High country mosquito repellent

Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Messages
305
Location
Utah
I got hammered by mesquitos last weekend. I’ve heard thermacell won’t work at elevation and don’t want to smell like chemicals while trying to stalk mulled. Does anyone have any recommendations?


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hikenhunt

WKR
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
419
Location
WA
100% DEET. And I did read your post. You should be playing the wind anyways. If bugs are really bad, I use a head net for my face and neck because I don't like DEET on my face.

Or you could try the thermacell radius. It supposedly can be used at any elevation. I haven't tried it, but it gets good reviews. It still would only work on calm days though.
 

Bbrinks

FNG
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Messages
81
Location
Illinois
Picaridin here as well. Doesn’t give you a greasy feeling after you apply it and leaves hardly any scent, at least that we can detect
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Messages
957
Location
NEW JERSEY
Sawyer permethrin. Best stuff on the market


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I use it both on my clothes and the skin. The package says not to be used on the skin but it is the same stuff you put on your kids for head lice. I used to be a manufacturer's rep for Repel Insect Replants and the lead chemical engineer told us it was safe but it would cost more than it was worth to pay the government and have it showing approved by the FDA and that is why RID for lice is more than twice as expensive by volume. You aren't putting it on every day and only small area of your skin since most of it will be covered by clothes while hunting. At most from your elbows down to your hands and on my neck. I spray my hat and it keeps the bugs off my face.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I haven't used DEET in a few years due to a few articles I've read on toxicity....and I for sure wouldn't put permethrin on my skin- I think the above is terrible advice- sorry FF.

Good article for the DEET and Permetrin guys here;
The Toxic Truth about DEET/Permethrin


From the article;
Don't think Permethrin is any better, either. Permethrin is topical insecticide, which is not known to rapidly harm most mammals or birds, but is dangerously toxic to cats and fish. It has a low mammalian toxicity and is poorly absorbed by skin, which has prompted its use to treat head lice and nits, scabies, and various species of ticks. But the strikes against it are significant. Peremthrin is a suspected carcinogen, endocrine toxicant, liver toxicant, neurotoxicant and reproductive toxicant.
 

dla

WKR
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
302
Location
Oregon & Idaho
Despite the toxicity of Permethrin, it is a lousy mosquito repellent. I don't know of any insecticide that is a good repellent for mosquitoes. Permethrin works for ticks because the little buggers die before they can attach - assuming they crawled on your treated clothing.

There are a number of "natural" mosquito repellents available. Your experience might be better than mine. But DEET is the only thing I know for sure will repel mosquitoes. I personally use REI's "Jungle Juice" in the bottle or pump. But I'm very careful not to get it on any plastics because DEET is a good plastics solvent (dual use if you need to repair a plastic item in the field).
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
302
Another vote for picaridin. Thermacell also works for me. Haven’t used it above 5000 feet.


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Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I've used the permethrin for about 10 years in the heavy skeeter areas of the Sierras in summer, Alaska and other really buggy spots. I can literally see mosquitos land on my LS shirt trying to bite me....and fall off dead. Its very effective IME. In fact, I can't think of one bite I've had through my clothes when using the permethrin....just don't put it on your skin.

I did a 2 week drop moose hunt in a swamp....and not one bite through my clothes...only a couple on my exposed neck where the sweat and rubbing wiped the picaridin.

I posted some links in the other mosquito thread on the dangers of DEET- worth searching- that stuff is nasty....and it wrecks rain gear.

...
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
2,238
Treat your clothes with permethrin, bring the tiny bottle of 100% deet, and bring a mosquito head net.
 

Felix40

WKR
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
1,874
Location
New Mexico
Permethrin works great. Wear long sleeves and treat all your clothes with it. They will not bite through it
 

dutch_henry

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
256
Location
Vermont
I hate DEET but it's the only thing I've found that works, esp places like Labrador and AK. I rely more on covering up than chemicals. The best protection I've found comes from the Canadian 'Original Bug Shirt.' Own both the original and the elite. Of the two, I have a strong preference for the elite in cotton. That's because these retain more heat than you'd think...their only real downside imho.
 

joes3

FNG
Joined
Aug 7, 2018
Messages
18
Location
CO
been using picaridin last couple. Sell it online ar amazon/rei. Seems to work likke DEET, and doesn't melt your synthetics.
 
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