Tick sticks help during tick season

By Gloria Schrader
Posted Wednesday, June 25, 2008

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Chatham County, NC - I had quite a few people email me about the tick sticks I mentioned when I asked for advice on guard donkeys.

Here's the tick stick story: While our home was being built, I used the Chatham Chatlist to ask people how to deal with the ticks. Getting guinea hens was the number one piece of advice, but someone emailed me about making "tick sticks."

They don't keep ticks off you, but they are a handy way to get rid of them once they are on you. We made some and carry them with us when we are in our pasture or in the woods. Get some Popsicle sticks (I use two, back to back, to make a thicker stick). Wrap duct tape around and around the sticks. Fold over the end so you have your "start." Basically, you are making something like a lint roller.

When you see a tick on you, pull it off and stick it on the exposed portion of duct tape. That's what we do, anyway. I guess you could actually use the exposed portion of the tape just like a lint roller. When you have a portion full of stuck-on-tight ticks, fold it over and unroll a new portion of tape.

That's all there is to a "tick stick."