We have a plant in our garden,member of the Geranium family,(Pelargonium) "GRAVEOLENS", Rose Geranium, smells like citronill.If you make a tea out of this and soak you jacket in it,then let it dry it keeps the bug away for awhile.I also crush some of the leaves and rub it on me as the day goes on.The Geranium family has alot of aromatic plants,might do some checking to see what works.I figure if a deer/moose/horse fly cant eat it and not get sick,maybe I shouldnt put it all over me either.The "Lady Plymouth" gives off a eucalyptus scent and "Fragrans" smells like nutmeg,these would all be natural and "homeopathic" greeners will love you for it.

Well DEET is the only artificial stuff that works. Now Skin-so-soft from Avon works for sand fleas, and not for anything else. So it's good for you when at Paris Island SC, but not so much anyplace else.

Bounce fabric softener sheets are supposed to work in your pockets, or rolled up under your collar, or pinned inside the waistcoat or coat level with with your shoulder blades, but I wouldn't rub the stuff on my skin.

My diet changed almost a decade ago, and now has lots of vinegar, vitamin B, and fresh garlic, and I have not had a mosquito bite in all those years. I found out later that those three items, together, are supposed to come out in the persperation and ward off the skeeters.

I have an old book on camping from 1904 that has several "bug dope" recipes that for the most part use Canadian balsam, and no washing of the exposed areas, BUT that is lots farther north than Texas, and it has to dry, which when sweaty, might not work.

IF you can find clove soap, made with olive oil, lye, and clove oil, and NOTHING else, if you rub the soap on the outside of your collar and cuffs, and on your hatband, plus wash with it, that is supposed to work well too.
LD

Byan,
I forgot to mention I've used the Repel product, too. Spray it on your clothing and let it dry--it's good for a couple of weeks and a few washings. Doesn't melt watch bands. Do not apply to your skin.

Dick

I use an all- natural product that I bought at Walmart that is a mixture of eucalyptus and lemon oil. Seems to work ok but wears off after awhile, ecspecially if you're sweating alot.

Bens 100 is a good all around bug dope.It stinks ta high heaven but it works.I live in Indiana and the turkey ticks here will drive you insane.At the local hardware store I can buy powdered sulpher.Put powdered sulpher on your socks and your pant legs and the ticks wont bother you.

A fellow I work with got the West Nile virus from a mosquito bite. He is still shaking off the effects. Little bug, bad medicine.

Shadow Lurker

Hello the fire, been away for a while, but glad to be back. I've used my bees wax olive mixture(patch lube) with lavender oil and vanilla oils added, worked just fine smear it on exposed skin. Added benifit.....The Missus can tolerate me!

The only things I have found to be effective are the Repel Permanone and hanging a fabric softener sheet over my bed, at night.

Everything gets sprayed with Permanone. Clothing, ground cloth, and blanket.

Haven't had much luck with fabric softener in my pockets, but the Repel Permanone kills anything that crawls on it.

Follow the instructions on the can. Permanone remains viable for two weeks, through one washing.
God Bless,
J.D.

I've had pretty good luck with crushing green catnip and wild mint leaves on my exposed skin. The Voyage of Discovery carried mosquito netting. If I sleep under my buffalo robe with just the hairs crossing over my face, the mosquitos can't get in and I can still breath. It can get pretty sweaty, but it's better than bein' civilized.

Will