OT-attacked by vicious throngs of bloodsuckers!!!

[jnyork]

So, friend and I set out on the first prairie dog expedition of the year, headed out to Wyomings high desert country West of Jeffrey City. Got out there about 0800, found the PD's, got out of the truck to shoot and were immediately swarmed by more mosquitos per cubic inch of air than I have ever seen in my life. It was INCREDIBLE!! Anticipating the high-80's temps forcast by the weatherguesser, I was dressed in hiking shorts and a short sleeve shirt, friend was luckier, with blue jeans and a longsleeve shirt. NOT A DROP OF INSECT REPELLANT TO BE HAD, I always have a can in the truck, always, just not today!! I dont think it would have mattered, there were so many mosquitos you couldnt even open your mouth. Friend took one shot, said looking through his scope was like viewing a squadron of B-52's. Skeeter population no doubt due to the very wet spring we have had here this year.

We gave it up as a bad job and were back on the highway by 0845, we took another route later and found a few, between the two of us we got about 25 shots in over 5 hours of hunting, so it wasnt a total loss. We had a good day in the field anyway, we are both 70 and just thankful we can still get out at all.

Will give it a couple of weeks and try again.

[Hobie]

You never strike me as being 70... Congrats on a good day out! I'm a little jealous, skeeters and all.

[Don McDowell]

Be mindful of the West Nile Virus. This could be a pretty nasty year for it with the bumpercrop of skeeters.
They swarmed me so bad the other day while I was fixing fence , my forearm started aching and I looked and it was absolutley grey from the lil buggers. Blood was trickling from a couple of places, what a mess. Never seen these little dry landers so vicious.

[Mike D.]

Skeeters are bad everywhere. Those little tree hole loving devils about ate me up the past couple days while working on the cabin. I finally found the Deep Woods Off and got shed of 'em, but the knots remain from the first onslaught. I recall the old days on the AlCan Hwy when you dare not exit the vehicle, and this season is every bit the same down here in the Lower 48.

[jnyork]

Be mindful of the West Nile Virus. This could be a pretty nasty year for it with the bumpercrop of skeeters.
.

The daughter-in-law of the friend I was with today got WNV a few years ago, darn near killed her and she suffered the effects of it including facial paralysis for 2 or 3 years. Bad stuff.

[kimwcook]

Be mindful of the West Nile Virus.

Just what I was thinking. We just got the first report of the season our county has already found skeeters with the WNV. I've got the vaccine for my horses and this weekend I'm gonna get'em their shots.

[2ndovc]

They are wicked nasty here too this year.
Been having one nasty storm after another this year and Heavy downfalls!
Lots of standing water.

We had another that knocked down trees on our street last night and
I never heard a thing! The only thing I can think of is I'm getting uesed to
them. That can't be good.

jb

[Doc Hudson]

When i saw the headline I couldn't decide if you's run afoul of a swarm oc mosquitos or a gaggle of Infernal Revenue Agents.

If those Wyoming skeeters are as bad as Mississippi Delta skeeters those jeans were no protection. I've gotten lots of skeeter bites through jeans, heavy twill work pants and work shirts. Nothing short of 4-ounce leather will keep those bugger from stabbing you.

[Don McDowell]

Kim after I got whacked so hard then I remembered I hadn' gave the horse their shots. Went in and got two dose's, but the cute lil vet tech wouldn't sell me three mumbled something about we know you only have two horses

[Malamute]

Been less of them around my neighborhood this year. Over by the mountain I usually get a few following me when dog walking in June, but so far none. I did have one in my yard this evening when I was out setting sprinlers. Been wet here, and very cool.

I average about 1 mosquito every 2 weeks around the house in normal years.

[Blaine]

No skeeters to speak of around here...may have been too cold so far...sure heck had been twice as wet as normal... We have the WNV around here, too. Two or three will come down with it bad enough to make the paper.

[Buffboy]

West Nile is running around here, know of a couple cases locally. That's some bad S#$@, one friend had to relearn to walk but at least he lived.

Skeeters are just vicious this year. Got to make sure you don't miss any exposed spots with the Off or the little devils find them even if you are only out mowing an hour. Doesn't seem to matter what time it is either, they are out thick all the time.

My boss gave himself a shot of the equine west nile vaccine a few years back, we were doing about 60 of his horses, one got a little frisky and he wound up with the injection going in him. He was a little torqued, as it put him short for the horses. Don't know if it offered any protection for him, he didn't get it, but then neither did I, and I didn't get the shot. At least he didn't get me, said it stung quite a bit though not as bad as LA 200. That stuff really burns.

[willygene]

been lucky so far no skeeters here yet and usually we have them bad by now.

[ceb]

One of the worst years for skeeters I've ever had, I live in a rural area and can't get in my back yard to shoot my bow or plink with a .22 without spraying down.

[bdhold]

been to Alaska where 100% DEET plus a cigar, both replenished every hour, were the only way to fight the black flies.


seem to be lucky at home this summer, we've had great rain for the farmers (bumper crops of oats and corn) but the rain has been spread out enough that I don't even have to mow my acre too frequently, and the mosquitoes are down - neither mosquitoes nor fire ants have come back since the last two-year drought.

[Blaine]

Deep Woods Off seems to do good for me. Quite awhile back, Ft Lewis Soldiers were sold on Avon Skin-So-Soft for bug repelling. I didn't think it worked as good as something with DEET. My GramPa would sift sulpher in his sock bands and shorts to ward off ticks and chiggers.