Avoiding Ticks When Camping

Series Summary

Backpacking and camping are two favorite outdoor activities. Whether someone is a recent college graduate who wants to find themselves by hiking across Europe with a good pair of shoes and a pack, or a mother of three who wants to take the kids out for some fresh air on a day-hike, getting outdoors with a heavy pack on the shoulders brings people in touch with nature and primitive human culture. Camping usually entails tents and sleeping bags, but backpacking, too, can involve sleeping outdoors, depending on the journey. Trudging through forests and up mountain passes draws fresh air into the lungs and puts backpacking skills to the test. In this free video series, a backpacking guide provides advice on backpacking and camping trips, including tips on staying comfortable, picking a backpack and sleeping arrangements. Discover how to avoid ticks and blistering, how to pack a backpack and how to pitch a tent. Go on a day-hike and enjoy the physical and psychological fruits of backpacking before setting up camp for a peaceful night under the stars.

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Richard Fields. In this we're going to talk about how to avoid ticks. The first and foremost thing, is having long clothing on, wherever possible. If you're not wearing long pants, you might consider wearing a pair of gators on your boots, such as these. They're, they're lightweight, but they will keep insects and dirt and things out of your boots. Also, it's a great idea to stay on trails or in cleared areas. When you start moving through brush like this, this is where you're most likely going to see a, an accumulation of ticks on yourself. When you're in tick infested areas, it's a good idea to periodically, perhaps once an hour or more, check the critical areas, to make sure you haven't picked up a tick. Areas of, of the groin, under your arms, and behind your knees, are common areas where they like to go. If you do this on a regular basis, and stay out of the brush as much as possible, wearing long clothing wherever possible, especially if you've got pants that have drawstrings around the ankles, or wearing gators, you can prevent almost all the tick bites that you're likely to encounter in the wilderness. That's how to prevent ticks."