I love spring turkey hunting, but there’s one aspect of chasing gobblers that I definitely don’t enjoy: ticks. If at all possible, I try to bag my birds early in the season before these annoying bugs come out in full force.

They aren’t just annoying, though. Ticks are also carriers of an array of nasty diseases. Staying tick-free while turkey hunting, fishing or searching for springtime morels isn’t just a desirable goal for the sake of comfort — it’s a necessity.

When I started turkey hunting over 30 years ago, ticks were an unpleasant reality of the sport. My worst encounter occurred during a river-bottom bowhunt. I must have stumbled into a nest of them, because on the drive home I picked off dozens of ticks, flicking them out the window as I tried not to freak out or have a wreck. It was an unpleasant and creepy experience. 

Fortunately, back then, Lyme disease wasn’t a problem in my area like it is now. Today’s hunters are also fortunate to have tick-repelling clothing and spray options that weren’t available 30 years ago. The following are some brands retailers should consider stocking to keep their customers safe and comfortable while spending time outdoors this spring and summer. These items have proven effective at keeping bugs at bay. 

Sitka 

One of the most popular clothing brands in the outdoor industry is Sitka, and the company happily works with retailers of all sizes. Three seasons ago, Sitka introduced its Equinox Guard line of lightweight clothing designed to keep hunters insect-free in warm weather. 

Although Sitka’s main focus when creating the Equinox Guard collection was tick prevention, the garments also do a fine job of driving away mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers and other irritating insects. The key is a tightly woven textile infused with Insect Shield permethrin treatment that resists bites and repels insects. 

This clothing isn’t just for turkey hunters, though. I initially tested my Equinox Guard outfit while fishing in July, and I watched as clouds of gnats swarmed nearby, yet avoided me like the proverbial plague. I was sold on the clothing instantly. Anyone who has ever swatted bugs away from their eyes and face while fishing or early-season deer hunting will appreciate Equinox Guard’s effectiveness, too. 

There are three items in the Equinox Guard lineup: a hoody, pant and gloves. The hoody has an integrated mesh facemask that turkey hunters will greatly appreciate. The glove has thumb and index finger cutouts for easy operation of shotgun and calls. The pant has internal leg gaiters at the ankle that can be tucked into boots for added protection. This feature is especially important for turkey hunters, as it prevents ticks and chiggers from crawling up the legs. 

Equinox was originally offered only in camo, but solid colors were added last season for anglers and others who don’t necessarily need concealment. The Equinox Guard Hoody, Pant, and Glove all come in three Optifade camo patterns: Subalpine and Waterfowl Timber, which turkey hunters will be most interested in, as well as Elevated II for deer hunters. Additionally, the hoody is also offered in Sitka Black and Coyote (brown), while the pant comes in Lead (gray) and Coyote. 

Sitka also offers the Equinox Turkey Vest. Although it’s not infused with Insect Shield, it does have a lot of pockets and features turkey hunters will appreciate, and it complements the Equinox Guard line nicely. Vest colors include Subalpine and Timber camo, as well as Earth, which is simply another shade of brown in Sitka’s color palette. www.sitkagear.com. 

Gamehide

The largest array of insect-repelling gear can be found in Gamehide’s vast line of ElimiTick bug-proof hunting clothing. Personally, I’ve never found a tick on me while wearing ElimiTick apparel. Anytime I’m even slightly suspicious ticks may be out in my area, I’m certain to be wearing an ElimiTick item of some sort, whether it’s a t-shirt, cover-up pant, or pair of socks, especially when hunting buggy river bottoms in May. 

ElimiTick tops include the lightweight, moisture-wicking Tech T-shirt; the button-up Ultra Lite Shirt with dual chest pockets, left sleeve call pocket, and mesh side vents; the Tactical Style Quarter Zip Shirt; the Lightweight Hooded Shirt; and the Cover Up Jacket. Bottom options include the Ultra Lite Pant, the Five Pocket Pant, the Tactical Style Eight Pocket Pant, and the Cover Up Pant that can be worn over other pants. The ElimiTick Bib is also available for added coverage.

Gamehide also offers ElimiTick clothing in women’s sizes. The women’s ElimiTick lineup consists of the pant, jacket, and long-sleeve T. 

As if all this wasn’t enough, there’s also an ElimiTick glove and facemask for turkey hunters, as well as socks in regular and extra-long styles. A pair of ElimiTick socks should be the first protective item hunters buy. 

Most ElimiTick items are offered in both Mossy Oak Obsession and Realtree Edge camo patterns. Each works well for chasing gobblers in spring and bowhunting early-season deer in fall. Solid earth tone colors are also available in many styles for those who don’t need or want camouflage. 

Best of all, Gamehide happily works with retailers of any size, with a fondness for smaller stores. “No doubt our best-selling items many of our retailers have the most success with are the ElimiTick Cover Up Jacket and Cover Up Pant, as well as the long sleeve Tech Shirt, Facemask, Glove, and Sock,” reports Dave Larsen of Gamehide. 

I’ve personally worn the ElimiTick Cover Up Jacket and Pant for several seasons now, and both work great at keeping ticks at bay. However, they can be a bit too bulky and heavy when it gets hot, so last season I added the Tech T-shirt and Ultra Lite Pant to my wardrobe. These lightweight garments have proven to be equally protective and are much more comfortable to wear in warm weather. Based on my experience last season, I’d definitely suggest adding the Ultra Lite Pant to Larsen’s above list. Stocking both it and the Tech Shirt will meet the majority of spring turkey hunters’ bug-repelling needs, especially when those items are paired with a pair of ElimiTick’s socks, in either regular or long styles. www.gamehide.com/collections/elimitick

Simms 

It’s not just turkey hunters that need bug protection, though. If your clientele also includes anglers, consider stocking some of Simms’ tick prevention products. 

“We do have a fairly extensive line of Insect Shield items, and we do work with small retailers all the way up to big box stores,” said Chris Willich, who’s part of the dealer services team for Simms Fishing Products. “I’d say our top items are our BugStopper Hoody and Pant, women’s BugStopper Jogger and Legging, and our BugStopper Gloves, Hats, and Sungaiters.” 

That last item is a facemask that covers the lower face and neck. While designed to protect anglers from insects and the sun while on the water, the Sungaiter comes in two colors: Woodland camo and Cork (tan), either of which would also protect and conceal spring turkey hunters. BugStopper Gloves are also offered in camo, as is the men’s SolarFlex Hoody. Many other items are available in earth tones, like green or tan. As a crossover option that will appeal to both anglers and hunters, Simms BugStopper line of Insect Shield-infused clothing is certainly worth consideration. www.simmsfishing.com

Sawyer

While all of the above gear is highly effective, not everyone is going to want to spend the money on a whole new bug-proof outfit. For those customers, another option is insect repellent they can simply spray on their favorite hunting clothes.

Sawyer’s Permethrin and Picaridin repellents are the best I’ve tried. They can turn any apparel item into insect-resistant gear. Sawyer also offers Picaridin lotion, which I carried in my vest last fall while dove hunting. Whenever little gnats would start attacking my eyes and ears, I’d simply apply some lotion to my face, ears and neck. Instantly, the buggers quit bothering me, and I could hunt in peace. The Picaridin lotion also repels mosquitoes, ticks, and other annoying insects. 

Austyn Dineen, who handles media relations for Sawyer, says top-selling items mom-and-pop shops should consider stocking are the Permethrin 24-ounce spray bottle, the Picaridin 6-ounce spray bottle, and the Picaridin 4-ounce lotion bottle. 

Dineen says stores interested in selling Sawyer products should email sales manager Megan Bigelow at megan@sawyer.com. Sawyer also offers water filtration products that are popular with outdoor lovers, as well as first aid and sunscreen items. www.sawyer.com

Sidebar: Camo Headgear

While tick-proof shirts, pants, facemasks, gloves and socks abound, I found it ironic that I could locate only one camouflage cap. 

The cap is made by Insect Shield. It should be noted that Insect Shield’s Permethrin-based technology is used in all the clothing options mentioned above to repel bugs. While Insect Shield works with many small retailers, the company prefers to not sell directly to hunting and fishing retailers in an effort to avoid competing with its brand partners in those categories, such as Gamehide, Sitka, and Simms. 

However, none of those brands offer camo bug-proof caps, so hunting retailers might want to contact Insect Shield directly to see about carrying the cap. Otherwise, customers looking for a tick-repellant camo cap to wear while turkey hunting should be referred to Insect Shield’s website, where they can order a cap for themselves, as well as learn more about this incredible insect repelling technology that’s used in so many outdoor products. I ordered an Insect Shield cap in Realtree Xtra (Mossy Oak is also available) for myself and plan to wear it frequently while pursuing longbeards this spring. www.insectshield.com