Outdoors Pests
February 2, 2009 by admin
By Doug Leier
Catch and Release fishing is becoming common in the ethics of many fishermen
Growing up in North Dakota, I was no stranger to the outdoors and all that accompanies exploring the nooks, brooks and crannies. My outdoor explorations included fish, ducks, deer, camping, hiking and just about any other activity possible. I enjoyed – and still do – spending more time out than in.
Along the way, I found blood suckers between my toes and wood ticks in my hair, swatted mosquitoes, and healed from an occasional horse fly bite. Basically, I just put up with the little bugs and other critters that wanted to steal some of the fun from my time outside.
We kept our eyes peeled for any skunk or raccoon acting viciously or foaming at the mouth—indicative of rabies. In a way, it’s really no different than making sure you’re wearing a life jacket while boating or wearing blaze orange when deer hunting. No matter what you’re doing, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions to minimize our chances of ruining a good time.
But it seems as time goes by, the playing field has changed to some degree.
I vividly remember the media reports of an advancing invasion of “killer” bees buzzing northward years ago. While I don’t specifically remember changing any outdoor activity, it raised my awareness, and even made me think twice about my future time outdoors. Thankfully, at least where I live, killer bees haven’t arrived.
On the other hand, nowadays there’s more to worry about when you venture out the door. In the early 1990s, Lyme disease became a real concern for anyone coming in contact with the pinhead-sized deer ticks, as opposed to the regular wood or dog ticks so common in North Dakota. These deer ticks are found in North Dakota, but are much more common in states to the east of us.
Over the years the threat presented by deer ticks has been countered with education and information. Understanding the difference in ticks, and the early warning signs, have aided in fighting the myths and fears.
More recently, West Nile virus is an additional concern for not just hunters and anglers, but anyone spending time outdoors. We’ve stepped up efforts to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.
Beyond a quick spray of mosquito repellent, we’ve removed standing water, erected bat houses, sprayed insecticide, put on long sleeve shirts and scheduled time indoors a little more to coincide with high activity time for mosquitoes. Spending the dusk hours behind the house windows, reduces my family’s exposure to potential mosquito bites.
Another recent malady is avian influenza, or bird flu. While it’s not an immediate worry to anyone spending time outdoors in North Dakota, it is on our minds because of its presence in other parts of the world. It’s my hope we’ll never deal directly with the bird flu, but history has shown in many cases that arming ourselves with information and knowledge is good preparation.
People who spend time outdoors would rather enlist any aide possible to limit their susceptibility to Lyme disease or West Nile virus, rather than just stay indoors. But increased awareness and preventive measures don’t always work. I know several people who have battled Lyme disease and other who were stricken with West Nile virus, so it can happen.
But the bottom line remains, just like wearing your seatbelt in your car or blaze orange during fall, take the proper precautions and get outdoors. Don’t let mosquitoes, ticks or even leeches keep you from spending your summer outdoors.
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